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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

After reading this article and the comments, I was wondering, when did entertainment become a part of the gospel music field? What happened to being ministered to and being blessed. I for one can appreciate anyones talent, and love to hear the traditional as well as the groups mentioned as todays groups. but to me if there is not a spirit in their singing that can connect with mine, then however good it is, it is nothing but a noise. What some peole identify with is not always what others like. that is why God made apples and peaches, fo those with different tastes. I say as long as it is seasoned with the spirit, and has the right message let's not criticize.


Commented by On 07/09/2003
Music has value on its' own apart from whatever words are placed with it. It is capable of carrying the Spirit of God even when no words are present (just ask King David). Often, what is heard as a lack of quality (because we come away from a concert empty), is nothing more than music that does not carry the Spirit of God. When we begin seeing music as entertainment, its' value is greatly reduced.

Harvey has a good point, but I look at it from the opposite direction. The "inventor" of what is known as Western music, J.S. Bach, was a devout Christian. Of course, we all know Handel's "Messiah." Handel was a devout Christian as well. Truly good music really cannot be created apart from the inspiration and Spirit God. This is why we should be a little distressed when so many "Christian" artists, whether Southern or Contemporary, are looking to secular artists and record companies for the definition of what is good.

On the other hand, some use the Spirit of God as an excuse for sounding bad. God is a God of excellence, he does not create, nor does he ask us to create, bad music. Ultimately, quality, or should we say, excellence, can only come from the Spirit of God.

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

- Galatians 5:25. 

My Blog



Commented by Keith Prater On 07/09/2003
TRUE, GOOD POINT KEITH


Commented by DALE MASSEY On 07/09/2003
HARVEY, ENTERTAINMENT IN SG HAS BEEN AROUND A LONG TIME.WITH THE DO-WOP, 50 ROCK, AND COUNTRY, BUT I CAN STILL BE BLESSED WITH THE WORDS OF THE SONG EVEN THOUGH THOSE SOUNDS ARE THERE.SO YOU CAN BE ENTERTAINED AND BLESSED TO.


Commented by DALE MASSEY On 07/09/2003
Keith,I have read the two comments that you have made in the past few weeks using J.S.Bach as an example of composers whose impetus was their Christian belief.I agree... for his motto was "ad majorem Dei gloriam" -to the greater glory of God and of the church. BUT...your disertations on his place in the history of western music are not true.He was NOT it's inventor.He did not invent polyphony,as you stated.The historical chronology did NOT jump from The Edict of Milan(plainsong) to the works of Bach.Jumping over the Gothic,Middle Ages,Renaissance,low and mid Baroque.You cannot deny the influence on Bach of French composers such as Rameau,Italian composers such as Vivaldi,but most importantly German composers such as Buxtehude,Pachelbel.He did not have just chant.He did not work in a vacuum.He was not appreciated in his time,and the years following his death.Even his sons dismissed his music as old fashioned.He was a great comp[oser.He music is still great but do not think that all SGM fans are classical music neophytes.


Commented by On 07/09/2003
Quality - excellence, superiority, class, eminence, value, worth … whatever synonym you use any style of music you may talk about you must look at it roots. Then there IS the ministry side; after all we are talking about southern GOSPEL.

The biggest problem I have with “today’s” sound of Southern Gospel is, what happened to the harmony? Where did the endings go that had the bass singer on the 6th? …Instead it just seems the bass singer now is playing the game show “I can go lower that you”. … I don’t mean to just pick on the low note … the high note plays the same game. I do believe the 50’s 60’s and 70’s held the “good ole days” however, today is the day we are living in … With an open mind ANYONE can listen to any type of music and appreciate it for what it is … It takes several different types to draw the vast types of people that are out there.

What we need is education … I have sung songs that came from the best known groups of the past, and when a younger person hears it … they ask me … “ Wow, is that a new song?” They just don’t know … so if the quality is going downhill, then it is time people who “likes it like it was” need to step up and educate. After all, I am only 28 and I’m glad my Mom let me hear the records, yeah the larger flat black disc that needs a needle to play, from the “good ole days”

Southern Gospel will make a comeback … I’m already seeing people less than 16 back in the churches WANTING to hear the Southern Gospel group.


Commented by Jamey Parker On 07/09/2003
Bill, "inventor" may not be the correct term for what Bach did. (I do not remembers saying that Bach invented polyphony, although when they teach counterpoint in college they use his works as teaching material.) But he was the first to develop a system of tuning that allows for the use of all 24 major and minor keys without having to retune, thus providing the impetus for the development of the system of keys, harmonies and modulation (key changes) we use today.

If we want to compare Southern Gospel music to a classical style or era, it most resembles that of Bach, Mozart and Beethoven, not the other composers or eras mentioned by Bill. These men, though they had their faults, were all strongly influenced by their devotion to God, moreso than their Italian and French counterparts. It is a blessing to me to know that the one composer who is credited as the father of our style of music, was strongly influenced by God.

But my point is that apart from music education and training, God can and does inspire great music. He is willing to use his Spirit to place music in our hearts. I believe we should look more to that Godly inspiration rather than to market trends, or even our music education, to determine what it is we produce on our recordings and in our concerts.

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

- Galatians 5:25. 

My Blog



Commented by Keith Prater On 07/10/2003
Must totally disagree with this statement: "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."

There is more variety today than there has ever been. In today's Southern Gospel radio one can be blessed with more than just the sounds of a quartet. Stylizing has become more prevalent and groups are not as afraid to try new sounds. It's great to be able to turn on the radio and hear the sounds of Gold City, The Hoppers, Jeff and Sheri Easter, The Crabb Family, The Carolina Boys, LordSong, The Ruppes, Legacy Five, Ivan Parker, Signature Sound, The McKameys and the list goes on. If you cannot find variety in just that list alone, then turn your radio off or change the dial.


Commented by On 07/10/2003
Keith,I agree that inventor is not the term to use in reference to J.S. Bach's place in thre history of western music.He took what he had and ran with it.Hence my remarks about the influences on his music.(Italian,French,and mostly his German predessessors and contempararies.My statement about polyphony goes back to your statement in a comment a few weeks ago to the effect that all he had to work with was chant.(plainsong-monody)In all his music and especially in that for the church,he was less influenced by the music of The Marian Cult than he was by the Lutheran Chorale tradition.


Commented by On 07/10/2003
Living up here in New York I can not relate to what is being played on SGM radio.The Gospel Greats on Sat. morning!!...That's it....(and a little on the web.)
So I do not know about a lack of variety on radio.But in recordings there is an abundance of variety.Bluegrass, country,big band,ect.Tony Gore's new project is an example.The first song "Oh,How The Sun Does Shine" sounds like a 1950s soft rock ballad,some are pure country gospel,some traditional SGM,and the last song "It Doesn't Matter" is one of the most contemparary sounding.Crossway's "Walk on Water Kind Of Day" even has Cajun accordianist Joel Sonnier playing on "Great And Awesome Day".Listen to Janet Paschal's new project.Listen to the many styles and arrangments.One sounds like The Manhattan Transfer.Compare that to the GV's "Quartets" project.Compare that to The Crabb Families "The Walk".Generally speaking,today's SGM is not your grandpa's SGM.A glut of male trios.Female trios,mixed trios, and a quartets with the basses in the baritone range.


Commented by On 07/10/2003
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