Positive Daily Commentary on Southern Gospel
This was just posted a few days ago:
Jacob Kitson seems a bit less nervous here (not that this was bad, but standing right next to the legend you are about to replace has to be a little intimidating, no matter who you are.)
On Sunday (August 10), I took the chance to see the Ball Brothers at Calvary Baptist Church in Ashland, Ohio. It was an annual event; though not all-day, it was otherwise my first time to be at an old-fashioned all-day-sing and dinner-on-the-ground.
The Ball Brothers are actual brothers; Andrew Ball sings tenor, Daniel Ball sings lead, Stephen Ball sings baritone, and Josh Ball, though not a bass in voice quality, sings what I call “choir bass” (think Bill Gaither, Claude Hopper). Their blend and harmonies are very tight, tight enough to make their sound unique among male quartets. In professional Southern Gospel circles, most family groups where all the members are related have at least one female vocalist; though Southern Gospel fans have become accustomed to tight family blends in mixed trios or quartets, this group is unique among male quartets.
They sang a mixture of new (orchestrated), acapella, and classic piano-and-bass-guitar convention songs. They did not have live accompaniment; however, they did have a sound man, Josh Gibson, Daniel Ball’s brother-in-law.
During intermission, a church quartet and mixed trio each sang several songs. The church quartet, led by the pastor singing lead, sang “Damascus Road,” “I Rest My Case at the Cross,” “Glory Road,” and “Even Thomas Couldn’t Doubt It.” The mixed trio sang “I’m Happy With You, Lord,” “God is a Good God,” and “In My Robe of White.” The last song, “In My Robe of White,” was written by Genice Spencer Ingold, who was a member of the trio.
I had the time to talk with members of the group for a little while about some of their upcoming plans. Be watching for big things from the group.
Commenter Amy poses an interesting question:
Who are your top 5-10 artists and what percentage are they of your music? My top 3 make up ~34% of mine.
What percentage of your complete music collection is from your top 5 artists? Your top 10?
If your favorites are not the ones you have the most music by, feel free to list that separately.
I was thinking this evening about lyrics. I think I was about 9 years old the first time I heard anyone talk about the importance of listening to what you are singing. It’s probably only been the past few years, though, that I’ve paid attention to the poetry of song lyrics and decided there are quite a few truly gifted songwriters–writers who not merely make things rhyme but who describe things so vividly. Tonight I am thinking about the song, “How Big is God?” by Stuart Hamblen who was a tremendous songwriter. If you know the song, have you ever stopped to ponder the words of the first verse?
Though man may strive to go beyond the reach of space,
To go beyond the distant glimmering stars
This world’s a room so small within my Master’s house
The open sky but a portion of His yard.
Maybe the reason these lyrics came back to me is that I’m reading the book of Job right now which is a vivid picture of the vastness of God! When I think of it, I wonder why I ever worry about anything! Nothing can happen without God right there allowing it to fulfill His purpose. Why can’t I continually rest in that? I’m not there yet but I pray that I’ll get there.
Stories from the week:
I made one change to the blog’s categories: Under CD reviews, I created subcategories for each rating, so it’s easier to pull up all (say) 5-star reviews, or all 3-star reviews. I don’t have every review I’ve ever done categorized in that way, since I didn’t start rating them until fairly recently.
Scheduled upcoming CD reviews (dates subject to change):
Rating: 3 (a solid 3 of 5)
Producer: Greg Day, Keith Plott, Lee Fortune.
Songlist: I’ve Got an Advocate; Thanks to Calvary; That’s the Truth; Midnight Cry; The Name of Jesus; The Offer Still Stands; He Set Me Free; There is One; This Could Be Your Last Chance; Lord it Hurts; Amazing Love; Look For Me.
Artist Website: www.keithplott.com.
Available from: Artist.
***
Keith Plott sang bass for Danny Funderburk and Mercy’s Way, then from 2003-2007 for Brian Free & Assurance. Last year, he made the decision to go solo and released his debut recording (reviewed here). I commented in that review that the launch of his solo career seemed to go under the radar screen of the industry; unfortunately, despite a full touring schedule, that still seems to be the case.
This recording is a solid collection of songs, most of which have been previously recorded. The project includes some classics, “Thanks to Calvary,” “Look for Me,” “He Set Me Free,” and “Midnight Cry.” Most of the other songs have been previously recorded, but some of them received little enough attention the first time around that they may as well be new.
Speaking of “Midnight Cry,” easily the biggest influence on this project was the song’s co-writer, Greg Day, who produced the project (along with Plott and Lee Fortune). He co-wrote seven of the project’s twelve songs; his co-writer on “Midnight Cry,” Chuck Day, contributed one more. Even if there was no other point of interest for the project, it would be worth a listen to get a feel for other songs from the pens of the authors of that classic.
Plott’s voice is versatile enough to pull off a solo project without sounding forced at either end of his range. Not to spend too much of the review focusing on “Midnight Cry” (though, given the producer’s history with the song, it’s not surprising that the song is the high point of the recording), but Plott actually pulls off the song and makes it sound like it was written for a bass. That’s no small feat.
I gave the project a solid 3 stars of 5; if it had featured mostly or entirely new songs and maintained the same level of quality, I would have given it 3.5 or maybe even 4. This project is enjoyable and worth a listen.
Rating: 3.5 (of 5)
Producer: Gordon Mote & Phil Johnson.
Songlist: Adoration; I Know Somebody Who Does; Wake Up Dancin’; Don’t Let Me Miss the Glory; Maplewood Methodist Church; Get Up in Jesus’ Name; Mercy Walked In; All That Noise; I Can’t Even Walk (Without You Holding My Hand); Ain’t Gonna Give Up on God; My Redeemer is Faithful and True; The Other Side of Time; This Life.
Artist Website: www.gordonmote.com
Available from: Amazon, CBD, label, artist.
***
Gordon Mote, though blind since birth, started planning piano at age three. He studied music at Belmont University in Nashville; two days after graduation, he joined country singer Lee Greenwood’s band, and played piano for Greenwood for three years (until Greenwood left the road). Mote then went into studio work and focused on being a session pianist until 2006, when he released his debut project, There’s No Place Love Can’t Reach.
After hearing that project, as well as his contributions as a studio musician to various Gaither productions, Bill Gaither hired him as Homecoming Tour pianist after Anthony Burger’s sudden death. Don’t Let Me Miss the Glory is Mote’s first solo project since.
Mote’s website bio lists some of the artists he has collaborated with:
He’s performed on stage with Lee Greenwood, Trisha Yearwood, Tanya Tucker, Bill Gaither and Grand Ole Opry legend Porter Wagoner among others. In the studio, a “who’s who of country and Christian artists” have benefited from Gordon’s gifts, among them Rascal Flatts, Randy Travis, The Martins, Mark Lowry, Trace Adkins, The Gaither Vocal Band and Kenny Chesney.
This variety of influences shows on his project. While it has its Southern Gospel-influenced tracks, its overall musical feel is more eclectic. It includes the Southern Gospel classic “I Can’t Even Walk Without You Holding My Hand,” but it also includes the Steven Curtis Chapman song “My Redeemer is Faithful and True.”
The latter, incidentally, is a song which is well arranged to fit Mote’s style. Mote sings it as a duet with his wife Kimberly, who is an excellent vocalist in her own right.
The project features several other guest vocalists–Allison Krauss (on “Maplewood Methodist Church”), the Gaither Vocal Band (on “Get Up in Jesus’ Name”), the Isaacs (on “I Know Somebody Who Does,”) and the Voices of Lee (on “Adoration.”)
Much like I said in my recent review of Charlotte Ritchie’s latest effort, Mote’s project strikes me as being one where the artist chose the songs he wanted to do and the style he wanted to do them without being particularly fastidious about ensuring that it fits the mold of what a Southern Gospel (or Christian Country, or contemporary) project is supposed to sound like.
Averyfineline’s apathetic made a list of how to know you might be listening to a SG station. His/her list wasn’t exactly complimentary. So let’s make our own.
I’ll kick things off.
You might be listening to a SG radio station if…
You take it from here!
Not too long after singing tenor for the Cathedral Quartet from 1968-1972, Mack Taunton more or less slipped out of the Southern Gospel scene, except for an occasional appearance, like at the Cathedrals’ 1995 Reunion.
A couple of days ago, I heard from his son, Steven Taunton. He said his father is enjoying leading a normal life in Oklahoma, and is working with Steven on recording a new project. Steven said if anyone wanted to contact his father, they could do so via his (Steven’s) email address: sgt_68@yahoo.com.
Over the past weekend, Greater Vision launched a new website, featuring photos of their new lineup. Their previous website had been designed and maintained by Missy Waldroup, departing tenor Jason Waldroup’s wife. A little detail that will probably only be of interest to web designers is that this is Greater Vision’s first flash-based website. The site is designed by Allens Design Group, a company that numbers Daywind, the Greenes, Goodman Family Ministries, Legacy Five, and Triumphant Quartet among its clients.
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