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Sunday Edition


31
Oct
2005
Screaming Singers …I Love Them


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I have to touch on something that seems to keep circling the drain. I keep hearing, "Would you prefer talent or screaming singers?" Well, I would prefer REAL singers over the over-produced. Who really gives a flip if you've produced the perfect record, and you turned around and forgot the most important elements. Fruit, honesty and reality.

So, what if they scream, growl, use there full voice, or sing unnatural. Its not the artist's fault that production ideas are not being appreciated by the buyers. So, what if you all can hit a note perfectly, or produce a project with all the bells and whistles. A lot of good it does sitting in the closet or garage.

Christians love reality, the energy, the spirit, the flow, not the timing, perfection and egos that are producing big budget projects, big budget salaries and BIG boxes of product not being sold.

Next time you wanna gripe about an artist that's growling, or singing what you think is unnatural maybe you should examine all the boxes or returns retail on those over-produced porjects because more than likely only a handful of people are buying it. Its probably over produced or to0 perfect to be pleasant, fruitful or real.

Knowing the market is important. Knowing boundaries is important. Having a level of expertise is important. But lets not allow the self proclaimed Gospel gurus to dictate what we all need. I am sure the mother that just lost her son to suicide is not listening for a controlled vocal run. The father of two that is losing his battle with cancer is not bothered by whether the vocals are stacked. And I am sure the house wife that is bleeding from a brutal beating her husband just gave her is not wondering why the artist is singing unnatural.

Friend, let me tell you what is unnatural. Removing the Holy Spirit from a record. Taking the artist out of the recording and trying to replace it with years of cookie cutter production or trained vocals is unnatural.

I get spiritually ill at the people in the industry sometimes. It seems the people with the most ideas and criticism have the least place on the food chain. No offense, but, it's easy to criticize, condemn.

Leave the singers alone. If they wanna scream their vocals till their jugular pops, its their juglar. I wonder how many people told Rob Parsley and TD Jakes to tone down, not to scream, not to get loud. I can hear it now. "Oh, that's not Christian to be loud.

What is not Christian is to sit back and listen to everyone else but the Holy Spirit. If I wanna know how it feels to hold the hand of Jesus in a storm, awaken from a dark depression, meet my needs down to the wire, hold me when everyone else has betrayed me, dry the years of disappointment from my eyes - I will take the energetic, excited, vein popping, sweating, running singer or preacher that can't sit still because he knows what it's like to feel the worthlessness removed ................ Yes, give me those screamin' singers!

Rick Hendrix
http://www.rickhendrix.com

Reader Comments

Rick, you da man!! You go dog!
I agree with this article. Heart and passion are what make it communicate. And communication is everything!
I remember years ago I went to a church service stoned on drugs. I sat in the back. This scraggly little preacher got up, who couldn't sing a lick, and sang "Sweet Annointing" to a goofy sounding backing track. It was as inferior sounding as you could get. (The house mix bit!)
The next thing I knew, the hair on my arms started to rise, and I found myself on the floor in a pool of tears. As I looked up, there wasn't a soul in their seat. Most were on the floor like me. He sang the song over and over, throughout the entire service.
Full of the Spirit? You bet your life.
Does Gospel music need more of it? You bet your life!
It doesn't matter if you record it on 96 tracks of Pro-tools, with an entire regimen of Nashville superpickers -- or if you blab it into a cassette recorder. Communication makes it happen.
The Holy Spirit is the master communicator. It's called THE ANNOINTING.
(I'd say this periodical could use an article dedicated to that one subject alone.)
Good writing Rick.


Commented by Kevin Wicker On 11/03/2005
Greetings,

It's no wonder some southern Gospel has gone the way of screaming and imitating the contemporary music industry which gets its cues from ungodly secular music. Modern pulits have abandoned the true Gospel message of Christ's blood cleansing sin that is fully confessed by a repentant heart, and a subsequent and consequent life free from wilful sin. Gospel music follows the lead of the pulpit, and the messages of the music have become as empty as the messages preached from the pulpit on Sunday mornings (not Sunday evenings, because those services are no longer "needed"), just before the seat are moved for food and fun. With few lyrics about a real change in heart, something new has to capture the attention of the audience, and it's found in screaming and dancing--2 essential characteristics of secular music. And, let's not mistake the hypnotic showmanship for the presence of the Holy Spirit. He doesn't appear at rock concerts and probably wouldn't feel welcome at Gospel concerts that imitate their tactics.

Thanks for your time!
Ethan


Commented by On 11/03/2005
My words exactly "Ethan!" Not once in the Bible does it talk about jamming. Psalms talks about harps/stringed instruments/trumpets, and only once David mentions a "clashing symbol." It's obvious that musicians especially in "Christian Rock," and even some CCM (everybody's gonna blast me for that one) have gone way farther than the Bible speaks of in praising the Lord with a joyful noise. HOWEVER, I do think we need a whole lot more preachers to stand up and do some "screaming" for the right. So many pastors have started preaching what the people want to hear instead of what they NEED to hear. Bring on the screaming preachers and energetic singers, but leave the ear-drum blasting screamin' jam that 'rocks the house' at home! IMO


Commented by On 11/03/2005
Ethan and Mark:

You gentlemen are certainly entitled to your opinion. I, like you, don't prefer "screaming", as we call it. But I like heart and 'soul'. Most of us do. It's how you interpret it.

I feel you may be missing the point Rick is making. It deals with communication.
Rock-n-rollers like Rick (and myself) prefer a passionate performance, with a little edge. Then there are those with the police cadet hair who relate to the whines of George Jones. Nothing wrong with it. Diversity is what makes the rainbow.

Southern Gospel needs more diversity. Many people love the traditional AND the edgy. Why can't we have both? We all serve the same Lord. He desires to communicate with all of us.


Commented by Kevin Wicker On 11/03/2005
oh come on they have mics-why scream too. God is not about loud and out of control we must live in peace with our spirit most artist over emphasize to monopolize.


Commented by On 11/04/2005
preach on ethan and mark


Commented by On 11/04/2005
Hi ya!

What about diversity within the same concert by the same artist? I have a difficult time believing that it's annointing when they are 'screaming' and jamming the whole concert, start to 'thank you Lord' finish. I understand there may be a point within a concert that you have to 'wake the dead-I refuse to be moved' folks but not 10+ songs worth. And the words must be understood in order to not return void, screaming or not.

ds


Commented by Donna H. On 11/04/2005
You know, I read these posts each month and I never have felt led to say much.. But I have to share something here....I can't understand for the life of me why some of you folks don't get it! You just don't get the concept of this industry at all. For all of you hard core THIS IS MINISTRY ONLY believers out there, you definitely are going to throw a fit over this, but you need to understand something. For the professional artists in this industry, this is CHRISTIAN ENTERTAINMENT, yep, there, I said it. Does that mean I don't love my Savior? NO! I am a born again Christian, bought with the price if Christ’s blood just like YOU, who has dedicated my life to Him. And have chosen to use my talents and my profession to provide good music, clean fun, and also use the opportunity from stage to share our testimonies in hopes someone might be saved. The comments some of you make about our artists sicken me. I am an entertainer by heart, a Christian by grace, we are not preachers or at least most of us aren’t. We are music entertainers who love gospel music and have chosen a particular genre to devote our talent. By doing that we constantly work hard to develop our craft, our skills, our love, and our passion so that it can be the very best it can be.
99% of you folks would pay to go to a ball game right? Or a maybe a movie? Okay, there are often times that you might hear athletes give their testimonies or give God the credit for their success. Mel Brooks is a perfect example of a professional Christian who stood up against the folks in Hollywood and showed his faith in the production of The Passion. They ARE entertainers who happen to be Christians. Now, all I hear is praise for people like this who stand up in the public eye and share their faith.. They are not even in the Christian industry.. Why are some of you so determined to degrade our artists for what they do? Or the way they sing? Or the way they dress or do their hair? Listen to your own words sometime “IT”S NOT THE PEOPLE FOLKS” its GOD. HIS word will never go out void. Choose to believe it or not.. ALL of your favorite artists, every last one of them are a part of this industry because of profession, and to make a living doing what they love, which is making music. BUT, are taking the OPPORTUNITY by GRACE and because they love our Lord, to share their testimonies along the way to those who may need to hear them. THAT’S THE TRUTH.


Commented by On 11/04/2005
Rick...Great article. I'm in 100% agreement!

To those that think we should be quiet and peaceful...in the great words of Diane Gilette "ain't no rocks gonna cry out in my place!"


Commented by Jamie Carter On 11/04/2005
I guess none of you are getting the picture, so I'll make it "plainer" (and I'm certain I'm speaking on behalf of Mr. Hendrix as well.)

People, it's about COMMUNICATION. You certainly don't have to scream to communicate. But there are those who enjoy a little pepper sauce with their turnip greens. Some like it loud, others prefer it soft.

Yes, it's entertainment. Yes, it's ministry. There's a time for both. Christ always took the time out to enjoy dinner and a luagh with friends (whom the zealots called 'sinners'), and yet He'd turn around and open blinded eyes....on a SUNDAY (God forbid!) God is a God of diversity (just look at all the different people in the world!)

Those of you want to critisize and divide people must be the same crowd who say you can't get to heaven if you're a Baptist, or the other way around. How thick. Gospel music is for the world at large. Jesus said "Whosoever will..."

I bet He likes a little bit-a Rock-n-Roll every once in a while. So ROCK ON GOSPEL!!! YEAH!!


Commented by Kevin Wicker On 11/04/2005
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