Recently I’ve been pondering yet another one of the many things that sets CCM and SG apart: cover songs (and projects). In southern gospel, it’s quite common for even top-tier groups to fill up a good percentage of their main releases with covers, whether of relatively recent songs or old standards. It’s also common for groups to put out entire projects of covers, sometimes as a tribute to another group like the Cathedrals or the Happy Goodmans. I don’t observe... Read more
This makes me happy. Thought I’d spread the joy. Fresh, fun music for your Sunday morning. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yA4qWfMTxMg Mom’s reaction: “Why can’t they play this stuff in Meijer??” Say, Andy sure looks handsome without that mullet… or whatever he was wearing in 1992 (*full body shudder*). Read more
Increasingly, our culture is refusing to let boys be boys. Comedian Brad Stine calls it “the wussification of America.” The newly prevalent attitude is that if you are a guy, and you have a spine, you must be a Neanderthal. Masculine strength is scorned and has been replaced by a new standard of masculinity that is disturbingly effeminate. This of course is linked to the gay movement, but it has become so pervasive that you can find the “new type”... Read more
Within the last few years, the Booth Brothers have sky-rocketed to the top tier of southern gospel music. Though Michael and Ronnie have been at it since they first started out with their dad in 1990 and began steadily building a fan base, the group has enjoyed its greatest popularity in the years since Jim Brady came on board as the third vocalist, bringing his exceptional singing and song-writing talents with him. In the mid-2000s, a string of radio hits... Read more
As my readers may or may not know, new music from Steven Curtis Chapman drops in a few days (August 9, to be precise). It’s called Re-creation (or Re:creation, depending on how you read the cover—I think it’s meant to be a little joke). The full album was “leaked” to Rhapsody before the release date, so I just listened to it yesterday. Wanted to share my take on it for anyone who’s interested, even though I know I usually stick... Read more
David Bruce Murray recently noted a case where a popular group outside of southern gospel (Denver and the Mile High) included a southern gospel song (Brian Free & Assurance’s “Prayin’ Man”) on a record targeted to kids. It got me to thinking about a playlist I’ve collected in iTunes of southern gospel songs that may not have been written specifically with kids in mind, yet would be perfect for that kindergarten to elementary school age bracket. Many southern gospel songs... Read more
CCM Magazine sat down with Signature Sound’s Doug Anderson last month, and their interview with him has been linked to in the most recent digital issue. Here’s the Youtube, and I’ve also transcribed it for readers stranded with a soundless computer at the moment: ****************** CCM: Hi, I’m Caroline Lusk, editor of CCM Magazine, and you’re watching CCM Magazine.com. Thanks for tuning in. We are chatting here with Doug, and he’s gonna tell us a little bit more about his... Read more
Ever noticed that you can play “Splish Splash” and “Love Is Like a River” back-to-back and hardly notice when the one bleeds into the other? Compare: Striking, isn’t it? It’s that same 50s rock feel, right down to the electric guitar stylings. Even the dance moves are the same. But then, Bobby Darin and Elvis were pretty much exact contemporaries. (Side note: I always get a slightly surreal feeling when I watch these old, old clips from when rock ‘n’... Read more
Unless you’ve been living under a rock in the past few months, you’ve probably heard of the latest inspirational family flick to come out of Hollywood: Soul Surfer. Based on the true story of surfer Bethany Hamilton’s inspiring struggle to overcome the tragic loss of her arm in a shark attack, it’s been marketed to and largely accepted by a Christian audience. Since I rarely go to the movies, I’ve been relying on detailed reviews and short Youtube clips to... Read more
Terry Franklin may not be a household name, but because he was only in the southern gospel spotlight for a brief period of time with the Gaither Vocal Band, perhaps that’s natural. Most of his career has been spent in full-time evangelistic ministry with his family, traveling around the country and the world. He is also in hot demand as a studio vocalist. It’s a pretty safe bet that if you were to ask folks in the SG industry who’s... Read more
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