Liberty Philharmonics

It just occurred to me that I haven't posted any pictures from our recent session in the studio with Phil Cross. These pictures actually explain quite a bit.

Producer extraordinaire, Phil Cross, oversaw the vocal recording process, much to his dismay. His ear is phenomenal, so much so that mere mortals such as ourselves occasionally take a while to catch up.

Phil wasn't the only celebrity in the studio. Mike Wiebe, who penned the new song "Into the Water" for us, stopped by to make sure we didn't mutilate his composition. Mike is also the music pastor at Nampa First Nazarene where Doran goes to church. Mike, too, carries a burden for Doran.

Dan loves being in the studio. He still confuses the left ear of his headphones with the microphone from time to time. We occasionally clothe him in a straitjacket.

The reason being, Dan tries to escape the rigors of recording. We also padlock the doors. You can't tell, but he's actually laying down his vocals in a padded cell. This is a very stressful process, folks.

It occasionally gets to me, but I try not to let it show. I've fortunately been able to master my poker face so my true feelings don't escape to the surface. The last thing you want to do is appear unconfident, stressed, or otherwise put out.

Phil takes time to turn down my voice in the mix. He must really like me.

I took some time out to explain to Phil the intricacies of the productions world. You know, with him getting started and all I want to do what I can to mentor him. If you'll listen to my producing work on some GBS recordings, it's pretty impressive. Really. Phil took it well. He seemed overcome with emotion. He was all bent over, face in his hands, shoulders twitching. I just patted him on the shoulder. He's a good guy. A lot to learn.

After that little pep talk, Doran seemed to be a little tentative about laying down his part. He finally fought through his feelings of inadequacy enough to sing the solo.

All in all, it was a good recording.

Tales from the Trip

What a fun concert last night! It was great to do a concert in the northwest. We were at Village Park Baptist last evening and sang to a packed-out, energetic crowd. We loved it! For the first few concerts with Liberty, Paul Ellis (the former tenor) and I were both there. My first concert to carry the tenor part all by my lonesome was at Village Park a little over 2 years ago. It's amazing how many friends I've been privileged to make in the last 2 years. We probably had around 450 people there last night and I recognized a large percentage.

Our good friend Pauline made one of her delicious peanut butter pies. Wow! It's the best peanut butter pie I've ever tasted. We've bugged her for 2 years to make us one and she came through. It was good to see some of Royce's fam (his brother and sister), blog lurkers Ellen, Mim, Orrin, and the rest of you guys. Just a great night.

We are in the middle of a 650 mile trip from Beaverton, OR to Modesto, CA. We're going to be singing tonight with Herb Henry Family and the Johnson Family Quartet. That's going to be fun.

Just for the record, I forgot how beautiful Oregon and northern California are. Mt. Shasta is gorgeous today. Well, so is Lake Shasta and this whole area.

Well, it looks like MickeyD's is in my immediate future. So long.

Recap

Currently, I'm driving through beautiful Oregon about 45 miles outside of Portland. This is far removed from my recent jaunt through Indiana and Ohio. On Monday I flew out to Indianapolis for the spring Appalachian Youth Camp board meeting. The meeting was actually held in Dayton, but you can get a much better rate flying into Indy. It was nice to see all the guys again. However, this is the last time I'll be able to use the generic description "guys". The newest elected board member is Charlotte Frederick who just so happens to be my sister-in-law. She's done a phenomenal job directing Kidz Adventure camp and was well-deserving of the nomination and election. She'll bring the touch of class so desperately needed on the board.

After the board meeting I had a chance to go over to IHC and touch base with several friends. I actually made it up there both Tuesday and Wednesday. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to hang around for too long so I missed out seeing many of my friends. But, I was able to run into several of you guys. I made the most out of the time I had. And, I never knew I had so many people reading my blog! Wow! People I don't even know let me know how much they enjoy my spot in cyberspace. And there are a lot of my friend lurking around in the dark corners of my blog, careful to come and go undetected. Thanks for 'fessing up to your addiction. That's the first step.

It's been a while since Ray and I worked together at Grace, so we had a great time. It's also been about three years since I shared a story that features Ray, so pull up your chairs. This is a good one.

After we left IHC on Wednesday, Ray took me to the Indianapolis airport. We were about halfway there and I told Ray to pull over at the next stop so I could use the restroom. He found a rest area, pulled over, and I went in. The men's restroom was like so many that you find at rest areas, stalls on two sides of a dividing wall. Well, I walk in and went left. I hadn't been in there for 30 seconds when I heard Ray's voice from the other side of the concrete wall. He said, "Hey, Wags!" and then I heard the sound of him hitting a stall door. The next voice I heard was unfamiliar shouting out "Hey! This stall's taken!" Ray thought that I had gone to the right and noticed that only one stall was occupied. When he hit the door, it popped open revealing a person sitting on the throne who most definitely wasn't me. The guy wouldn't let it rest, either. "This stall doesn't allow double-parking", he bellowed in a voice easily heard on the other side. Ray kept on trying to apologize, but the guy wanted to keep on talking about it. I was trying to muffle my laughter on the other side of the wall, but couldn't. I walk out and Ray is standing there, humiliated, red-faced, still feeling like an idiot. Definitely, the highlight of the trip for me.

Felt like old times.

Jesus Never Fails

I can relate to this guy. Kind of. Lori and I were asked to sing at one of the GBS centenary celebration services in 2000. The chapel was packed when we got up to sing "Jesus Never Fails". We got to the second verse and I rocked into my solo part on "so what can I do to prove to you...", except those words didn't come out. I didn't have the song memorized and I had lost my place in the music. I started out with "so, hmmmmm-mmm-mmm..." and then in a subtle attempt to cover up the fact that I was totally lost, just quit singing and stared at the sheet of music trying to find that part of the verse. Our good friend Martha Miller was accompanying us and she expertly guided me back into my solo part, but I still didn't have it, so she played a little intro part again (and, then again). Humiliating. I do remember glancing over at Lori and she was looking at me with an expression that spoke of mortification and the fact that I was going to die later. I made it through the rest of the song, sheepishly.

One of my heroes, Dr. Wingrove Taylor, approached me later and in his dry, measured manner, voice colored by a Caribbean lilt said, "Thank you for the excellent lesson this morning, Mr. Waggoner. For indeed, when we fail, Jesus never fails."

Point well taken...and never forgotten.

Champion of Love

One of my favorite Phil Cross songs done in the inimitable Cathedrals style. This is from the Cathedrals Reunion video. I noticed something odd at the end of the song. See if you catch it, too.

Another Kassady Caper

I have to share this one with you...

Last night, Lori and the kids were at church. Lori oversees the children's program at Grace and she had just finished up the evening class and activities. Three or four boys were chasing the little girls around, which of course the girls loved. They ran screaming and laughing through the gym, into the hallway, and the girls eventually ran into the women's restroom. Lori had to head to the restroom, so she walked in and pushed on the first stall door. It was locked. She went to the next door and pushed. It didn't budge. She tried each stall. Same thing. So, she looked underneath the stall doors and there was no one in any of them. She noticed that the girls were still in the bathroom so she asked Kassady if she knew why the doors were locked. Kassady said, "Yeah. I locked them all and crawled out underneath so the boys can't get us."

Well, then Lori paid closer attention to what the girls were doing. They were tearing off strips of paper towel, soaking them under the faucet, and wadding them up into balls. When Lori asked what they were doing, Kassady said that she was making these to throw at the boys who chased them. This is a 3-year-old.

Lori and I are not looking forward to future Parent Teacher Conferences. But, I'm also proud in a weird sort of way.

Mitchel Jon

Today I've been listening to the rough mix of a solo project that is the best solo Southern Gospel recording I've ever heard up to this point. Actually, it's one of the best solo projects I've ever heard, regardless of genre. I've never met Mitchel Jon before, but I'm here to tell you this guy can flat out sing with the best of them, secular or sacred. He sang with Three Bridges for several years before going solo. He also sings with Phil Cross and Poet Voices one weekend a month. Please understand, this is not some rabid fan's hyperbole. I'm not too fond of Southern Gospel solo music. There are some good soloists out there, but it's never been my preference. However, there's something different about this project. If you crossed Bart Millard with some early-mid '80s Russ Taff and throw in a little Charles Billingsley you get Mitchel Jon. Except, he blows away any solo recording I've heard from those three gentlemen. Which is saying a lot, because they've produced some fantastic material. Be looking for Mitchel Jon's album in the next couple of months.

By the way, he's going to be in Boise at Liberty's Family Fest.08 in September. It's worth coming just to hear this guy sing.

UPDATE: I let Lori listen to the CD and she figured out who he most sounds like: Keith Lancaster, from Acapella. Remember that group? I think she might be right.

Pastors of Politicians

I found a hilarious post from one of my favorite cyberwriters, Keith Drury. It's somewhat of a spoof of the recent Obama dilemma. Read it.

Good Day

We're in the studio all week with Phil Cross, so I'm not going to be very good about posting. Last night, Trey and Kassady started soccer practice. Their practices are at the same time, so Lori dropped Trey off at his field and then ran Kassady over to her practice. I got out of the studio in time to catch the last half hour of Trey's practice. He told me that he's made up his mind to play more aggressive. And, he did. He pretty much dominated the practice. It seemed like he was one of the shortest kids last year, but now he's the biggest kid on the field. Kassady did her thing, too, according to Lori. This includes running around the field laughing with/at the person dribbling the ball, falling on purpose, and occasionally kicking the ball.

I did catch American Idol last night. TiVo is a great invention. Thumbs up go to David Cook. He is the most creative contestant on the show. His musical arrangements are incredible. I'm liking him more every week. I read on Drudge Report this morning that they had to rush him to the hospital following the show due to extremely high blood pressure. Not good. David Archuleta was brilliant, as usual, and Michael Johns, Brooke White, Carly Smithson, and Jason Castro turned in good performances. I have to tell you that the more I hear Castro's voice the more I like it. And Brooke White is just plain likable. She has this folksy lilt to her voice and an engaging personality. This has been a great season, so far.

Waldroup to leave Greater Vision

This is big news for the Southern Gospel world: Jason Waldroup to leave Greater Vision. Jason is planning on pursuing a seminary education this fall according to the Singing News website. Since everyone can't access the SN News, here are a few quotes. First from Jason:

This is a decision I have been struggling with for more than a year, and the time has come for me to follow what I believe to be God's will for my life. I have delayed this decision because of my love for what I've been privileged to do for the past thirteen years as a part of Greater Vision, and my relationships with Gerald and Rodney. They, along with Chad Baker, our Product Manager, are family to me, and they're my closest friends. That has made this decision that much more difficult.

And from Gerald:

Jason is like a son to me, as well as being one of the closest friends I've ever had. None of us want to see him leave, but we have encouraged him to follow God's leading, no matter what, and leave the consequences to Him.

And from Rodney:

I will certainly miss standing beside Jason every night, but he has my full support as he moves into his next phase of ministry.

From the sounds of it, Jason will stick around to help train and mentor his replacement. I'm sorry to see Jason go. He helped carry on the classic Greater Vision sound. It will be interesting to see how the search for a replacement goes. A lot of phenomenal tenors will be clamoring for that position.

Spring break: Primos

The Liberty Family minus Donna and Jordan (Dan's wife and son) and Jeremiah (Royce's son) got together at Primo's on Thursday for a little pizza, lots of laughter, and loud conversation. Kassady and Taylor were running around wrecking havoc but I got everybody else to pause for a picture. From left to right: Justin, Royce, Tammy, Jenna, Dan, Julianne, Lori, Diane, Doran, Courtney, and Trey.

As you can tell, we were all paying rapt attention to Dan's stories. Very interesting.

Lori prays that God would deliver her from Dan's stories.

"Yeah, Donna. They really liked the stories."

When Kassady and Taylor get together it's like mixing combustible materials. There will be quite a bit of screaming, someone will get hurt, and there's a pretty good chance of an explosion.

I've never featured Tammy on the blog, so I thought it was about time to introduce everyone to Royce's better half. Keep her in your prayers. Trying to anticipate Royce's next move isn't easy on the psyche.

This was the perfect way to cap an awesome spring break.

Spring Break: 4-wheelin'

Trey had never been 4-wheeling before. I let him drive a little bit (while I held on the back). He actually didn't do too bad.

Pastor Dave, David, and William brought their two 4 -wheelers out to the trails. We also took a dirt bike that Dan Yancey graciously (and let's be honest, naively) let us borrow. He apparently isn't aware of the mechanical abilities that Dave and I possess. It had been a long time since Dave or I had ridden a dirt bike and we had fun getting the feel of it.

Trey and William, one his best buds, saddle up and get ready to ride.

We went up to the top of a pretty steep hill and Trey and William clambered off to look around.

I kind of look like Dudley off of "Wild Hogs". I'm OK, it's just my face (inside joke to all who have seen the movie). It was a little chilly and I'm paranoid about getting a cold, losing my voice, and all that stuff, so I wore a ski hat underneath my helmet. I like being the cool parent.

Pastor Dave and William shortly before careening down the hill, fishtailing all the way. I know Julia will appreciate that comment.

William had a slight accident involving his face, the handlebars, and a pothole. Oh yeah, and quite a bit of blood. He's OK now, but the poor guy was in pain there for a while. He's a trooper.

Thanks Dave, David, and William for inviting us to go along.

Spring Break: PoJos

My beautiful family.

There were rides, video games, all kinds of activities, and Kassady chooses the kiddie playground as her favorite hangout. We couldn't get her to do anything else. She loved crawling through the tunnels, climbing up the slide backwards, and arguing with the little boys.

She did like the Red Baron ride.

This was my favorite activity, along with the basketball shooting game.

Kassady held her own in our little competition. She tagged me hard!

A fun time was had by all. We'll be back.

Spring Break: Discovery Center

Ready to go explore the Discovery Center, Trey and Kassady pose impatiently in front of the outdoor sign.

Trey decided to try out the bed of 512 nails. He was a little hesitant to climb up there at first.

Kassady scanned items and punched buttons as efficiently as any Walmart cashier. The Kidz Market was one of her favorite exhibits.

Kassady trys out her veterinary skills on a lifeless St. Bernard. That dog is lucky he's stuffed. She put him through the paces. Carrie, I think she has potential.

Trey, on the other hand, begrudgingly pointed for his photo op finding little pleasure in pet x-rays.

The kids had fun. I won't bore you with all the pictures, but Trey and I worked on a motor, we played with bubbles, Trey and Kassady created slime, and so much more. I actually enjoyed it myself.

Terror Firma

Whew! Another whirlwind weekend. This was my first time to travel through Texas. The humidity brought back memories of July afternoons in Ohio. And, I can't figure out what it was, but there was some plant, flower, tree, or weed that smelled like the midwest. I know, I've finally gone over the edge. But...it did. It also hit me last night that it had been a long time since I had heard crickets chirping. They were in full chorus last night and for some reason it triggered one of those nostalgic nerves that brings back a flood of memories. Good memories.

People in Texas not only appreciate Southern Gospel music, they know the songs. We've been doing a couple of rather obscure old tunes and there were a few out there singing along with us. I was impressed. We were at Fort Worth First Nazarene on Sunday morning and come to find out Dave Tharp (the music pastor) and I know a lot of the same people from back east. He's a great guy and we had a wonderful time. We were in Denton, TX at another Nazarene church last night. Following the concert we drove to Oklahoma City and spent the night on the bus. Getting up at 4:10 AM (ID time) in the morning to catch a flight is one of the few things I despise about traveling. We have to be a sorry sight, staggering through security, eyes bloodshot, muttering incoherently. Kind of blows the traveling fantasy doesn't it? Of course, I can't sleep on the plane. It's pathetic, really. I wait until I get home to catch up on the Zzzs. Today, I read 2 Newsweek magazines, 1 Charisma magazine, and finished a Wired magazine. We had a 3 minute layover in Denver (seriously). It was supposed to be longer, but as our wheels touched down on the runway, the pilot suddenly took the plane back up at a steep angle. He informed us that air traffic control had made an error and that there was "traffic congestion" on the runways. Comforting.

All's well that ends well. I'm home.

Life

We're somewhere around Dallas, TX right now. Just rolling down the highway. We just finished a delicious Italian dinner with Bud and Nancy, Dan's inlaws. Yesterday, while Dan was fellowshipping with Bud, Nancy, and Donna (who made it down for the visit), Royce, Doran, and I headed to LA Fitness to play a little racquetball. I've been playing since Christmas and I love it. I'm no good, but I love it. Last night, Royce took 3 games, I took 2 and we ended up playing about 2 hours. We were whipped by the time we got out of there. That's what I like about the sport: it makes cardio fun. Today Doran killed us in bowling. He's good. Who knew?

Last week was one of those family memory-making weeks. Trey was on spring break, so we did all kinds of stuff. We went to the Discovery Center in Boise, saw "Horton Hears a Who", played at PoJos, and went 4-wheeling with Pastor Dave, William, and David. Actually, just Trey accompanied me on that expedition. I have a ton of pictures to upload, but unfortunately my very slow connection is going to force me to postpone that 'til next week. So, I'll get to it. Maybe. We're in the studio all week recording a new album. Phil Cross is flying in to produce this one. That's always fun.

Hope your week went well.

Sweet 16

The countdown is on. Bring on the Sweet Sixteen. I'm currently in fifth place in the standings. I even enjoyed a short stint at number one last weekend. As usual, Talisha Taylor is in first place. She won it all last year and she's making a strong run again. Last week, my donning of the IU jersey did little to help their game. That one hurt. FYI, I hadn't put on the jersey since I was in high school. It still fit. Kind of.

Candid Quote

Part of my lunch conversation today with Kassady:

"Kass, you're awesome, do you know that?"

"Yeah, well I'm a genius, too. I can do magic tricks and stuff. I'm using my imagination. I can be anything I want to be."

Piano Lessons from the Phenom

By the way, Doran Ritchey is now teaching piano lessons. He has about 5 spots left. If you're interested call 860-5135 or email dritchey@clearwire.net. He might have bad breath* but he can sure teach piano!





*OK, I don't think he really does have bad breath due to his immeasurable intake of Orbit gum. Wrigley Field will soon be named after him.

Easter

We had a meaningful Easter. Pastor Dave once again rang the bell with his Easter sermon. And, wow! What a crowd! Our church is growing weekly and that's not an exaggeration. Yesterday was the largest Sunday morning crowd I've ever seen at Grace. Packed! Lori said they had a large group of kids in Children's Worship, too. The cool thing is that we're experience dynamic spiritual growth in our church. We're hearing reports every week of someone new getting saved. I think there were 8 or 9 that accepted Christ Sunday morning. I'm thankful for a vibrant, passionate church that's loving people into the kingdom. I'm seeing more and more people connect to the Grace Bible Church community. They're connecting, growing, serving, and ultimately coming full circle to love the new people God sends our way. (Side note: for an insightful article on the importance of connection, read Mike Avery's article in the March Revivalist)

It was so good to see so many friends again. Several people who I have met through my Liberty touring showed up on Sunday morning. In fact, there are several who have started going to Grace in the last year. I enjoyed spending some time after church with Clark and Shelby Dyess (not to mention their daughter and her family). Clark and Shelby were in from Wyoming and showed up for morning worship. Shelby, I know you read the blog, so let me say thanks for coming.

If Royce ever fires me, I have a back-up group ready to go. The last few times I've been home I've sung with Philip Batten and Matt Ritchey as part of the morning worship. We're all tenors, but we've pulled it off. We sang the Eldridge Fox classic "Gone" yesterday morning. We didn't come close to the Teddy Huffam and the Gems rendition, but I sure enjoyed our interpretation. Those boys can sing!

In the afternoon I was privileged to sing for Robbie and Crystal Rehling's wedding. Julia Keep and I are getting to be quite the wedding singers. The wedding was at 2:00 in the afternoon, so the Waggoner family ran over to the Keep residence to scarf down some sandwiches and practice the music. Well, that was the plan anyway. By the time we got done eating we had just enough time to run through a verse and chorus of one song. The song that we didn't practice came off without a hitch (Nat King Cole's version of L-O-V-E). The other song was "I Will Be Here". We had practiced the song in F (I think), but Julia blanked out and started playing the song in C. When she started the song, I thought something was odd, but I opened my mouth to sing anyway. My first note was one note above where I normally bottom out. My brain immediately went into overdrive trying to think of what I was going to have to do to make it through the song. I started by changing the melody. Steven Curtis Chapman wouldn't have recognized my initial rendition. I was all over the place. After about 4 lines, Julia subtly did a keychange to F and off we went. I'm sure it was noticeable (actually I know it was noticeable) but it sure saved the rest of the song. Another plan should we have continued in C was to pull off a Bill Gaither narration of the song lyrics. I'm glad Julia had the guts to pull off the key change. Alls well that ends well, I guess. The rest of the wedding was beautiful. Amelia Jensen did a fantastic job on the decorations, food, reception, everything. I'm happy for Robbie and Crystal.

Later that evening we went back over to the Keeps to finish our meal and play a competitive game of Rook. Actually, Dave and I got our socks blown off. I think we finished in the red.

We had been reading about Jesus' arrest, trial, and crucifixion in our family devotions. Last night, we finished our reading with the empty tomb and the reappearance of the living Christ. We then had a discussion about the awesome love of God for us. The whole Easter story has been a tough concept for Kassady to grasp. And, you know, sometimes I don't totally get it myself. The miracle of redemption. It was a cool way to bring Easter '08 to an end.

The Madness continues

By the way, I'm in 5th place in my March Madness tournament. Not bad out of 25. Last weekend was kind of like a vacation to Hawaii. You're loving every minute of it and already dreading the inevitable return to normalcy. Davidson, Western Kentucky, and no Duke. Ahhhh...this is wonderful!





***By the way, I've never been to Hawaii which Lori would be quick to point out. But that's the only comparison that came quickly to mind.

Oops

I found this Mike Luckovich cartoon to be hilarious.

I'm in love with madness

For those of you who aren't aware, this is my favorite time of the year outside Christmas, Easter, and Thanksgiving. I love March Madness! I picked a few upsets this year, but my Final Four is pretty safe: North Carolina, Kansas, Texas, and UCLA. I manage the Liberty bracket. This year we have about 25 participants. Doran forgot to fill out his brackets so he's already clinched last place.

I usually finish in the bottom half. Last year I finished something like 8 out of 16. Lori beats me every year. It's pretty embarrassing. This year I set up a separate bracket for our family. Trey is obsessed with this. I'll probably finish last. This is the only time of year I cheer for North Carolina. I can't have them messing up my bracket with a loss.

Old, New, and Change

OK, I know that what I'm about to say amounts to heresy for a few die-hard Southern Gospel fans out there, but just hold on. This past weekend Liberty toured for the first time in New Mexico. It was a great trip and fun to sing to crowds who had never heard us before. We've met so many wonderful people over the last few days. One guy who I really enjoyed getting to know a little bit better was Big Al Thomas from Albuquerque. Big Al has the oldest syndicated SG radio show in America. It's been going since 1972. Anyway, he's a fan of a lot of those classic SG groups such as the Speers, the Statesmen, the Blackwood Brothers, the Downings, and many more. He's a walking encyclopedia of Gospel music. Anyway, I told him that I had very few recordings of the Statesmen and none of the Blackwood Brothers. Well, if he didn't get me some of their best albums. What a guy! So, the last few days I've been listening to these greats from years past.

Now, admittedly, these guys are off the charts when it comes to the talent level. They didn't have Pro Tools, vocal overdubs, Melodyne, or any of the other recording enhancements available to today's groups. If one person made a mistake, everybody recorded the whole song over. Most of the time they are spot on. Very impressive! I also appreciate what these groups did to pave the way for Southern Gospel as we know it. Driving through the night in a sedan, 2 guys in the front, 3 in the back trying to grab some sleep before the next concert, that's a tough life. Long before Ernie Haase and Signature Sound were criticized for their "dance" moves, the Statesmen and Blackwood Brothers were tearing up the stages with their dynamic performances and fancy footwork. They paid the price for where we are today.

But...I have to be honest with you, I don't like their music as much as I like today's Southern Gospel music. I'm ducking as I type this, because I know you SG purists out there are flinging your hand about trying to find a bottle or tomato to chuck at me. You're thinking I'm off my rocker, and "if that's the way those Liberty boys are then I'm through buying their music". You have deduced that I'm obviously some Southern Gospel neophyte who doesn't have an appreciation for the classics or, even worse, some CCM-wannabe SG commie who yearns to be relevant rather than true to the genre. Sorry to disappoint you, but none of that is true. I would venture to say that outside of my disappointingly minute stockpile of classic quartet recordings I know as much or more than most fans/artists of my age. I have followed Southern Gospel music as long as I can remember. My first heroes weren't sports stars, but rather quartet members. I say all that to say that my opinion is as valid as any other.

Southern Gospel music, like any other, has evolved over the years. Groups such as the Oaks and Imperials (just to name a couple) began to incorporate a more contemporary edge to their songs and performances back in the 70s. SG became even more closely aligned with country music (who went through their own changes during the same period), using country licks and instrumentation on studio albums. My observation is that as CCM moved from the inspo/pop sound of the 80s and early 90s to commercial rock n' roll, SG groups stepped in and incorporated those styles into their songs and recordings. Today, Southern Gospel is about as diverse a genre as you'll find. Quartets such as the Melody Boys carry on the classic quartet harmony; the Inspirations, the Primitives, and other like groups carry on the Appalachian sound; groups like the Isaacs or Crossway are as good as or better than any group played on the country FM station, groups such as the Martins and the Talley Trio have found a niche in a more inspirational sound, while the Hoppers, Legacy Five, Gaither Vocal Band, Gold City, and others have made their recordings a mixture of yesteryear's simple lyricism and today's progressive rhythms, melodies, and arrangements. And, that's a good thing. I find the song selection and lyrical strength of albums from today's marquee groups to be greater than their predecessors. I enjoy the sound of a full orchestra that occasionally graces a power ballad accompaniment. I appreciate the rhythm sections and guitars that are now standard on current recordings. I'm enjoying where this SG evolution has taken us.

While I'll always appreciate the heritage of Southern Gospel and have a respect for what the SG trailblazers were able to accomplish with so little, I can't go as far as to say they were better. I'm not convinced.

I've noticed that everyone has an affinity for the music that they grew up with. They're zealous about the groups that they listened to during their teenage/early-20 years. So, that being said, I'll admit that my favorite SG quartet is the Cathedrals. Are they the best ever? I don't know. But, they're still my all-time favorite.

A lot of this glorifying of the past comes from a deeper philosophical root that exists in many of us: an innate inability to accept, much less embrace, change. It doesn't just happen in Southern Gospel, it happens in broader society. For some reason it seems more pronounced in the church-world, though. Now, it might be that my perspective is skewed due to the fact that I've been in ministry since college, and that it's still out there in secular culture, too. My point is this, though: we tend to view the past through rose-colored glasses. We become comfortable with our likes and dislikes and the older we get the more inflexible our tastes become. Because, that's really what it comes down to: taste. In the church-world it should be about the message not the (excuse the cliche) method. Now, I know that in some instances more emphasis is given to being relevant as opposed to redemptive (thanks for the wording, Pastor Dave), but I don't think that this is usually the case. I think that most churches, music groups, whatever, are trying to present the message in such a way that is relevant and practical to the parishioner, the concert-attendee, whoever the target audience happens to be. And to do that, change is necessary. Face it people, our world isn't pre-Vietnam anymore. We're not even pre-September 11 anymore. Our culture is constantly evolving. While our fundamental, biblically-based belief system must not change, we should always be evaluating our presentation, approach, and/or technique. Change what doesn't work.

Based on their history, if the Statesmen were around today they would be one of the most progressive Southern Gospel quartets on the road. But, they're not here. So, enjoy, support, and encourage the groups that are doing it right. For that matter, enjoy, support, and encourage your church/pastor/ministry team when they do it right. If you're having problem with changes, evaluate what is contributing to your discomfort. Is it because it's outside the bounds of your particular tradition? Is it because it's not biblical? Is it because you simply despise change? Loosen up. Change, when made for the right reasons, can be exciting and liberating!

I'm not sure how I got here with all this rambling, but there you have it. Don't stay who you are. You're either growing, dying, or dead.

Faves

I really like the Smart Playlist feature in iTunes. It allows you to quickly compile songs from your main music library according to a particular category, for instance genre or year. So, I decided to see what my favorite albums were from specific years. **Disclaimer: I'm sure there were other great albums recorded during these particular years, but this is the Top Ten from my playlist. If you wish to purchase those albums for me, I will accept them with joy.** Here's what I found from the last few years:

2007
Casting Crowns The Altar and the Door
-one of the best albums, lyrically, that I've ever purchased
The Hoppers The Ride
-the best album they've produced for more than a decade
Legacy Five Know So Salvation
-in spite of the fact that this is a cover project, this album is second only to their "Live in Music City" in my opinion; the best table album of the year
Crossway A Beautiful Thing
-the guys took a jump to a whole new level with this recording; their pop-country approach works
Brian Free & Assurance Real Faith
-not quite as good as last year's "It's So Good", but still a great recording lyrically and vocally
tobyMac Portable Sounds
-one of the few Christian rock artists that consistently produces top-tier recordings; I can't stop singing "Made to Love"
The Isaacs Big Sky
-The Isaacs have one of the best bands in the biz; it's nice to see them branch out a little bit musically; after seeing them live, they're one of my favorites right now
The Perrys Look No Further
-I don't think the Perrys are capable of putting out a mediocre album; they have an uncanny knack for adroitly picking the right song for the right voice that few SG groups seem to possess
Rascal Flatts Still Feels Good
-I'm a fan
Kingdom Heirs True to the Call
-Straight-ahead Southern Gospel done the right way

2006
The Perrys Come Thirsty
-My favorite project of 2006; I like every song on this album, especially "He Will Hide Me" and "Come Thirsty"
Legacy Five Live in Music City
-My favorite Legacy Five album; "Strike Up the Band", "Peace", and "My, My, My" are favorites; they were on top of their game that night; of course, this was Roger's last album so there is a sentimental attachment
Brian Free & Assurance It's So God
-I've been a fan of BFA from the beginning and I can honestly say that they've never done anything in the realm of this recording; Lori is going to tell me that I should have put this at the top; it was the only CD we listened to in the car for about 5 months; unreleased songs "It's All About the Blood" and "When the Lord Says Go" are a couple of my faves
Gold City Revival
-on a normal year, this album would top my list, but 2006 was the year for incredible albums (reminds me of 1986; go back and look how many great recording were released that year); anyway, Revival is my favorite Gold City album since "Preparing the Way"; Daniel Riley tears up"Aint' That What It's All About" and "Truth Is Marching On"; then you throw in the great lyrics of "Preach the Word" along with the classic "I'm Rich" and you have yourself a great project; Aaron McCune has a stellar debut as the GC bass
Audio Adrenaline Adios: The Greatest Hits
-I wish that I had listened to these guys early on; they don't fit the profile of most bands I enjoy, so I pretty much ignored their music; their music is, well, it's just fun; while they don't have the deepest lyrics I found them to be very entertaining
Gaither Vocal Band Give It Away
-Wes Hampton's debut recording took awhile, but eventually became one of my favorites (Abby, you win); the more I listen to Wes, the more I like his smooth voice, especially on "I Will Go On"; the slow ballads are all winners on yet another great GVB release
Phillips, Craig, and Dean Top of My Lungs
-These guys will always be in my Top Ten groups. I know that when I buy their CD I'm getting my money's worth; this album was a little bit edgier, heavier guitars and more driving beats; "Your Name", "Saved the Day", and "Amazed" are all incredible worship songs; God has used PCD more than any other group across the years to speak to my heart through their passionate, authentic songs of praise and testimony
Booth Brothers Harmony
-the best table project from anyone up to this point; I like this better than any label album; Jim Brady's version of "Home" is worth the price of the album
David Crowder Band B Collision
-This was the first album I picked up by these guys and I was immediately hooked; they have this eclectic bluegrass-fused-with-rock vibe, sort of like Little Roy Lewis meets Sonic Flood; I like David's odd-sounding crooning; I've never enjoyed banjo so much
Josh Turner Your Man
-I finally jumped on the bandwagon; actually, it's his songs that I like so well; he definitely has his own niche in the country market

2005
Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir I'm Amazed...Live
-this CD features some incredible songs of testimony and praise; Jason Crabb's version of "I'm Amazed" is a standout; my favorite recording from 2005; this is the CD to listen to during your devotional time
Collingsworth Family God Is Faithful
-arguably the Collingsworth's best recording to date; not a bad song on the album; "God Is Faithful" would be on my list of all-time favorite songs, what a message; Kim's interpretation of "How Great Thou Art" is another highlight
Bart Millard Hymned No. 1
-MercyMe's front man goes for an earthy, country feel on this recording; it definitely works; I'm hoping No. 2 comes out shortly
Booth Brothers The Blind Man Saw It All
-while the Booth Brothers had several solid releases, this project took them to the front of the class; I'm not an emotional type of guy, but when I heard "Yesterday's Battles" for the first time I couldn't stop the tears; I listened to this CD about 30 times or more before I finally moved on to something else; I kept coming back, too
FFH Voice from Home
-another classic release from one of my favorite CCM groups; I like the album's theme, God speaking to his child
Il Divo Il Divo
-Wow! That's all I have to say...wow!
Ernie Haase & Signature Sound Ernie Haase & Signature Sound
-"If This Is What God Wants" and "Forgiven Again" are my faves off this solid project
Sugarland Twice the Speed of Life
-I really like this group; the lead vocals are distinctive and sung with country attitude
Third Day Wherever You Are
-one of my favorite Christian rock bands brings it on another classic release
Tree63 The Answer to the Question
-I heard the title song on the radio and drove straight to the bookstore and bought the album; their version of "Blessed Be Your Name" is the best I've heard so far; "I Stand for You" is another great song of testimony

Me and My Girl

I'm trying to figure out if my left eye is always that large or if it's the distortion from my lens. You'll notice Kassady is in her dress-up clothes again. I do believe she wears her princess garb more than her real clothes. We definitely saved money last year. She is destined to be in one of those cheesy outdoor pavilion shows at Disneyworld. As you can see, I set the bar high for my kids.

Asleep

They get along so well while sleeping...

Kassady Kandids

Yeah, I now know what that phrase "2 going on 16" is all about. Miss Hot Stuff.

Cheesin'

All of a sudden, Kass has taken an interest in puzzles. She has done all of Trey's 24 piece puzzles, with no help I might add, and is begging for a bigger one. She wanted to make sure that I took a picture of her and all her handiwork.

Idol Chat

Amidst all the wannabe American Idol judge blathering that abounds in the blogosphere, let me add my two cents worth:

• The winner of this year's competition will come from the guys. They consistently bring it every night.
• I'm glad they pulled out the Beatle's songbook last night. I forgot how many great songs Paul and John have written.
• I want to offer my thanks to America for finally getting Danny Noriega off the stage. He had a great voice, but I couldn't stand his constant posturing.
• Last night Chikezie rocked the house. Who knew? That was a great rendition of "She's a Woman". It was a little schizophrenic, but what else do you expect when a Nigerian tries his hand at bluegrass. My favorite of the night.
• I'm finding myself liking Jason Castro, in spite of his dreads. I enjoyed his performance last night.
• David Cook is a great rocker. He hasn't had a bad song yet. He's my runner-up at this point.
• Carly and Brooke both did a good job last night. Carly kind of reminded me of Bonnie Raitt in her take on "Come Together". Brooke sang one of my favorite McCartney songs, "Let It Be". A little bit pitchy, but nice. I predict that they will be the last women standing.
• Amanda Overmyer may be the only woman who can beat up Chuck Norris. She's a little scary. From Mulberry, IN. Who would have thought it?
• I, like half of America, can't help rooting for David Archuleta. While up to this point he's been the most consistent, last night was awful. He's only going to survive this week's cut based on his performances up till now.

Everything else was awful or forgettable at best. This is a pretty good season, though. Definitely entertaining.

My Pro

Last night's closing ceremonies at Karcher Nazarene capped Trey's first basketball season. Lori, Kassady, and I cheered him on as he enjoyed the evening's festivities. Since this was his first time to play basketball, we enrolled him in the Upward basketball league. He loved it! I had tried to teach Trey the basics, but we don't have a goal at home and the basketball goal at the church is 10 feet. So, though he could occasionally heave in a shot, it wasn't the easiest goal to practice on. He started practicing with his team in January and he gave it all he had. I'm so proud of that boy! He finished up being one of the best players on his team. Last night, his coach told me that out of all the kids on his team, Trey improved the most. He now has a good shot, plays great defense, and has learned how to move without the ball. Not bad for a 6-year-old. A parent from the opposing team congratulated me on his defensive prowess and aggressive (in a good way) play. He said that he and his wife were impressed with how Trey had improved.

I was able to get to only two of his games. Unfortunately, they were on Saturday mornings, so I didn't get to all of them. I did make it to most of his practices, though, and watched Trey work to improve his game. He doesn't let failure get him down. He just works harder. For those of you who don't know Trey's personality that well, he's obsessed with the mental and statistical part of the game. He watched game after game on TV (pro and college) trying to figure out how the guys played defense, how they rebounded, and how they moved without the ball. We were watching a pro game last week between the Suns and the Lakers (I think it was the Lakers) and someone made a great defensive play to strip Amare Stoudamire of the ball. Trey turned to me and said, "that's what I'm going to do on Saturday." Lori said he got over 12 steals, all without fouling. He's begging me to get a basketball goal at our house. We'll see what happens.

Trey with a couple of his buds (Noah and Tyler) from church who played in the same league.

Trey and Coach Kevin

Trey waits for some action on the court.

Announcement of the starting lineups prior to the game.

Another picture out of the archives

And, I found an even earlier photo of Royce preparing for his future in Southern Gospel music.

Open up the archives

I came across some album artwork for 1980's über-group, New Creation. Come to find out Liberty's very own Royce Mitchell was the frontman for this iconic CCM sensation. I think Royce still has those jeans.

An apology, kind of

OK, so it's been a while since I've posted anything original. I'll try to make up for it.

Natural Survival

I'm not one to get all excited about wildlife, but this video is amazing. Lion vs. buffalo vs. crocodile. It's definitely worth watching. You'll be cheering by the time it's over. Thanks for the recommendation, Ellen.

Classic Cathedrals Clip

I love hearing Gerald Wolfe sing "Land of Living". By the way, Gerald is nominated for male vocalist of the year in this year's Dove Awards. Thanks, Dean, for posting this.

Presidential Moves

Oddly enough, this reminds me of Doran.

Billboards

Traveling down the road, we run into some weird billboards:








**Actually, all credit goes to Dan for forwarding these to me.

AI

I am not a huge fan of TV shows. I enjoy ESPN and Fox News and that's about it. Ever since "Everybody Loves Raymond" went off the air, there's not much good available. I just don't spend a lot of time channel surfing trying to navigate through the junk that's on TV. However, there is one show that I will watch somewhat faithfully and it kicks off this time of year: American Idol. I admit it, I actually enjoy the competition (if you can call it that). I pick my favorites early-on and tune in to see how they do. I cheered on Melinda Doolittle last year (and by the way she was, hands-down, the best in the competition) and Taylor Hicks the year before that. This is my third year to watch the show. I didn't have a chance to watch the 12 women last night, but I did get a chance to catch the 12 guys on Tuesday. There are some great voices. So far, I'm really liking David Archuleta. He's hilarious in addition to having a voice much bigger than his 17 years.

There is a weird trend among some of the top 12 guys, though. A few of them are projecting a strange gay vibe in their interviews, attire, and performance. Not cool. I haven't noticed this in the last few years. Bring back Daughtry.

All Shook Up

Well, things have been shaking out here in the west. Literally. This morning about 7:16 AM an earthquake shook things up near Wells, NV about 265 miles from us. It measured about 6.0 on the Richter scale. I hear that some of my friends in the Twin Falls area (about 110 miles from us) had stuff falling off the walls and such. At 7:16 AM I was still laying on my Tempur-pedic mattress and didn't feel a thing. Those Tempur-pedic commercials must be factual.