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Sunday Edition


01
Dec
2006
The Missing Ingredient


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We’ve all eaten food that didn’t taste quite right…maybe it tastes okay, but it just seems that something is missing. For years I tried to make my Uncle Pat’s hot sauce, but mine never tasted the same as his, and he never revealed his secret to anyone but my Aunt Ruthie. After he passed my aunt shared his recipe and would you believe…I was one ingredient away from greatness.

Colonel Sanders became wealthy marketing Kentucky Fried Chicken with his “secret blend of 11 herbs and spices”. It just wouldn’t be the same if you only used 10.

My point is that in cooking, and in life, one missing ingredient can be the difference between failure and success.

Sometimes the missing ingredient is elusive and very hard to discover, and other times it is as obvious as the nose on your face.

Southern Gospel Music is suffering from M I S…Missing Ingredient Syndrome.

Something is not quite right…we look good and smell good, but we’re not passing the “taste test”…somethin’s missing.

There is a reason we are dead last in every category across the board…we have lost that one ingredient that made us great, that made us musically equal with all other forms of music, that made us desirable to buy and a pleasure to listen to…

The one ingredient?....PASSION FOR EXCELLENCE !

There was a time when we worked hard, very hard, to get better…now we have countless groups who could care less about improving; they just want a song on the radio and their picture in the Singing News.

We have become an industry of “drive through” recording, “shotgun” radio promotion, “imaginary” marketing, and “trumped up” assessments of our “real” position in the marketplace.

We give awards to individuals who have spent years “dumbing down” our music and others who have stifled the creative energy that is essential to having a “Passion for Excellence”.

WE CAN DO BETTER…WE MUST DO BETTER!

It’s time to get to work, yes good old fashioned “WORK”, Getting the music right.
Enough with the meetings, enough with all the complaining… “We promoters can’t get a crowd”… “Our radio station is losing money”… “We can’t find dates”… “My customers won’t buy Southern Gospel”…yadda, yadda,yadda!

There is nothing wrong with the art form of Southern Gospel Music. It is still the greatest music on the face of the earth; if you don’t believe that, just ask me…I’ll tell you.

There is, however, something wrong with many of the performers, promoters, marketers, bookers, recorders, players, and advertisers of Southern Gospel Music…

You have lost the “PASSION FOR EXCELLENCE”.

In Revelation 2:4, Christ addresses the Church at Ephesus and says, “You have lost your first love”. They were doing things right but had lost their passion. His answer to their lack of passion… “DO THE DEEDS YOU DID AT FIRST”.

In other words, get back to the basics. Our heroes worked hour after hour trying to perfect their singing. They were passionate about getting the music right. The newcomers in the industry had examples to follow…that is why our art form was on a par with any other form of music.

We have lost that passion and it’s time we got back to basics and got the music right.

I make you this guarantee: GET THE MUSIC RIGHT…THE REST WILL TAKE CARE OF ITSELF.

Good Better Best, Never Ever Rest, Until Your Good Is Better And Your Better Is Best.

As always, I welcome your comments

God Bless You,

Nick Bruno
http://www.nickbruno.com

Reader Comments

Dear Brother Elmore,
If you'll read over some of Nick's previous articles you'll see that he covers all the subjects you discussed.


Commented by On 12/14/2006
THANK YOU, THANK YOU 1,000 times THANK YOU. Seems like S.G. has been like this since the early 70's. When will they listen, and a better question is when will they care. When I say they I'm speaking of the so called artist because the recording labels are getting thier money, the S.G. market is satisfied with the politics (butt kissing) and cookie cutter sound. I'm sure I'm not the only person that loves GREAT MUSICAL abilities in any venue and has all but given up on S.G.


Commented by On 12/14/2006
Nick,
This is another insightful article and your credentials certainly sustain the accuracy of your views. I hope all of us who use music as an avenue of communicating the Gospel of Jesus Christ will take heed to your wise counsel.

I will offer one correction to your reference to Rev.2:4. Christ said you "LEFT" your first love, not "lost" it. The difference is seen in the intent of the target audience.

No one loses something on purpose, but Jesus is stating here that the Ephesians willfully, thoughtfully and intentionally made an "about face" and bailed out of their commitment to Christ as the primary object of their love.

To this degree,I think this correction adds strength to your article. We don't "lose" the practice time, we relegate it to "a lick and a promise" and hope no one will notice. As you have stated, people do notice whether there is a commitment to an attitude of excellence exhibited in our music.

In my first recording session at Mark V Studio in Greenville,SC after I had joined The Trav'lers Quartet as their pianist, we did over 24 "takes" on a song before we decided to toss it and do one of the other songs we had selected.

My point is, the guys were not going to put out anything that did not represent the standard of quality that their audience had become accustomed to. More importantly, I learned that The Trav'Lers held THEMSELVES to a standard that was higher than that of our fans. If we weren't prepared and pleased,the audience would never hear the song.

Perhaps, that is one reason why they continue to bless audiences today after over 44 years in the industry. They want to represent an excellent God with excellence of presentation. Anyone who knows The Trav'Lers knows they do not settle for mediocrity in their singing.

It was an amazing, life changing experience for me to serve as their pianist and manager during my 3 years with them. I departed to enter fulltime preaching ministry but have never forgotten the lessons learned from my dear friends and "brothers".

Donald M. Frazier,Ph.D


Commented by Donald Frazier On 12/18/2006
I think that Nick is right on the money. The very reason that retail is dead last is simply because of the reputation of this industry vocally and musically. It's almost like the artists in this field are afraid to take risks with new sounds and arrangements for the sake of radio not playing it. I can remember when you had to have a great voice before ANY studio would even consider signing you. And now It seems to me that you don't have to have any talent as long as you have the money. It's we can make you sound great via post production. Vocal tuning and all. I just want to go to a concert and be blown away by most of the artists and stead of some. When I was growing up I was always taught Practice makes Perfect, What ever happend to that? Please don't tell me that's to old fashion.Just what I see from a little guys point of view.


Commented by On 12/19/2006
Nick,

Thank you for your article. I suppose that your article is meant to illustrate the commercial side of gospel music, radio play, etc. It seems some of the respondents feel quite strongly about having to listen to less than perfect performers. Perhaps with what appears to me to be an over-abundance of gospel music radio in the states, versus the limited gospel stations in Canada, your readers can afford to be picky. I'd be happy to have a steady southern gospel radio station period.

I am hoping that neither you or your readers were not saying that the less-than-perfect or non-professional singers should not sing the gospel, even in concerts. Two of your own nation's gospel music legends whom I treasure and respect dearly wrote these words to me, and to a friend, when discussing our own gospel singing activities. I am quite sure you would also know and respect them.

One wrote, "This thing about music for the Christian is not necessarily about talent, (that's not to say that we shouldn't do our very best) its about glorifying our wonderful Lord. That takes all the pressure off. There is meaning, ministry and fulfillment in singing the grand old Gospel story. Do it with all your might."

The other wrote, "Keep on singing for Jesus. You will never know what a blessing you have and will be to thousands of people as you minister to them. Life is made up of three kinds of people, especially in a church. There are those who are the critics. No matter what you do they are there. That is 10 per cent. Then you have the 10 per cent that are behind you all the way and only want to be soul winners and helpers in the church. The other 80 per cent are the needy. All they want is someone to feed them and love them into the kingdom and through their years of growing in the Lord. So, concentrate on the needy people who don't care if you sing completely on pitch, have the right outfit on or if the PA is too loud of soft. They just need help."

If I'm off on my perception of the meaning behind the article or the respondents comments, I apologize, as I sincerely do love your column and most of what you say.

However, I will forever save the above two quotes from whom I know to be Godly men, and which inspire me musically and spiritually, and more importantly, illustrate the real reason why anyone should ever get up in front of anyone else and sing a gospel song.


Commented by On 12/20/2006
Good post Nick. When you mention excellence I take it to mean by today's standards. Things have changed over the years and we need to look at the groups that are defining excellence today otherwise we are looking to the past and the future is never in the past.

As for Steve Bell's comments, sing to your hearts content. Sing to whomever will listen. Just accept the fact that 90% of the groups out there are not suitable for radio airplay or national distribution. Also accept the fact that when well meaning groups "minister" in public in a subpar manner it casts a dim light on the industry.


Commented by Tim-He's Alive On 12/27/2006
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