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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

I love sgm. no matter the style, whether old or new. i recently recorded in "BIG NASHVILLE" with a well known producer and his words were quality, while important, is not the most important part, style is not the most important part, your look, your entertaining value,even your ministry(WHEN IT COMES DOWN TO BEING PLAYED ON THE RADIO) is not the most important part, but what the D.J. thinks of the project.
I personally think there is and has been great southern gospel music throughout the years even to today and i'm glad that music (even gospel) has no boundries.
Let's keep putting the word of God out in every form we can!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


Commented by lowtone On 07/13/2003
Deon, you asked me what I wanted to hear, well here it is.

First, the song lyrics should minister to the listeners' daily lives. The lyrics should work to improve the lives of Christians. After all, the promise of the Gospel is as much for this life as the next. We must remember that the bulk of the audience is already Christian and there is nothing wrong with writing songs with this in mind. Also, songs that have the general message that this life is terrible and things will be better in the bye-and-bye miss the message of the gospel and are useless. Basically, I (and probably more people out there than we realize) need lyrics that are meaningful to this life.

Secondly, the music should be crafted with forethought, skill and hard work. It should be original in style and content, and should avoid vocal and instrumental cliches. The music should also avoid mimicking other secular and Christian artists' musical styles. My impression of Southern Gospel music is that the producers and performers are doing what is easy and habitual, not really being creative. After all, our God is a creative God. In short, I need music in which each song is a new and pleasant listening experience, with both music and words that require me to dig a little deeper in my listening.

My question is, if we sing the same old words and play the same old music, what's the point in creating more? Now some would say that this is how the listeners want it. There may be a core group for whom this is true. However, if something does not grow, it dies. If the musician does not grow in his playing, if the singer does not grow in his singing, if the listener does not grow in his listening, it will all die.

Maybe my requirements are those of a musician and are a little higher than most. But I believe that most listeners' requirements are a little higher than we think. The Inspirations were my first favorite group when I first started listening to Christian music in the mid 70s. But Southern Gospel music has not grown much musically or spiritually since then.

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

- Galatians 5:25. 

Visit My Website



Commented by Keith Prater On 07/15/2003
Anyone who says that country influence has only affected or been a part of gospel music, SGM or otherwise, is grossly naive or completely ignorant of the facts of the matter. The truth is, since at least the 1950s, country, Bluegrass , and what some term as "Old Time Country" music have all influenced and have been integral parts of the gospel music equation. All one had to do to realize that fact was to visit various churches throughout the South, from Valdosta, Georgia, to the northern reaches of Kentucky; from the shores of North Carolina's coast to the Texas-New Mexico state line.

BLuegrass gospel has been around at least as long as the term "Southern Gospel Music." In fact, taking the term at face value, if a specific genre of gospel music lives up to what the term implies, then mountain gospel music, known these days as "Bluegrass gospel," certainly epitomizes the gospel music of the South.

The fact of the matter is, your logic is backward. The fact is that what is termed "Southern Gospel Music" was created from country, blues, jazz, Barber Ship Quartets, and a number of other influences. SGM itself is the product of an eclectic mix of influences. The problem is that if one adheres too strongly to one narrow set of values, with no room whatsoever for variation or evolution of style, then the genre gets tired and boring and ceases to do what Gospel music is intended to do: lift the worshiper's spirit to a higher plane and inspire that spirit to reach out to Creator. Inspiration and aspiration should be at the heart of any music that takes upon itself the title "Gospel."
In my humble opinion, it ceases to be Gospel music of any kind, and the performers cease to do the work of spreading the Gospel when the bickering over category and who is influencing whom taint the music. Such arguing makes me just want to get away from anything that calls itself "Southern Gospel Music," go way back into the mountains, and find a small community church where the worshipers are just happy to have the opportunity to sing together in praise of the God who gave them life and redemption.


Commented by Al On 07/15/2003
Al,

You are right on track with that last paragraph. We need to worry more about what we are singing and to whom we are singing! I doubt very seriously that David sang SGM. He sang praises to GOD. I doubt he cared what some publication or group of people thought about it ,he just did it the way he was led and felt in his heart. He was a man after Gods own heart so you know I think I'll do what we singers and musicians in Gospel music should do and that is follow the example of David and other great men and women in THE BIBLE. You know that book has more answers for us in gospel music than any I've read lately! Maybe that is where we need to GO BACK TO!!!!


Commented by On 07/16/2003
IN RESPONSE TO THE QUALITY OF SOUTHERN GOSPEL MUSIC OF TODAY ISSUE...IN MY OVER 38 YEARS OF BEING IN SOUTHERN GOSPEL MUSIC, I FIND SEVERAL GROUPS IN SOUTHERN GOSPEL THAT SING VARIOUS STYLES (bluegrass, country, etc. etc.) THAT I ENJOY BECAUSE THEY HAVE WORKED HARD TO PERFECT THEIR PARTICULAR STYLE. AS FAR AS THE QUARTETS OF TODAY, I FIND WITH A COUPLE OF EXCEPTIONS(Dove Brothers, Southern Sound and maybe a couple more) HAVE TWO BARITONES...A HIGH & LOW....NOT A TRUE FOUR PART HARMONY QUARTET!. HOWEVER, I WILL ALSO SAY IN REGARDS TO THE SEMI-PRO GROUPS, YOU WILL FIND QUITE A BIGGER NUMBER OF TRUE FOUR PART HARMONY...IS IT BECAUSE THEY PRACTICE MORE...IS IT THEIR DESIRE TO PERFECT THEIR CALLING....I THINK THIS IS A BIG PART OF IT. IT SADDENS ME, THAT IF YOU ARE NOT A WELL KNOWN GROUP....QUARTET, TRIO, MIXED GROUP ETC. ETC. QUITE A NUMBER OF DIE HARD SOUTHERN GOSPEL MUSIC FANS WILL NOT GO HEAR THEM. I CHALLENGE SOUTHERN GOSPEL MUSIC FANS TO START GOING TO THESE (UNKNOWN GROUPS) CONCERTS...IN MOST INSTANCES, THEY WILL BE GLAD THEY DID!. YES, WE STILL NEED THE QUALITY, WE NEED THE ENTERTAINMENT AND WE DEFINITELY NEED TO REMEMBER THAT OUR PURPOSE IN SOUTHERN GOSPEL MUSIC IS TO GLORIFY GOD AND TO CARRY THE MESSAGE OF JESUS CHRIST TO THE WORLD AND NOT TO ''MAN''.....TOMMY D. MAYO OF THE SOUTHERN GOSPEL OUTREACH, CLARKSVILLE, TEXAS


Commented by TOMMY D MAYO'S SOUTHERN GOSPEL OUTREACH On 07/22/2003
Deon Unthank's avatar Tommy,

It looks like your web site is still under construction.
What is The Southern Gospel Outreach?

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 07/23/2003
God bless Al !! He is absolutely right! The earliest influences of gospel music came from what is now called mountain / bluegrass styles of singing. yet ,we gospel bluegrass folks are largely ignored and put down as unworthy of consideration, and not taken seriously. We write many of our songs and God"s grace, mercy, goodness, and the Lord"s eminent return are and is the focus! Glenn General Delivery bluegrass gospel band


Commented by Glenn Taylor On 07/27/2003
That's because that, except for a few exceptions, Bluegrass gospel is filled with bad musicianship, poor sounding vocals and useless lyrics.

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

- Galatians 5:25. 

Visit My Website



Commented by Keith Prater On 07/30/2003
Deon Unthank's avatar Keith,

Have you been living on a different planet or what?
Bluegrass musicians are some of the most talented artists around.
Poor sounding vocals, maybe in your opinion, but bluegrass concerts continually pack out the places where they are booked.
As to the useless lyrics, since most bluegrass groups sing a lot of the old hymns and Gospel songs that SG groups have been singing, I guess you are saying that SG lyrics are useless too.
I do not know where you get your authority to make such outlandish statements, but I find your comments offensive. I am not a bluegrass fan, but what you said is ridiculous.

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 07/31/2003
I've listened to a lot of bluegrass gospel in my life and I stand behind my comments. It's time that SG and bluegrass artists stop looking at what they do with rose-colored glasses and acquire some skill. As for the lyrics, a large portion of both SG and bluegrass songs have the message that this life is horrible and let's just escape it and go to heaven. This message is contrary to scripture and is useless.

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

- Galatians 5:25. 

Visit My Website



Commented by Keith Prater On 07/31/2003
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