Personal Vault – ‘We Shall Behold The King’

This week I went into the personal vault and pulled out the Rex Nelon Singers 1983 album, We Shall Behold The King.  There seemed to be an abundance of mixed group Southern Gospel LPs in my household growing up.  While I enjoyed quartets it was those mixed groups that really shaped my love of Southern Gospel music.

One of the biggest songs of the Rex Nelon Singers career came from the We Shall Behold The King recording.  ”O For A Thousand Tongues” went on to win song of the year in 1984.  The Nelons also helped shape an era of mixed groups in the 1980′s.  They were one of the most successful mixed groups in Southern Gospel music in that decade.

That legacy can be felt some 30 years later as current groups cover songs introduced by the Nelons.  ”When I Receive My Robe And Crown”, “Lord, Please Shine Your Light”, “Walk Right Out Of This Valley”, “Fight The Good Fight” and “I Can’t Keep It To Myself” were all songs from this album that have since been covered by artists over the course of the last several years.

Listen to sound bites of another recording from the personal vault; the Rex Nelon Singers, We Shall Behold The King.

Smack Down!! – “One Of These Mornings”

With the Oak Ridge Boys in the spotlight this week as part of the ten on ten feature, I thought I would include a classic quartet clip as part of the smack down feature.  Listed as public domain, “One Of These Mornings” is a classic up tempo Southern Gospel style quartet song.  While there are other groups that recorded this song, I decided to use a classic version from the Oak Ridge Boys and a more recent version from the Palmetto State Quartet.

The Oak Ridge Boys recorded “One Of These Mornings” on their 1965 recording I Wouldn’t Take Nothing For My Journey Now.  The group on this recording consisted of Willie Wynn, Smitty Gatlin, Jim Hamill, Herman Harper and Tommy Fairchild.

As the song enters the verse you can hear to big vocals of Jim Hamill take over this song.  Listen to the Oak Ridge Boys take the first half of “One Of These Mornings”.

In 2001, the Palmetto State Quartet recorded a themed album honoring the legacy of classic quartet music.  When He Blessed My Soul is one of the best albums the group released.  The vocal line-up on this particular album was Brion Carter, Kerry Beatty, Tony Peace and Jeff Pearles.

Kerry Beatty takes the lead on this fun concert song that the Palmetto State Quartet staged a lot during this time period.  Listen to the group take the second half of “One Of These Mornings”.

This week’s smack down is all about classic quartet music.  Classic version vs. modern version; who takes it?

Real Man. Real Life. Real God. – John Berry

RATING:  7.300 (10 song average)

• Album – Real Man. Real Life. Real God.
• Artist – John Berry
• Label – Daywind Records
• Style – Country, P&W
• Release Date – 01/24/12
• Available For Digital Download? – Yes

SYNOPSIS:

Country recording artist John Berry released his first Gospel recording with Real Man, Real Life, Real God.  Best known for his mid ’90′s country hit “Your Love Amazes Me”, Berry is venturing into the Christian music market and plans on traveling as a full-time Christian artist.

Real Man, Real Life, Real God is stylistically country with mainly new material.  There are several praise and worship style covers that find a home on this new recording.

HIGHLIGHTS:

• This album has enough country elements to make it marketable in Southern Gospel music.  The album starts with a very strong country-style tune, “I Worship You”.  This song would make a great Southern Gospel radio single choice.
• The acoustical themed “The Lord Is My Shepherd” is the strongest Southern Gospel track on Real Man.  The song is a hymn of sorts taking the 23rd Psalm and putting it to music.
• I am glad to see John Berry stay with his country roots on songs like “Real Man” and “Hard To Sing The Blues”.
• Strongest songs included in order:  ”The Lord Is My Shepherd”, “I Worship You”, “Love Is A Cross”, “Hard To Sing The Blues” and “It’s Got To Be Love”.

DISLIKES:

• “Straight Down Rain” was not the strongest choice for first Southern Gospel radio single.
• The praise and worship elements to Real Man take away from the straight ahead country-style album I was expecting.  There are selections on this recording that would do well at CCM radio.
• Weakest songs included in order:  ”Blessed Assurance”, “I Go To You” and “Return To Me”.

SONG LIST:  1. “I Worship You” (7.5)  2. “Real Man” (7)  3. “Blessed Assurance” (7)  4. “I Go To You” (7)  5. “Straight Down Rain” (7.5)  6. “Hard To Sing The Blues” (7.5)  7. “It’s Got To Be Love” (7.5)  8. “Return To Me” (7)  9. “Love Is A Cross” (7.5)  10. “The Lord Is My Shepherd” (7.5)

Classic Videos – “If It Had Not Been”

One of the many things I enjoy about doing this blog is fulfilling reader requests.  I received an email from a reader asking if I would feature a video clip of the Perry Sisters singing “If It Had Not Been”.  I searched through my video library and found the 1991 recording released by the Perry Sisters titled Heavenly Rain, Showers Of Blessings.  Here is the Perry Sisters performing “If It Had Not Been”.  Enjoy!

Ten On Ten – Oak Ridge Boys

Where does one start when looking at the recording career of the Oak Ridge Boys?  This was by far the toughest ten on ten feature to date.  During their Gospel music years, the Oak Ridge Boys released some of the best quartet recordings you’ll find in Southern Gospel music.  I started with the group’s 1958 Cadence LP featuring Tommy Fairchild, Smitty Gatlin, Herman Harper and  Ronnie Page.  All Gospel recordings released since 1958 was looked at for this ten on ten feature.

The Oak Ridge Boys have upwards of 50 all Gospel recordings in their discography.  When weeding out all the compilation or albums of previously released music, this ten on ten feature still had to rank 35 albums to determine the ten best.  Here is what I determined to be the Oak Ridge Boys best.

The top 10 albums of the Oak Ridge Boys are:

1. Performance (1971)
2. Light (1972)
3. Sky High (1975)
4. From The Heart (2001)
5. Jesus Christ, What A Man (1971)
6. You’ll Never Walk Alone (1962)
7. International (1970)
8. The Solid Gospel Sound Of (1966)
9. It’s Happening (1969)
10. I Wouldn’t Take Nothing For My Journey Now (1965)

• Trying to determine the #1 album for the Oak Ridge Boys was nearly impossible.  I kept going back and forth on the top three but when a decision had to be made I ranked the group’s 1971 live recording Performance as the pinnacle of the group’s career.
• Light from 1972 was the top ranked (#2) studio album by the Oak Ridge Boys.  ”I Don’t Why Jesus Loved Me”, “I Should Have Been Crucified”, “It Won’t Be Long” and “Jesus Is The Man For The Hour” all highlighted this recording.  Willie Wynn, Duane Allen, William Golden and Noel Fox was the vocal line-up for this recording.
• Sky High (ranked #3) showcased the country sound and production that would come just two years later when the Oak Ridge Boys transitioned to the mainstream country music market.  Released in 1975 for Columbia Records, Sky High gave the listener great songs such as “Plant A Seed”, “Rhythm Guitar”, “Sailing Toward Home”, “That’s Just Like Jesus” and “There Must Be A Better Way”.
• While the late ’60′s/early ’70′s was the strongest of the Oak Ridge Boys career, one can’t overlook the great music the group brought in the early to mid ’60′s.  The 1962 recording You’ll Never Walk Alone ranks #6 while the 1966 recording The Solid Gospel Sound ranks #8.
• The Oak Ridge Boys held a fairly steady line-up of some of the best talent to ever grace a Southern Gospel music stage.  Willie Wynn held down the tenor position upwards of 15 years before Joe Bonsall joined around 1974.  Herman Harper was one of the finest bass singers in Southern Gospel music and could be heard with the group until 1968.  He was followed by two other great bass singers in Noel Fox and Richard Sterben.
• Before becoming the front man and larger than life personality with the Kingsmen, Jim Hamill spent some time singing for the Oak Ridge Boys as did future Gaither Vocal Band alum Gary McSpadden.
• Don’t discount the current group still releasing quality Southern Gospel material.  Evidenced by the fact that their 2001 recording From The Heart ranks #4 among the best albums in the Oak Ridge Boys discography.  ”First Step To Heaven”, “I Know What Lies Ahead”, “If Not For The Love Of Christ”, “Show Me The Way To Go”and “Write Your Name Across My Heart” all anchor this recording.
• The Oak Ridge Boys contributions to Southern Gospel music is too often overlooked because of their move to mainstream country music.  The group was black listed in the mid 1970′s by many other groups within the Southern Gospel music industry at that time.  I firmly believe if the Oak Ridge Boys remained in Southern Gospel music they would be held in the same regards as groups like the Statesmen and Cathedrals when talking about industry defining groups.
• There is no forgotten gem or album that should be forgotten with this week’s ten on ten.  There is not a bad album in the group’s discography.  While some are better than others, each recording highlights some of the finest quartet singing you’ll get in Southern Gospel music.
• With such a great list of albums, here are a few that didn’t make the top ten but still deserve a mention:  A Great Day (1967); Thanks (1969); The Oak Ridge Boys (1974); Go Out To The Program (1961); With Sounds Of Nashville (1963); New Horizons (1968); Street Gospel (1973) and Old Fashioned Down Home Hand Clappin’ Foot Stompin’ Southern Style Gospel Quartet Music (1976).

***NEXT UP ON TEN ON TEN:  BRIAN FREE & ASSURANCE***

Song Hall Of Fame – “I’ve Come Too Far”

The third inductee into the Southern Gospel song hall of fame comes from the pen of Nancy Harmon.  Nancy Harmon’s songwriting talents began getting recognized in the Southern Gospel music industry in the early 1970′s.  The LeFevres were one of the first groups to record Nancy Harmon’s compositions.

“I’ve Come Too Far” was first recorded by the LeFevres on their 1972 album The New Sounds Of The LeFevres.  This was a bass singer feature highlighting the smooth bass singing of Rex Nelon on the first verse.  After the LeFevres retired, the Rex Nelon Singers would go on to record the song on their 1978 Live album.

It was some 26 years later when the Hoppers would record it on their 2004 recording Generations.  The Hoppers took the song to #1 and it has become a Connie Hopper featured classic.  Every now and again I will go back and view this YouTube clip of Nancy Harmon singing her own composition, the third inductee into the Southern Gospel song hall of fame.  Here is a montage of artists singing “I’ve Come Too Far”.