averyfineline

Maine voters are about to decide the fate of Proposition 1, which proposes a repeal of same-sex marriage in that state. And the campaign has turned … deeply ironic!
Via Avery’s good friend FK comes word of the “Yes On 1″ Singers, who vocalize their opposition to gay marriage with a song popularized by - […]

As I ring-out for lunch today, the cashier at Jimmy Johns asks me if I’d like a loaf of yesterday’s bread for $.48. Out loud, I say no thank. But all the way to the drink station and out to the parking lot, I’m singing to myself:
So long have I hungered, Lord, my soul has […]

Via reader KC, a brother and two sisters who sing spectacularly well, assuming this is for real. I of course immediately thought of the Martins, not least of all b/c they all three seem to fall into similar roles as the Martins: the one on the left is clearly the showiest one of the bunch, […]

Several readers have been emailing me asking a)have I seen the full page Roy-Moore-for-Alabama-Governor ad in the SN that includes an endorsement from Gold City’s’ Daniel Riley (Nov. 2009) and b)what do I think of it?
In that order then: Yes, and Meh.
Southern gospel is a deeply politicized subculture, both in terms of its own internal […]

Thanks to reader ZS for reminding me that it’s time for an open thread. Some stuff to kick things off.

For those of you who have turned “who’s Paul Lancaster singing with now” into a drinking parlor game, you have probably already noted (as did I via Burke) that Lancaster has joined Palmetto State.

Gospeleer recently did […]

Via Adam Edwards and because a lot of my intellectual energy right now is being devoted to the shape-note origins of southern gospel, here’s a quartet of old-timers recorded on a Gaither video from the 90s singing a classic quartet number.

Gaither’s introduction mentions “No Tears in Heaven,” one of my favorite convention tunes ever. I’d […]

Dear Southern Gospel Performers Who’ve Discovered Sockpuppetting,
If you are going to sockpuppet my comments threads in order to give the appearance that “ordinary fans” have just so happened to show up and support the comments left by the “real” performer you, probably best not to use the same IP address for both […]

Last week, David Bruce Murray Kyle Boreing noted the FTC’s new ruling regarding bloggers and product reviews. I of course immediately sent this decision down to the intern dudgeon for a thorough going-over, and though it took awhile (intern working conditions being what they are and all) the interns have assured me that we here […]

Via Joel Lindsey’s blog, it looks like Susan Boyle has recorded “How Great Thou Art,” to which sg mainstay Judy Nelon owns the rights. In addition to being one of the nicest people in the whole wide world, Judy is also the legal custodian of some of the music’s most beloved and coveted songs  and […]

Watching this rewardingly thoughtful conversation develop about how much preaching gospel concerts should include, I wonder if the issue doesn’t boil down to this: when people in sg debate how explicitly evangelistic the rhetoric from the gospel-music stage should (or should not) be, they’re really debating who - if anyone - controls the music’s meaning.
Usually, […]

Try making it by relying on cd sales. At least that seems to be the inference to draw from recent stats coming out of the Future of Music Coalition meeting in Chicago. Gospelleer, back from his extended culture-war hiatus, has the details (welcome back, Mickey!).

John Crenshaw enumerates some stuff he really doesn’t like about gospel music (h/t, DA). Plus, tips on eyebrow maintenance!

I’m trying to get some non-bloggy writing done these days so while I’m away, here’s something to chew on from our longtime friend, RK.

Apparently, the Blackwood Quartet (Ron Blackwood’s tribe) did perform at yesterday’s Farm Aid concert in St. Louis, along with Willie Nelson, Dave Matthews, John Mellencamp, Gretchen Wilson, Jason Mraz, and […]