Comments on: Gender, history, and southern gospel - take two http://averyfineline.com/2006/11/17/gender-history-and-sg-take-two/ Criticism and commentary on southern gospel music Thu, 23 May 2013 20:49:56 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.3 By: David Bruce Murray http://averyfineline.com/2006/11/17/gender-history-and-sg-take-two/#comment-2433 David Bruce Murray Sat, 18 Nov 2006 17:18:14 +0000 http://averyfineline.com/2006/11/17/gender-history-and-sg-take-two/#comment-2433 "should the hall of fame be a catalyst for rethinking our understanding of the past and our actions in the future" Doug, Your suggestion that current leaders should hang their heads in shame due to this circumstance of the past is pretty ludicrous, IMO. SG History was what it was. The alternative would be to pretend it was something different than reality, and who would want that (aside from some revisionist historian)? Should it spur leaders to make it any different for the future? Sure, but only in the sense of providing equal access, and that has been done already. There's tons of mixed groups in SG now. On the other hand, there's only one or two lesser known "mixed groups" in SG in terms of whites/blacks in the same group. In fact, the Imperials and the GVB are the only two major groups recognized as SG that ever had integrated membership. That's a much larger issue than the gender issue you've raised, and I've never really understood that. At the same time, I've also never seen any SG leader deliberately trying to keep groups from integrating. What's next? Are you going to make it a major issue about the NFL being all male? :o) “should the hall of fame be a catalyst for rethinking our understanding of the past and our actions in the future”

Doug,
Your suggestion that current leaders should hang their heads in shame due to this circumstance of the past is pretty ludicrous, IMO.

SG History was what it was. The alternative would be to pretend it was something different than reality, and who would want that (aside from some revisionist historian)? Should it spur leaders to make it any different for the future? Sure, but only in the sense of providing equal access, and that has been done already. There’s tons of mixed groups in SG now.

On the other hand, there’s only one or two lesser known “mixed groups” in SG in terms of whites/blacks in the same group. In fact, the Imperials and the GVB are the only two major groups recognized as SG that ever had integrated membership. That’s a much larger issue than the gender issue you’ve raised, and I’ve never really understood that. At the same time, I’ve also never seen any SG leader deliberately trying to keep groups from integrating.

What’s next? Are you going to make it a major issue about the NFL being all male? :o)

]]> By: Trent http://averyfineline.com/2006/11/17/gender-history-and-sg-take-two/#comment-2275 Trent Sat, 18 Nov 2006 02:35:59 +0000 http://averyfineline.com/2006/11/17/gender-history-and-sg-take-two/#comment-2275 I think the Hall of today looks nothing like the Hall of 20 years from now as far as gender equity. You have to consider the lesser role of women in gospel music in the past (overall)....it was mainly male quartets until the 1960s. Yes, there were Lily Fern & Eva Mae & Vestal (post 1960 mainly) and Mom Speer & her daughters. How many other prominent women singers/players can you name pre-1960? Now, look at today's SG lineup. Do you think Sheri Easter will go into the Hall? Absolutely. How about Connie Hopper? No doubt. Kim Hopper? Yep. Also Karen Peck, Peg McKamey, Libbi Perry Stuffle, and more. Then you have young artists like Annie McRae & Lauren Talley who are on the cusp of serious consideration if they can put in a few more productive years. I think the Hall of today looks nothing like the Hall of 20 years from now as far as gender equity. You have to consider the lesser role of women in gospel music in the past (overall)….it was mainly male quartets until the 1960s. Yes, there were Lily Fern & Eva Mae & Vestal (post 1960 mainly) and Mom Speer & her daughters. How many other prominent women singers/players can you name pre-1960?

Now, look at today’s SG lineup. Do you think Sheri Easter will go into the Hall? Absolutely. How about Connie Hopper? No doubt. Kim Hopper? Yep. Also Karen Peck, Peg McKamey, Libbi Perry Stuffle, and more. Then you have young artists like Annie McRae & Lauren Talley who are on the cusp of serious consideration if they can put in a few more productive years.

]]>