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Compassion International

Sunday Edition


30
Jun
2003
Editorial - Where Has The Quality Gone?


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Deon Unthank

imageThose of you who don?t take advantage of the Message Boards are missing out on some very interesting discussion. One of the discussions has revolved around the statement that some people have made that the quality of Southern Gospel has been going down hill for several years. This really strikes a nerve with me. There seems to be some confusion as to the difference between style and quality. Let me talk about the style issue for a little if I may. Back in the 70s and 80s there was great discussion about the ?country? influence that was coming into Southern Gospel Music. It seems that the ?purists? of Southern Gospel Music didn?t want the ?country? sound that was clearly making an impact on the genre. Such groups as The Rambos, The Happy Goodmans, and The Hinsons were definitely having an influence. Whether it was a good influence or a bad influence is still being debated today. The fact was, there was no other place for groups like these to go. In reality both styles of music were sharing the stage every night, and the fans were loving it. Let me just say that since this discussion has been going on for 30 years, and the country influence is still here, I think that it is pretty safe to say that it truly is a part of Southern Gospel Music, and we need to live with that fact. The inertia of the country influence is too strong to stop it. It really isn?t bad for the genre. The fact is that many of these country sounding groups will fill a building, when the traditional quartet sounds, as much as I love them, do not always draw. Now there are some traditional quartet fans that think the Gold City is the cats meow and the more progressive sounds of the Gaither Vocal Band are just terrible. Then there are those who love the progressive sounds of GVB and The Lesters and think that all quartets sound alike. Add to that the bluegrass fans that think that the Issacs can outsing all of the above and you have to come to one brilliant deduction. Quality is in the ear of the listener. (Not to say that any of these groups mentioned are not "quality groups") Now back to the quality issue. If I prefer the stylings of the more progressive groups, does that make the quality of the quartets inferior? If I love the bluegrass singing, does that make the progressive sounds inferior in quality? No, not at all. Now there are some part time groups out there who are singing flat or sharp or off key or off timing, and that is bad. Those groups however are not at the top of any of the genres. I can remember singing in some pretty ?bad? groups when I was a teenager. When I finally formed my own group, the Sunday Edition, we strove for excellence, but we shared the stage with some pretty bad part time groups. We have the same thing today. However, there were top notch groups back then that everyone went to see, and today we have the same thing. There is no lack of quality in the top notch groups of today. Well this should give you a little idea of the types of things that we discuss on the message boards, so why don?t you come and join us.

Reader Comments

Thank you so much for the broad common sense article you wrote in reference to quality of present day Gospel Singing. As a former member of the Klaudt Indian Family, I for one, prefer the shape note 4 part harmony of the past. However, my wife and I will drive 200-300 miles on a weekend to hear family groups, trios, soloists, bluegrass, country gospel. I believe many fans get so tied up in style that they miss a tremendous blessing for closing their minds. I heard one fan say they couldn't enjoy one certain female singer because she had a pointed nose. That may be an extreme, but your point is well taken.

Melvin Klaudt


Commented by On 07/01/2003
YES I LIKE ALL OF GOSPEL MUSIC. LONG AS IT HAS THE GOSPEL MESSAGE THATS WHAT MAKES SOUTHERN GOSPEL SO GREAT. OH BE LOOKING FOR PSALM 101 NEW RELEASE PERFECT LOVE GREAT LEAD SINGER AND SONG WRITING. ITS GOING TO BE ON RICKS #20 7-5-2003


Commented by DALE MASSEY On 07/01/2003
Nice article Deon, I agree completely. May I suggest portions of your article be sent as a letter to the editor of the Singing News in response to Mr. Pauley's common editorials against today's singers. "Bad" part-time groups aside the market has never had as much to offer the southern gosple lover as it does today.

I love and respect tradition (and quartet music) as much as the next guy but it's good to know that not everyone has to sound like the male quartets of the 50's and 60's. But if they want to the can. God Bless.


Commented by On 07/03/2003
That should be "gospel" and "they can". Sorry for the spelling errors.


Commented by On 07/03/2003
I agree that quality is often defined by the preferences of the listener. However, there is more to quality than just being able to sing on key. In formal music study, they say that the most important things a piece of music needs are unity and variety. Unity for giving the music identity and variety to keep it from being boring. You can imagine how important this can be in a 45-minute symphony. Yet listening to a SG radio station for 45 minutes or listening to a SG CD for 45 minutes isn't really any different. Unfortunately, there is very little variety in SG music (at least on the radio). I try to listen to SG radio, but after two or three songs, you realize that you've heard all the variety you are going to hear.

I remember back to when buying an album was like Christmas. You opened the package in anticipation of what new and wondrous music you would hear. Today, one album sounds like the next for most groups. The songs may be different, but the music is the same. Everyone is trying so hard to make a marketable product they lose the true creativity of music. I just want to hear something interesting when I listen to SG music. It would be nice if the artists and record companies would take the time to make each song interesting and unique.

If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit

- Galatians 5:25. 

My Blog



Commented by Keith Prater On 07/05/2003
HELLO KEITH YES THAT IS SOME WHAT TURE BUDGET HAS A LOT TO DO WITH IT. TIME IS MONEY IN THE STUDIO. AND IF YOU GET TO BOLD WHITH YOUR MUSIC YOU GOT FOLKS IN THE INDUSTRY WILL SAY THATS NOT SG MUSIC OR A BIT EDG'Y. BUT WE DO HAVE SOME WONDERFUL TALENT IN SG AND IT IS ABOUT THE MESSAGE NOT SO MUCH THE TALENT. BUT LIKE I SAID, WE HAVE GREAT TALENT. ALSO, WE HAVE A BUDGET THING TO. WE DO NOT SELL 500,000 CD'S IN A YEAR LIKE OTHER MARKETS .THATS WHY I AM FOR ALL OF GOSPEL MUSIC TO COME TOGETHER AND HAVE ALL STYLES. I THINK IT WILL HELP THE INDUSTRY.GROUPS LIKE BILL GAITHER ,THE MARTINS,THE CRABBS, PSALM 101, LORDSONG, & THE HOSKINS ARE A FEW WHO ADD A LITTLE FLAVOR TO THE TRADITIONAL SOUND.


Commented by DALE MASSEY On 07/05/2003
I looked in http://www.dictionary.com and this definition of "quality" most closely matches the one we use in the industry in which I work (manufacturing of electrical distribution equipment.

quality - The totality of features and characteristics of a product or service that bear on its ability to satisfy stated or implied needs. Not to be mistaken for "degree of excellence" or "fitness for use" which meet only part of the definition.

If we apply this definition to the gospel music industry, then I can truthfully say, "the quality of Southern Gospel has been going down hill for several years." If, on the other hand, you prefer country music or bluegrass music, you can truthfully say, "the quality of Southern Gospel has improved since the Southern Gospel industry divorced itself from Contempory Christian music and embraced Country and Bluegrass Gospel music."

Country and Bluegrass music does not satisfy my needs. Those who perform that style, may be "top notch" entertainers, but I remain unimpressed.

Larry Polston
Nicholasville, KY


Commented by On 07/05/2003
HELLO LARRY YOU MEAN TO TELL ME THAT THE GROUPS OF THE 50,60,70,WERE NOT ENTERTAINERS, OH! THAY PROFORMED WELL DRUNK OR HIGH.IF ROY CAN BE BOLD SO CAN I.SORRY BUT WHATS WRONG WITH A LITTE ENTERTAINMENT IF IT WILL GET THE GOSPEL MESSAGE OUT. (AND NEW FANS)


Commented by DALE MASSEY On 07/05/2003
Deon Unthank's avatar Larry, I couldn't disagree with you more. I cannot see where th equality of Southern Gospel Music has gone downhill at anytime, yet alone in the last several years. There is still an ample supply of quality quartets, some great trios, some famiily groups as well as some soloists, which have no hint of country or bluegrass to them.
I just do not hear this downhill trend that some people are talking about today. I do hear a lot of great music coming out.

Dale, I don't think that Larry was addressing the entertainment verses ministry comparison.

Deon Unthank
SoGospelNews.com
My Blog

Some people are like Slinkys… Not really good for anything, but they
still bring a smile to your face when you push them down a flight of stairs - Author Unknown



Commented by On 07/05/2003
THOSE WHO PERFORM THAT STYLE,MAY BE'' TOP NOTCH ENTERTAINERS,BUT I REMAIN UNIMPRESSED! THAT IS TELLING ME HE THINKS THAT QUARTETS ARE NOT ENTERTAINERS! OK. I AGREE WITH DEON AND MORE TO COME.


Commented by DALE MASSEY On 07/05/2003
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