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Sunday Edition


01
Dec
2004
The Industry Formerly Known As Southern Gospel


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THE INDUSTRY FORMERLY KNOWN AS “SOUTHERN GOSPEL”

I'd like to begin my article this month by letting you read a letter I recently received from a person whom I'll address as Mrs. Smith. She kindly granted me permission to reprint her letter but asked me not to use her name.

Mrs. Smith is a Christian lady with some honest questions that I believe need to be addressed. She has no ax to grind, and no one to impress, and her frankness is refreshing.

I'll reserve any further comment until you've had a chance to read her letter. Here it is in its entirety.

Dear Nick,

I recently stumbled (keyword) onto the Southern Gospel News.com website and was intrigued by your articles. It seems to me that you are someone who is interested in improving your industry and so I have some questions for you. I hope you are not offended and don't mean to be sarcastic, even though my questions may sound that way, my only motive is to give you an outsiders view, so here goes.

#1 why do you call it “Southern Gospel Music”?

This is an honest question…I'm not being silly. I hear the term “Southern Gospel Music and I'm confused. Is the name a description of the TYPE of music? Is it? Then I'm more confused. Which word is the adjective “Southern” describing – The Gospel or the Music? Obviously the Gospel is not confined to the South…there is no such thing as the Gospel of the South. Jesus came for the whole world, not just the South, so evidently you are describing the MUSIC as “Southern”.

So then I wonder, what is “Southern” music?… Is it “Country”?… Is that another way of saying “Country”? Then a more accurate name might be Country Gospel Music…no? But this is even more confusing to an outsider, because the music is not actually “Country Music” either. When I think of “Country Music” I think of Alan Jackson, Vince Gill, Martina McBride, Faith Hill. There are not many quartets in Country Music…a few here and there…but, Country Music is more about soloists…so then the type of music is not Country…which leaves me confused about what it really is. Is it Bluegrass ? Barbershop? Southern Barbershop? , Or I wonder if the obvious meaning of “Southern Gospel Music” is that you must be a Southern person who loves Gospel Music in order to feel part of this group of music? Is that what it means? Southern (people who like and perform) Gospel Music. Isn't the first rule of marketing having a succinct, precise name?

This leads me to another question.

#2 Why continue to describe yourselves as something that is so exclusionary? The name is very exclusionary.

Frankly, when I go to a Christian bookstore to buy a new CD, I don't even look at “Southern Gospel”. Honestly, I wouldn't know what to buy or whom I might like, which leads me to the third question:

#3 Where are y'all hiding?

Except for Bill Gaither and what he's done, nobody in Southern Gospel Music seems to care about reaching the mass audience. I never see an advertisement anywhere…and I'm a voracious reader… magazines, books, newspapers, etc. I read lots of Christian magazines…I never see an ad for “The Sunset Five and Bobby” or any other Southern gospel groups. It's almost like you guys are hiding yourselves… like a little club…that doesn't want any new members. I'm a Christian writer, heavily involved in Christian media, someone who loves music and the Lord, but the truth is that although I've spent thousands of dollars buying music in my lifetime, I realized a few days ago that I have never purchased ONE Southern Gospel recording. It surprised me to realize this. I was reading your column and it was another world to me. I don't know any of the artists by name, and I don't know any of the songs. I'm constantly in church, listening to radio, scanning the dial for Christian music, and I never stop at a station that has quality music on it that happens to be Southern Gospel. If I'm someone who is almost completely unaware of Southern Gospel Music, what hope is there for the rest of the world?

It's like you guys are an extended family – which is great – you know each other, you know about each other, you talk about each other, but the world is not something you seem interested in inviting into your little clique. If a person is not familiar with Southern Gospel Music, chances are they (like me) can live their entire lives watching TV, buying books, reading newspapers, shopping at Wal-Mart, and not even be AWARE that an industry called “Southern Gospel Music” exists. Why is this? Isn't the whole point of the Gospel to get it “out there”? Isn't there anybody in your industry who wants NEW customers, NEW fans, NEW blood? Evidently not. I'm being completely honest here, if I had not stumbled onto the Southern Gospel News website, I wouldn't know anything about Southern Gospel Music…it would be like Russian Folk Music or Himalayan Monk Chants…I would know that somewhere people were doing this music, but I wouldn't know where or why.

I've never had enough of an interest to purchase a Southern Gospel product. Could this be because there is never a moment in my daily life that anyone in Southern Gospel Music has ADVERTISED TO ME WHERE I MIGHT ACTUALLY SEE THE AD? Americans are used to being advertised to. Why do you only advertise to one another? It's worse than singing to the choir – you guys are paying to sing to the choir. Which brings me to my final perplexity…

#4 Are you interested in expanding your industry?

Maybe you aren't. Maybe you just like being a group of a few thousand people who know one another and sing to one another and advertise to one another. Some clubs want to stay small. Are you one of them? Do you honestly believe that the world is VERY excited about male quartets? Seriously, look at the media, look at TV, look at the record stores, there is a very small percentage of music being sold today by four men in matching outfits singing in harmony. Is it a sin to be a soloist? Is there something anti-scriptural about duets?

Look at the music industry. Not because we want to be like the world, but to see what the world likes. The world likes music. The world likes soloists…and duets…and on an occasion, a group. There are some POP male groups, but they don't last very long. The members soon branch out to solo careers. How many of the top selling CDs in America are four men singing harmony? Yet…Southern Gospel doesn't promote it's young soloists, or duos.

You'll be glad to know that I've read all your articles and I must compliment you on your writing. You seem to have a passion for your industry and for excellence. I pray that your peers will understand and be moved to action.

Please let me know if I can ever be of assistance.

Sincerely,

Mrs. Smith

My friends, the recent national election proved that many times the decision makers THINK they understand the masses…but they don't.

Our industry's direction is influenced by a handful of people who refuse to let go of the past. They make silly rules about who can sing and who can't. They refuse to allow new musical ideas and cater to artists that have long since passed their prime. The time has come to begin pruning our industry. Pruning causes growth. We should realize that there is a great big world out there that would love our music, especially if they heard some of our newest, brightest talent.

Mrs. Smith didn't have to take the time to write me but I'm sure glad she did. I realize that many will not agree with her, but I think it's about time we started talking about some of these things.

Perhaps it's time to re-package our grand old art form and get it out to the world.

What do you think?

I welcome your comments.

God Bless you,

Nick Bruno

Reader Comments

Absolutely awesome! Thanks, Nick, for having the intestinal fortitude to include this letter and write something like this. Asking these kinds of tough questions is the only hope for taking both our message and our music to the world! Bravo!!


Commented by Shannon Smith On 12/01/2004
Well said Mrs Smith! I think she hit the nail on the head. Thanks Nick for letting us get a chance to read her letter. It sure gave me a lot to think about. Marti


Commented by On 12/01/2004
Does Mrs. Smith work for/own an advertising firm? Sounds like she is looking to get into "sothern gospel" advertising. She did make some good points though in some areas. However, I'm concerned that there are those who want to re-define or re-package southern gospel in order to capitalize more. I do NOT believe that Jesus ever intended the "gospel/good news" to become as complicated as some are making it appear to be. The term "southern gospel" may be politically incorrect to some who have't the slightest idea of what it's about, I personally still like that term and hope it doesn't change. I am all for getting the gospel out to the masses but I'm not for compromising the gospel. Thanks for your opinion Mrs. Smith, but what's wrong with using your real name if you are really interested in furthering the gospel?


Commented by On 12/02/2004
Nick,
Thanks so much for this letter. Mrs. Smith has hit us were we live. I'm just glad someone cared enough to put this out there. I hope this makes us think and move forward to spread the news of Jesus to as many as we can. Keep up the good work! Jonathan White


Commented by On 12/02/2004
Mrs. Smith,

You wrote

"Seriously, look at the media, look at TV, look at the record stores, there is a very small percentage of music being sold today by four men in matching outfits singing in harmony."

How would you know this much just having stubled upon this site?

My personal opinion is that Mrs. Smith knows full well what southern gospel music is.

And to ask what "Southern Gospel Music" means is so ludicrous and insulting.

Statements like "is it Southern Music or Southern Gospel" show a lack of common sense in my opinion. I find it very interesting that Mrs. Smith could ramble off 4 major country music stars, and have the common sense to realize their styles and music, but she can't add 2+2 and realize that Southern Gospel Music means a "Southern" style of Gospel Music.

It's "Gospel Music" first, of course, but then the tag "Southern" is added at the beginning because you can't limit the music to just Country, or Quartet or Bluegrass, or Hillbilly. It's ALL included because most of that music ORIGINATED in the South---hence---they called it SOUTHERN because that covers a wide array of styles that originated in the SOUTH.

And as far as being a "club", most doors are closed to southern gospel music. People, for some reason, get scared when they hear it. In this day in age, new cutting edge contemporary music is taking over the scene. Praise and Worship music are abounding. It's tough to get Southern Gospel Groups into some places. I can't think of ONE group that wouldn't like to expand, and I think Mrs. Smith knows this.

It makes me wonder what Mrs. Smith's intentions truly are...

Signed,

Anonymous, USA


Commented by On 12/02/2004
And another thing, what IS Country Music...which Country are they talking about? And why are we limiting our music to just OUR country?

And what is "pop" music? How come we're leaving "mom" out of it? Does this imply that we only listen to Dad's music?

And what about "Rock" Music? Do these people have something against wood? What about "Wood" music? Don't they want to expand to the forests?


Commented by On 12/02/2004
Nick,
I have enjoyed every article I have read from you. This letter from Mrs. Smith confirms a conversation I had with a lady a week ago. Our group was appearing at a local community Thanksgiving service. We were not the only ones appearing of course and as the night developed I realized that the majority of the music being performed is classified as Southern Gospel. Since this was my former church, I knew several of the people performing. Afterwards, I talked to one of the ladies in a trio that sang. I mentioned how it amazed me that almost all the music was Southern Gospel, then I sarcastically said "But don't tell anyone that, they wouldn't like knowing." She looked at me and stated "Don't tell us that either." Where in the world do people think much of this wonderful music they are hearing and performing in churches come from? They think it is something new.
Mrs. Smith is right. She brings up some great points and one's that we have discussed around here for awhile. There has not been an attempt to reach out to the world at large with the truth that is in our music. Our group hosts concerts featuring some of the best of our local talent and we are working on a somewhat mass marketing appeal with this. Our next one is slated for Feb and we intend on getting out and passing flyers directly to homes. We are also learning how to put together video clips on dvd's in order to advertise on the local cable. I was personally shocked and amazed recently when one of the top notch national groups was appearing in this area and there was not a word about it, even within the local church community. The church was half-full but could have been filled to capacity with just a little better advertising.
I appreciate the pioneers and the ones who have gone before. Many of us would not be able to experience the opportunity to minister to people if not for them.
Even though the label Southern Gospel doesn't bother me, there are many who do. When it comes down to it, why don't we just call it Christian music? How many of us have seriously tried to get their local contemporary station to play some of what we are doing now? All of my kids listen to contemporary and enjoy it. But guess what, they also listen to what we do and love it as well. Our kids help us out with set up, tear down, and videos. They are active in our local music association, and appreciate the message of both the local and national gospel music. It is a normal thing for us to be driving to and from places and having them sing along with The Booth Brothers, Shiloh Quartet, and even The Mark Trammel Trio. They love Gold City, at the same time they love Mercy Me.
It is time for change. Not to push aside the classics and the performers of the "old" music, but time to allow for the wide variety of styles that is still called Southern Gospel. I have seen people cry when we performed Under God or Behold I Come Quickly because of the truth in the song, not because they liked the music. Let's start emphasizing the Truth of what we have to say and sing about.
Rhonda Berry


Commented by Rhonda Berry On 12/02/2004
John, why is it that when people give us straight, honest, eye opening thoughts, we in SGM get offended and defensive? Just so you know, many, many people know exactly who all of the Country artists are and have NO IDEA who any of the best known SGM atrists are.
Southern Gospel does not have most doors CLOSED to them, we just want to stay in our little box and never open any doors. For us to go through a door into new territory, the door must be wide open and we must be pushed through it crying and screaming all the way.
It's time we saw from things outside that box, as Mrs Smith pointed out, instead of viewing the things from inside that little box we are in.


Commented by On 12/02/2004
Amen!! Go Mrs. Smith!!!


Commented by On 12/02/2004
Mr. Unthank, you are mistaken. There are many parts of the country which do not have Southern Gospel artists in. Many people are close minded to it.


Commented by On 12/02/2004
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