Redlegs, Mountaineers, and Southern Gospel Music

Odds and Ends

2008-12-08T23:08:00.000-08:00

There's not much to report from the southern gosple genre these days. Once upon a time, Gold City, the Kingsmen, Palmetto State, and various Gaither groups were releasing CD's to rave reviews, but no more. Let's hope for better times. Yes, I know Gold City relesed Moment of Truth, but I haven't been able to secure a copy yet. Maybe soon.

These days, I've been listening to a lot of music, but I recently downloaded Glen Campbell's new release called "Meet Glen Campbell." Campbell is 72, and despite his failings with alcohol professed to be a born again Christian. This time, he's covering a lot of modern pop stuff and it works. The album sounds like one of his very successful pop albums from the 70's and you have to admit he still has the chops to deliver a song. For you southern gosple fans, check out "Jesus." Not a bad song at all. And it's sung brilliantly. I've hard (from the horse's outh) that he is planning another album with the legendary Jimmy Webb in the near future. That should be something to watch for.

I don't know if it's still available, but if you happen to see Webb's "The Animal's Christmas" at your local CD store (if they still exist these days), pick up a copy. It's just the best modern Christmas present you'll ever give yourself. Simply put, Webb is the greatest songwriter of the last half of the 20th Century, and his arranging skills are second to none. It features Amy Grant and Art Garfunkel and is wonderful.

Finally, have a wonderful, blessed Christmas and I'll see you after the first of the year.

2008-11-07T23:06:00.000-08:00

It's rare that I get inspired. Maybe by a great southern gospel groups new album or my Cincinnati Reds or WVU Mountaineers doing something wonderful, but this election did it for me. I know I'm out of the mainstream from my southern gospel friends in supporting Brack Obma for president. I accept that and move on. Heck, my Reds and Mountaineer friends don't even agre with me. so, I wonder who (besides me) voted for Obama?

I always thought we that call ourselves Christinas were supposed to be a little different. Silly me. I admire no one as much as admire the talent Gerald Wolfe is, but I was so dissapointed at his blog entry after the election. November 4th was a historic night. It was not the end of the world. You would think that after eight years of George Walker Busch's presidency, folks would realize that this nation is a melting pot of different opinions. Regardless of how much GWB wanted to install prayer in schools, ban abortion, and any number of conservative issues, he failed because, whether we like it or not, the pocketbook and the real needs of the people are more important to most Americans. Americans voted for men who were more concerned with the quality of life for all, and not those issues that no president can change, even with the ability to change the Supreme Court.

We now go forward with a new agenda and one that will not install prayer in public schools or ban abortions, but isn't that just like the last, failed administration, an abboration of ideas that not only did not work, but let agencies that should have been controlled get out of control?

Use the "L-word" or whatever you want, but I see hope. And I see positives. Condemn me to Hell if you must, but remember this. We're all in the same boat and will always be brothers.

Just Wondering...

2008-07-20T22:19:00.000-07:00

You certainly remember these groups:

The Martins
Jeff and Sherry Easter
Booth Brothers
Paid in Full
Palmetto State Quartet
The Stamps Quartet

What are they doing these days. Since Gaither is taking a sabatical from doing videos with standard groups (even thought apparently oneis in the can for nearly a year now while we constantly get "Best Of" or "Hymns" projects), you have to wonder. Yes, the Martins were on the Hymns videos and also the Easters and the Booths, but what about PSQ (how is the new grup doing?) and what of Ed Enoch and the Stamps? Just wondering. Have fuel prices put these people out of business?

Is It Just Me Or....

2008-06-12T21:27:00.000-07:00

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

2008-06-08T20:06:00.000-07:00

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

2008-06-01T21:10:00.000-07:00

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?

The Death of Quartets?

2008-04-29T22:07:00.000-07:00

There seems to be a somewhat common theme running through southern gospel blogs these days. It kind of goes like this...southern gospel quartets are dead. Gold City has new singers at every position in a short amount of time. Palmetto State is a shadow of its former self. Old Time Gospel Quartet, like Mercy's Mark is defunct. The Perrys don't count because they're a mixed group. It goes on and on.

I contend that if quartets, that traditional four-part harmony configuration that stated the phenomenon, is dead, so is the genre as we know it. Some would applaud this, but they also ignore the tremendous popularity of the Gaither Vocal Band and Ernie Haase and Signature Sound.
So, how can you have it both ways? You can't. I contend that bad quartets are dying. I know, Mercy's Mark was good and so was the Old Time Gospel Hour Quartet, but they suffered from few dates and bad publicity (MM had so many defections, notably Anthony Facello and Chris West, that they had no continuity).

If this genre is to survive, we'd all better hope that Gold City, the Perrys and EHSSQ continue on as viable players. If they do not, we'll all be singing and listening to those obnoxious choruses that our well-meaning clergy and ministers of music think are so great. Think about that.

Gaither's Rock of Ages

2008-04-23T22:03:00.000-07:00

I'd like to know who at Gaither Music comes up with this stuff. As I wait with baited breath for what I really want to see--a real old-time Gaither video with all the stars of southern gospel, we get "Rock of Ages" instead. More of the same.

If you remember, Gaither did a mega taping back last fall with every star of gospel music that was supposed to yield three videos--2 of hymns and the all-star video I'm waiting for. Well, surprise! Apparently the hymns did so well, we get a third bonus video, which is not necessarily a bad thing. It just delays what I want to see. More on that later.

The new video is sort of a rehash of the first two videos (or DVD's for those who want to be totally correct) were the big choir surrounded by a big orchestra showcasing the great hymns. Well, this one is the sme with different songs. The first two had the typical Gaither "stars" doing the solo work and this one has some different folks. We get the Jimmy Backwood's Blackwood Brothers, Greater Vision (making their first appearance in years), the Classic Imperials (who aren't called that--only their names listed separately), and the Collingsworth Family. It also includes the Gaither favorites, the Easters, Jessy, the now dufunct Florida Boys, the Martins, Donnie Sumner, the GVB, Signature Sound, and Andrae Crouch. It just seemed so unessesary. I guess the return of David Phelps was a big event to some.

What many of us are waiting for is to the that other video or videos when the individual groups get to do their popular songs with all the great production and sound included as standard equipment on a Gaither video. But even though it's been like six or seven months since the taping, it m ight be another six or seven before the market gurus at Gaither put this one out. It's all business, I guess.

We were just treated to the Homecoming Picnic videos a little while ago, which were, in my opinon supreior to these hymns projects after waiting a long time. It must be successful financially for Bill's bunch, but as Tom Petty once said, the waiting is the hardest part.

Changes Really Haven't Made Things Better

2008-04-15T21:12:00.000-07:00

I've been away for awhile so several reasons. I flirted with another blogging system and found it to be so confusing to me that I just gave up. Couple that with the general funk that S0uthern Gospel Music and my other passions have been in and you get a lack of creativity. Although I keep getting emails to come back and write, I've resisted the urge until now, but I had to get something off my chest.

I rediscovered southern gospel music in 1999. As I've said before I was raised in a family where my father was a sg singer, but other forms of music appealed to me more, and I just quit listening. Then I picked up the Andy Griffith CD's of hymns and got the Gaither Nashville DVD for Christmas in 1999 and got hooked again. It was an exciting time. I got to see waht was happening with the Cathedrals and Howard and Vestal Goodman. I got to see my hero Jake Hess again. All was good. I spent hundreds of dollars on DVD's. I bought the Gaither catalog. I bought (and continue to) all the NQC DVD's. And it happened.

Gold City went from Jay, Jon, Mark, and Tim to Jay, Jon, Daniel, and Tim to Steve, Jon, Daniel and Bill to Steve, Jon, Daniel and Aaaron to Steve, Bruce, Daniel and Aaron. It's a whole new crew, and one I'll admit I've never heard...yet. That's in only nine years! I could go on and on. The Perrys have two new members. Palmetto State has only one surviving member and the Florida Boys are history (except for the new Florida Boys, which do not contain any of the characters who made up the old Florida Boys). Mercy's Mark, which I considered one of the great hopes for the genre, are gone. Gaither quit making videos that brought everyone together, and Ernie Haase and Signature Sound beame a household name (which is not a bad thing).

In the meantime, we've lost some great voices. Anthony Facello is a good example. Mercy's Mark's tenor was selling real estate last I heard and trying to form a new group which is probaly doomed to failure. Same goes for the other members of that great group, but I do understand that Josh Feamster and Chris West are trying to put together a group. In the hard times we are now experiencing, that might be a reach. Loren Harris, former lead singer for the Perrys is nowhere to be found. Gold City's former lead singer, Jonathan Wilburn is selling cars. John Rulapaugh, Rick Fair, and Burman Potter (of Palmetto State) are in a theatre somewhere in Tennessee singing. Jason Waldroup left Greater Vision to go into the ministry. It all seems so unfair. That group of singers could make up two or three great groups to come to your town or mine.

Whether it's economics or conflicts, we've lost a lot in the last few years. Of course there are survivors. Brian Free's group has rebounded nicely replacing Keith Plott (one of my favorite bass singers) with Jeremy Lile. The Gaitehr Vocal Band survived without David Phelps and Mark Lowry (though barely).

I noticed today that the economy must be pretty bad. It's been nearly two years since Gold City released a CD. They were usually good for one major project and a table project every year. The number of concerts in my area has dwindled to nothing in the last six months. Gaither continues to supress the geat taping (so I hear) mad ewith all the artists in Nashville last year (all we get is three hymns projects, which were great and the Picnic DVD's which were OK).

It's been a big letdown for me, but maybe it's just me.

Gold City's Revival

2006-10-09T21:33:00.000-07:00

Danny Riley, the new leader of Gold City, the legendary quartet from Alabama, promised a new sound from the group when this album was in it's early stages. In fact, we are told that Doug Riley, Danny's brother who perished earlier this year in an auto accident was committed to this also. somehow the boys pulled together this album, but did they accomplish what they set out to do?

Gold City has gone through a lot of changes since 2003. So many that it's really not the same group anymore. Mark Trammel left as baritone in 2003 to be replaced by Danny Riley. In 2004, long-time tenor Jay Parrack left to be replaced by Steve Ladd and group owner and founder Tim Riley was replaced by Bill Lawrence. Only Jonathan Wilburn remained of the group that took the stage through most of 2003. How has Gold City faired?

As much as I admire Mark Trammell, the group didn't miss a beat when he left and was replaced by the owner's son. In fact, the new group produced one of the best recordings of 2003-2004 with "Walk the Talk." Exciting new songs and great production produced a great album. Unfortunately, it went downhill from there.

Shortly thereafter, Jay Parrack quit to stay closer to home and Tim Riley, facing health problems, retired. Bill Lawrence replaced Riley. This was a very big error, in my opinion. No matter what you think about Tim Riley, his voice was Gold City. Yes, Jonathan Wilburn is the lead singer, but Tim was the lower than low voice that made Gold City what it was. and to tell the truth, Parrack was the other extreme. Ladd was a better fit to replace Parrack than Lawrence was to replace Riley. The union didn't last long. Lawrence left the group to spend more time with his trucking business.

Lawrence's voice was raw and lacked intonation. Tim Riley thought he was getting a similar bass singer so that Gold City's sound wouldn't suffer, but the smoothness just wasn't there. I don't know all the particulars about Lawrence leaving, but the album that followed "Walk the Talk" was simply two or three steps below the standard set by the earlier album. Many thought the songs were meant for Tim Riley and that was the reason, but a table project called "Heaven," obviously not devised for Riley was not much better.

When Lawrence left and Doug Riley passed away, many of us feared the demise of Gold City, but Aaron McCune, a former neighbor of mine (in a neighboring town) was plucked from Palmetto State Quartet to replace Lawrence after the retired Tim Riley filled in for some time at concerts. This has proven to be a stroke of genius.

When you put the CD in your player, prepare for some changes. My son, a big country music fan, heard the first bars of the first song, "Ain't That What It's All About," and thought it was the new George Strait album. It's that country. It's an old song, but the addition of McCune makes a difference. His rhythmic bass takes this song to higher ground. "Preach the Word" is a Steve Ladd vehicle and it shows how much Ladd has improved since his start with Gold City. The first time I heard him on the NQC DVD, I thought his voice was thin in the Brian Free and Jeremy Peace vein, but his voice is fuller here and he does an outstanding job. Two down and a couple of winners, to be sure.

The third song, "Look Who Just Checked In," is a new song by Gaitherites Stephen Hill and Daryl Williams that has an edge and features Jonathan Wilburn. Once again McCune improvises and makes the song special. It's in the vein of "This Little Baby" on the "Walk the Talk" album with a bluesy sound (which Wilburn always shines on) and will be a show stopper. "Truth Is Marching On," is a song recently recorded by Legacy 5, but listen to this version. With an arrangement by Steve Mauldin, this one is the best of the two.

Marcella Garrett's "That's What I'm Talking About," once again features Wilburn with a bluesy feel and once again featurs some fine bass work by McCune. With a rock and roll beat that reminds one of a lot of former Gold City songs. My son thought it sounded like Signature Sound.

David Bruce Murray thought the old Stuart Hamblen song, "Teach Me Lord to Wait," was out of place on this album. Calling McCune's voice choppy, he dropped it a half star in his rating of the album. If you listen to his reading of this song, i will only refer you to his recent work on the latest Palmetto State album in which he did some solo work. There is no comparison. The production crew did something and McCune just shines. Backed by a string section that recalls the old Ernie Freeman Dean Martin arrangements, it's a joy. You might say it's Gold City's attempt to appeal to its longtime fans.

"Not Anymore," a song penned by The Perry's Joseph Habedank and Matthew Holt, it's a tradtional Gold City Song led by Ladd and Wilburn. Old fans will be pleased. "Mercy Came Running" starts out with a Signature Sound beginning (or a Booth Brother's, for that matter). It's almost a CCM song (in the vein of what SSQ does) led by Danny Riley. It's a great preformance and a good bridge song between the old Gold City and the new.

The album ends with the old song that Jessy Dixon has trademarked on the Gaither videos, "I'm Rich." I'll just say one thing. Jessy should be envious. I can just hear Tim Riley beaking lose on this one. Of course, it's McCune who is singing bass, but Jonathan Wilburn shines. And McCune show his obvious talent at singing that rhythmic bass he does so well.

Did Danny succeed in moving Gold City in a new direction? Yes and no. Yes, this is a different Gold City, but a better one from a vocal standpoint. Ladd is improving so much that many may forget Jay Parrack. McCune is probably going to become the premiere bass in the industry with his adlibs while singing and his enormous stage presence. On the other hand, the album is pure Gold City. It's a worth comeback album (and they needed one) that is listenable and musically pleasant at the same time. If only they had concentrated on more new material, but this material is fine. Was it the breakthrough album the group needed? Yes. Attaboys all around.

Oops, I forgot the Mountaineers

2006-10-09T21:27:00.000-07:00

Got so excited in my wrath for Wayne Krivsky that I forgot the pleasantness of what has become the 2006 Mountaineer football team (West Virginia Mountaineers, that is).

The record shows 5-0 and the No. 4 team in the nation (No. 5 if you think sportswriters know more than coaches). Averaging over 42 points a game with star running back Super Steve Slaton gaining nearly 1,000 yards, it looks like a good season. Now if we could get those Reds in gear...

Reds Season a Disappointment, Mountaineers Flying High

2006-10-09T20:53:00.000-07:00

If you're a Cincinnati Reds fan, the season was thrilling. That is, until August. Then the team dropped like an anchor in shallow water. Actually it dropped around the middle of July, just past the All-Star break when GM Wayne Krivsky traded a potential 35 home runs and 140 RBI's for two major league pitchers and an aging veteran shortstop. Whatever was he thinking?

Apparently, Krivsky was thinking that the bullpen was so horrible that he needed to shore it up and that rookie Chris Denorfia and veteran Royce Clayton would be more than able to fill the shoes of traded players Austin Kearns and Felipe Lopez. Lopez made the All-Star game in 2005 and Kearns was in his first ever healthy season in the majors. Wrong.

Krivsky got pitchers Majewski and Bray from the Washington Nationals. Majewski immediatly allowed more runs than the Reds could score and Bray was a raw rookie. It was found that Majewski had a sore arm when traded (though Washington GM Jim Bowden didn't mention it while trade negotiations were ongoing) and Bray was simply a rookie.

From that point on the Reds were 4 under .500 the rest of the way. Would Kearns and Lopez have made a difference? Well, the Reds did have a winning record when they were on the team. Without them, the Reds averaged a run less per game and the pitching didn't seem that much better.

Add to that a manager who has never, ever had a winning record and you get more of the same. Krivsky loves manager Jerry Narron. My outlook for 2007? New uniforms and more of the same. If Krivsky can trade Kearns and Lopez for Moe and Larry, think what wonders he can do over the winter. I shudder to think...

How Do You Get REady for Football Season?

2006-08-14T23:04:00.000-07:00

Question. As I read sports blogs everywhere, I keep hearing that folksa re getting ready for football season. They can't wait. How do you do that? Do you paint up your face and start screaming, "pass interference?" Do you practice tearing down goal posts? I just wonder.

It's still baseball season. It's summer. The weather is hot and the living is easy. summer's for the beach, cookouts, beer, and baseball. My team, the Cincinnati Reds are in a pennant race for the first time since 1999, but no matter. It's always baseball season until they quit in October. Holding your breath until football season means snow, cold weather, and no outdoor activities, unless you like to ski or enjoy scraping your windshield. I won't wish away my life for that.

What is it about football that makes American's go nuts. I have friends who just count the days until the NFL draft or the start of college practice. It drives me nuts. What makes us go so nuts about a game that favors the haves over the have-nots?

You ever see the USA Today's Top 25 poll and follow it over the last ten years. The same teams are at the top every year. Oh, my alma mater, West Virginia, sneaks in there once in awhile, but it's usually the same faces. The NFL is the same. You got your Patriots or your Cowboys or your Colts and once in awhile someone else sneaks in. And it's all violence all the time. "Kill the quarterback," or "tear his leg off," is the battle cry. I like football, but to go to that extreme? I must be a wimp.

Now, baseball, that's the sport. This year, the Reds, Padres, Twins, White Sox, Tigers, and even the Brewers are still in it. Underdog City. How can you not like that as well as sunny skies, warm temperatures, and lazy afternoons? I guess without blood there is no victory.

I don't understand. Forgive me.

Get Them While You Can

2006-08-14T22:50:00.000-07:00

One of the great treats that anyone who loves gospel music has had over the last few years is the group Garry Jones put together in about 2003 called Mercy's Mark. Jones, who played with some of the best as pianist and arranger and founded Signature Sound with Ernie Haase, put together a group that did some wonderful things from its inception until last year. The original group of Josh Feamster, Anthony Facello, Chris West and Jones put out one major album that was self titled. I don't remember when a debut album was so good (with Signature Sound's "Stand By Me," also created by Jones being close).

Unfortunately, not much else was released by this combination before they split up. You can buy the "Remembering the Greats" CD or DVD from NQC 2004 for a couple of tunes, but outside of that, you're sunk. Late last year, West and Facello left the group to supposedly form another group which has not come to pass. I haven't heard the new group, so I can't pass judgement, but that sound and those arrangements can only be heard in two other places.

I stumbled onto what I was told was concert CD last year. It was called "Southern Selections, Vol 1." Great stuff with Facello singing that distinctive tenor and West rivaling Aaron McCune as successor to the Big Chief of Statesmen fame. Recently, i discovered that there was a second volume and it's only available on MM's website, www.mercysmark.com. It's Volume 2. Get it before it's gone. You won't be disappointed if you are a MM fan or like good, creative southern gospel music.

By the way, I do not know Garry Jones, nor am I on his payroll. I just like it and thought you might too.

GVB Video is fantastic

2006-08-14T22:30:00.000-07:00

Those that know me would say that I'm a sound fanatic. Nothing upsets me more than poor recordings. When I was a teenager, I was heavily into the instrumental music of Billy Vaughn and other artists. When a recording came out sounding really bad, I used to send it back to the manufacturer and get a new one. One such recording was Vaughn's "Nashville Saxophones." The sound was almost unlistenable, so I sent it back. They sent me anotherone that was equally poor. It was the engineering, plain and simple and really rare for Dot Records at that time. I put it far away from my playing albums. I'm like that.

So many times, southern gospel artists put out "projects" (why do sg artists call them projects and not CD's or albums?) that simply do not sound good. That is especially tue of DVD's. The "Walk the Talk" DVD by Gold City was so bad that I haven't watched it but a couple of times. Bill Gaither's video and DVD projects always offer us a good sound, with the notable exception of "Ryman Homecoming," which was part of the Nashville Network's live program of a few years ago and Gaither can be excused for that.

The Gaither Vocal Band's new DVD called "Give it Away," gives us the new GVB (Wes, Marsh, Gy and Bill), Signature Sound, Gordon Mote (their new pianists and a tremendous artist in his own right), and Larry Morbitt in concert at the Indiana Roof, the scene of many of Gaither's best DVD's (Freedom Band, Journey to the Sky, Harmony in the Heartland, etc.).

It is energy-filled and the vocal band does most of its new album, which though uneven, is a fine recording. The bonus is the energetic crowd and one Gordon Mote. Mote is a great singer and tremendous piano player who also happens to be blind. He fits in well with the vocal band and the music and the sound is wonderful. His rendition of "The Old Gospel Ship" raises more than the Indiana Roof and proves that there is some new talent in our genre that doesn't fit the mold of what we consider "normal," something that is frowned upon in sg. He also does a love song to his wife, "If They Could See You Through My Eyes," which is simply beautiful. Find that on another sg DVD or album.

Being one who wishes Gaither would get "everyone" together again at the Indiana Roof for a songfest, he does pay tribute to the past with an interview with the Jordanaires' Gordon Stoker, but one can tell that the future is less artists in Gaither's future concerts. Many will love this, but I'll miss the mass choir.

Pick this one up if you can. It's fantastic.

Who is that masked man?

2006-07-05T15:47:00.000-07:00

I notice that averyfineline.com has risen from the ashes. Mr. Harrison is now found on a blogger account, but for how long no one knows. He's missed. The industry needs his commentary to keep them honest. For instance, did anyone but me see the discussion of sg music he started on almost every venue? Strange as it may seem (and much to the chagrin of his enemies), I found at least 4 choir directors and/or music ministers who read the blog every day.

Anyway, welcome back and don't stay gone for long the next time. Sure, it was only a month or six weeks, but...

BF&A -- The Trip to NYC Must Have Made an Impression

2006-05-10T22:46:00.000-07:00

Brain Free and Assurance, the southern gospel group that has taken the genre by storm is very good. It's a four-part harmony group (as is the custom and rule in southern gospel) that has above average singers at every "position." They just released a new album titled, "It's So God."

A little over a year ago they released an album recorded at Brooklyn Tabernacle--sort of an interdominational church that has become famous due to the choir they present to their congregation and the fact that Daywind Records has released a few albums by them. So all the really hip groups want to record at the church, which is fashionably (in these days) one of those non-mainline groups that caters to everyone who likes a good show short on meat and potatoes religion, but big on entertainment. Of course, that's not fair and my hangup of feeling that such churches pretty much do what they want without any rules taints my opinion of them. Nevertheless, the choir is good, the venue is hip and BF&A recorded their album to much acclaim. Out of it came "Long as I Got King Jesus," an old James Cleveland song. They even produced a video of the concert which is entertaining, not so much for the music, but for the mannerisms of the choir behind them.

I bring this up because I think BF&A liked their experience in NYC just a little too much. Why? One listen to thier new effort might give you a clue. From the outset, it sounds like the Brooklyn Tabernacle album without the choir. Lots of black influenced material, jazzy arrangements, and the feeling that you've heard this all before.

Not that this is not a good album. It is. Very much so. In fact, it's a permanent fixture on my iPod playlist. I can recommend the excellent, "Jesus Will Pick You Up." Led by bass Keith Plott, it mysterously sounds a whole lot like "King Jesus," but with a twist. Instead of Free (the tenor in the group and the group's owner for those who don't know) getting all the leads, it's Plott's versatle bass voice. That's a relief from past albums when Free's thin tenor voice usually filled the album with most of the solos (which is his right as owner, i guess). Free's voice to me is typical of a lot of tenors in southern gospel music. His voice is so high it doesn't sound natural--like he's singing in falsetto all the time. Give me Anthony Facello (formerly of Mercy's Mark), Wes Hampton (the new tenor for Gaither Vocal Band), John Rulapugh, or David Phelps. I like my tenors to be able to belt it out with a strong voice. But, that's just me. Sorry I got off track there.

Back to the subject at hand, "Man of Sorrows" is another winner as is "Under Cross Examination." These guys are talented, but do they deserve all the accolades? No. At times on this album, they sound suspiciously like Gold City of a few years ago. The individual talent is there, no doubt, but there doesn't seem to be enough original thought in the last two albums to grant them that "special" label. Individually, Free, Plott, Bill Shivers (lead), and Derrick Selph (great young baritone) are almost a dream group. If and when they pick material worthy of those voices (and I'm sorry--adding a bunch of black gospel styled songs to add to, with a few exceptions, pretty mediocre material), they may reach that level someday.

The good news is that this album (or CD or whatever you call them these days) is pretty good. But I listen to these guys and want for more. Maybe someday.

Gaither Goes to Canada and NQC Salutes Youth - 3 new DVDs

2006-03-03T21:50:00.000-08:00

Bill Gaither has just released his latest Homecoming tapes. I gave you a brief explanation a couple of weeks ago and in it I said they were different. I have since found that Gaither is using a high definition camera in the last three (Signature Sound and the new Homecoming DVDs). I don't own a HDTV, so I'll have to take their word for it. The content is very good and reminiscent of older Gaither projects, that is totally different from the Israel DVDs of earlier in 2005. And that's a good thing for Southern Gospel fans.

I've always called Gaither the Lawrence Welk of gospel and that he is. The old jokes (courtest of Kevin Williams in this one) flow and the songs are mostly repeats, but it is lavishly produced, the sound is good (I wish they had left the echo out, though), and the program is entertaining (my apologies to those who consider sg music a ministry and not entertainment). I liked the Toronto DVD better than the Canadian Homecoming, but only slightly. Both will sell like hotcakes and there are some memorable performances.

This DVD is the video debut of Wes Hampton, the guy who replaced David Phelps in the Gaither Vocal Band. The initial verdict among those of us who haven't been to a Homecoming concert since Phelps left is good. Hampton is not as showy and certainly doesn't have the sheer power and range of Phelps, but he's good. Real good. He has the kind of tenor voice I like--full and controlled. Phelps was like that, too, but Phelps tended to push his considerable range for effect. This is not the case with Hampton, who just sings a solid tenor without the flair. We'll see how Homecoming fans warm up to him. If the mail over on the Gaither.com boards are any indication, he's already part of the family.

Sadly, the DVDs mark the last recorded performances of Anthony Burger who passed away last month. It was fitting that his last performance was a tremendous rendition of "I'm Getting Ready." Already, folks are speculating who will replace Burger and I'd be shocked if it's not Stan Whitmere. We'll see.

The other new DVD is from Daywind. During the National Quartet Convention, Daywind always does some fine showcases and this year they chose to feature the rising stars of southern gospel in a show called "Torch." All the perfomers were under 30 years of age and under the direction of Mike Speck showed that this genre has a healthy future ahead of it.

Loren Talley, already a star of sorts, is featured first on a new song called , "The Race." Despite the strange faces she makes when she sings, Talkley is unique and very pretty. She's going to be a star someday. After that, it gets even more interesting.

Three unique quartets (Speck noted that quartets singing four-part harmony were the backbone of Southern Gospel) really kept me interested.

First out was Jeremy Peace (Kingsmen), Josh Feamster (Mercy's Mark), Derrick Selph (Brian Free and Assurance), and Jeremy Lile (Crystal River). This quartet, maybe because of the material--"Stand Up") iddn't blend so well, but was pleasant. Peace has the kind of tenor voice we see so often in this genre. It's thin and almost weak. I've heard him on other occasions and have not been too fond of his performances. Feamster is a high lead. Selph is a fine baritone and Lile has the potential to be a great bass singer. Together they sounded like four men singing a song and didn't blend well. They did a fair version of the Kingsmen classic.

After a reprise of the old Nelon song "He shall Wear a Crown," featuring Rex Nelon's grandaughter Amber Thompson and others and a new version of the old Gold city song, "Midnight Cry" featuring the Crabbs, and the kids of Southern Gospel stars singing the Hemphill standard, "He's Still Working on Me," we get to what I consider the best performance on the DVD.

Putting John Rulapaugh (Palmetto State), Lance Moore (Paid in Full), Josh Singletary (Monument Quartet), and Aaron McCune (Palmetto State) together is a genius. Of course, it was Mike Speck who did this, but this old quartet fan took notice.

First of all, all of these men are the real deal. Rulapaugh is a full, strong tenor with great instincts. Moore is the best kept secret in the business. As a lead, he is the Jake Hess we've been missing since Jake died (interestingly enough, Jake Hess helped bring along Moore's group before he died). He has personality and he can sing. Josh Singletary is a great baritone, again with the personality and stage prescence to match (his vivid red hair and strong facial expressions just make him stand out). Aaron McCune, my neighbor of some 20 miles away, is simply the best young bass in the business. In fact, he may be the best overall, but that's open for debate. They knocked my socks off.

My father always told me that you could determine if you had a good group within the first four notes they sang. It was all in how they blended. These guys blended well. Where the first group sounded like four singers, this group sounded as one with all four parts. They hit the stage on the second verse of the song mentioned earlier, "I'm Getting Ready to Leave This World." If Rulapaugh and McCune didn't have a great quartet to sing in and Moore and Singletary didn't have equally good gigs, they should hit the road tomorrow and never look back. They were that good.

The next notable performance came from the choir and three very talented young people. Speck configured a medley of two songs, Rusty Goodman's "Who Am I," Squire Parson's "He Came to Me," and "OH, What a Savior." Kathy Peach, formerly of The Steeles led off by singing the Goodman song. Peach is simply a wonderful singer with great range, power, and tremendous pronunciation. She gave way to the Perrys Joseph Habedank. Habedank is a strong baritone and he gives a stellar performance. I think Habedank is a little too dramatic (he even used a Vestal Goodman hankie while he sang), but he's young and with his pipes he'll do well. Rounding out the solos was Jason Waldoup of Greater Vision. Even with his mechanical expressions, Jason is a strong, confident tenor. Like Rulapaugh, he reminds me a great deal of the late Rosie Rozelle. Rosie just sang without pushing the envelope. This was a fine performance.

Finally, Speck marches out Anthony Facello (Mercy's Mark), Josh Garner (Florida Boys), Scott Inman (Triumphant), and Chris West (late of Mercy's Mark) to sing "Boundless Love." Facello is at the top of Southern Gospel tenors even at his young age. Along with Rulapaugh and Waldroup, the top three tenors in the business might have been on state. Garner is the very talented lead singer for the Florida Boys. He just seems to know quartet music and impresses me with his range every time I hear him sing. Inman is a good baritone and has great stage prescence. He's very young like Habedank and will be around a long time. West, though he's left Mercy's Mark, is excellent. Someone should coax him back on the road. His knowledge of this genre (shown in his singing) and great bass voice needs to be on stage.

This group was only a notch behind the Rulapaugh-Moore-Singletary-McCune group, but they had energy and blended well.

The program ends with an all-Crabb song (I'm not much of a fan of the Crabb family as you can see, and I know they are quite popular and Daywind's premier group, but their performance indicidually or in groups did nothing extraordinary) and the obiglatory How Great Thou Art Medley and the new song, "My Generation."

Nothing compares to those two quartets, though.

My advice is to buy all three of these. Like the Gaither video, the Torch video has great sound. The production is not so good, but the performances make up for it. The Gaither DVDs are simply the best you can buy. They're entertaining, funny, and enjoyable--just like Lawrence Welk's show.

So, with these three DVD's, you get the young of the business and the (somewhat--if you don't count Bill Gaither and Ben Speer) old of the genre. I liked both and you will, too

Gaither Vocal Band CD is Beyond Belief

2006-02-15T20:43:00.000-08:00

I know I said I'd have some video review up, but I finally cracked the seal on the new Gaither Vocal Band CD, Give it Away, and I was blown away. I just had to tell somebody although I know no one reads this but me.

I always forget how good this group is no matter who is in it. It was great when Jonathan Pierce was the tenor and was great when David Phelps replaced him. It was great when Mark Lowry left and Russ Taff came in at baritone. When Marsh Hall replaced Russ it was great. When David Phelps left there was a howl from GVB fans because no one could replace David at tenor. Well, guess what? They're still great and Phelps' replacement just might be better at that position than Phelps was. Well, almost.

Gaither gives us our money's worth on this CD - 15 songs and not a clunker in the bunch. A lot of it has to do with production and arrangements, but a lot of it has to do with talent and good taste, which Gaither has in abundance.

Bill starts us off with Bread Upon the Water, an evergreen covered by lots of folks, but it sounds fresher here than the last time I heard it. Not my favorite, though, and we go to track two. Here we're treated to a Benjy Gaither song (Benjy is Bill and Gloria's son--does every Gaither child write songs?) called, I Catch 'Em God Cleans 'Em, which sounds corny on the surface, but the rockabilly beat and enthusiastic singing by Guy Penrod and Bill himself, along with an almost Cajun sound, makes this a rip-roaring, toe tapping winner.

Next we head off into the old Sunday School song, Jesus Loves Me, sung by Marsh Hall. Once again, not horrible, but forgettable. As you continue to listen, if you pay attention, the arrangements (at least the horns and strings) by Russell Mauldin, make every little song sound better.

That's obvious in the old Jordaniares song, I'll Tell It Wherever I Go. Featuring the new guy, Wes Hampton--David Phelps' replacement--and using a 50's style feel, Hampton may make everyone forget Phelps in short order. He doesn't have the vocal gymnastics of a Phelps, but he's good. So good, that I was almost glad Phelps left for the self-inflicted Siberia of music called solo work.

The rest of the album follows a pattern. Old song followed by new song, including a new Bill-Gloria composition (copyrighted 2005, btw) and at least one other new song by son Benjy. In fact, the title cut was co-authored by Benjy and Gloria. Yeah, we have to endure the 10,000th cover of Kris Kristofferson's Why Me, Lord, and a couple of other Gaither evergreens (copyrighted 1979 and 1974), but it sounds so doggone good, all you notice is the professionalism of the singers and backup players.

Gaither found the "formula" to making his product, whether it be CD or video, sound gads better than the competition years ago. He most recently used it on Signature Sound's self-titled album with mixed results. Nothing is mixed here, though. From the blend of the singers to the Mauldin arrangements, this sounds like a million bucks. Roughly what the thing will sell in units, by the way.

If you like your gospel music southern (well, almost) style and you appreciate good musicianship and classy packaging, pick this one up. You won't regret it.

NASCAR Almost Always Wrong--or at Least Stupid

2006-02-14T22:24:00.000-08:00

NASCAR. Why can't they get it right?

Saturday was the official beginning of the NASCAR season. Qualifying early and the postponed pole-winner race, the Bud Shootout, late. Qualifying became interesting when it took Hendrick Motorsports' entry, the No. 24 Chevrolet of Jeff Gordon several times through inspection before being approved. Eyebrows were raised when the No. 48 of teammate Jimmie Johnson started acting strange. After inspection, Gordon had qualified 2nd and Johnson 5th. But there was more to come.

Officals found nothing wrong with the Gordon car, but Johnson's car was found to have a trick rear window that could be adjusted for aerodynamic advantage. They sent crew chief Chad Knauss home for the weekend and announced other penalties after the Daytona 500, letting Johnson go to the back of the pack for the qualifying races on Thursday.

Why not disqualify the car. Knaus has literally thumbed his nose at NASCAR after seven rules infractions in the last three years. Among other things, the No. 48 has had illegal shocks (to be fair, they weren't illegal, but right on the edge of the rules) and now a no-doubt illegal setup for qualifying. His time is up. Knaus should be suspended for ten races or more and face being banned if other infractions are found in 2006. NASCAR should have also disqualified the car for the 500. Why didn't they? Lowe's. Lowe's Home Improvement Stores sponsors the car and we wouldn't want Lowe's to be punished, now would we? Balderdash! Until NASCAR takes a stand like this, cheating will always be present. They don't get it and never will.

That leads us to Sunday night's Busch Clash. Carl Edwards swerved left at pit road to avoid a wreck in front of him. They penalized him for going below the yellow line (which is a no-no at Daytona if you do it to advance your position). Trouble was, if Edwards had kept his line and not taken evasive maneuvers, a huge wreck would have been the result. No matter, Edwards was given the black flag and never was a factor again.

Kyle Busch drove wrecklessly all night. He hit eveyone but the pace car. His punishment? A stern "settle down" from the officials. Huh?

Finally, Tony Stewart, upset with the "bump drafting" going on around the speedway (bump drafting is a way to give the car in front of you a push to allow you to pass and get away from the other cars in a pack). Tony Stewart spoke firmly about the practice and although it has been going on for some time, NASCAR finally took some action. They'll "monitor" it. Sure, guys.

Why can't they do something proactive in the long off-season? Too many could care less. The fans love the racing just as it is and no one's been killed yet.

"We're going to kill someone one of these days, " said Tony Stewart.

Indeed they are. And until restrictor plates are a thing of the past, that fear will always be there. What is NASCAR doing? Nothing.

The story of WayneK--The Man Who Could

2006-02-14T22:10:00.000-08:00

Wayne Krivsky, Savior.

At this point I'm beginning to believe that he is the savior of the Cincinnati Reds. He and Bob Castellini. It's not a hard argument to make. Castellini took over the Reds about a month ago. Shortly thereafter, he hired Wayne Krivsky to be his General Manager. Let's just say that more activity to improve the club has gone on in less than a month thanwent on in the 6 or 7 years that Carl Lindner owned the club and Jim Bowden and Dan O'Brien was the General Manager.

Castilleni took over ownership and immediatly put everyone on notice. He fired GM O'Brien and hired Krivsky and the ball started rolling. He frist fired Brad Kullman, who had been interim GM. Kullman had been a candidate for the job and had lobbied with fan groups and had appeared on every major league radio show. He developed a fan following because of his apparent endorsement of Billy Ball, the statistical approach to baseball that Billy Beane of the Oakland Athletics embraces. Kullman's immaturity and brash behavior didn't jive with Krivsky's business-like style and so off he went into unemployment.

Krivsky then signed slugger Adam Dunn to a three-year contract, brought several bench players on board and headed for Spring Training.

The determination to make the Reds competitive again is not lost on this fan. May he be the GM long and prosper.

A Different Video from Gaither

2006-02-04T08:26:00.000-08:00

I just received the two DVD set of Gaither Homecoming concerts in Canada. They are quite different from anything the homecoming crew have done and I'm not sure I like it.

Since last fall's Signature Sound video (what do you call these things? I guess they aren't videos unless they are on tape and DVD sounds so cold), Giather's production crew has used a new system which I'll call "reality," for lack of a better term. Unlike video tape where the program looks live, this gives the impression of film. It's not very clear a lot of the time except on close-ups and the sound, though good, has more echo. I guess the idea is to make you think you're at a live concert. I don't think it's an improvement, though.

Anyway, you could say that this is more of the same, but that's what the public wants. Opening with songs you know by heart and seeing some familiar faces will probably push this set to the top of the charts in no time. The performances are good, the comedy is pure Hee-Haw courtesy of Mark Lowry, Kevin Williams and others, and the old saints that have passed away are honored. Even with my doubt about the quality of the picture, this is a very good set of DVDs and better than anything anyone is doing in music of any kind these days.

I'll post a complete review this weekend.

The Sugar Bowl Revisited

2006-01-03T17:57:00.000-08:00

Last night, the underdog West Virginia University Mountaineers upset Georgia in the Sugar Bowl. After taking a 28-0 lead in little more than a quarter of football, they held on to win 38-35 and beat the SEC champion. Wow.

Now about all that Big East bashing you keep hearing on ESPN. It doesn't apply to Louisville or West Virginia. Write it down and commit it to memory. WVU crushed the Georgia defense (of course, Georgia crushed the WVU defense, but that was expected) with speed, agility and (gasp!) innovation.

Just reminds everyone that there is never a sure thing in sports...

The more things change...

2005-12-28T17:30:00.000-08:00

Take my situation. I'm a big fan of certain sports teams (as if the name of this blog didn't give you a clue). With all of them it's the same story. As a new season approaches, you get enthusiastic that things will change for the better, but pretty soon in the season, you realize that your team isn't the Yankees or the Buckeyes and you're going to get disappointed pretty quick. I'm used to it.

Today, I got one of those emails you get when you subscribe to a list. The Singing News sent one out today saying basically, "yes, we've been bought and we have some changes in store--mainly the cover of the magazine and maybe some more content, but it's it's going to be the same old rag with the same editors." Enough for hoping that Southern Gospel fans would get a real magazine which would introduce the music to a new audience. Not gonna happen.

So, once again, I'm disappointed. I should have known. Like my Cincinnati Reds, my West Virginia Mountaineers, the New York Giants, and my favorite team in NASCAR, Southern Gospel with no real game plan (except keep the traditional--quartets, ties, and gaudy suits), shuffles on into that great void known as extinction.

That'll teach me to get excited about change. It never happens when the leadership is short-sighted.

Signature Sound's new DVD is Gaither-riffic

2005-10-25T13:10:00.000-07:00

I admit I was a little harsh in my last writing about EHSSQ's new CD. Listening in a car, even my Acura's Sony stereo, didn't give me the full depth of the CD. Needless to say, I like it much better and there is harmony on there. Mea Culpa.

The DVD is wonderful. Great stage presence is the name of the game and EHSSQ has it. Just for fun in the wee hours of the morning today, I watched the DVD and compared it with a recent release by Gold City. GC stands and sings and you wonder sometimes if they are having a good time. You never have a doubt with EHSSQ.

The video starts with a fake locker room episode where Bill Gaither is the coach and the group are the players (playing up that basketball theme that is getting old). Pretty clever and done in muted color. Then the boys come out and sing what I thought was a Christmas song, "Glory to God." Done well. A lot of upbeat numbers are sung, and the usual lame comedy from Roy, the pianist. Finally, they do the big songs (as in "wall of sound") from the CD--the two Gaither songs and bring down the house. And a good time was had by all.

This is one of the better videos to come from Gaither in awhile. They even included a tribute to George Younce in case someone didn't buy his memorial video from Gaither (call 1-800-BUYGAITHER) and are shown by a campfire singing "Father Along" with only Kevin Williams' accompaniment. Russ Taff solos and sings a verse with EHSSQ and the Gaither Vocal Band, Wesley Pritchard gets a verse of "Gospel Boogie," and Linda Randle sings. Most of your favorite Homecoming Friends.

It's worth buying and seeing these guys. They may fizzle out with their dancing, spiked hair and short ties, but they may be the next Statesmen. You owe it to yourselves to see them and make your decision.

Two new Southern Gospel Projects

2005-10-24T11:48:00.000-07:00

I recently picked up a couple of new southern gospel projects as they are called from two of the genre's most popular artists--Greater Vision and Signature Sound Quartet (now known as Ernie Haase and Signature Sound). Both are slick and well done and both very similar in concept and delivery.

The first is Signature sounds self-titled debut album for Gaither Music Company. All the Gaither magic is at work here. Big orchestra backgrounds, top studio players and a new Gaither song (2 if you count the song Gloria and son Benjy wrote).

The album starts out kind of forgetfully enough with a unison song titled "Shout, Brother, Shout," which reminds me of the things we did in Glee Club in high school. It probably was included because producer Lari Goss wrote it. They move on to what I consider a big mistake. Covering a legend's hit even when it's your father-in-law you're covering is dangerous. Tim Duncan is a wonderful bass, but when the multitudes have heard George Younce sing "Trying to Get a Glimpse," it's fruitless for you to try. It's a disaster.

Next, the gang goes into "Godspeed," a nice little ditty that sounds like something from the 70's from a rock musical. Finally, we get to the Gaither song, a new composition from Bill and Gloria called "Then Came the Morning." It's a typical song they would write and is very emotional. I often think Gloria (the lyricist) has a "thing" for Easter. It seems that all she writes these days. It is, however, the gem so far and well done. It'll go over like gangbusters on the Homecoming tour.

Then comes the 70's again with "Do You Want to be Forgiven," sung mostly in unison (why have a four-part quartet, if you're going to sing in unison? Churches seem to have forgotten harmony these days and it must be a trend). Following that is "This Old Place, " a Diane Wilkinson song, and the morbid, "If This is What God Wants." So far, the "project" is not as remarkable as any of their non-Gaither releases.

Then, it hits you between the eyes. The last three songs are dynamite. "Pray for Me," features Ryan Seaton, a kid who I never thought much of, but maybe Gaither's tutoring has helped. He soars on this song and the group backs him tremendously. A winner. A bluesy song with just the right feel. Following that comes "Goodbye Egypt," featuring Haase and Duncan--a neat little ditty that is infectious. Finally we get the other Gaither song, this time written by Gloria and her son. This is the prize of the whole project. "Forgiven Again" is big in sound and featured one of the best baritones in the business, Doug Anderson. The melody is traditional and the lyrics hit home. This should have been their opening single. The end the thing with a faded in-faded out reprise of "Godspeed." Sort of late-sixties Beatleesque, if you ask me.

Great Vision's new project is also produced by Lari Goss and has songs by some of the same writers, mostly the same studio players, and in the same studio. Of course, with Greater Vision, you get lots of Rodney Griffin (who wrote a couple on SSQ's album, too). This time, Rodney has collaborated with Phil Cross, the writer of "Champion of Love," that standard for the Cathedrals. The songs are predictable and not really notable. In fact, a lot of unison goes on here, too. Gerald Wolfe, the bonafide star of the group, takes sort of a back seat on this album for some reason. There is no purpose going over this song by song, but using the Prague Symphony was a nice touch (something I guess he learned from the Cathedrals using the London Symphony on thier great album "Symphony of Praise." Neither group can get away from the Cats and that's both good and bad), and they are their usual professional selves.

Both of these will sell gobs of CDs, but they still don't cover any new ground, which is good for old fogies like me, but not good for the industry. I liked both, but left wanting more. Better songwriters would help the projects (and GV should let Rodney write maybe two songs per project) and guys, let's sing a little harmony (something I noticed again on the Boothe Brother's new CD--mostly unison).

I also have the EHSSQ DVD, which is wonderful, but I'll get to that later...

The National Quartet Convention

2005-09-20T21:12:00.000-07:00

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.

Well, this was harder than I thought

2005-08-05T21:28:00.000-07:00

It's been nearly four months--really four months since I last wrote. There are just too many folks blogging that I get caught up in reading others and not writing myself. Of course, I have no evidence that anyone reads this anyway, but it's good therapy anyway.

The Reds

Taking each of my subjects (plus two), since we last talked (or typed), The Reds have fired a manager and had a winning record since the All Star break and they kept the team intact, so with a little pitching they might contend. Of course the team is for sale and that is the best news. We need a sugar daddy to buy that pitching.

The West Virginia Mountaineers

The Mountaineer roundball team went on to the Elite 8 and proved me wrong in every way, but football season looms. WVU was forced into a game with Marshall University--in fact 7 games--by my friend Gov. Joe Manchin. This will prove to be a mistake. WVU needs Marshall like Seattle needs rain. A Marshall win is a big thing. A WVU win is a ho-hum affair akin to what is supposed to happen. It's going to be a nightmare for WVU sometime in the 7-game series. Count on it.

Southern Gospel Music

Still good and still unrecognized. We've seen the Triumphant Quartet nearly lose their gig, Gold City lose their heart, soul and bass singer when Tim Riley retired, and Gerald Wolfe lose weight at an alarming rate (diabetes), but the music is still good and the message is there. And all ten of us that love it aren't even a crowd. Everytime a church buys a computer with Power Point and a projector to flash song lyrics on the wall, the music of the church suffers. I blame it on Dubya Bush and his "No Child Left Behind" emphasis on testing and the 3 R's at the expense of the arts, but that's being a little bit extreme. It started long ago. Surely, this will pass.

NASCAR

Boring? Take away Rockingham, North Wilkesboro, Darlington (coming soon), and what do you have? Only interesting races at Bristol, Richmond, and Martinsville. Keep paying those big prices and nothing will change. Of course the finger could be pointed at me too.

Blogs

If anyone is out there, here are some suggestions for reading:

Cincinnati Redlegs - http://frontier.cincinnati.com/blogs.spring/

Southern Gospel Music - http://www.averyfineline.com
http://allisonlynn.blogspot.com/2005/07/nashville-day-3.html

NASCAR - www.motorsportsforum.com

Later...

Big Red Machine?

2005-04-06T23:36:00.000-07:00

Something strange is happening in Cincinnati. The Reds actually look like a team that might contend for the Central Division crown in the National League. The Reds improved themselves in many ways over the winter:

1. They picked up Eric Milton and Ramon Ortiz as starting pitchers -- even though
they have their detractors, both are legitimate starters.
2. They got Joe Randa to play third base and Rich Aurellia to play shortstop. Randa
is the real deal with good fielding range and a deceiving bat. Aurellia is a former
All-Star shortstop who gives the club stability at that position. Last year, Ryan
Freel manned third most of the time and short was filled with 40-year-old Barry
Larkin and Felipe Lopez. Barry was hurt and Lopez was inconsistent.
3. Ken Griffey, Jr. is back. Already having five hits on the season (all singles, by the
way), he looks like a million bucks--well several million bucks.

If they continue to play this well, they will surprise a lot of folks. Like the Mets, who already had placed a victory cigar on new manager Willie Randolph's desk for the after-victory celebration. Not today.

Hail to West Virginia Hail

2005-04-06T20:34:00.000-07:00

Kudos to John Beilein and the Mountaineer men's basketball program for making it into the Elite 8. They stunned the country and gave home to all of us who are Mountaineers. This once proud program had recently become stagnant, but a good old dose of old-time fundamental basketball has caused a resurection of the roundball in the Mountain State.

Yes, I doubted Beilein and his system, but it worked...this time. I can't wait to see if it works next year.

Don't Go to Bristol

2005-04-04T16:37:00.000-07:00

Please stay away from Bristol, TN, in April and August. Let me tell you why...

I attended the Food City 500 at Bristol Motor Speedway this weekend and the place is just not suited for the 170,000 folks that show up twice a year for the NASCAR Nextel and Busch Series races. Why? Too many people and not enough land to put them in. Bruton Smith has created a monster of a situation because he has the best race track in the world...and he's a greedy human being (just kidding, Bruton...).

Bristol Motor Speedway is small. It's a half-mile track and gives the world the best racing on the planet. As long as Mr. Smith offered tickets and seats, he could sell every one of them. So, he built a lot of seats. Some are so high you can actually see the race better on TV. Yet, they come.

They come into an area that is smaller than you can imagine. That's not the problem. The problem is the space around the track for parking and just people moving around. You should be there when 170,000 people decide to leave (like after a race) or try to get there before it starts. Wall-to-wall people. The track sits on a steep hill, so they offer carts pulled by tractors which are continuously full to climb the steep hill up to the track. Lots of fun.

After the race, you are on your own and sometimes the crowd moves less than two steps in a minute. There is basically one way out and it is complicated by a narrow bridge which fords a small stream that everyone has to cross to get out.

Still, they come. There are very few motel rooms in Bristol, so everyone (well, almost) camps. On hillsides and in lots miles away (one couple told me they walked three miles to get to the track) and if it rains, it really gets rough.

This Saturday, a cold front came through Bristol, wiping out the Busch race on Saturday. Those poor souls camped in tents and RV's on the grassy hills around the track lived in a sea of mud. Still, they smiled. If the government required us to do that to , say, go to a high school football game, we'd protest. But, not here.

I'll never understand. Of course, I was camped on the pavement near the drag strip, so I guess I shouldn't talk.

But, we don't need any more people in Bristol on race weekends, so stay away.

Bloody chance you will, I know. It's a great show. Just be warned...

Going for the Big East Championship

2005-03-12T16:55:00.000-08:00

It's been nearly a month since I posted. I did this on purpose mainly because I got lazy and things were going so well in most everything. I was afraid a post might tip the luck thing and ruin the karma. I'm taking a chance here, but since no one reads this anyway, I'll be free of the "I told you so's" in the morning.

Defying all odds, the West Virginia Mountaineer basketball squad plays Syracuse for the Big East Championship at Madison Square Garden tonight. It will take a monumental effort to accomplish this, but for some reason I think they are up to the task. Why? In the last three weeks, they have beaten Pittsburgh twice, Boston College and Villanova. All are ranked in the Top 25 and all have superior talent to the Mountaineers. Syracuse has the same superior talent, but you can't underestimate heart, and these kids have it in spades. Look for a narrow win with another kid being the hero. They pass it around at West Virginia.

Also, let me apologize to John Beilein. The coach of the Mountaineers has done what I thought he could not ever do. He's taken an antique system (imagine that--team ball) and won with it in the Big East. After a 1-5 start in the league, he finished with a 7-3 record for the rest of the time to finish up at 8-8. He's on the verge of sweeping the tourney and his kids stand at 21-9. They are headed to the NCAA tournament for the first time since 1998. I'm in your corner, Coach.

Will the Reds Compete in 2005?

2005-03-12T14:06:00.000-08:00

I haven't touched much on the Cincinnati Reds, but now that Spring training is in full force I'll make a prediction. The Reds will finish second in their division and challenge for the wild card playoff spot.

Before you start laughing, think about this. Here's a club that finished at nearly .500 without a pitching staff. This year they've added Eric Milton and Jose Ortiz to the starting rotation and several improvements in the bullpen. They lost a hot-hitting Ken Griffey, Jr. at mid-season and went downward after that. All indications are that Milton and Ortiz are big improvements and Griffey will be around for the full season.

They also added Joe Randa, a serviceable third baseman (last year, they used a platoon system depending on who wasn't playing) and Felipe Lopez seems to have shored up the shortstop job. Having so many question marks last year, it's a wonder they did as well as they did. This year, almost all of those have been answered, if not perfectly, at least adequately. I also can't imagine the Chicago Cubs or the St. Louis Cardinals being better this year. I see Houston as in decline. It's a very old club.

So, there you have it. Let's see what happens

A Streak...of 2

2005-02-11T12:10:00.000-08:00

Witnessing the electric atmosphere of the WVU Coliseum last Saturday night was right out of the book that says..."that's the way it should always be." A big win over a ranked team and the fans screaming and jumping and pitching babies. Just a great night. Trying to keep that intensity level is hard to do and we saw that on Wednesday night against Providence. Well, we won both, so I'm happy.

I am now ready to eat my words on this year's edition of the Mountaineer roundballers. They can still make the NCAA tournament and have a successful season. I may be in doubt about Coach Beilein's ability to recruit impact players or his system of motion basketball, but even if I'm in doubt and we win, I'm okay with it.

Of course, if they start looking undermanned and losing again...

Finally, a Win

2005-01-30T01:05:00.000-08:00

West Virginia University’s basketball team just broke a five game losing streak by dominating Providence tonight. I’m thankful. Road wins in the Big East are few and far between unless you are one of the two dominating programs—Syracuse and Connecticut. This tough conference is simply the best conference in the nation. Two members of the Big East, one of which owned only two victories in the conference, have been successful in their new league, the ACC. That only proves to me that the Big East is the premier basketball conference this year and for many years in the past.

That brings up the question of whether or not WVU can compete in this competitive conference. Witness tonight nearly 60% shooting by the good guys and the opposition losing one of their two best players to an injury with only 12 minutes gone in the game, allowed the visitors to win the game. This was a team (Providence) who had not won in the Big East this year. The streak is broken, but what about the next two games? WVU next faces undefeated Boston College and a newly resurgent Pittsburgh (combined record of 32-3).

It was obvious tonight that John Beilein’s team was short on muscle and only a bonehead move by Providence’s coach allowed the Mountaineers to sprint out to 14 and 16-point leads. History has told us that playing our team in tight man-to-man defense and pounding the ball inside is the strategy that works. Providence was content to stay in their zone defense and continued to try to shoot from the outside most of the night, leading to those big leads. Once, in the last four minutes, Providence went to the man, and trimmed the lead to three points at one point. You have to wonder how prepared the Fryers were for the game.

We’ll take the win and move on to the potential slaughters that await us. The win kept WVU from heading for the cellar of the conference. It appears the shooting touch has returned, but what is to become of this team when the next two ranked teams play their tight defense and deny our shots? Time will tell, but it appears that the Mountaineers will have to be satisfied with 15 wins and an NIT bid. Only two weeks ago the faithful were dreaming about an NCAA bid. How time changes things.

On another sad note, one of the teams West Virginia lost to, Marshall of the MAC, lost Thursday night to run their record to 3-14. Sad to say, Marshall has beaten three teams and one of those is our own Mountaineers. Some may be sold on the Beilein system. I am not one.

More Basketball Woes, but We Haven't Touched SGM

2005-01-19T22:59:00.000-08:00

OK. I blew it on the Marshall-WVU game. Marshall, a 2-10 team, put it to WVU so I congratulate them. I in no way have changed my stance, though. We need to stop playing them in roundball until the football series is created.

What does this southern gospel thing mean? Well, let me tell you. It could be that I was raised on the three topics of this blog or just that I am more a southerner than most West Virginians are. Maybe, but I doubt it.

You see, my father sang in a gospel quartet from about 1940 until his death in 1981. He was an amateur, though his group, named the Midland Trail Quartet, made records way back in the 1950's. Dad and Mom drug me to every gospel sing he participated in and I learned to love the pretty melodies and tight harmonies associated with the genre.

This type of music is four part harmony. Every group has a lead who sings the melody, a baritone who sings the in-between part for the tenor and bass singers and the tenor and bass singers. The music is Christian music about the love of God or Bible stories set to country style melodies. These days, elaborate orchestration is played on digital tape machines for the singers. Back when my Dad sung, it was only a live piano.

My first awareness that this was more than my Dad singing with his friends was a TV show sponsored by Nabisco. It featured the Statesmen Quartet. It was on in our area on Saturdays and we never missed it because it came on just before Lawrence Welk (ugh!). The Statesmen were a group of guys who changed the direction of that kind of music. Hovie Lister, the founder of the group and pianist extrordinaire, thought the music should have showmanship mixed in, so the Statesmen danced, wore silly outfits, and delivered a message. Many hated them, but my family couldn't quit watching. I've always said that I learned how to harmonize by listening to my Dad's group and the Statesmen. The lead singer of the group was Jake Hess and he still is the standard by which these groups are judged. Jake died about a year ago and since I met him when I was just a child and the fact that I remember it, leaves a void in my life. He was featured on the Bill Gaither Homecoming Series tapes for so long that he seemed part of the family.

I got away from listening to this music about the time I graduated from college. I came back to it about six years ago in frustration from listening to commercial radio and realizing that there was no real music on the radio anymore. The great songwriters had all pretty much gone into oblivion and melody was a thing of the past.

Then, I picked up a copy of Andy Griffith's first CD of hymns. There it was -- melody, great lyrics and passion. I went on the the Gaither series and I was hooked. I contend that some of the greatest American musicians are now in Southern Gospel Music. More on this another day.

Let's Stop the Non-Rivalry Tonight

2005-01-11T08:15:00.000-08:00

Tonight, West Virginia plays Marshall in what is known as the Capital Classic. It’s an annual game between the state’s two universities. WVU has won 13 of 16 in the series and 11 of 13 since they moved the series to Charleston, WV’s Civic Center.

In my lifetime, WVU has played Marshall in the major sports only a few times and only once in football. They met in football in 1997 and many looked forward to an annual series between the two schools, but Marshall backed out of the series leaving WVU in a bad position to schedule other teams. The blood has been bad between both schools since.

Making things more difficult was Marshall football coach Bobby Pruett’s insistence on chiding the Mountaineers at every opportunity. In an act of total inconsistency, Pruett and then Marshall president Dan Angel showed up on the capitol steps to “challenge” West Virginia to a football game a few years ago, complete with a mascot chicken. That’s real class. Never mind that it was Marshall and not WVU who cancelled the series. But, this is basketball.

The game has become kind of a non-event to most people in the state. Marshall and West Virginia haven’t been world beaters in the sport in the last few years. Marshall comes into the game at 2-10 with the two victories over East Tennessee and High Point by a combined 5 points. West Virginia has beaten two ranked teams. Word is that Marshall returned 3,000 tickets to the Civic Center they couldn’t sell. Apparently WVU fans took them because as of this morning the game is a sellout.

My preface is this. I don’t think the game is necessary anymore. Marshall, looking for legitimacy for their programs wants to beat WVU so they can shave off some of that built-in fan support that comes with the state’s land grant institution of higher learning. It hasn’t been working. In fact, little has been said about this game in the press and it’s nowhere to be found on television outside of the state of West Virginia. The outcome, though close most years, is usually the same. A bigger, stronger WVU beats a smaller, less seasoned Marshall club. WVU’s Gale Catlett and John Beilein have almost always out coached Marshall’s Bob Zuffaletto, Dana Austin, Billy Donovan, Dwight Gooden, Greg White, or Ron Jirsa. It hasn’t been much of a rivalry.

There is now talk of reviving the football series. A campaign promise by Governor-elect Joe Manchin, the game could happen with the new 12 game rule approved by the NCAA yesterday. WVU President David Hardesty says he in favor of the game “if it is financially advantageous to both schools.” That’s lawyer speak for “we’ll play every year at Mylon Puskar Stadium in Morgantown and we’ll pay you what we pay other schools.” Marshall got a sweetheart deal in 1997 and wants the same for any future games including the games being played in Huntington every other year. That’s just not going to happen.

My modest proposal is this. I think both sides ought to agree to not play ever again in any sport. I think that all Marshall and WVU coaches should have new clauses in their contracts that dismisses them if they mention the other school in public (Rich Rodriguez, John Beilein, and Ron Jirsa would not have to worry about that clause—too much class). Then, Marshall could worry about their Conference USA foes and WVU could wrestle with the futility of winning in the Big East. Simple.

By the way, my prediction on the game is a WVU win by 10. It should be 20, but the emotion that surrounds this game on the green side is always worth ten points to the Herd.

Oh Yeah...That Sport

2005-01-10T13:44:00.000-08:00

Several who have been reading have asked me about my avocation. I do a little writing for Racing Information Systems and their webpage, www.motorsportsforum.com. I should have included that in the title of this blog, but space limitations didn't allow it. I have been a fan of automobile racing and the automobile for most of my life.

I used to trade cars every two years. Of course, I can't do that anymore, but that's how much I love new cars. Before I was old enough to buy cars, I still could get my jollies when the new models came out. I inherited this from my father who always went to the dealer when the new Fords came out. By the time I was thirteen or fourteen, I realized that in the South they were racing the new models each February at Daytona and I became interested. We would all head to Martinsville, VA in the Spring to watch the big boys of the NASCAR Grand National series race. Of course, that is now called the NEXTEL Cup Series, but it was the same--the latest models going head to head for superiority.

I never had one favorite driver. It was always who was driving the Fords. I could name Fred Lorenzen, David Pearson, Cale Yarborough, Lee Roy Yarbrough, Rusty Wallace, Bill Elliott, Mark Martin, and Dale Jarrett as favorites, but only when they drove Fords. Back in the 60's and 70's, there was only radio to follow the sport and the only station I could pick up in rural Greenbrier County was in Roanoke, VA, some 100 miles away. That necessitated driving to the top of Sewell Mountain to listen. Then CBS sarted showing the races live (ABC's Wide World of Sports had replays) and ESPN turned it into a weekly event and interest grew. It is no longer a regional sport.

In 1996, I was invited to participate in the reporting of the races by Mike Snow who was then the NASCAR Editor of RIS. Mike moved on to a permanent job in the sport and I found myself attending races in Rockingham, NC, Bristol, TN, Charlotte, Martinsville, and Richmond as a reporter. My biggest thrill was Labor Day in 1999, when I was privileged to cover the Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway for RIS. About 2001, I became NASCAR Editor. I enjoy seeing the inside of the sport on a part-time basis and have much respect for the reporters who do this as their only living. The travel alone would kill me.

I've met most of the stars of the sport and I even had a one-on-one meeting with the late Dale Earnhardt at Bristol in 1999. It was the Spring race and I had just been diagnosed with hypertension. The medication they had given me made my ankles swell. I hd only been taking the medication for a couple of days as I headed to Bristol. It was a hot Sunday and my ankles grew twice their normal size. I finally was having trouble walking and leaned on pit road to inspect my ankles. I looked up and there stood Ironhead, bigger than life. I'll never forget what he said to me, "You better go inside where the air conditioning is and put your legs up." Nothing like getting medical advice from probably the best stock car driver of his time.

I'll comment later on the sham known as the "Chase for the Championship" later when they start going around in circles again.

Mountaineers Win, But the Future is Uncertain

2005-01-09T10:11:00.000-08:00

The West Virginia Mountaineers rebounded from their worst loss in ten years by trimming St. John’s 64-60. Never mind that the Johnnies are probably the worst team in the Big East, it was a win to advance the Mountaineers’ record to 11-1. It will probably be enough to keep them in the Top 25, though just barely.

Everyone pretty much expected WVU to blast St. John’s out of the Coliseum, but they didn’t. Why, you ask? It’s simple, as Ross Perot used to say. Our team is dependent—really dependent—on outside shooting. In the games they won over LSU, GW, and North Carolina State, they were hitting the outside shot with great accuracy. The last two games (coincidentally Big East games), they’ve shot in the 20-30% range from beyond the arc. They continue to play great defense, though they leave too many folks open beyond the arc. Still, when you’re hold opponents to less than 70 points nearly every game, the defense is pretty good. Rebounding continues to be a problem and always will be until some new blood enters the program or Beilein changes philosophy. I don’t look for either one of these things to happen (Beilein’s system doesn’t allow for the easy rebound), so we’re stuck with that.

What a change from the years Gale Catlett ran the old UCLA high post system. Then, we were always looking to power inside and second chances. With Beilein’s system, we shoot the outside shot and hope we hit it. Is it just me or is that philosophy a little flawed? As we saw against Villanova (who got their clock cleaned by Notre Dame proving to all WVU fans that they are not the number one team in the country), we either hit the outside shot against good competition or take a butt whipping. I truly expect more butt whippings on the road in conference play.

Tuesday marks another WVU-Marshall basketball game which is known as the Capital Classic (I’ve seen it spelled ‘capitol’ more than once, thus proving that all those Marshall grads who work for the Charleston papers are here for a reason). By all indications, this should be a blowout with WVU winning by 20, but it won’t. Marshall gets up for these games so much I expect a close game with a possible win by the green clad team.. The scenario goes like this…WVU is still off on their three point efforts (Beilein was notably slowed by his injuries from the Villanova as was Collins, who isn’t much of a factor no matter what—sorry, guys, but I fail to see any value in starting Collins outside of experience. Nichols cleans his clock), and Marshall is shooting lights out. On most nights (especially in the Big East) that would mean a loss for the good guys by 20, but here they lose by 5. Talk about waking up a fan base real quick!

John Beilein and Rich Rodriguez

2005-01-07T13:29:00.000-08:00

It's pretty furstrating being a Mountaineer fan for many reasons. Not unlike a lot of team's fans, the very loyal tend to be intolerant of those who question what goes on in the athletic program. The unloyal word comes up and usually morphs into an internet firefight. I want no part of that, but since this is my blog, I'm going to pose some difficult questions that just might be uncomfortable to many of those super fans (as if I'm not).

John Beilein. Never in the history has any coach, with the notable exception of Don Nehlen, been the object of adoration like John Beilein. Beilein came to WVU after many years at lesser schools. I won't go into all of them, but they aren't noted for being national powers. He last coached at Richmond where a common pattern was established. He won over 20 some and he won a lot less mostly. His average was about 17 wins and he was able to get to the "Big Dance" at least once. Beilein gets a lot of respect from his fellow coaches because he's "old school." He plays and demands team ball and uses an old system designed to create back-door cuts and rely heavily on outside shooting. No super atheletes or stars need apply. We're talking team here.

Beilein was hired as a third choice. The first choice among WVU alumni and friends was Bob Huggins, the volatile coach of the University of Cincinnati Bearcats. Huggins has a program that is consistently in the top 20 and playing in the NCAA tournament. He also is a former WVU player and holds two degrees from the school. For one reason or another, Huggins was offered the WVU job but declined (or withdrew from consideration--both stories have legs). Huggins had stated among friends and publicly that the WVU job was his dream job. It will be decades before we really know what happened.

Dan Dakich of Bowling Green was hired, but only stayed on the job a short time after finding several NCAA violations had occurred during the Catlett years. None were major, but Dakich headed back to BG and WVU was still looking for a coach. Enter Beilein with his antique philosophy and strong discipline.

Things started out well for the team. The 8-20 record of the previous season was immediately erased by his first season, a 14-15 record. He followed that up with a 17-14 campaign and an appearance in the NIT where he won two games. All was not well, however. Beilein is a strong advocate of his team ball approach and there were casualties. Most of the team that Catlett had assembled were sent packing. Jonathan Hargett, a blue chip recruit and the focus of the infractions Dakich found was dismissed. Tim Lyles, the other promising point guard was suspended. During the second season, leading scorer Drew Schifano was dismissed from the team for speaking out about playing time. Jay Hewitt, another Catlett recruit quit the team because he had not played one minute through midway in the season. He had started on three occasions at point guard for Catlett's teams. What was this man trying to do? His first recruit was J.D. Collins who no one had heard of. He followed it up with Joe Herber, a German international player who lacked quickness and a consistent shot. he brought in his own son, a dead on shooter with few other skills. Tyrone Shaw, a Catlett holdover, and a few others had to hold down the fort. After the disastrous last year of the Catlett regime, fans were grateful, but his teams still had trouble competing against the talent in the conference. The jury is still out, but the verdict might be a foregone conclusion. Unless Beilein can recruit Big East athletes, it might be a long haul. That appears to be the case as I write this. After compiling a 10-0 non-conference schedule which inclued such powerhouses as Radford and Duquesne, the Mountaineers were embarassed by a talented Villanova team by 38 points on national television. However, the loyal fans really like the fact that he dressed down the students and stressed team over individuals. I'll be anxious to see the reaction as we continue to go through the 2005 Big East schedule. I hope we do well, but I have my doubts.

Rich Rodriguez had Don Nehlen as an act to follow as football coach. It's a hard act and the first season, a miserable 3-8 season didn't do anything to endear him to fans. He has rebounded with a nine and two eight win seasons, but this season proved to be the most frustrating of all. Picked to finish in the top 10 by everyone, the team had chemistry and discipline problems and finished 8-3. It was capped off by the third consecutive double digit bowl loss. The fans are loyal, but it's only a matter of time before his head is called for. Rodriguez seems to be learning on the job. He played a poor passing quarterback who could run this season when it was obvious that we needed a passer to be consistenty winning. He allowed his star receiver to show him up in a game and consistently get one to two personal fouls a game. The team never meshed and what was supposed to be a special season turned into frustration. Stay tuned. This may get interesting.

My opinion? Beilein will continue what he's done other places. He'll recruit sub-par players that won't mess with him and average about 16-17 wins while never challenging for the conference title. The battle cry among supporters is that he doesn't cheat and he's a fine gentleman. Others will want more but will be shouted down by his supporters until he self-destructs like Catlett and we go through the same process again. Rodriguez will continue to recruit well but be weak in organizational skills. He'll continue to make bad decisions and continue to win just enough to keep his big contract. Some school will offer him the world to go someplace else and he'll take it and we'll be looking for a coach.

Ah, life as a Mountaineer fan. It takes no soothsayer to figure this stuff out.

The Life of a Mountaineer Fan

2005-01-07T12:47:00.000-08:00

I can first remember going to a West Virginia University football game in 1963. That year all of West Virginia was celebrating 100 years as a state. The WVU football team wasn't the best team in the world, but I was captivated by the atmosphere at Mountaineer Field. WVU was thoroughly beaten by a Navy team led by future Dallas Cowboy star Roger Staubach, but I never forgot that experience.

Back in those days, it took nearly five hours to make the trek from my hometown to Morgantown, but we made the trip several times. Heading to college at West Virginia Tech, my trips were few and far between until 1975 when I resumed going as the purchaser of season tickets. I have been a season ticket holder for the past 28 years rarely missing a game.

You might say that it has been a frustrating 28 years. West Virginia, a poor state with little population and limited opportunity, has always had the problem of fielding a top-notch football program. Although there had been some successes prior to 1980, its teams were rarely ranked by the popular polls and their record was up and down most of the time.

Finally, in 1980, Don Nehlen, an assistant coach at the University of Michigan, was hired to coach and magic happened. In only his second season, Nehlen guided the Mountaineers to 8 regular season wins and a surprise victory in the Peach Bowl over a Florida team who was supposed to kill the Mountaineers in a game in which bettors refused to publish a line. Nehlen stayed on at WVU for 20 mostly winning seasons that included two undefeated regular campaigns.

Still, the lack of population and number of solid Division 1-A football players has hurt the program down through the years. While the team has had its successes, it has fallen short of becoming the every year top team. That will probably be the case for the rest of my lifetime. The Mountaineers are now coached by Rich Rodriguez, a former player at WVU. Although his teams have compiled 25 wins since 2002 and shared the Big East championship for two consecutive years, three nasty bowl defeats have left many wondering if WVU can ever be consistently a top team. We'll discuss this in depth as we go on.

Basketball has a rich heritage at WVU. In the late fifties and throughout the middle sixties, West Virginia was a powerhouse. Home of Hot Rod Hundley, Jerry West, Rod Thorn, Ron Williams, and Wil Robinson, West Virginia was a respected program under coaches Fred Schaus (later coach of the Minneapolis and Los Angeles Lakers), George King, and Bucky Waters.

Gale Catlett, former player with West and Thorn, came on the scene in the late 1970's after a very successful coaching run at the University of Cincinnati. By 1981, Catlett had the team in the 20 win club and continued on for many successful seasons that saw the Mountaineers play in either the NCAA or NIT tournaments. When WVU was admitted to the Big East for the 1995-96 season things changed. Catlett, who had been very successful in the Atlantic Ten Conference found the Big East very difficult. Since that time and until his retirement in 2002, the Mountaineers struggled. With the excpetion of the 1998 Sweet-Sexteen team, the Mountaineers were only average. the team self destructed in 2002, causing Catlett to retire early. After a very difficult search for a coach, John Beilein was hired. Beilein has had little success in the Big East although his 17-14 team of 2004 ended up in the NIT and won two games.

We will explore these two programs in the coming days. It won't be pretty.

Getting Started

2005-01-06T20:57:00.000-08:00

Everyone has a blog these days, so why not me? My life (well, most of it anyway) revolves around the Cincinnati Reds, West Virginia University Mountaineer sports, and music. I won't limit myself to one particular kind of music, but I would be foolish to not admit that Southern Gospel Music--that countrified genre made more popular over the last several years by Bill Gaither and his rash of videos and DVDs--was what I was raised on and will be stressed here. Heck, I just might get into real provocative subjects like religion and politics, too. Stay tuned and see.

One last thing...just remember this is one man's opinion. I neither have the power nor do I want the power to make anything that I thing should happen actually happen. Please do not throw rotten eggs or tomatoes. I'm just blowing off steam.