Tuesday, September 20, 2005

The National Quartet Convention

If you're a Southern Gospel music fan, you probably already know that last week was the genre's premier event--the National Quartet Convention. It's a confusing "meeting" in that you don't have to be a quartet to participate and you're always surrounded by old folks.

Yes, this music is the favorite of religious types who mainly live in the Southern US. That means lots of Baptists, Church of God, Assembly of God, and other various basically fundamental religious people. One of my least favorite things to do is to travel to hear one of my favorite groups sing and end up shaking my head throughout the performance due to the antics of some of the people around me. This most often happens in a church. And its always the older set who tend to look down their nose at me because I don't raise my hands or shout "Amen" when one verse or the other is uttered from these fine musicians.

Not that I'm young my any means. I'm 56 years old. I was raised in a fundamental Independent Baptist church by parents who really didn't agree with all the hate spewed out by these folks, but because they were raised there, put up with it. At the age of 22 (late and I had some of that sense of family history too), I ventured out to the United Methodist Church, where I found out that I didn't have to hate anyone who worshiped different from me and just maybe they weren't all bad too.

Anyway, my father sang in a gospel quartet. It was there that I learned harmony and a love of it. I also found that in that music you had to be talented to even attempt it. Unfortunately, many people didn't know that.

The tradition of the "singing convention" is what I grew up with. On the second Sunday of the month, all the amateur groups would assemble for a "singing." It usually started with a congregational song and then the groups would rotate and usually sing two or three songs. Some of these groups didn't deserve to be on a stage or a pulpit. They sang flat or sharp, screamed and wailed and folks loved it. Groups like my father's were technically sound but with less emotion and less preaching. They got less reaction. I learned early that the more you caused a disruption, the better the crowd loved it. Praising the Lord was okay, but you didn't need to be able to sing well or make any sense. I avoid these gatherings today.

You see, I'm a musician. No, I don't perform much anymore, but I know what's musically competent and what is not. I tend to buy CD's and videos of groups I know are good and watch and listen at home. I don't live in an urban area where the Gaither Homecoming concerts come nearby or some of the top groups perform. I do on occasion catch a concert and by picking who I listen to, I enjoy it very much.

That wasn't the case when the "boys" Dad sang with went to the NQC. Back in the old days when they had the convention in Memphis, Dad was always telling stories about how this group or that group stunk up the place. They used to go as a group--no women allowed--and spend the week. Dad had two weeks of vacation and spent one of them at the NQC. These days, things are different. It's a polished show and for the most part people can sing in tune and some are better than others.

These days, they meet in Freedom Hall in Louisville, KY. For some odd reason they have this thing in September when the kids are back in school and only the blue hairs can attend for the whole week (unless you leve in close proximity to Louisville, home-school your kids, or, like Dad, go with the guys). I've never been, though I plan to next year. Why? Because this genre is probably the only one where you can actually meet your singing heroes. It's unique--somewhat like NASCAR used to be. I can remember having a 15-minute conversation with the famous Benny Parsons after a race at Martinsville when I was in my teens. That doesn't happen anymore. That may be the case in Southern Gospel some day, so I plan to go before it does.

This year's event was (or so I'm told) was pretty good . If you like four part harmony (think Statler Brothers or Oak Ridge Boys), you'll love it. Just don't get excited when some old lady tells you to cut your hair or dress right. And the tickets are relatively cheap for so much music.

If you'd like to see what the NQC is like, surf on over to www.natqc.com and click on the product tab. There you'll find some DVDs and videos of past performances for a small price. Give it a look.

For a blow-by-blow account of this year's (and last year's) convention, head on over to www.averyfineline.com and read all about it. Doug Harrison is "Avery." And you'll see no better intelligent commentary on the even than you will there. It also may give you some insight into what groups you might like to give a listen to if you're considering it.

Of course, if Bill Gaither and his Homecoming Friends are ever in your area, you might be better off going to that concert. If there was ever a "Cadillac" in the genre, it's Gaither's shows.

One more thing. You don't have to be super religious to enjoy the music. Give it a try.