Comments on: Where great music comes from

By: David Bruce Murray

David Bruce Murray — Thu, 18 Mar 2010 17:59:35 +0000

I’m conducting a survey at my blog in an attempt to determine the most memorable song from the past ten years. The first round of voting runs through March 25.

Everyone (artists, industry types, ordinary fans) is invited to participate…one vote per household, please.

http://www.musicscribe.com/blog/wordpress/?p=3221

There will be three rounds of voting to ultimately determine the top Song Of The Decade

By: David Grant

David Grant — Sat, 13 Mar 2010 04:32:01 +0000

Thanks Clarence. I appreciate that. I think The Journeymen became better and better after I left. There is no doubt they were at the top of their game when they retired.

By: Clarence Grigsby

Clarence Grigsby — Sat, 13 Mar 2010 01:47:31 +0000

David, the Journeymen were an “A Group” in my eyes.

By: Marty Funderburk

Marty Funderburk — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 15:52:36 +0000

Just thought of another song that might never have launched without the ideal producer, arranger and singer…”We Shall Behold Him.” You have to be in awe of a producer who could hear the song in its original form (Dottie Rambo’s) and imagine what it COULD be (Sandi Patty’s). But even with that kind of imagination, had a young arranger named David Clydesdale not been brought into the equation, I seriously doubt that this song, and THAT career, would have taken Christian music by storm like it did.

By: David Grant

David Grant — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 19:12:24 +0000

I believe a group needs to earn the respect of song writers before they have a right to ask for the “good stuff”. That includes several things. One is presenting yourself in a professional manner on and off the stage. That means running an organized and serious business. Learn to write a proper business letter (on letterhead). Get involved in the industry when you have a chance. I guess what I’m saying is act like you have some level of manners and common sense. And, by all means, PAY ROYALTIES!!!! Here is a perfect example: My former group, The Journeymen Qt, was not the biggest name or most talented quartet on the road. There was no reason for song writers to notice us based on those factors. BUT, Stacey Murphy, our owner and manager was a highly eduated (Masters in Engineering) and business savy man. He found opportunities to get involved in the industry. He began attending Southern Gospel Music Guild meetings (which was open to anyone wishing to be a part, no connections needed). Then he became a professional member of the Guild. There were no other groups at our level taking an active role in the Guild. Very strong professional and personal relationships were made between a “regional” group owner and the industry’s top professionals. Stacy eventually became a part of the NQC Advisory board. Although the business side of things were taken very seriously, the public side of things were taken even more seriously. We PRACTICED our craft. We may not have been the most talented group, but we were one of the most prepared groups on the road. The bus was washed every week before we left on a trip. It was washed again if it got dirty during the trip. We wore slacks and shirts with collars when we arrived at a church, concert hall, or county fair. We were respectfull. We sent thank you notes to everyone trusting us with their congregation. We worked hard to earn everyone’s respect, whether they be a record company exec or the sweet little lady who put a dollor in the offering plate.

I said all that to say this. When it came to “asking” writers and publishing companies for good song, we knew we could ask with confidence because the writers and publishing companies knew they could trust us with their product. They knew we would represent them in the right way. I remember sitting in the office of a publishing company president with Stacy and listening to songs for a couple hours. We were listening to some pretty good songs. Then he reached in his top desk drawer and pulled out a song that he said he was saving for the right group. That song was “Go Forth”. I think it reached 24 on the SN chart and was the #1 song played on Solid Gospel for a couple months. My point is that this was definetly a song for an A group and he trusted us, a B group, with it.

My advice to every group trying to get any writer or publishing company to allow them to record their songs is this: Do all things (ministry, performance, business) the right way. Act like you have some sense. Don’t hound every writer walking through the east wing at NQC for songs while you are using a fake southern accent and wearing a horrible suit. Do your homework, get involved, develope relationships based on trust and hard work, AND….PAY YOUR ROYALTIES!!!!!!!!!!

By: Jeff Crews

Jeff Crews — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 14:57:17 +0000

My experience with songwriters is always interesting. There are particular songwriters who like certain groups and give them good material regardless of their status in the industry. When I was with Paid In Full, I became fast friends with Woody Wright, who was producing our records, and Diane Wilkinson, who happened to be at the very first concert my group ever performed. Diane and Woody both gave us their A material, knowing we would never sell the quantity of records other groups would. They just liked what we did with their songs. Diane gave me a song called “Work of Grace” that would have been a number 1 for anybody else, but she wanted me to sing it. One interesting thing I learned about songwriters is that, in general, most are incapable of recognizing which songs are great and which are not. Because the songs are personal to them, and the stories behind them are inspirational to them, they are a bit blinded in that regard. Most songwriters I know talk about their songs like they are their children - each one different, no one is better. There are other factors that determine whether the song becomes great or not, and they have already been talked about on this post. The demo, the tempo, the group, the soloist, the album production, the arrangement all play an important role. If even one element is missing, the song falls flat. My daddy used to say that two drops of urine ruins the peach ice cream. It doesn’t matter if you drive to Clanton, Alabama to buy the world’s best peaches in the peak of ripeness, use your great grandmother’s prize winning ice cream recipe and the freshest ingredients. if you drop some pee in it - it’s garbage. sometimes the smallest mistakes ruin the whole deal. This is the case with songs. If one element is screwed up, the whole thing is just another song from a Gospel group.

By: Bones

Bones — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 03:10:50 +0000

It is really entertaining to have song writers hopeful pushing their songs at NQC. some of them need to be taken back to where they found them. One is Nashville was crazy.

By: Marty Funderburk

Marty Funderburk — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 16:58:33 +0000

#31 - Coloring outside the lines is widely frowned upon in Southern Gospel…probably because there’s comfort in the familiar. So we work within the parameters that exist - good or bad - and try to bring about incremental change. Don’t expect to hear the latest cutting edge material coming from this side of the isle. There are other genres that market themselves as “Contemporary” and they pride themselves on continually pushing the limits. That’s not what Southern Gospel is all about. I agree that too much of our music is derivative of other material, but some of that is unavoidable when you work with a limited palet.

By: Soli Deo Gloria

Soli Deo Gloria — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 14:06:08 +0000

Where does great music come from in southern gospel music? I think the answer is obvious: it comes from somebody else.

Whether an A-list act or a local group singing at a potluck, southern gospel is a genre built on plagiarism and copying. The genre is so devoid of an original thought it almost makes this entire subject moot.

When Solomon wrote that there is nothing new under the sun, he had to have had southern gospel in the back of his mind…

By: the old gospel man

the old gospel man — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 19:44:35 +0000

These days radio is artist driven and not song driven.
Years ago an unknown artist with a great song got played a lot and a lot of times made the SN chart. Back then the song ruled.
Now it seems that radio responds mostly to recognized artists regardless of the song.
Some radio people would not know a great song if they heard it.

By: quartet-man

quartet-man — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 16:35:29 +0000

Marty, I have used Southern Gospel nearly exclusively since I have had the job for nearly 7 years. I either do my own arrangements or get music from Lilenas, Brentwood Benson, Prism (in the past) and Word (as well as other publishers sometimes.)

By: Alan

Alan — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 13:33:42 +0000

First, I agree with those who wrote that this is the best post on here in a long time. I also agree with Marty about those great songs where all the planets seem to align.

And, I’m also one of those who are only surprised with some fluff songs that make it to #1, while certain songs with timeless lyrics, a strong tune, etc., languish way down the chart. It has been fascinating to read here why that might be. For me, it’s 75% about the lyrical content, and 25% the tune. How many great sets of lyrics have lousy tunes? And how many super tunes have shallow, vapid lyrics? Given the two, if the lyrics are strong, meaningful, and prompt me to varying emotions, even if the tunes are sub-par, I’ll go for lyrics every time. But, again, there are those times when everything comes together in a glorious moment, and that magic is a beautiful thing to be a part of.

By: Marty Funderburk

Marty Funderburk — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 05:31:01 +0000

“When They Found Nothing” has not been released as an octavo, yet, but there’s a good possibility of it being a “pull out” from the Easter musical and offered next year. If so, it will be distributed by LifeWay. Daywind recently teamed with LifeWay to bring the best of Southern Gospel music to the choral market. They introduced their initial offerings at the “Fire in the Choir” event during this past year’s NQC. The response was incredible. I really think churches, and church choir directors, are just now discovering the wealth of great songs that come from our little corner of the Christian music world.

By: 4Given

4Given — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 03:44:17 +0000

22. Marty, I have heard the choral version and it is quite stirring! That entire “Reign Jesus Reign” production is breathtaking… It deserves to win the dove award… I hope it will eventually do very well in the Southern Gospel Market… I have been to several L5 concerts since they cut the song, and they stage it as their closing song 9 times out of 10… It always receives a great response…

By: quartet-man

quartet-man — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 02:46:30 +0000

#22 Marty, that is exactly who I was calling you. You are talented as well though. I am glad to hear you mention the song When They Found Nothing. I am a church music director and both the Administrative Assistant and a choir member mentioned the song (the choir member called and left the title for me and the Administrative Assistant had heard it too.) This was months ago. I am glad you told where to find it, because I figured the chances of it being published for choir at least this year was slim. I don’t suppose there is an Octavo?