What is Southern Gospel anyway
Jeff Thompson
Ok I will probably get a couple opposing views on this but asking it anyway.
1. What would define true southern gospel.
2. What makes southern gospel different from country gospel if it is.
3. What group would be the epitome of southern gospel music.
Thank God for spell check. I never realized how many times I capitalized the
g in gospel and not any other letter :)
Just Allan
<meth...@comcast.net> wrote:
>Ok I will probably get a couple opposing views on this but asking it anyway.
> 1. What would define true southern gospel.
Lot's of requirements to fit this. Just a couple are:
* What the Martins no longer & Michael W Smith never did - sing.
* Where if a member of the group was replaced, most of the fans don't
notice the change.
* What I listen to.
: )
> 2. What makes southern gospel different from country gospel if it is.
* No clip-clopping horseys in the background.
* No "twanging" the end of notes.
* No nasal drawling.
* No checkered flannel shrits or blue jeans
* No songs about small towns, faithful old dogs, or rocking chairs.
: )
> 3. What group would be the epitome of southern gospel music.
Hm... Typical examples?:
Florida Boys
Palmetto State
C Smith
walked the planet. i wish i was kidding...a more uppity group of people
ive never collectively seen
CJB
think I've ever heard anyone else use that description.
Southern Gospel traditionally has been male quartets. There have been a few
exceptions, but most of them have still sounded like an all male quartet.
The Goodmans, Naomi and the Segos, and the Weatherfords all sung in the
range of most male quartets and the woman in each group sung a low, powerful
alto that sounds much like a man singing the same range. Interestingly, I'd
almost guarantee that the McKameys (3 women and a man) sing a lower average
range than Gold City (4 men.) Seems that closed harmony is the bedrock of
SG.
There are, of course, exceptions, but the most popular groups have always
been as described above. Trios have tended to be niche groups, but never at
the "top." This prompted enough complaint from the Bishops a few years ago
that they added a trio category to the fan awards because they argued that a
trio could never win group of the year against a quartet. There have been a
number of good family groups,
The epitome of SG? That's a very good question. It seems like there have
been several generations of SGM and each has it's own top group that
basically defines its sound. The Statesmen and Blackwoods each had their
apologists in the 50s and 60s, followed by the Goodmans. Then the
Inspirations were the top group in the early to mid 70's, the Kingsmen in
the late 70's and early 80's, Gold City in the late 80's and early 90's, and
the Cathedrals in the mid 90's until their retirement. (Incidentally, I'd
argue that the Cathedrals were much better with Danny Funderburke and Mark
Trammell, even though they got more acclaim after their departure.)
I really don't see a dominant group right now. There are some good ones,
but none that "define" this current era. The closest thing to a dominant
group right now would probably be the Gaither Vocal Band, but I'm not sure
I'd call them dominant in the way some of those other groups were in their
primes.
CJ
"Jeff Thompson" <meth...@comcast.net> wrote in message
news:zfedncPWOd4...@comcast.com...
David Bruce Murray
news:_EV_b.6030$fL4...@nwrddc01.gnilink.net...
> David Murray calls it "White Gospel," as opposed to "Black Gospel." I
don't
> think I've ever heard anyone else use that description.
I do? I'd forgotten.
As for my definition . . . I'll start with a disclaimer.
Any characteristic of Southern Gospel when considered by itself will have
exceptions. Vocal harmony is often mentioned, but of course we have SG
soloists. With that in mind, I'd say that most any Southern Gospel song will
contain SOME of the following elements, but not necessarily all.
1. Blending vocal harmony
There are two basic ways to mix harmony on a recording . . . either
relatively equal in volume with the melody slightly louder, or as
"background vocals" (BGVs), with the melody several decibels louder and
noticeably prominent. Southern Gospel typically is mixed using the first
method, and sometimes stacked to make the vocal harmonies even more
prominent in the mix. A number of soloists are recognized in SG, but they
often employ blending vocal harmony on their recordings. Quartets and trios
dominate the genre, unlike almost all other popular genres of music where
solo artists outnumber groups. SG groups get creative with harmony at times,
but compared to a style like Barbershop, SG harmony generally ranges from
basic to moderate in terms of difficulty to sing. Virtually all SG harmony
is based on commonly accepted western triads.
2. Varied Instrumentation
Southern Gospel music arrangers take cues from other musical styles as well
as SG tradition when it comes to instrumentation. Early SG groups were
accompanied with just a piano, often employing a rhythm that was similar to
stride piano style. A modern day SG recording may contain a variety of
musical styles, but vocal tone, harmony, dialect and gospel lyrics usually
dominate performances more than the music track. It is for this reason that
one SG song may employ a full blown orchestra for accompaniment, while
another on the same project may be a cappella, yet we still recognize both
songs as SG.
3. Gospel Lyrics
Like "Inspo" style music and traditional Black Gospel, Southern Gospel
lyrics are most often about a Gospel subject . . . Heaven, a biblical event
or story, salvation from sin, etc. This distinguishes the lyrical content of
SG from much Christian pop, which usually focuses on living a Christian life
in a modern world. It's also distinguished from Christian Country, which is
typically more about personal issues. Very little of SG has "vertical"
lyrics . . . giving praise directly to God, so SG lyrics are distinguished
from Praise and Worship lyrics as well.
4. Song Structure and Style
Southern Gospel songs are usually in a standard verse/chorus structure, with
each line containing an equal number of beats. Most SG songs have a clearly
identifiable, regular rhythm (duple or triple meters with simple or complex
subdivisions of the beat). Unlike some genres, SG songs often modulate keys
to build interest or switch the melody to another voice. Chord progressions
tend to be pretty basic, although some modern SG arrangements are more
complex.
5. Dialect
Southern Gospel is called "Southern" due to the dialect used by many
performers. There's a great range of variation in modern SG dialects
however, from mid-western to "proper" to hillbilly.
6. Vocal Tone
County, Southern Gospel, and Bluegrass employ similar dialects, but the
vocal tones are different. A pure Southern Gospel singer will use more of a
full bodied tone that sharply contrasts the nasal and throaty tones in
Country and/or Bluegrass. Compare the vocal sound of a singer in a typical
male quartet like Gold City to Randy Travis or Ralph Stanley to understand
this concept. While it's true that some under the SG umbrella verge on
bluegrass or Country tones, most do not.
7. SG Subdivisions
SG music can be subdivided as follows . . . traditional, contemporary,
progressive, and half. While some artists may record songs that would fall
into more than one of these categories, most line up more closely with one
than the others. Examples include:
A. Traditional SG - Statesmen, Blackwood Brothers (though these first two
groups weren't traditional at the time of their original popularity),
Inspirations, Dove Brothers, Melody Boys, Happy Goodmans (I'd also include
the Booth Brother in this category, because they employ a very traditional
1980s sound, though some might say that's too recent to be considered
"traditional.")
B. Modern/Contemporary SG - Gold City, Greater Vision, Hoppers, Legacy V,
Signature Sound
C. Progressive SG - Gaither Vocal Band, Martins, Ruppes, Pfeifers, Rejoice!
D. Half SG - (Half Country): Jeff and Sheri, Karen Peck; (Half Bluegrass):
Isaacs, Lewis Family (more like 9/10s bluegrass)
--
David Bruce Murray / dbmu...@NOSPAMmailblocks.com
---Making hay while the sun shines---
Classical Music at: http://virtualvirtuoso.iuma.com
For all my reviews and more, visit: www.musicscribe.com
---"I know a pagan piano riff when I hear it." (Dr. Bobby Clark, 5/7/03)---
Just Allan
That's a terrible reference to give yourself. LOL... : )
OnYn1
so many different styles.
I love the music, but is it really SG? At times it is, but often its Gospel
or other styles.
Hank Gillette
"David Bruce Murray" <dbmu...@NOSPAM.mailblocks.com> wrote:
> 7. SG Subdivisions
> SG music can be subdivided as follows . . . traditional, contemporary,
> progressive, and half.
You've obviously thought about this a lot more than I have. Where would
you place the Oak Ridge Boys (before they moved over to country)? It
seemed to me that they changed very little when they made the move,
other than the subject material of their songs.
The Statler Brothers sound very Southern Gospel to me, even though they
are singing secular music. When they do sing a gospel song, they sound
like a tradition Southern Gospel quartet.
--
Hank Gillette
David Bruce Murray
"OnYn1" <on...@aol.com> wrote in message
news:20040225095714...@mb-m26.aol.com...
What other style labels would you give their music, then? The Gaither Vocal
Band does no Christian pop or rock, no "CCM" (whatever that means), and only
perhaps one or two tunes that would be called Praise and Worship. Some of
their songs are in an Inspirational style, but that would only apply to the
songs that start slow and soft and build to a big ending like "Let Freedom
Ring" or "It Is Finished." Many SG groups do Inspirational style songs, too
. . . Gold City for example . . . even the Dove Brothers average one Inspo
song per CD like "I Pledge Allegiance To The Lamb" or "The Empty Tomb."
Now the Martins, I would grant, have recorded some CDs that are Christian
pop in style . . . but at least half of what they've recorded I'd call
progressive SG.
CK
Or how 'bout the recent Oak Ridge Boys Southern Gospel album, I believe
"From the Heart" (??)
David Bruce Murray
"Hank Gillette" <hankgi...@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:hankgillette-FC6E...@comcast.ash.giganews.com...
> In article <MsCdnUJGLf9...@pghconnect.com>,
> "David Bruce Murray" <dbmu...@NOSPAM.mailblocks.com> wrote:
>
> > 7. SG Subdivisions
> > SG music can be subdivided as follows . . . traditional, contemporary,
> > progressive, and half.
>
> You've obviously thought about this a lot more than I have. Where would
> you place the Oak Ridge Boys (before they moved over to country)? It
> seemed to me that they changed very little when they made the move,
> other than the subject material of their songs.
The subject matter clearly is a requirement for SG. I'd say the Oak Ridge
Boys would currently be considered Traditional SG when they perform gospel
music.
> The Statler Brothers sound very Southern Gospel to me, even though they
> are singing secular music. When they do sing a gospel song, they sound
> like a tradition Southern Gospel quartet.
Yep . . . though they're not all that great sounding vocally, IMO. They
succeeded in Country because only they and the Oaks used quartet vocals.
Also, they had great material. I've always thought the Statlers had better
songs while the Oaks had more vocal talent and better understood quartet
harmonies.
David Bruce Murray
"CK" <No...@Jose.com> wrote in message
news:103pp4m...@corp.supernews.com...
> Or how 'bout the recent Oak Ridge Boys Southern Gospel album, I believe
> "From the Heart" (??)
Yeah, it's definitely a Traditional SG recording. Nothing modern going on
there . . . just basic four part harmony and a solid music track.
OnYn1
vocal band singing something non sg, I think.
Also at the redrock concert, Mark Lowery came in and did the horse clop of
country music, not exactly what I would think SG music is.
Those are a few I remember, but there really is quite a bit on their tapes that
they do on theri home series, and its not SG.
Probably country gospel, southern country gospel, black gospel, and some of its
pretty much like broadway show tunes, and then of course SG, and maybe a few
other catagories they do on their tapes.
(and I am refering just to them, not the other groups on the tapes that do blue
grass and other styles)
I liked all of the music they did except the horse clip clop bit.
David Bruce Murray
> Well, the song God loves new York, a lovely song, is an example of the
Gaithers
> vocal band singing something non sg, I think.
>
> Also at the redrock concert, Mark Lowery came in and did the horse clop of
> country music, not exactly what I would think SG music is.
You could say the same thing about George Younce on the "Laughing Song."
You're mentioning a few exceptions here, not the bulk of their material.
Besides, I think it was Mark Lowry that sang "God Loves New York City," and
he wasn't even in the GVB at the time. They may have backed him up, though,
I can't remember. The other thing was just a comedy bit, again with Lowry as
the focus, not the group.
That would be like saying Gold City isn't SG because they recorded "Home For
The Holidays."
> Probably country gospel, southern country gospel, black gospel, and some
of its
> pretty much like broadway show tunes,
A few of their songs like "Everything Good" and "I'm Gonna Sing" do show
some country influences, though they stop short of being pure country, IMO,
due to the harmony and the lyrics. I can't think of any of their songs that
sound much like black gospel or broadway show tunes . . . broadway show
tunes? Oh . . . are you talking about "Sing A Song" from the _a cappella_
CD?
I was talking about putting them in one category, not listing styles of
music that have influenced their sound. I don't see where you'd put them
overall other than SG. Retail stores tend to agree with this. _Peace Of The
Rock_ was in a contemporary pop style, and from _Testify_ on, they've been
recording SG ever since . . . with the exception of the _a cappella_ release
that just came out. It's more of an animal left to itself.
> and then of course SG, and maybe a few
> other catagories they do on their tapes.
They do a bit of patriotic, yeah, and seasonal . . . but of course a lot of
other SG groups do those types of recordings as well.
> I liked all of the music they did except the horse clip clop bit.
I wouldn't count that as one of their songs, since it was really just them
participating with a Lowry comedy sketch.
Hank Gillette
"David Bruce Murray" <dbmu...@NOSPAM.mailblocks.com> wrote:
> > The Statler Brothers sound very Southern Gospel to me, even though they
> > are singing secular music. When they do sing a gospel song, they sound
> > like a tradition Southern Gospel quartet.
>
> Yep . . . though they're not all that great sounding vocally, IMO. They
> succeeded in Country because only they and the Oaks used quartet vocals.
I'm not the musician that you are, but I always thought the Statlers
sounded pretty good (and had a very distinctive sound). I've always
thought that Harold would make a pretty fair SG bass. Where do you find
them lacking?
> Also, they had great material. I've always thought the Statlers had better
> songs while the Oaks had more vocal talent and better understood quartet
> harmonies.
The Statlers have written a lot of their own material, so if they have
better songs they deserve the credit for that.
--
Hank Gillette
David Bruce Murray
> I'm not the musician that you are, but I always thought the Statlers
> sounded pretty good (and had a very distinctive sound). I've always
> thought that Harold would make a pretty fair SG bass. Where do you find
> them lacking?
Interesting you should mention Harold Reid. :o)
His ability as a singer is what has hurt their sound the most, IMO. Richard
Sterban is a fuller, better (he can find his pitch, for example) singer than
Reid, and compared to the best SG bass singers like George Younce and Tim
Riley, they both come up short. The Statlers aren't a "power" quartet like
Gold City or the Oaks. There's nothing wrong with that. Unfortunately, due
to Reid, they aren't a very good harmonizing or blending quartet either. You
have to excel in at least one of those areas to be a really good sounding
quartet by SG standards. You don't have to be as good when you're a unique
fish in the pond and have great material, so that's why the Statlers
succeeded in Country music with only one group to compete with them.
Why more quartets didn't try their hand at the more lucrative field of
Country music in the 1970s and 1980s remains a mystery to me. The Thrasher
Brothers gave it a whirl, I think, but were there others? Crenshaw? Help me
out here.
> > Also, they had great material. I've always thought the Statlers had
better
> > songs while the Oaks had more vocal talent and better understood quartet
> > harmonies.
>
> The Statlers have written a lot of their own material, so if they have
> better songs they deserve the credit for that.
Hank . . . I DID give them credit for having better songs. If they didn't
have well written, interesting songs over the years like "Flowers On The
Wall" and "Maple Street Memories," we'd have never heard of them, IMO.
CJB
> Why more quartets didn't try their hand at the more lucrative field of
> Country music in the 1970s and 1980s remains a mystery to me. The Thrasher
> Brothers gave it a whirl, I think, but were there others? Crenshaw? Help
me
> out here.
Willie Wynn and the Tennesseans, The Dixie Melody Boys... who else?
Hank Gillette
"David Bruce Murray" <dbmu...@NOSPAM.mailblocks.com> wrote:
> > The Statlers have written a lot of their own material, so if they have
> > better songs they deserve the credit for that.
>
> Hank . . . I DID give them credit for having better songs. If they didn't
> have well written, interesting songs over the years like "Flowers On The
> Wall" and "Maple Street Memories," we'd have never heard of them, IMO.
Yes you did. What I was trying to say was that they weren't just lucky
in finding good songs to record, they wrote them.
--
Hank Gillette
RayDunakin
written, interesting songs over the years like "Flowers On The Wall" and "Maple
Street Memories," we'd have never heard of them, IMO. >>
I love their song about the Blackwood Brothers.