Is It Just Me Or....

The economy is in the dumpster, as most of you know. Is that the reason we're seeing fewer and fewer new southern gospel releases? Or am I just out of the loop?

Time was when you could count on two new releases (and maybe a table project or two) from most groups. Nowadays, you're lucky to get a new CD a year out of most sg groups including the big boys. What's up with this? Even Gaither is not releasing as many DVD/CD extravaganzas these days (by the way, I'm still waiting for that fantastic Nashville session where all the groups attended and got to sing individually instead of in a choir where hymns were the only songs).

Maybe I'm just impatient, but it seems very strange to me.

George W. Bush and Southern Gospel Fans

A firestorm erupted over on www.averyfineline.com this week when Avery made what I thought was a funny line about groups beaming like George Bush when he had successfully completed a sentence. Jay Leno does it, David Letterman does it, but Avery shalt not. What gives?

What gives is the undying support among southern gospel fans for George Bush. It mystifies most of us because the country is almost in agreement that his presidency is simply the worst of the last 70+ years. It certainly wouldn't be because of his Christian leanings because another man who had strong Christian convictions (and rivals Bush for a very bad presidency) is typically made fun of without any comment from anyone.

I'm just curious what the fascination is. It certainly isn't in the accomplishments. If you know, let me know.

The New Gold City

I've discussed this before, but now it has become more apparent that the Gold City we all loved in the late 90's and later is a totally new group. The group I'm talking about was Jonathan Wilburn on lead, Mark Trammel on baritone, Jay Parrack on tenor and Tim Riley on bass. Of course that would change when Trammel left to form his own group and replaced by Daniel Riley. Luckily, the group's sound didn't change much and they continued to be successful.

The big changes began when Parrack and Tim Riley left the group. Parrack was replaced by Steve Ladd and Riley handpicked Bill Lawrence (formerly of Brian Free & Assurance) to be the bass. That meant the group that existed in 2000 was gone and it showed. As much as I love Gold City, the group consisting of Jonathan, Daniel, Steve, and Bill just didn't do it for me. I still went to see them and bought their CD's, but when Tim would occasionaly show up, the applause was thunderous. Except to their biggest fans, Gold City kind of took a back seat for awhile. Of course, the untimely death of Tim's son and Daniel's brother Doug, who had played drums or run sound for them, didn't help.

Lawrence was a great guy and a low bass, which is required to keep the Gold City sound alive, and he held up his part of the bargain. He just wasn't Tim Riley and the sporadic appearances just pointed that out. Apparently, Lawrence saw that and resigned from the group. Lawrence was replaced by Aaron McCune, formerly of Palmetto State Quartet. McCune is a fabulous talent who's sound is more like Tim Riley's than Lawrence was. McCune has one trait that Lawrence didn't have. A natural feel for the rhymthic role of the bass. Throughout, the one constant was Jonathan Wilburn.

Their last recorded effort was "Revival" released in 2006. It was a superior album with a new sound. Where other Gold City recordings had featured horn arrangements and a very modern sound, this album went with a more country sound, but it worked. And then there was silence for what amounts to be two years. Earlier this year, Jonathan decided to sell cars (or so I read). Now we really have a new Gold City.

Jonathan was replaced by Brian Taliferro, who had filled in for him previously. I've only heard clips of Brian with Gold City, but I hear a different sound. Where Wilburn could almost sing a soulful lead, I don't hear that with Taliferro. I'm looking forward to hearing the new album recorded with him coming out soon. My hope is that Gold City will return to the top of the quartet heap. I think it is essential that this happens for the health of the quartet in southern gospel music. Do you agree?