Front Row Follies

with Lottie Squires

JUNE 2, 2009... Two quartets, a duet, a soloist, and an idiot--it was an interesting weekend!

First, the best young mixed quartet in Southern Gospel sang in Coats last Thursday night.  Of course I mean the Taylors, and if I seem a little biased...I am, so deal with it!  I usually see them in concert with other groups, so it was a rare treat to have a whole evening with them.  Chris sang my favorite song, "I Stand in Awe," and I was as impressed by it as ever!  I've always enjoyed big power ballads (even back in the 70's, my favorite songs by Journey and REO Speedwagon were those big ballads), and this is one of the best I've ever heard.  Sandra Taylor--mom--wrote this one, and the really amazing thing is that it was the first song she ever wrote!  Even though Jonathan teases that they like singing her songs because they don't have to pay her, any top group would be lucky to get a song like this.  I'm not usually all that excited about Christmas projects, but I can hardly wait for the Taylors to do one--they've already got a couple of Christmas songs that are so good they're still singing them now.  "Holy Lamb of God" is just beautiful, but the one I really look forward to is "Wonderful News."   They can get even the quietest crowd going with that one!  We'll probably hear it again next Monday; they'll be singing with the Mark Trammell Trio at Fellowship Baptist Church.  The concert will start at 7pm, so don't work late that night!

I may have mentioned a time or two that I was excited about the N'Harmony concert in Fayetteville on Friday night!  I wasn't the only one...two ladies drove up from Georgia for this concert, and at least one person gave up a beach trip to be there.  It was worth it!  Before the concert, we early birds had a chance to play with Anneliese, who's celebrating her first birthday today.  She's a doll, and she's got everyone in the family wrapped around her cute little finger!  Christian Davis opened the concert with "In the Sweet By and By" and I realized that it was true--he can sing baritone as well as he sings bass!  He did a beautiful job on "Thanks to Calvary" and "Make It Real," too.  He just didn't get to sing long enough!  Roy Webb is the idiot from the weekend, but I mean that in the nicest way...and besides, his daughter started it!  Roy was flying in for this concert, and the airline was not cooperating.  His original flight was cancelled, and he wasn't able to get to Fayetteville until late in the evening.  As he told the story, he'd said something to his daughter a few months ago about how a person who didn't have to work until 7pm would have to be a real idiot to be late for work; she was paying attention and she remembered.  She called to congratulate him on now being an "official idiot" for being so late...even though it wasn't really his fault!  We've known for a long time that Roy is a great pianist, but he's also a great comedian and storyteller.  Ask him about Pam and Patty from the cruise sometime...you won't be able to stop laughing!  I don't even know where to start about N'Harmony...they were always one of my favorite quartets, but Shane has outdone himself now!  It's hard to believe, but he's singing baritone because he found such a great lead singer that he moved down.  Josh Feemster (Mercy's Mark, remember?) is amazing; his "It Is Well with My Soul" was the best I've ever heard.  Tenor Brent Mitchell also came from Mercy's Mark, and he's just as great as ever.  I've seen the YouTube post of him singing "Somebody Touched Me," and I almost shouted when they sang it Friday night!  Shane went all the way to Iowa for the bass singer, Will Van Wyngarden, who used to be with another of my favorite groups, the Journeymen Quartet.  (Stacy and Michael, where are you?!)  Will did a gorgeous job on "Plan of Salvation."  They didn't sing as many of the old N'Harmony hits as I'd hoped for, but I was thrilled to hear Shane sing "There's Peace in Knowing" and "Out of the Blue" again.  It would have a been a perfect night except for one thing--Carson's t-ball team lost their game; Shane, Carson's dad and the team's coach, kept up with the score by text all evening and he was probably more disappointed than the kids were!   

I've covered the quartets, the soloist and the idiot...I'll bet you're wondering about the duet.  Sunday morning may have been my favorite part of the weekend, even though I almost accused a preacher of lying to me!   I met Sam Atkinson years and years ago, when Ricky Atkinson & Compassion was first starting out, and I've adored him ever since.  When he married LaBreeska, I loved her as soon as I met her.  I hadn't seen them since they left Compassion a few years ago, but LaBreeska had e-mailed me a month ago that they were coming to Benson.  No details, just Benson.  I'd been trying ever since to find out exactly where, and was finally able to track it down to Friendship Baptist Church on Friday afternoon.  Pastor Doug told me they'd sing for the 11am service, so I didn't feel too guilty about hitting the snooze button a few times.  I got to the church at 10:20am, and I was horrified to hear that they'd already started singing!  I absolutely hate to be late (except for work, where five or ten minutes in the morning don't count since I stay so late in the evening); I slipped into a back row and wondered how much I'd missed and how I'd ever get a decent picture for the website from that distance.  But after a minute or so, it didn't matter, because I was just so happy to hear Sam and LaBreeska again, and who can be upset when you're listening to "I Have Been Blessed?"  It turned out that Pastor hadn't misled me intentionally; they were only going to sing a couple of songs before Sunday School, but the congregation enjoyed them so much that they had to keep singing for the whole hour.  I couldn't argue with that!  They came back and sang again during the 11am service, so I didn't miss the whole program and I was able to get a few pictures after all.  Now I just hope I don't have to wait so long to see them again! 

If you've been waiting for new pictures in the galleries, check those out now.  I added a whole bunch last Tuesday, and I hope you like them because the computer was giving me an extremely hard time!  It took forever, because that blasted machine kept freezing up and losing them all, but I refused to give up and finally it let me win!  The concert listings were updated yesterday, and I've just added the new Top 60 chart and changed the picture for the homepage contest.  Check it all out, and until next time, I'll see you on the front row!

MAY 25, 2009...I hope you've enjoyed your Memorial Day weekend as much as I've enjoyed mine!  Even though holiday weekends mean fewer concerts, I did manage to find a couple of outstanding groups singing right in my own backyard.  Well, okay, not really in the backyard--the dandelions are almost knee-high and the dogs have left their toys and "gifts" all over the yard--but anything within twenty miles counts as backyard to me!

Thursday night, the Southern Ambassadors were in Coats.  Some arrived much earlier than others, but they all made it!  (I'm told that Willie is a time zone unto himself.)  If these guys ever wanted to go fulltime, they've got the talent to do it...but then we'd miss them too much, so never mind!  They opened with "Somebody Sing Me a Gospel Song," and then sang a bunch of them for the next ninety minutes.  I'd love to hear them do more original material, but even their covers sound fresh, and their harmonies cannot be topped.  Chris' gorgeous "I Stand Redeemed," and Sean's "Thank Him for the Miracle," and "There Rose a Lamb" were my favorites; the goose bumps weren't just caused by the air conditioner!  Jeremy, the new bass singer, hasn't had much chance to shine yet, but judging by the snippets I've heard, he's going to be great.  It's just about time for a new project, so Jeremy should have some features ready by the time I see them again.

The Talley Trio was at Benson Grove Baptist Church on Friday night.  If you've ever wondered how to get the "big" groups to come to your church, it may be as simple as inviting them!  That's what happened here--a lady from the church who's supported the group for years asked them to come if they were ever going to be close by, and when the schedule allowed, they came.  So Roger, Debra and Lauren got to visit with some old friends, and we got to enjoy a great concert.  I love it when everybody wins!  They started off with one of my two favorites from the "Stages" CD, "God Is Great, Good and Merciful" and Lauren sang "The Broken Ones" later in the evening; those two songs were worth the whole evening for me.  Of course, Lauren was featured most...if you've ever heard her sing "Orphans of God" or "Testify" live, you know that the girl has undeniable "star power."  But Debra is just as stunning, if a little more low-key, as she proved on "Thinkin' 'Bout Home," and "Comfort Me."  Roger usually lets the ladies take the features, but he does sing on their newest radio release, "My Hope Is in the Lord."  He found the song and offered to let one of them sing the verses, but they had other songs picked out for "Life Goes On," so Roger had to do it himself if he wanted it on the project.  When you hear it, you'll be glad it was included.  From the big ballads like "His Life for Mine" and "The Healer" to the fun of "Searchin'" and "That's Enough" (and yes, they did use Jake Hess' recorded verse), I thoroughly enjoyed every song.  Please invite them back soon!

I'm not taking anything away from any concert coming to the area--there are so many that will be so good in the next few weeks--but I'm just so excited about N'Harmony coming to Fayetteville this Friday night!  I've missed this group so much since they disbanded, and I'm thrilled to pieces that Shane has put it back together...especially since he's brought back three of my favorite singers to join him--Brent and Josh from Mercy's Mark and Will from the Journeymen!  Another of my favorites, Christian Davis, will be singing too (which usually means that Sophia will be there with the baby), and Roy Webb will playing the piano and making you laugh until you cry, so if you can possibly be there, please do!  All the details are on the Concert Update page.  If you can't be in Fayetteville, please find a concert you can attend in your area...we've got to support them if we want them to continue.  Until next time, I'll see you on the front row!  

MAY 20, 2009...No, I didn't fall off the face of the earth!  I did move, though, and I'm still amazed and dismayed by the amount of junk that was stuffed into our old house.  I tried to convince my brother to take what we actually needed and just leave the rest, but no, he insisted that we go through every drawer and closet.  I am descended from a long line of pack rats, so this has not been a quick or easy process.  I don't think Mama ever threw anything away--we found stacks of Progressive Farmer magazines from the early 1970's (I don't understand those; we always lived in town)  and boxes of Soap Opera Digest from the 1980's (that made sense; Mama loved her "stories") and pictures stuffed everywhere (who are these people?)!  But now we're in the new house and things are pretty well sorted out and put away, so maybe life can get back to what passes for normal.  The work has been worth it--we love the house, the cats have adjusted well, and the dogs are delighted with their big, fenced back yard.  If the animals are happy, we're happy!   

I feel so very, very guilty about letting "Follies" fall so far behind!  Triumphant Quartet, the Collingsworth Family, the Anchormen, Ricky Atkinson & Compassion, Mercy's Well, Danny Funderburk & Mercy's Way, the Isaacs, Adoration, Soul'd Out Quartet, HisSong, Christian Davis, Brian Free & Assurance, Karen Peck & New River, Ivan Parker, Ernie Couch & Revival, the Old Paths, Rhyme & Reason, McMillan & Life, the Mark Trammell Trio, the Pfeifers, Driven, Naomi & the Segos, the Harvesters, the Dennis Family, Fortress, the Taylors, the Watchman Quartet, the Swinsons, Arise, Jerry Trammell, the Glorymen, the Dosses, Legacy, the Stillwater Quartet, the Second Edition Quartet, the Royal Descendants, the Lumber River Quartet, Black Creek, Servant's Heart, the Southern Ambassadors--you were all great and I loved seeing you!  I didn't stop going to concerts; I simply didn't have time to write about them.  But if I try to recap every concert from the past six months, I'll never get it done...and so please stop the scolding, forgive me, and let's just start over, okay?

This past weekend I caught up with some old friends!  Saturday night found me lost in the middle of nowhere, but thanks to a very nice couple out for a walk, I finally found Pinhook Church and sure enough, the Blackwood Quartet's bus was parked in front.  I don't mean to dismiss the rest of the group, but I admit I went mostly to see John Rulapaugh and Josh Garner.  But for the record, the whole group impressed me!  I was pleasantly surprised to find that Harold Gilley is singing bass for them; he did some impressions for us, and I recognized J.D. Sumner and George Younce, but the others were a little before my Southern Gospel time!  I really enjoyed Tracy Trent on "I Know a Man Who Can," and must ask why is he only featured once?  Ron Blackwood seemed to be having a ball; he sang with the group about half the time, and spent the other half encouraging and cheering the other guys when they were featured.  The group sang for about two hours; even though the crowd was a little sparse, they didn't cut any corners.  I'm looking forward to hearing a new CD from this line-up and will definitely see them again when I get the chance...I'll just make sure I have better directions next time! 

Emmanuel Baptist Church has possibly their best concert schedule ever this year, and Sunday they hosted the Down East Boys.  It was a super evening!  They opened with "He's a Great and Mighty God," and that got the concert off to an exciting start.  Before they were done, we'd heard "Whole Lotta Mercy," "The Mountains Will Be Shaken," "Shouting on the Hills," and many more.  Jason did a beautiful job on "I Won't Have to Cross Jordan Alone," and I had to wonder how he got through it so well, so soon after losing his mother.  Daryl has made "One Look to His Left" his signature song; it's just stunning.  Stuart still has to sing "He Looked Beyond My Fault," and I hope he realizes that he'll never be able to stop singing it!  Ricky showed why he was a top 10 favorite lead nominee on "When the Master Walks By" and "Sheltered in the Arms of God."  They honored veterans with the "America Medley," and you can plan on hearing it on WCKB quite a bit over the next few weeks as we celebrate our patriotic holidays.  The Down East Boys have been so busy since NQC that it seems they've been singing everywhere except North Carolina; I'm happy they're in such demand, but gosh I miss seeing them!  I asked Ricky when they'd be in the area again...and he couldn't even think of anything!  At least there's always Louisville!

There are so many great concerts coming up, but I absolutely have to mention a very special one--N'Harmony is coming to Fayetteville on May 29th!  I'm thrilled to pieces that they're singing again, and I can hardly wait!  Check the concert update for the complete list, and don't forget to enter the contest on the homepage.  Thanks for your encouragement...I really had wondered whether anyone would notice if I wrote this thing or not!  Until next time (and I mean next week), I'll see you on the front row!

NOVEMBER 18, 2008...Margie's happy!  She's just seen a dozen or so stray snow flurries, and now she's singing Christmas songs and making Graden play "Let It Snow."  She's so cute, it's hardly even annoying!  Maybe this unusually early snow--such as it is--will tide her over til Christmas Eve, which is the only day of the year that even I enjoy seeing a little of it!

Enough about snow...let's get to the good stuff!

I look forward to seeing the Nelons every November at the Kivetts' church, Full Gospel Chapel.  Even these past few years when they haven't traveled much, the Nelons have always come to Clinton; Jason said they'd been there every year for at least the last fifteen years.  I haven't been with them quite that long, but still it's hard to believe that Amber is 19 already... and it's hard to believe that she's only 19, because she's been part of the group for as long as I've been going to see them.  Kelly always introduces her by saying that the Nelons are the only group she'll ever sing with, and I certainly hope that's true; she'll help keep the Nelons going strong for a long time to come!  They did plenty of songs from the newest CD, "You Are God," including the last two radio singles, "We Speak Your Name" and "I'll Love You with My Life," but they also included plenty of the Nelons' hits.  Mrs. Kivett wanted Amber to sing "Jesus I Heard You Had a Big House."  I especially enjoyed "I Choose the Lord" and "You Ain't Seen the Last of Jesus."  And of course, they had to sing "We Shall Wear a Robe and Crown!"  I had a chance to talk to Amber for a few minutes before they sang the second set, and I got so tickled I have to share, even though I might get in a little trouble!  Amber sat down and said they were all trying to figure out who the couple in the very back was...they felt like they knew them, but the puzzle just wouldn't fall into place.  I didn't expect to be any help until she said the guy looked just like Joseph Habedank, and they wondered for a minute if the Perrys were in the area.  I started laughing and turned around, and sure enough...Margie and Darren were there!  They didn't stay long after the concert ended, so I haven't had a chance to tease him about it yet...but I will!  As for the Nelons, Jason told me they were hard at work on a new CD, and now that they're on the road full time again, maybe they'll come see us more than once a year!  Call Michael Davis at the Dominion Agency (910-484-6996) to book them for your church.  But at least we can count on November in Clinton; Kelly and Mrs. Kivett will confirm it later, but next year's date will be either November 13th or 20th. 

Another group I don't see nearly often enough is the Toney Brothers, but I got to see them three times this weekend, and they even stopped by the station for a few minutes!  They didn't actually stop by here to see me, understand...Terry knew I'd have a party tray from Sherry's Bakery waiting for them!  At least they all took time to hug me before they descended upon the sweets!  After a short visit (when they couldn't manage another bite), they headed on to Raleigh for Saturday night's concert with Carolina Grace.  Thanks to Miss Sylvia for providing dinner before the service; I had the best time just sitting there listening to Jim and Terry trade stories about some of the more "interesting" (awful and/or awfully funny) moments at concerts.  Carolina Grace did a fine job with their set; Jim, Terry (Ragland, not Toney) and Odell sang their hearts out and Carol played beautifully as always.  They managed to be serious on "Mercy River," but most of the evening, Jim and Terry laughed almost every time Odell looked at them!  You know how some people always look like they're planning mischief?  Yep, that's Odell!  As much as I enjoyed Carolina Grace, I could hardly wait for the Toney Brothers to sing, and I was so excited when it was finally time for them to start!  They opened with "Unclouded Day," and from there, almost every song was one we all knew and could sing along with...though as Terry (Toney, not Ragland) pointed out, some people were singing along on songs they didn't know!  (He advises that if that bothers your neighbor, just sing louder...they'll like it better that way.)  Even allowing for a slight bias--you know I adore the Toney Brothers--I think they sound better than ever!  Royce Taylor and George Webster have been with Terry for a year or two now; Jackie Lamb has only been there a few weeks, but oh my gosh, it works!  (I'm using an awful lot of exclamation points, I know...but I'm talking about the Toney Brothers, and I can't help it!)   They sounded great, they seemed to be having fun together, and Terry even smiled on stage several times; this is a great combination!  Sorry, I couldn't resist, but Pastor Wanda started it when she teased him about looking so serious all the time during Sunday morning's service at Pentecost Worship Center; Sunday night, we were at Cornerstone Baptist in Four Oaks.  They didn't do the exact same program each time, but George did sing my favorite, "Tougher Than Nails," in all three services, so I was delighted, and Sunday morning he told us about writing "He Loves Me" when he was with the Cathedrals.  Royce did a gorgeous job on "Walk with Me" and "The Love of God."  Royce joined the Toney Brothers to sing baritone, and as the group has evolved over the past couple of years, he's also sung lead and tenor as needed--everything except bass, because Terry never misses a night!  Jackie was great; he sang "Sheltered in the Arms of God" better than I've ever anybody else sing it!  And Terry has finally accepted that he must be featured more often in addition to his emcee duties; he sang "Look to Him" twice and "I'm a Child of the King" in all three services...and did a beautiful job each time!  I hated to leave Sunday night, but they were probably a little tired of me by then, and just too polite to say so! 

Like I said, it's going to be hard to top this weekend, but there are some awfully close contenders coming up.  Triumphant Quartet will join the Taylors this Saturday night, the Collingsworth Family will be at Fayetteville Community Church on Sunday, the Anchormen's homecoming--with Ricky Atkinson & Compassion and Mercy's Well--is the following Saturday, and the Saturday after that, Danny Funderburk & Mercy's Way will be here in Dunn!  I can't wait!  All the details are on the concert update, and don't forget to enter the homepage photo contest if you haven't already done it.  And if you're in this area, remember that we're collecting Operation Christmas Child shoeboxes all this week; just drop them off at our studios by 5pm on Friday.  Until next time, I'll see you on the front row!

 NOVEMBER 3, 2008...I usually don't have much use for Halloween.  There aren't any little ones in my neighborhood, and the doorbell upsets my dogs, so I just keep the porch light off and buy my own bag of Snickers!  This year I finally did something special for the occasion.  It wasn't really a Halloween themed event, of course--it was a concert with the Dixie Melody Boys and the Social Security Boys at the Lighthouse--though some of the fellows did look a little scary during sound check!  But everybody cleaned up nice!  I had to laugh when I heard someone behind me wondering about the name "Social Security Boys," until they saw James, Vern and Cecil walk out on stage.  I'm not saying that any of them are over the hill...but I think they can see the top from here!  The novelty of the name doesn't matter when they start to sing, though; they've got a lot of talent in that group.  And Vern keeps them supplied with some great original songs, so I expect they'll keep singing until they outlast us all!  Mr. Ed O'Neal will sing even longer than that!  I don't know how he manages to find such talented kids to train up in the way they should go--I love the Ed O'Neal University t-shirt they've got on the table--but he always has a great group.  Well, I do know where he found this bunch:  Jonathan Price is from Fountain (between Wilson and Greenville; you can get there from here, but you have to work at it), and used to sing with the Laymen; Steven Cooper sang with the Toney Brothers and Safe Harbor before coming to North Carolina; Joe Kitson is a freshman at EOU, but talent runs in the family--his brother is Jacob Kitson of Greater Vision.  I hate to say "this is the best line-up ever," because I love so many of the former members, but doggone it, it is!  They keep the music pretty simple, so you can really enjoy the great voices and arrangements.  "Someday," "I Wanna Know," "Give the World a Smile," "Happy Rhythm," and of course, "Antioch Church Choir" were some of my favorites, but the entire concert was wonderful.  Not only do they sound great together on stage, Mr. Ed says they're a great group to travel with...and I'm sure they'll be showing up soon in his Singing News column, "All I Ever Wanted to Do Was Sing a Song!"  That's the first thing I read every month! 

On Sunday night, Ernie Haase & Signature Sound came back to Fayetteville Community Church.  They don't get to do many churches these days, so I almost think they enjoy this concert as much as we do!  I always think of EH&SSQ (it's way too long to spell out every time!) with the choreography and uptempo songs, so it was a surprise when they started the evening with "Reason Enough."  They just stood still and sang, and the entire audience was captivated.  Actually, several of the best songs were like that..."No Unknown Soldiers," "A Good Heart," even the old Cathedrals song, "Wedding Music"...nothing flashy, just great talents and sweet spirits.  Now don't think they were rooted in place, by any means.  They got plenty of exercise during the evening!  "The Old Landmark" and "Get Away Jordan" were absolutely exhausting to watch, so I can only wonder how many vitamins these guys have to take each day!  And they scared me to pieces a few times with a new twist they've added since I saw them last.  With the precision (though not always the grace) of a professional dance company, they leap at each other from across the stage and bump shoulders.  I can't begin to imagine how long it took to get that worked out just right!  I though Ernie was going to tumble down the steps the first time they did it, and I'm not entirely sure that was part of the routine!   What will they come up with next?  We'll see next fall...you know they'll be back at FCC!  And what will they be wearing?  It's going to be pretty hard to top Tim's green shoes and Ryan's orange coat!

Plan to be at Fayetteville Community Church in three weeks for the Collingsworth Family.  They'll be there on November 23rd, and you won't need a ticket for this concert; Wesley says that as a thank you to all of us for supporting the concert series, this one will be a love offering concert.  You're welcome!  Check out the concert update for details, enter the homepage contest, and enjoy the NQC pictures.  Yes, they're finally all finished and posted!  I'm sorry I took so long, but I hope you'll think they were worth the wait.  Until next time, I'll see you on the front row!

OCTOBER 27, 2008...We're blessed in this part of the country.  We're truly blessed to have so many great groups and so much Southern Gospel music to enjoy.  Sometimes, we're so blessed I could just scream!  Like on Friday night, for example, when the Mark Trammell Trio came to Fellowship Baptist Church, and I really wanted to go, but I just couldn't miss the Harvesters Quartet reunion.  I hope Mark, Dustin and Eric will forgive me, but Tim Riley was with the Harvesters, and as he pointed out, I only get to see him once a year now!  No, Tim hasn't joined the Harvesters--Jim doesn't need any help with the bass part, trust me!  He sings with the Southmen Quartet, and they came up again to be part of the reunion.  Just like last year, all Tim had to do was hit the first low note and the place came unglued!  For a part-time, just sing when they feel like it quartet, that is one super group!  And for a part-time, but they sing as much as any full-time quartet, you can't beat the Harvesters!  Honestly, Danny Parker works at least as hard as any full-time group manager, scheduling all the dates and keeping everything running smoothly.  He has a secret weapon, though...her name is Sue and Danny admits that he couldn't do the reunion each fall and the Parker Homecoming every March without her help!  Their set was way too short, but I won't complain since they did include "No One Ever Cared for Me Like Jesus" and "He Brought Me Out."  Danny always gives the senior members lots of time during this concert.  Earl Brewer was there, playing and singing as beautifully as ever.  Jack Clark, Don Norman and Bill Hefner were back, too.  Bill is still telling corny, but awfully funny, jokes; Don can still sing "Wings of a Dove" like no one else; and Jack made my night when he told me he looked for me on the front row as soon as he went onstage!  I just hope my pictures turn out okay so I can share them with you.  The screen on my digital camera had cracked, so I have no idea what I took!

I replaced that camera immediately, because I had to be ready for the Beene Family on Sunday night.  They were at Emmanuel Baptist Church in Carthage to wind up that concert series for the year, and they disappointed me terribly.  After I braved the crowd to get a new camera--I hate shopping--none of the girls were with them on this trip!  Oh well, I took lots of pictures anyway...Landon's always doing something funny!  They've cut back on their touring over the past year, so I was really happy to have them so close to home.  And the concert was great!  Shandon did a super job on "The Lighthouse," Chrysta was amazing on "Lord, You Are Holy," and we all had such fun with "This Ole House," "Boundless Love," and "Beautiful Home."  I've loved that one ever since I heard their live CD several years ago, and I always enjoy it just as much each time I hear it!  And I guess I understand why Brandon and Chrysta let Savannah stay home with Grandma this time; they were going straight from Carthage to the recording studio the next morning.  Two-year-olds apparently don't do well with the "hurry up and wait" rigors of recording!  Maybe they'll bring her (and Taylor and Megan and Mallory and Landon & Drea's new one on the way) next time.

As always, let me remind to check out the concert update, because it's full of great groups coming our way!  Signature Sound, the Dixie Melody Boys, the Nelons, the TONEY BROTHERS--I'm going to be taking a lot of pictures in the next few weeks.  I'm not sure when I'll get them all edited and posted, but I'll be taking them!  Until next time, I'll see you on the front row!

OCTOBER 20, 2008...I missed the wedding.  I am such an idiot!  I mixed up the time--I should have been there by 5pm, not 5:30pm--and arrived late for Jason and Allison's wedding.  I didn't dare go into a wedding that late, so I just hope they know I love them and they'll forgive me for my very blonde moment!  (I am much, much too young to call these lapses "senior moments," and you'd better not argue with me on this one!)

I did manage to make it to two concerts at the correct times this week.  On Thursday, I saw the Men of Faith Quartet in Coats, and they were super, as always.  They did several songs from their latest CD, "Redemptive," including the gorgeous "When I See My Savior's Face."  I generally prefer up-tempo songs (they help me stay awake after a long, long, long day at work), so I loved "What a Glorious Day" and "Look at Me Now."  Daniel was excellent on "The Lighthouse," and I have to admit that was my favorite song of the night.  It would have been my second favorite, but Spencer let me down and didn't sing "Champion of Love," even though he confessed later that someone else besides me had asked for it, too!  I know he must get tired of singing it after all this time...I just don't care.  I love it and that's the one I want to hear!

I had arranged for Lou Anne to save a seat for me at Fellowship Baptist Saturday night, but since I am such an IDIOT, as explained earlier, I made it to the church early for the Taylors and the Morris Trio.  This was sort of an anniversary concert for the Taylors.  Three years ago, Lenwood Morris called me looking for a place to sing, and I called Fran, and she called Jonathan, and the Morris Trio did a concert at Fellowship.  The kids sang a few songs that evening, just because their dad is the pastor and he wanted them to sing.  Lenwood, Sam and Ben were very encouraging that night, and have been ever since...and just look at the Taylors now; when they win the Horizon Group award, I'll expect them to mention the Morris Trio in their acceptance speech!  The kids opened the concert with "New Day Dawning" and "Just a Little Talk with Jesus."  They're also doing a great version of "The Potter Knows the Clay."  Everything else came from the new "Rivers Crossed" CD.  It's hard to pick a favorite, but if I absolutely have to choose, I've got to go with "I Stand in Awe."  It was just beautiful!  Then the Morris Trio took the stage, and it was so good to hear them again!  I love them so much I didn't even mind the Christmas music...probably because it's the first I've heard this season and haven't gotten overdosed on it yet!  Besides, it wasn't your usual Christmas music.  They've got a completely different arrangement of "Oh Come All Ye Faithful," which you'll never recognize from the opening music, but which completely works once Sam starts to sing!  They did their latest radio singles, too..."Going Through the Motions" features Sam, "A Little Further Down the Road" features Ben, and "The Devil Lost His Keys" features Lenwood, so everyone got pretty much equal time.  Lenwood said the last song was for me, but really, it's Lou Anne who would have made a scene if they hadn't done "Long as I've Got King Jesus!"  Someday, I'd love to see them with Brian Free & Assurance; surely they can have a friendly competition with that one!  Maybe the Taylors can learn it for next year's concert with the Morris Trio...that would be too much fun!

There's a lot going on this week, so be prepared to make some hard choices when you study the concert update.  Anchormen or Isaacs?  Mark Trammell Trio or Harvesters Quartet Reunion?  Greenes or Beene Family?  Decisions, decisions!  Wherever you end up, you'll have a great time.  Don't forget to enter the photo contest on the homepage; I'd love to send the CD to you!  Until next time, I'll see you on the front row!

OCTOBER 13, 2008...Where have I been for the past few weeks?  Chained to my desk, trying to get all the paperwork done for those lovely, warm, fuzzy political ads you're hearing these days, that's where.  Be glad  all you have to do is listen to them!  If every single one of you doesn't vote after all the extra work I've had to deal with, I'm going to pitch a hissy fit...and it ain't gonna be pretty!

Well, I feel much better getting that out of my system, so let me admit that I have slipped away from the paperwork for a few concerts since I got back from NQC.  Now if I can just remember them all!  Here's a quick rundown--

Friday, September 19th:  Eighth Day was at Lighthouse Convention Center, and I was delighted that David made the trip with Joni and Scott.  I was a little disappointed that Tanner wasn't with them, but I guess you can't have everything!  (In case you're new, Tanner is their dog, and I'm keeping his picture in the photo gallery because he's so darn cute!)  They did a great concert, even though they didn't sing "Back to Me" but I was happy with "Safe in His Loving Arms" and "Rolled Away Stone."  Scott, I absolutely meant it when I said you were the best emcee around!  The best part of the evening was joining Eighth Day and Yielded for a late dinner and lots of laughter!  I hope we can all get together again next time Eighth Day is in the area!

Sunday, September 21st:  I went to Cary that evening to see Triumphant Quartet.  And I'm hoping this will turn into a regular annual concert, because the pastor in Cary was Jeff's pastor in Pigeon Forge for several years.  Pastor made such a point of it that Eric felt obliged to mention that he, Clayton, Scott and David go to church, too...just not at the same one as Jeff!  Clayton and Scott made my night when they sang "He Is."  I love their arrangement better than anyone else's!  I like it that they're traveling full time now instead of staying at a theatre--I finally get to see them once in a while!

Tuesday, September 23rd:  Eighth Day again, and it was wonderful to be able to spend so much time with Joni and Scott!  They were in Benson for campmeeting services at Benson Grove Baptist Church with Dr. J.L. Cook, and I'd promised to be there at least one night.  I'm glad I picked Tuesday, because when I walked in, I realized Mylon Hayes was setting up equipment on one side of the stage while Scott was setting up on the other!  The Greenes had to cancel their appearance, so the Hayes Family came instead.  What a lovely surprise!  I'd enjoyed seeing them on the main stage at NQC, so it was a treat to see them again.  Only three of the kids were with them, and the little one slept through the whole thing, but Sharon and Mylon's daughters sang for us and recited Bible verses, and they were just adorable! 

Wednesday, September 24th:  I didn't get to go to the service Wednesday night, but Joni and Scott came by the station for a little while.  I made sure Graden got Scott to tell the rattlesnake story on the air!  If you've never heard it, call Eighth Day and ask Scott about it...you'll laugh til you cry or wet yourself, or both! 

Saturday, September 27th:  This was an exciting night!  The Taylors hosted a special concert to celebrate the release of their new CD, "Rivers Crossed," and Fellowship Baptist was packed!  Many, many thanks to Lou Anne and Roger and Mary Anne for saving me a seat; I just barely got there before it started because I have to work way too hard...but let's not get me back up on my soapbox or that hissy fit won't be far behind!  The kids sang all the songs from the new project, and did a super job learning that much new material so quickly.  There was only one memory lapse, but like they said, all the words are on the CD so you can hear it there!  Wesley Pritchard produced the CD and he was the special guest; Jonathan called him up to sing a few songs, and then talked about what a help and inspiration Wesley had been to them all, and how he'd been moved to write a special song in tribute to Wesley.  There was mention of eagles and soaring wings as Chris played a beautiful piano intro, and I was expecting a serious song...until Jonathan starting doing bird calls!  Leslie and Suzanne joined in, and Wesley (and all of us) just lost it!  I don't agree with Wesley on one point, though.  These kids are NOT "mean as snakes," but simply mischievous and full of fun...as long as they pull the pranks on him and not me! 

Sunday, September 28th:  Emmanuel Baptist Church lined up three of my favorite groups to end this year's 4th Sunday concert series.  Driven Quartet was there in August, the Beene Family is coming in October, and on this night, Mike and Kelly Bowling were there.  That's Mike and Kelly Bowling AND Jeff Snyder, thank you very much!  They've been together for a bit less than two years--the last time Mike came to Emmanuel, Amanda Crabb and Amanda Till were with him because Kelly was having a baby and Jeff hadn't joined yet--but that's hard to remember because they work so well together on stage.  And having a #1 song from your very first CD is a great way to start out!   Of course they sang "Your Cries Have Awoken the Master" and they had too many requests for "We Have a Savior" to dare leave it out.  My favorite song was one that isn't even on the new CD--Jeff did a gorgeous job on "Who Am I."  Not that it really mattered how well the three of them sang, since they were completely upstaged by Mike and Kelly's three little girls!  The baby practically grabbed the mic and got right out front when it was her turn!  Hope, the oldest, is just eight, but it's already obvious that she's inherited talent from both sides of the family; she was amazing!

Saturday, October 4th:  The 3rd Annual Mark Surles Memorial Sing was held at Glad Tidings Church, and Mark would have loved it!  Tony Gibson and Fortress were two of the many music ministries that Mark supported and encouraged during his last few years, and even though the Dennis Family wasn't officially a group until after Mark left us, he was a big influence on them, too.  I've never seen anyone so proud of his sister and his nephew as Mark was of Jackie and Jason!  He'd be fighting me for the front row if he was here now!  Everyone's individual set was great, but the highlight of the night was "Dentress."  At least that's how Jason introduced it when Fortress and the Dennis Family did an entire set together at the end of the evening!  They've been singing "When the Clouds Roll Back" together every time they're on the same program for a while now, and it's never really been enough to satisfy us.  So they did a few of Fortress' songs and a few of the Dennis Family's, and from now on I'll expect at least twenty minutes of Dentress at every joint concert!  (Jason and Allison are getting married this weekend...say a special prayer and wish them a long, happy life together!)

Friday, October 10th:  I've been noticing the Bledsoes' name on my concert list for a year or so now.  Then a few months ago, we started playing the most beautiful song, "This Valley You're In."  Now I've finally seen the Bledsoes in concert (at Lighthouse Convention Center) and having met them, I know I'll be seeing them as often as possible from now on!  The Bledsoes are Rodney, his brother Jonathan (almost his 4th birthday present--and Rodney never would admit that he'd have preferred to get a puppy!), cousin Robert, and Buffy--I don't think she's related, but they pick on her like a sister!  I enjoyed the way they traded off front-line combinations--most of the time, it was Rodney, Jonathan and Buffy, but then Robert would come up and take a part, and sometimes it was the three guys, but it really kept things interesting.  It turns out that Rodney is a great writer; I hadn't known before that he wrote "This Valley You're In" and my other favorite, "The Fourth Watch," is his, too.  "That Same Hand" and "He's Still God" were fun songs that would be great radio singles, but the next one will be "It's Been Worth the Journey."  (Dianne Latham from the Dosses wrote that one.)  And you're going to have plenty of chances to hear the CD, "The Journey," over the next month or so...they gave me a whole box to use as on-air giveaways!  I've never had anyone do that before...so they get lots of brownie points for being so generous and you'll be getting a great CD!  I'll probably be listening to it on the way home tonight, again--it really is good!

And now my alarm is going off to remind me of something else that has to be done right now...it just never ends!  Oh well, that's what they pay me for...this is just for fun!  Until next time, I'll see you on the front row!

SEPTEMBER 22, 2008...NQC Monday is the only day of the year that I don't groan (or worse) when the alarm goes off; I won't say I jumped out of bed with a big smile, but I did get on the road at 6am as planned.  Alex Casstevens (his dad, Keith, sings lead for the Anchormen) rode to Louisville with me after his original travel plans fell through; he was great company--we talked for the first two hours, then he slept the rest of the way--and we got to Louisville right at 4pm.  I love going into the exhibit hall for the first time on Monday; it's a little overwhelming with all the noise and booths everywhere and trying to figure out where to go first, but that moment is worth the whole trip!  I always go in planning to be very methodical and work my way down each aisle, in order, and see everyone, but of course that never happens.  I always end up stopping to hug somebody or dashing across the aisle to speak to someone, and before I know I've completely missed entire rows!  I think I ended up speaking to everybody before the week ended, but if I missed you, please know it wasn't on purpose.  Sometimes you just can't catch people at their booths, no matter how hard you try!  It's taken me three years to meet Monica from Mountain Creek Harmony; we've e-mailed and planned to meet every time, but only managed it this year, finally.

I heard so much great music at NQC!  I wanted to see everybody on the main stage, but I wanted to stay in the exhibit hall and visit, too, so I had to limit my time in Freedom Hall.  I made sure to be there for groups I know well, or wouldn't get to see any other time--Soul'd Out Quartet (three songs, three standing ovations in their very first main stage appearance...they'd better be back next year!), Southern Sound, the Beene Family, the Down East Boys, Paid in Full, the Mike LeFevre Quaret, Naomi & the Segos, the Toney Brothers, Tribute Quartet and the Skyline Boys.  Thank goodness for big screen TVs and the live feed for everyone else!  Did you know that you can take pretty good pictures right off the TV?  Turn off the flash, crop out the background, and it's like you were in the Hall!  You'll see--that's how I got all the pictures from the Booth Brothers Awards...I mean the Singing News Fan Awards...on Saturday night.  I was in Freedom Hall for a very special performance on Saturday, just before the awards program.  I never thought I'd hear a main stage introduction include the words "from Lillington, North Carolina," but one did!  The Taylors WON the group division of the NQC Talent Contest and they got to sing on the main stage!  They featured Leslie on "Without the Cross," and I know they were nervous, but only because they told me so later--you couldn't tell it from the audience.  I was so very proud of them!  I was lucky enough to be sitting just behind Steve Hurst and just beside a couple who'd been to Steve's music school with the kids, so I had people to share the moment with!  It was the highlight of the entire week for me, and I'm fairly sure that Jonathan, Chris, Suzanne and Leslie will remember it, too!  (And I bet it won't be the last time we see the Taylors on that stage!)   

The showcases were especially good this year; Zane King always does a fantastic job getting those lined up, and this time we were in the East Hall--we had real stage lights, so I finally got good showcase pictures!  I enjoyed every group, but my special favorites were Driven Quartet, the Anchormen, the Webbs, Ricky Atkinson & Compassion and HisSong (and I hope they're all on the main stage next year).  I loved New Ground and the Perry Sisters and Four Fold and Voices Won and the Promisedland Quartet and Valor III and the Diplomats and the Roarks...oh, everybody was so good!  The Vintage Quartet Showcase was wonderful; Gold City was there, and the Kingdom Heirs, Brian Free & Assurance (with Roy Webb, who absolutely stole the show), the Dove Brothers and the Dixie Echoes.  I loved it when the Dixie Echoes and the Dove Brothers sang together at the end of the hour!  My favorite showcase is always the one hosted by Daywind Records on Thursday morning; this year it featured the Booth Brothers, Brian Free & Assurance, Karen Peck & New River, Greater Vision, Triumphant Quartet, the Perrys, Legacy Five, the Mark Trammell Trio, Crabb Revival, Austin's Bridge and Aaron & Amanda Crabb.  It was completely worth freezing half to death for that line-up.  (The AC in the new exhibit hall really, really works well!!)  I even got up early each day for the Chapel Services with the Kingdom Heirs, Legacy Five, the Hoppers and the Mark Trammell Trio.  Mark Trammell, by the way, really is a great preacher!  (And next time you see them, ask him to tell the story about Dustin and the "air possum!")  The comedy showcases with Dennis Swanberg and Aaron Wilburn were better than anything you'll see on Comedy Central (with no cussin' to worry about).  The funniest showcase moment for me happened on Friday; Called Out Quartet was opening the noon showcase and Eddie Crook was set to play for them.  Zane gave them a big introduction, the guys were ready to sing, Eddie hit the keys, and...nothing.  No sound would come from that keyboard.  Dwayne Burke came flying up to the stage, and they were working on figuring out the problem.  I was only kidding when asked "Is it plugged in?"  Guess what?  It wasn't plugged in!  It's amazing how much better things work when they've got power!  Called Out got to sing an extra song while they were working on it, so I thought things worked out just fine. 

Of course, some of my favorite things happened offstage!  The Allens and the LeBeaus let me down and didn't bring their dogs with them, so I had to make some new friends to keep from missing my "kids" too much.  Eric Horner and his wife had two adorable chihuahuas, Gracie and her 9-week-old daughter Libbie, and is anything more adorable than a yawning puppy?!  I spotted a small dog and dashed into another booth on Friday, and ended up meeting the Gardners; you've heard their song "No Other Name" for the past couple of months.  I had the most fun ever on Thursday night.  I spent most of the evening in Eighth Day's booth; I got to hear some of the songs from the new CD the group is working on, and Joni and I made a new friend when Royce Saunders came by--his mom sings with the Gabbards, and he's the sweetest little guy you'll ever meet!   When Scott joined us, Joni wanted him to tell his snake story--former state trooper makes traffic stop and ends up blowing away a huge rattlesnake; you'll have to get Scott to tell the full, embellished version--but there were too many of us to be comfortable in the booth, so we took over some empty tables in the food court, and laughed ourselves silly for the next hour or so!  Then someone--I think it was Kim Hudgins--had the wonderful idea of going to the midnight breakfast buffet at the hotel across the road, so off we went...Scott and Joni, me, Kim and Tony, Ryan and Heather Stutzman, and Brad and Norma Lee.  We were the last ones to leave, and it was about 3am before I got to bed.  At 6:30am, something in my room started making a very loud chirpy noise.  6:30!!!  I knew I hadn't set the alarm for that wicked hour, it wasn't my phone ringtone, the hotel phone wasn't ringing, and it wasn't the clock radio because I yanked that cord out of the plug first thing!  I finally figured out that it was my phone battery getting low and managed to shut the stupid thing off, but of course that was the end of any sleep!  I kept going through my morning and afternoon showcases, but by Friday night, I was exhausted.  I ended up at the Toney Brothers' booth, sitting on the couch between Terry Toney and George Webster, too tired to move until the exhibit hall was closing and they had to pack up and head home.  And I loved every minute of it!

I have 62 new CDs to listen to, and I made a good start on the way home.  I haven't found one yet that I didn't like, but at the top of the list are "Foundations" by the Anchormen, "Always Have a Song" by the Mark Trammell Trio, "Living with the Light On" by the Crist Family, and my very favorite, "So Many Reasons" by the Dixie Echoes.  It's so good I had to listen to it twice before moving on to the next CD in the stack, and it's the one I went back to when I finished that stack!  (If you can't find it locally, go to dixieechoes.com or springside.com to order it...today!)  When I got home Sunday night, all five dogs met me at the door and demanded immediate attention.  Getting down on the floor to play with them was easy...but it's a good thing my brother doesn't own a video camera, or getting up again would be on "Funniest Home Videos!"  The cats even noticed I was home, though Lucky did punish me by ignoring me completely all evening.  I guess I deserved it, and he's finally forgiven me! 

I love the National Quartet Convention, but it's a good thing it only happens once a year!  I'm still worn out,  I haven't even come close to catching up at the office yet...andI can't wait to do it all again next year!  I'll get pictures posted as soon as I can, but with 600 to go through, it may take another week or so.  I'll catch up on the local concerts from this past weekend next time, okay.  Until then, I'll see you on the front row!

AUGUST 26, 2008...Well, I didn't get to spend as much time at the studio with Driven as I would have liked, but I was there long enough to know the new project will be fabulous!  I got there about 5pm on Thursday, thinking (hoping) the session would go to 10 or 11.  If you've ever seen Wesley Pritchard directing the Fayetteville Community Church choir, you've got an idea of what he's like in the studio.  He's fun to watch, though he's got to be exhausted by the time he's finished!  And by the time he's satisfied with a recording, the group knows exactly how every note, word or phrase should be sung, because they've had to do it over and over and over to earn Wesley's stamp of approval.  Jason, Chad and Scott worked on one chorus for a solid hour; Will nailed his part almost immediately!  I got to hear the finished cut of "Let Me Live," and the work was definitely worth it--it's great!  Wesley had to leave early, so I only got to be there for that one song; the guys will be back in the studio on Friday, and we should have a brand new CD from Driven Quartet in a couple of months! 

If you were at the home football game on Friday, I sort of understand...gotta support the kids, after all.  But if you were anywhere else, shame on you for missing a wonderful service with Driven at Savannah Hill Church.  I bet we had more fun than you did!  The guys sang as hard for that small crowd as they would have for a packed church...and I know that because I also saw them Sunday night at Emmanuel Baptist Church in Carthage, which was, in fact, packed.  "Between a Rock and a Hard Place," the new radio single, is a big hit in concert, even though I can't quite get the hang of clapping on that one.  I have no rhythm!  They've got a couple of new big ballads in the program that I just love--Jason's is "The Story of My Life" and Chad's is "Press On," or something very like that.  I'll get the exact titles when the new CD comes out.  Will is featured on "Are You Ready to Go" and "Thanks to Calvary."  Of course, we all have a fit when he hits his low notes, and he just smiles like "aw shucks, it was nothin'."  Scott has stepped into the tenor spot beautifully, just like I knew he would.  He does a great job on "I Must Tell Jesus" and "Oh What a Savior."  Jason's just thrilled not to be the oldest one in the group anymore!  Mary Anne, who sometimes talks way too much, told them on Friday that Sunday was my birthday, so they sang "Happy Birthday" to me at the end of the service; I would have been really mad at anyone else, but they can get away with pretty much anything, and besides, Jason sang "Marriage Supper of the Lamb" for me that night.  That is still the most amazing song I've ever heard them sing...and I will hound them unmercifully until they get it recorded!

We had a super concert on Saturday night at Grace Chapel Church in Dunn, with Fortress, the Dennis Family and the Taylors.  I seriously doubt there's a better line-up than that (unless, of course, you add Driven Quartet)!  Fortress opened the concert, and they started the night off right.  Tim kept most of their set up-tempo with "There's No Such Thing," "Walking with Jesus," and "He's So Good to Me."  The big guns came out before they were done...Mike sang "How Great Thou Art" and Jeff did "Oh What a Savior."  Ainsleigh wasn't there, but the guys did the best they could without her!  The Dennis Family joined Fortress on "When the Clouds Roll Back," and I think there was a little friendly competition between Jackie and Jeff on some of the high parts!  The Dennis Family's set was great...Jackie sang my favorite, "I'll Tell It Wherever I Go" (the GVB can't touch her version), and Jason's favorite, "Something I Can Feel."  The pastor put Jason on the spot by plotting with the sound man to sneak in "A Little Song Coming On."  Jason was afraid he wouldn't remember the words since he hadn't done it lately, but he did a great job.  And then he sang "Through the Fire," and I thought a revival was about to break out!  We might have been a little tired by the time the Taylors took the stage--okay, maybe it was just me, but I'm old now and I'd worked all day--but the kids kept things fired up with a lot of fast songs and that gorgeous family harmony.  After "Halfway," "Mountain Get Out of My Way," and "My Name Is Lazarus," I wasn't even (very) tired anymore!  "Stand Still" was a big hit; it'll be on the new album coming out next month.  And, though I'm sure Chris tried to get out of it, Jonathan remembered that Fran and I both wanted to hear "If You Ever Needed the Lord Before" for our birthdays.  (She celebrates on Wednesday...happy happy!)  Then we each got a very unique, thankfully very short birthday song!  Don't ask how old I am now; I've decided that the best way to stay young is to lie about your age!

The NQC countdown is on...only two weeks to go, so I'd better get some work done now.  TWO WEEKS!  Yikes!  Check the concerts, enter the homepage contest, leave a message after the beep...you know it by heart, don't you?  Until next time, I'll see you on the front row!

AUGUST 18, 2008...I've been a big Kevin Spencer fan for several years now, and I try to attend as many Kevin Spencer & Friends concerts as possible.  I saw Wade Spencer in concert a couple of years ago, and I liked him, too.  But I'd never met J.B. & Barbara Spencer until last Wednesday night.  The last time I saw Kevin, he told me that he'd be with his parents in Angier in August (while James and Starla enjoyed a week off), and he expected me to be there.  Yes, sir!  Kevin was setting up the product table by the RV when I arrived, and we talked for a few minutes while he worked, trying to figure out if I'll ever get to see the baby before she's old enough to go to college!  At least I've seen pictures; she's adorable!  When it was concert time, Kevin, who calls himself a "Rusty Goodman nut," opened with "Who Am I" from his "Remembering Rusty" project, then J.B. & Barbara joined him on "Leaving on My Mind" and "Look for Me."  A little later, Kevin sang "The Blood Is Still There," and J.B. did "Drinking from My Saucer," but most of the concert was Spencers' hits..."Coming Soon," "Chances Are," "Let's Meet by the River," and of course, "In My Robe of White" were some of my favorites.  I had a chance to speak with J.B. and Barbara and record some radio liners after the service.  They are so sweet!   I'll definitely have to be there when they come back to Friendship Baptist next year...and I'll be expecting to Kevin Spencer & Friends to be appearing there very soon!

I normally loathe outdoor concerts, but I actually enjoyed one on Sunday.  It was partly because it was deliciously cool for August, the weather was nearly perfect, and Asheboro's Bicentennial Park is beautiful, but mostly it was because the Webbs were singing.  I knew I'd found the right parking lot when I saw the bus; Rick came out just as I pulled into the lot.  We had an hour or so before the concert started, so Rick and Phyllis invited me to wait in the bus.  After being assured that the bus would not be moving (I'll never forget the seasick feeling of that bus being backed up), I relaxed and enjoyed the visit.  The Webbs will have a new CD at NQC next month, and I got to hear rough mixes of the first two singles.  Rick, Phyllis and Parker kept reminding me that these were rough, not final, mixes, but I thought they sounded great!  Just wait til you hear Parker on "Singing with the Saints" and Hannah on "Wonderful Day"--I'm excited about them already!  I had to laugh at Rick, several times; he was so worried about the ladies being ready on time, and the sound at an outdoor concert, and the possibility of rain, and a dozen other little details that were completely beyond his control...and there was no need to fret about any of it.  Phyllis and Hannah looked gorgeous (and they did not keep anyone waiting), Tim did a near perfect job running the sound, and though there were maybe a dozen raindrops, by 7pm the sun was shining again and a good crowd was settled in.  I hope everybody enjoyed the concert as much as I did!  The Webbs did recent radio hits ("Hallelujah to the Lord," "Bells of Heaven," and "The Lord Is Great and Wonderful"), album favorites ("The Road Home," "The Battlefield" and "I Shall Not Be Afraid"), and even a couple from the upcoming project ("Days of Elijah" and "My Father Knows").  I heard plenty of positive comments around the product table afterward; even Mayor Jarrell and his wife made a point of saying how much they'd enjoyed it.  Make plans to be in High Point on November 2nd; the Webbs will host a special CD-release concert at their home church.  Christian Davis and Gordon Mote are scheduled to be there, and it's sure to be a super evening.  But the really big event is coming up on November 22nd...Parker's wedding!  (Maybe they'll have the DVD on the product table next year!)

I'm so excited...I'll get to see Driven three times this week!  Jason said I can stop by the studio one night while they work on finishing the new CD, and then I'll see them at Savannah Hill Church on Friday and at Emmanuel Baptist on Sunday!  Saturday night, Fortress, the Dennis Family and the Taylors are going to be at Grace Chapel--it's going to be a very good weekend for me!  I've got all the details for those concerts (and lots more) on the concert update.  If you haven't entered the homepage photo contest yet, be sure to do that before you leave the website.  Until next time, I'll see you on the front row!

AUGUST 11, 2008...Amy, if Jacob brought home a new pet, it's not my fault!  I tried to tell him you wouldn't be happy to add a frog to the family, but I'm not sure he believed me!  The frog hunt took place Thursday night in front of Ron's Barn, following a lovely evening with Fortress.  Tim, Jeff and Mike have just completed new CD, "Walking with Jesus," and they've got some great new songs to add to the program.  "There's No Such Thing" is already my favorite; I was singing along after the first chorus.  "We Need to Thank God" is really good on the CD, and even better in person with the acapella opening.  "He's So Good" may be the hardest two minutes of Tim's night (at least until he learns all the words), but I sure did enjoy it.  And we've finally got a recording of Jeff's version of "Oh What a Savior!"  We were privileged to enjoy some special guests, too.  Jackie and Doug Dennis were there; the Dennis Family and Fortress work together quite a bit, and they always sing "When the Clouds Roll Back" sometime during those concerts.  This was no exception, as Tim called Jackie to the stage just before the break.  He let Doug off the hook this time!  Our entertainment during the break was provided by Miss Ainsleigh Brooks, who gets more adorable every time I see her!  She's not a bit shy about singing for a crowd, and if Fortress doesn't win your heart, she will!  It's a tradition at Ron's to recognize birthdays and anniversaries, and most groups sing "Happy Birthday" and "Happy Anniversary" separately.  Fortress, of course, is not like most groups--after a brief onstage meeting, they came up "Happy Annibirthday!"  I love Fortress, but I really enjoy spending time with their kids when they're able to make it to the concerts.  Jeff's boys always ask about the puppy they gave me last year; my baby Jacob was a year old in May, he's spoiled rotten, and I simply adore him!  (You can see his picture, along with the rest of my young'uns, on my page under the Staff link.)  Matthew came over to keep me company for while; he's such a sweetheart that he didn't even roll his eyes when I made him promise to be extra careful on the dirt bike he's hoping to get for his birthday!  Ainsleigh was talking to everyone she could get to after the concert, asking if they had Jesus in their hearts; she nearly made her mom (and me) cry when she said "I have to ask them!"  Mike didn't say anything, but I'd almost swear he looked ten feet tall at that moment.  And then there's Jacob...Jeff and Amy's, not mine...when I started to leave, he was playing on the front porch.  Then he saw a little frog jumping around and got the marvelous idea to catch him.  When I asked why he wanted to catch the little guy, he very patiently explained that frogs make good pets.  (Old people can be quite dense, can't we?)  I told him I didn't think that would be a good idea, but what do I know?!

Some people call her a living legend; some people call her the coolest old lady they've ever met.  She's both, and more!  Naomi & the Segos spent Sunday here in Harnett County, starting at Pentecost Worship Center in Lillington.  It was the first time for Miss Naomi and Jerry to be with Pastor Wanda; I was meeting Jerry for the first time, too, but I'd already heard so many good things about him I felt like we were already friends.  Scott had been there twice before as a soloist, so he knew we were in for a great service.  Even when the sound system threatened to ruin the whole thing--it's true that the devil's in the sound system!--nobody let it spoil the day.  Scott stopped the music, Pastor Wanda prayed over it, then they started again from the top.  When the system acted up during "I Am His and He Is Mine," they just kept singing without the music, and I thought it was the best moment of the morning.  Not that they'd ever brag, but wow!  They should do that song acapella more often, because it really shows off three tremendous talents.  The service was lively after that, and by the time they got to "Put on a Crown," I thought Scott was about to start preaching!  Miss Naomi invited me to join them for lunch--she was brave enough to try a fried banana, I wasn't--then we made plans to meet at Mt. Carmel P.F.W.B. in Dunn about 4:00 to get ready for the evening service.  I thought I gave them good directions, but as Scott pointed out, it's not actually in Dunn, it's in the middle of a Sampson County field, and since it was almost 5:00pm before they got there, I was drafted to help tote stuff inside!  The devil was still in that sound system, but Scott worked around it and we had another good time.  Terry Tew was a big help in getting everything set up (and thanks for dinner afterward!), and he wanted to hear Miss Naomi sing "A Child's Request," because his mom and dad used to sing it, too.  Scott and Jerry didn't know it at all, and Miss Naomi hadn't sung it in years, but she was willing to give it a try.  The guys stepped back and she sang it by herself and remembered every word--she was surprised and we were impressed!  Never underestimate Miss Naomi!

There's a stack of work a mile high on my desk (yes, I exaggerate, but not by much), so I'd better wrap this up and get to it.  Check out the concert update, enter the homepage contest...surely you know the drill by now!  Until next time, I'll see you on the front row! 

AUGUST 5, 2008...Okay, so I'm not getting to as many concerts these days.  But that makes the ones I do attend extra special!

For example, I'd been looking forward to Friday's concert at the Lighthouse for months.  Of course, I'd have been there anyway for the Taylors--I love those kids!--but when I saw that Keith Plott was scheduled with them, I got really excited.  I met Keith at NQC in 2002, at the Eddie Crook Company Reunion Showcase.  The section where I wanted to sit was reserved for ECC artists and their families, but I asked if I could sit there anyway.  At the time, Keith was singing with Safe Harbor, and it was just lucky that he's the one I asked!  He said, sure, I was family, and he's called me "Sis" ever since!  You probably met him while he was with Brian Free & Assurance, and if you were very, very lucky you may have seen him with Danny Funderburk & Mercy's Way (I never managed that, unfortunately), but a bit over a year ago he decided to go solo.  It was a good decision.  Keith just released his second CD, "There Is One," and after finally seeing him in a solo concert, I know why his schedule is filling up so fast.  He's found great new songs that sound like they were written just for him ("I Hear My Father Calling Me" and "That's the Truth" are two of my favorites), but he's included songs audiences already know and love ("Long Black Train" and "Thanks to Calvary"), and several that he invites you to sing along with ("I Can't Even Walk" and "He Set Me Free").  And he's just such a teddy bear, you have to like him!  If he doesn't win you over, Bobbie will.  Spend five minutes at the table with her and you'll feel like you've been friends for years--hey, if Keith calls me Sis, does that mean I can claim her as a sister-in-law?  And of course, you must love the Taylors, or you'll have to deal with Fran (and Lou Anne, and Durwood and Miss Rosina, and Mary Anne and Roger, and me, and Grandma)...we're all just ridiculously proud of them!  We love them because Leslie, Suzanne, Chris and Jonathan are just the sweetest kids you'll ever meet, and we're proud of them because they've worked so hard in the past couple of years to make the group the best it can be.  They're doing something right--they won the Grand Champion trophy at the State Singing Convention in June, and they're scheduled to sing for the promoters association at NQC next month.  I hope they'll sing their arrangement of "New Day Dawning," with a bit of "What a Day That Will Be" mixed in for emphasis.  No, wait, they should do "Halfway," which you've noticed by now I love!  What about "If You Ever Needed the Lord Before?"  It's always a concert highlight.  (Chris has promised to sing it on August 23rd at Grace Chapel, because Fran and I have both begged!)  Or how about the new song?  I didn't catch the title, but it's one of several their mom, Sandra, wrote for the new CD.  I guess it's a good thing I don't have to make the choice!  I just know that if they do as well then as they did Friday night--and they will--it won't be long before they're singing all over the country.  (And I still think they should get a batch of Taylors Ties made up for the table, just like the one dad James was wearing!)

Did you recognize the Talley Trio in the homepage contest photo last month?  Did you e-mail that fact, so you'd have a chance to win?  Follow through, people, follow through!  Check out the new picture that's just been posted, and enter to win the next contest.  If you wonder how your favorite song is doing this month, our new Top 60 chart is available.  And as always, study the Concert Update before making your weekend plans.  I already know I'll be seeing Naomi & the Segos on Sunday, and I hope you'll join me.  Until next time, I'll see you on the front row!

JULY 22, 2008...I just looked over my calendar, and it suddenly struck me that there are only seven weeks left until NQC!  Have you got your tickets and travel plans yet? 

I'm sure I'll be spending some time at the Anchormen's booth--I always do!  I spent last Thursday with them at Micro Baptist Church; that's always a fun concert, but this one was really unusual.  It was time to sing at 7pm, and Karl, Keith, Paul and Bryan were on stage...but nobody was standing in front the baritone mic.  So Keith called his son Alex to come up and they started without him!  Michael took over with the second song, and I was impressed with the new guy; he sounds good, he seems to be having a good time, and if they'll all chip in and buy him an alarm clock, this is gonna be great!  It'll be great even without the clock--I'm just teasing!  Beside, if Michael is running late again, the Anchormen have some options.  Alex travels with them as much as he can while school's out; he's going to be a great addition to a group when he graduates (and I'm really hoping it's the Anchormen).  They let him sing again later in the service, and Keith's grin was even bigger than usual; I guess he's just a little bit proud of the kid!  And if Alex isn't with them, they've got yet another reserve to call upon...Bryan Elliott.  I can't believe that it's taken seven years to discover that Bryan can sing as well as he can play!  He sang "Come See Me," and did a beautiful job; I was so surprised and so proud of him!  Keith told me later that Alex and Bryan had filled in while he was on a few weeks' vocal rest, and did so well that they're both part of the program now.  He also said it's a hoot to watch people like me who've known Bryan for years, and see our faces when we hear him sing for the first time!  I'm sure I'm not the only one who's been very impressed!

Another group I spend quality NQC time with is Rejoice.  Actually, I've known Rejoice since before they were Rejoice.  I looked back over my Carolina Gospel Showcase records, and found that I did an interview with Sherri in August, 2000, when they were called Exalt.  I've attended their NQC showcases, but in all these years, somehow I'd never managed to catch up with them in a full concert until Saturday night.  (That's not entirely my fault.  Pastor Earl was severely scolded for not telling me he brought them to Dunn two years ago, so he always makes sure he calls me now!)  I'm sorry it took so long, but it was worth waiting for.  Now I've finally seen Rejoice in concert...two-thirds of them, anyway.  Sherri, Melissa and Sherri's son Tyler were setting up the table when I walked in, and I asked if Tyler was planning to sing one for us.  Actually, Tyler was planning to sing everything for us.  Maria had to work, so Tyler was drafted to fill in.  He did just fine, but it couldn't have been easy for a bass singer to reach even the low ladies' part!  He did it, but for him to sing that part, Sherri had to move up and take Maria's part.  It may have been a little confusing for them, but I thoroughly enjoyed it.  Next time Melissa needs to try a different part, too...why should Sherri and Tyler have all the fun?!  Pastor Earl is already making plans for the next concert, probably in early December...he'll be sure to let me know when it's set! 

When I get the details, they'll be on the concert update.  In the meantime, they are plenty of concerts to keep us busy; check out the page when you have a minute.  I've got new pictures in the photo gallery (and if I haven't finished posting them by the time you've read this, just give me a few more minutes).  And as always, remember to enter the photo contest on the homepage--it's easy this month!  Until next time, I'll see you on the front row!       

JULY 16, 2008...Wednesday already?  How on earth did that happen?!  

If I concentrate really hard (and peek in the checkbook), I can say with almost absolute certainty that I went to Ron's Barn last Thursday.  The Royal Descendants were there, and that, I definitely remember!  They were great!  Most of the songs were from their brand new CD, "Amazed at the Change," and it may be their best yet.  They do a fine job on "Jesus Will Be There" and "If You Only Knew," and they've finally recorded "Still Feeling Fine."  I'd never heard "Over the Sunset Mountain" before, but I must have been the only one--everyone was singing along almost from the first note (and even I picked up the chorus pretty quickly).  "God's Home" is as good as any song you hear us play on WCKB, but I know by now that I'm wasting my time begging Denny to send a single to radio.  I still wish he would--it seems a shame to keep a group like the Royal Descendants all to ourselves--but he just won't listen to me!  Maybe if you asked him?

Saturday night, I went to Friendly Chapel for Keith and Kayla Rivenbark's 10th anniversary concert; Arise and the Dixie Melody Boys joined them.  I stopped by the Dixie Melody Boys' table before the concert to pick up the new projects ("Serenade" and "Back to the Good Old Days"), and I met Mr. Ed's new lead singer, Joe.  We chatted for a minute while I paid for my CD's; when he mentioned that he used to sing with his brothers and that Gary Casto (Tribute Quartet) had told Mr. Ed about him, it finally dawned on me why he looked familiar--he's Jacob Kitson's brother!  Mary Anne was so excited when I told her; she was heartbroken when Jacob left Tribute--Greater Vision rarely comes to visit us--so I knew she'd enjoy meeting his brother.  Talent seems to run in Southern Gospel families, especially around here!  Every time I think there can't possibly be any more singing Parkers, I meet another one--this time it was Chris.  Okay, technically I met him last fall at Arise's anniversary concert, but I never heard him sing until Saturday night.  He's the new bass singer, and all I want to know is, what took him so long to join the group?  He   sounds great, and Brendan and Charlie are obviously delighted to have him on the team.  Mitchell was joking about being the only non-Parker in Arise now, but we can solve that problem...Charlie just needs to adopt him!  Keith and Kayla followed Arise, and were excellent, as usual.  I always enjoy their concerts, and one of the reasons is they pick such great songs...and they seem to like the Anchormen and the Down East Boys as much as I do!  Now if they'd just learn a couple from Mended Wings, that would be super!  The Dixie Melody Boys were next, and Mr. Ed sounds as good and looks as happy as I've ever seen him!  Jonathan and Steven are still with him, and Joe fits in perfectly; it was only his third night and yet it seemed like he'd always been part of the group.  They didn't use a lot of orchestration and vocal stacks and tricks...they just SANG, and it was wonderful!  I almost said they didn't do anything fancy, but in thinking back, some of those arrangements were pretty complicated.  The guys just made them all sound easy!  As Mr. Ed's says each month in Singing News, "all I ever wanted to do was sing," and with this group and these arrangements, that's just what they do.  You've really got to be good when you don't have a lot of music to hide behind...and they are!    

That's all for now.  Be sure to enter the photo contest on the homepage; it should be pretty easy this month.  There are lots of great concerts heading our way, and I've got them on the concert update page.  (Let me know if I missed anything.)  Until next time, I'll see you on the front row!

JULY 1, 2008...My musical tastes have always baffled my friends.  When I was 17, I bought Barry Manilow's "2:00am Paradise Cafe" and Triumph's "Lay It on the Line" at the same time--the crowd at the Record Hut couldn't believe they were both for me, but they're both still in my collection.  Now I go see Naomi & the Segos and the Booth Brothers in the same weekend, and just loved both concerts!  (Notice how I cleverly don't mention how many years have passed since that day at the Record Hut!)

I always look forward to Miss Naomi's yearly visit to Lighthouse Convention Center, because even when they're running late because somebody takes the wrong exit (use the GPS, Scott!), they still take time to stop by the station for a little while.  We hugged, we laughed, I took pictures, and Neal did a great interview; the best parts of the interview were Neal teasing her about a new nickname ("Hollywood," because she was wearing sunglasses after eye surgery earlier in the week) and Miss Naomi assuring us all that she has NO plans to retire!  And why should she?  As she proved again Friday night, the lady's still got it...her voice is as strong as ever, she never misses a note or a word, and she seems happiest when she's singing!  It was so good to see Scott Spangler onstage with her again; I love to hear him as a soloist, but he and Naomi make such a great team!  He made my night when he sang "A Sinner's Prayer." I was so excited when I recognized the opening notes; it's my favorite song from the "Milestones" CD, and I never thought I'd get to hear him do it again!  And while I was getting all nostalgic, I remembered the first time I met Terry Dorsey; in 2003, I made a six-hour trip to the tiptop of Virginia to see Scott and Naomi, and it was the weekend Terry first tried out for the group.  Who'd have thought that five years later, we'd all be together again?!  It would have been perfect if Coco had been there, too...even though my dogs would have been jealous and I'd have had some explaining to do when I got home...but maybe she'll make the next trip.  The next trip, by the way, will be in about six weeks; Naomi & the Segos will be in Lillington and Dunn on August 10th and I'll have the details on the concert update.

The Booth Brothers made their annual appearance at Fayetteville Community Church on Sunday night; I enjoy every FCC concert, but I confess I look forward to the Booth Brothers most each year!  Even their sound checks are the best...as Ronnie was tuning his guitar, he started to sing "Smoky Mountain Rain," and when everybody joined in, even I remembered every word and sang along (quietly!).  After a few more songs from the 70s, Roy Webb played the intro to Journey's "Open Arms" (radio days at Central Carolina Community College...oh, the memories!) and Michael took off on that one.  (I asked for "I Can't Fight This Feeling"--my favorite from REO Speedwagon--but by that time, they really did have to get to work setting sound for their own songs.  Maybe they'll sing it for me next time?)  Yes, I said Roy Webb...I can admit now that I really wasn't sure what to expect from Roy as a solo artist, but he was great!  He's a wonderful storyteller; I would have said comedian, but that wouldn't do him justice.  We laughed a lot, but when he talked about his dad we were nearly in tears.  And he's a pretty good piano player, too!  The Booth Brothers opened with "He Saw It All," and the next hour or so went by much too quickly.  I enjoyed every song so much, it's hard to single out just a few, but I'll try.  Jim does a beautiful job on "Tears Are a Language," and Mr. & Mrs. Booth should adopt him and make him an official brother so he'll never leave!  Ronnie sang "I Would" from his solo CD, then Michael sang "The Secret Place" from his--he should send us a radio single, too.  "Over the Moon" may not be a deep, spiritual song, but when Michael goes for the high notes and makes himself laugh, it sure is a lot of fun!  The Booth Brothers have the coolest version of "What a Morning" and of course, "Still Feelin' Fine" rocks!  I would have expected them to end the concert with that song, when everyone was on their feet and the applause was loudest, but anybody could have done that.  They slowed things down with "Trust His Heart" and "Look for Me at Jesus' Feet."  I thought we came for a concert, but suddenly we were having church, and if anyone gives a more heartfelt invitation than Michael Booth, I haven't heard it.  The next FCC concert will be Signature Sound in November; get your tickets early because they'll most likely sell out early again, and when you call the church, tell them you expect the Booth Brothers to be back next year!

Don't forget to send in your final ballot for the Singing News Fan Awards; I mailed mine this morning--with several votes for the Booth Brothers, of course!  Enter the contest on our homepage to win a CD; we'll probably give you another week on this picture since we were late changing it, but don't wait too long.  There aren't many concerts this weekend because of the holiday, but plan to get busy again next week.  Have a safe 4th, leave the fireworks to the professionals, and until next time, I'll see you on the front row!

JUNE 17, 2008...I can only hope that Brian Free appreciates the trouble I'm getting into for him this weekend.  My sister, who can lay on the guilt with the very best moms out there, was not happy with me when I said I wouldn't be able to go to my niece's 5th birthday party.  Is it my fault that the organizers of the State Annual Singing Convention invited Brian Free & Assurance to be the special guests on Saturday night?  No, it isn't!  Now, if I could just convince Ginger to see it my way!

At least I didn't get into much trouble last week!  Mary Anne was a little miffed that I didn't go to Willow Spring on Monday night for the Taylors and the Mark Trammell Trio, but I just couldn't get out of the office in time to get there.  Besides, this was a very rare week, with two chances to see Mark, Dustin, and Eric, and one of them was only ten minutes from the house...guess which chance I took?!  Thursday night, the guys were at Kendale Acres Free Will Baptist Church, and I made it to that concert.  Mark was a little quieter than usual, letting Eric and Dustin handle most of the features; he thought he might be coming down with a cold, but it was probably the smoke in the air that was bothering him.  (Who would have thought wildfires in the coastal counties would affect us?)  If he hadn't said something, I doubt anyone would have realized he was taking it a little easy; he was, after all, singing on every song and sounding great.  I thought he was just changing up the program because there were several people there who'd just seen the group on Monday as well.  The second half of the concert included a very special guest.  Mark's brother, Jerry Trammell, was traveling with them for the week.  (He'd just gotten home from a three-week trip when Mark came to Willow Spring, and so of course he had to get on the bus with them; somebody give Terri a gold star for being a good sport about it and letting him go!)  Eric asked Jerry to sing one for us; he did a beautiful job on "Does Jesus Care."  When Mark came back onstage, he talked about how much he loved his big brother--though he tried to add a few extra years between their ages--then introduced a song they'd written together years ago, "When I Stand in the Presence."  It's hard to believe a couple of kids wrote that!

Friday night, I went to the Lighthouse to see Keith & Kayla Rivenbark and the Trinity Quartet.  I always get a little shock when I see Kayla all grown up...I can't help it, I still think of her as the little girl I first met...but she's used to that!  Let's see, if she's 17 now, that makes Keith...we'd better not go there!  Mary Anne, Lou Anne, Kayla and I teased him enough about his short short short haircut, so I'll give him a break on this.  They've got a brand new CD just in, so we heard a lot of new songs like "The Lord Knows What to Do" and "I Will Find You Again."  The influence of Steve Ladd and the Anchormen is still felt; the new CD includes "Unsinkable" and "Jesus Is Coming Get Ready," and they ended their set with "I Feel Like Running."  I remember the time Margie and I rode to Whiteville with Keith and Kayla when they sang with the Anchormen (she was maybe 9 or 10 years old), and when the Anchormen were special guests at Keith & Kayla's homecoming concert a few years ago, and concerts at area schools on Thursday nights; they seemed to sing that song together whenever both groups were on the program.  Memories!  The Trinity Quartet doesn't get to this area very often, so I try to get to Lighthouse whenever they're featured.  They don't see me often enough to really know me, but Warren remembered seeing me at their NQC showcase last fall (and he said he reads "Follies!") and Vernon recognizes that I'm almost always there when Trinity Quartet sings at Lighthouse.  Mike and Jim don't have a clue!  Even though I don't know them well, I always enjoy this quartet!  Their latest CD, "Trinity Quartet," (so it's easy for DJ's to remember) has some great songs like "First Day of Heaven" and "Got a Hold of a Book."  Most of the songs they sang Friday came from that CD, but Jim also did a really nice job on "Thanks to Calvary."  I'll be surprised if it doesn't show up on the next project.   I would have loved to hear more from Vernon, one of my favorite tenors; he had a featured line or two on most songs, but I had to wait til almost the end of the night to hear him sing "God Called Again."  And Mike picked on him way too much!

It's going to be a big weekend here, with the Singing Convention starting Friday evening.  I've already mentioned Brian Free & Assurance, and Sunday's special guests will be Triumphant Quartet.  If you're not at the Singing Grove, you'll miss a great event.  If you can't be in Benson, just promise me that you'll support a sing in your area; check the concert update for current listings.  And you can once again enter the homepage photo contest; Margie's updated the picture, and she's going to teach me how to do it, too, so we shouldn't get off schedule again.  Wish me luck with my sister, and until next time, I'll see you on the front row!

JUNE 9, 2008..."Hot 'nuff fer ya?"  Please join me in smacking the next moron who thinks that's funny.  And how about the weather folks who sound way too perky and happy about it when they tell us the heat index numbers?  Do we really need to be told that it feels like 104º, as if simply saying 98º isn't bad enough?  Too much information! 

Now back to our regular programming.  The air conditioning at Ron's Barn works just fine, especially if you happen to be sitting beneath an A/C vent and one of the ceiling fans!  I enjoyed it tremendously last Thursday...and the music was pretty good, too!  Servant's Heart was there, and for any out-of-towners who happen to be reading this, that's one of our great ladies quartets.  Yes, they have the bass part covered just fine; Joan can hit lower notes than some men.  (Is it still called bass when a lady sings it?)  Janie, Connie and April round out the quartet; April also writes a lot of their original material.  Even when they cover someone else's songs, Servant's Heart makes them their own.  They did a beautiful job on "Under His Wings" and a medley of "Shout to the Lord/How Great Thou Art."  The group only sings twice a month now due to commitments at their home church, so if you get a chance to see Servant's Heart, don't pass it up! 

When I go to hear a group sing, I usually try to arrive about an hour early, just in case I have trouble finding the place or the service or concert starts earlier than I was told.  Wouldn't you know that the one time I don't get there early, it turns out to be one of those early starts?  And wouldn't you know that it happened with one of my very favorite groups?!  I talked to Rodney Hoots a week or so ago--I had to explain why I didn't make it to the Mended Wings reunion in Myrtle Beach.  After I made my excuses and begged forgiveness, I promised to see them in Graham on the 8th.  Rodney told me it was a homecoming service, so they'd do a few songs in the morning service, and a full concert after lunch.  That's what I planned on, so when the alarm went off, I hit the snooze a time or twelve, knowing exactly how long I could postpone and still be the church by 11:00am.  Imagine how I felt when I arrived at 10:48 and the sign said "Mended Wings 10:00am!"  I was afraid I'd missed their whole program, but I only missed half.  Since they had to get to Charlotte for an early evening service, the pastor changed the order of the day; they didn't know about it until that morning so I forgive them all for not letting me know about the change.  As long as I heard part of their program, it was worth the drive.  And I did get a wonderful surprise--hearing Mended Wings as a quartet again!  Chris Hancock, one of the finest bass singers to ever growl an ending, doesn't travel anymore, but he'll join them sometimes when the group is in his area.  Graham is his area...Tabernacle Baptist is his church...so there he was!  He remembered most of his verse for "Casting Your Bread Upon the Water," and it was so good to hear him sing with Rodney again.  Then they took requests from the audience, which is always interesting (nobody could remember more than the first verse of "What a Meeting in the Air," but someone was kind enough to ask for "In the Garden," which they sing in most services anyway), and closed out with "Jesus Loves You."  That song was recorded as a trio, but it's even better with Chris in the mix.  He asked me to tell everyone hello, so from Chris Hancock..."Well, hello, there!" 

I'm in the midst of a slight panic here at the radio station, because the State Annual Singing Convention, affectionately known here as the Benson Sing, is next week, and there's still so much to do!  It's come a little earlier than normal this year, but I do some of my best work under pressure...it feels like I've been doing a lot of great work lately!  This year's special guests in Benson are Brian Free & Assurance on Saturday night and Triumphant Quartet on Sunday afternoon.  Come be with us!  Now I've got to attack that stack on my desk, so until next time, I'll see you on the front row!

JUNE 3, 2008...Tony Greene has seen the light!  Keep reading.

Jim Layton called me a few weeks ago; he was so excited that he just couldn't wait to get the news out--he'd booked the Imperials to appear at Lighthouse Convention Center!  Once he convinced me that he was serious...yes, the Imperials...yes, Jason, Shannon, Jeremie and Ian...no, it's not April Fool's Day...I got very excited, too!  So Thursday evening, I headed up to Raleigh to meet Lou Anne, Faye and Cyndi.  Canaanland opened the concert with a short set; Shirley managed to squeeze a 45-minute program into about 30 minutes!  My favorite part was "Glory Road."  I'm not kidding!  I admit that, normally, when I hear the opening notes of "Glory Road," my first thought is along the lines of "Oh gee, not that again!," but this time was different.  This time, Ian Owens was sitting beside me (talking about his new baby girl), and I don't think there's a bass singer on the planet who can resist singing along with that one.  So while the rest of the audience enjoyed the Canaanland trio onstage, I enjoyed the Canaanland quartet on the front row!  When the Imperials took the stage, anyone who worried that they'd be too contemporary breathed a sigh of relief...they opened with "First Day in Heaven," and the Lighthouse crowd loved it!  Most of the concert came from the "Back to the Roots" CD, so even though many in the audience were meeting the guys for the first time, they knew the songs.  Faye loved it when Jason sang "He's Everything to Me," remembering the original version from (a few) years ago; he does a beautiful job of it.  I never heard "No Shortage" or "Oh Buddha" when they were first released, but I love the current versions; scary how timely they still are, isn't it?  Shannon sang "God Bless the USA," as a Memorial Day special, and of course, they had to do "We've Got a Great Big Wonderful God" since it's all over the radio now.  They ended the evening with two of their very best, most powerful songs, "Praise the Lord" and "Arise, My Love."  Wow!  What a way to close out a concert!

I've got about a million pictures of Driven Quartet, so I thought I'd give them a break from camera flashes on Friday night.  But then I got into the church, and Roger and Mary Anne told me that Scott Penuel was filling in with them; Alex has taken a church in Georgia and isn't able to travel anymore.  Mary Anne said Jimmy Fortune's cousin was traveling with them for the rest of the weekend, and he seemed like a really nice guy, but she couldn't remember his name.  Then I glanced up and saw a familiar face--I met Lee Fortune at NQC last year, visiting in Eighth Day's booth, and he is a really nice guy.  At that point, I had to run to the car and get the camera; I should have realized I'd never make it through a concert without it!  Scott did a great job--on a day's notice, he learned a lot of new songs--and Jason, Chad and Will seemed to enjoy having him onstage with them.  (Oh, the possibilities...?!)  I wanted to hear Lee sing, too, so I was pleased when Jason called him up; I was not so pleased when Jason handed Lee his mic and stepped aside. Lee and the rest of the guys sang "Midnight Cry," and they did a super job, but...just a cotton-pickin' minute, I thought he was going to sing tenor.  I didn't want Jason to step back!  But Jason made up for it with a gorgeous new song; I've never heard it before so I have no idea what the title is, but I sure do hope it turns up a the new Driven CD!

The Dove Brothers and the Greenes worked together all last week, and we were lucky enough to schedule a concert right here in Dunn on Saturday night!  Since I'd seen the Dove Brothers last Saturday, too, I spent extra time choosing what to wear; I didn't want to show up in the same dress two weeks in row (oh, the fashion horror!), but they probably wouldn't have noticed.  I realized that when they walked into the church wearing the exact same thing they'd worn the previous Saturday!  Men just don't think about these things, do they?  They looked good, though; I love those ties!  The program was very much the same, but they sounded so good; I love those songs!  McCray has a winner in "You Would Think He Would Learn," and it's so good he has to sing it twice.  The highlight of the first half was definitely "I Can Pray."  What a wonderful song that is!  We had to say a quick prayer before the Greenes could sing; one of the mics had been misplaced.  We all joined in the search (though I think we'd have noticed already if one of us was sitting on it) and finally McCray found it in a drawer in a piece of equipment on the stage.   For the record, I've adored Brad Hudson ever since I interviewed him for "Carolina Gospel Showcase" ten years ago, and I didn't want to like anyone who took his place with the Greenes, but I couldn't help liking Paul Lancaster.  I met him briefly at NQC last fall, but I'd never seen him perform live except for a showcase appearance with (the late, lamented) Everyday Driven.  I was impressed--now I see why so many groups have turned to him when they needed somebody really good, really fast!  Tony, Taranda and Paul are a great combination; Taranda said even Muncie loves him, and if the dog likes you, you've got to be okay!  The grownups were good, but they were completely and absolutely upstaged by Belle, as I'm sure they knew they would be.  When Daddy called her to the stage, she sang "You Are My Sunshine" and when he asked her if she was finished, she was quick to say no.  She had another special song for us, one of my personal favorites, "There Ain't No Bugs on Me!"  (In case you aren't familiar with it, it's from a commercial filled with adorable puppies, so of course it caught my attention.  For her next appearance, I wish she'd learn the Free Credit Report.com jingle--the one with the pirate, not the car.  I always sing along with that one!)  Josie was asleep so they didn't bring her out, but I got to see her later and she's just a little doll!  As for Tony Greene finally seeing the light...he must have realized that every group needs a bass singer, at least once in while, because he called David Hester up to join them on "Where Could I Go."  I love it when groups mix and mingle when they perform on the same concert, and the finale of this concert was even better than most.  The Greenes sat back and enjoyed the Dove Brothers while they sang "Didn't It Rain" and "Get Away Jordan," then joined them for the last chorus of "Jordan," "Everybody Will Be Happy Over There," and "Beulah Land."  Paul and Eric shared the first verse, Jerry and Taranda shared the second, and it was the best "Beulah Land" I've ever heard!  Then the boys sat down and Taranda showed them how it's done--she brought down the house with "Oh Holy Night!"  McCray commented earlier in the evening that the Greenes and the Dove Brothers are a great combination, and I'm sure everyone who saw them together agrees.  Can we make this an annual joint tour?  Please, can we, can we, please?!

Now I've got to get back to work...although that's going to be difficult with a printer that WON'T print!  I'm waiting for a part to arrive, and until it does, I'm getting farther behind and more stressed by the second.  Where's that sledge hammer I was looking for a couple of weeks ago?  Aren't computers just wonderful machines?  (Can't you just hear the sarcasm dripping from my words?)  Before I say something I shouldn't, let me just say...until next time, I'll see you on the front row!