Comments on: Christian music–Southern style or contemporary?

By: Timothy D Lynch

Timothy D Lynch — Sat, 29 Mar 2008 19:17:30 +0000

As a musician I thought I might enjoy being in a gospel group feeling that they would be more tolerant of letting me play what I feel in the music.

The first group audition I strummed a couple of chords and the leader said “what song are you playing, we have to make sure everything we play is for Jesus”. When I mention I wasn’t playing a song but just warming up he asked me to stop playing until we played an actual gospel song.

The next group I played with for about 6 months every Sunday service but became aware that some in the group would give me occasional odd looks. Finally the organist asked me if I was aware that playing lead guitar was not proper in a gospel band. Lead instruments (to spite the fact that we had 3 rhythm instruments) were considered a distraction from the vocals. I tried bring a classical guitar thinking that would help but was told that it was the same way.

I went back to playing in a non gospel band. God gave me my desire to play music. I now make a joyful noise.

By: Dominique

Dominique — Sat, 15 Mar 2008 23:18:42 +0000

BTW – love the rocks and water scene. My favorite place in the whole word is on the beach at sunset! It looks great on your blog.

By: Dominique

Dominique — Sat, 15 Mar 2008 23:17:55 +0000

Okay. I am obviously an odd duck out. Oh well. Gotta have one in every crowd don’t you!

I tend to go for Andre Crouch or Anointed type music.

I am definitely going to check out Casting Crowns, though.

By: Larry

Larry — Sat, 15 Mar 2008 00:04:18 +0000

Wickle,
Yes, “Who Am I” is one of my all time favorite songs. I can not listen to it without tearing up and realizing just how big our God really is.

By: wickle

wickle — Fri, 14 Mar 2008 23:21:42 +0000

I love Casting Crowns … good choice. “Who Am I” is an amazing song. My particular favorite singers are Rich Mullins and Andrew Peterson.

By: Larry

Larry — Fri, 14 Mar 2008 11:08:04 +0000

Chris,
Yes, The Cathedrals are greatly missed and I really miss the Gold City lineup of Tim, Ivan, Mike, and Brian. That was the best lineup they have ever had, in my opinion. I really liked the first lineup that Legacy V had with Josh Cobb on tenor. He reminded me a lot of Danny Funderburk.

As I said in the article, there are some of the contemporary artists that I enjoy as well. Casting Crowns has a new song out called East to West that is very good and Point of Grace has a new cd out that has some good songs on it as well. How You Live (Turn Up The Music) and All The World are especially good. I have come to appreciate their music a lot. Some of the contemporary music is a little wild, but some of it is really good.

By: Chris H.

Chris H. — Fri, 14 Mar 2008 04:01:35 +0000

I certainly miss the Cathedrals! Another Southern Gospel group that is not about showmanship is Greater Vision. The Collingsworth Family is another artist I would recommend in the Southern Gospel genre who have some depth to their music. I haven’t seen Legacy V since Roger Bennett died, but they were another solid group.

Thanks for your post.

By: KEN JOHNSON

KEN JOHNSON — Fri, 14 Mar 2008 04:01:23 +0000

Hello all,
up until Sept 1998 i use to be 110% contry, this is when I met my now wife.
She would go on & on about the Blackwoods… enough it almost made you sick…her parents use to golf with them, helped with bookings was at there house alot… little did I know they grew up just 40 miles from my door, but did not know who they was…
In 2004 we went to a FL Boys concert & did not know until about 1 hr into the concert THE BLACKWOOD BROTHERS WAS THERE JIMMYS GROUP. http://www.blackwoodbrothers.com/index.html
They sang maybe 5 songs sine there was several other groups there, I was hooked on the tenor MR Wayne Little, I booked the group at our very small church that very night, ( to surprize my wife ) & manybe… help our small church grow.
We had 550 attend our concert in a town 150 pop.
I did not tell my wife anything about it until about 2 weeks before the concert, I really THOUGHT… I did something nice for her, she lite into me like a money on a cup cake…. our church, our town was way to small for them…. but ended up with a great turn out about 75% remmbered the old blackwood brothers & most said they was as good or better then the group was with Jimmy dad back in the 40’s.

Since then… We have helped them book a few concerts, by doing this other groups & fans, churches ect. has asked us to help book a concert for them. We have really thought about doing this fulltime, but then it would turn into a JOB…
We have worked with alot of groups out there, there is so much wonderful talent. We have put together our own concert calendar which covers the whole USA & have about 1000 on a e-mail list, anyone wanting on our list it is FREE Also thank you for passing the concert information along to others! Some have asked if they may forward the Concert Updates. Absolutely yes! We want to let as many as possible know where all the wonderful concerts are being held. Thank you for all your help, your attendance, & support of Southern Gospel Concerts! Without you the concerts could not be possible!

kEN