Smack Down!! – “It’s A Wonderful Day”

This week in song covers smack down we find the Biney English penned tune “It’s A Wonderful Day”.  The song was originally recorded by the Anchormen, when Biney was a member, on their 1989 recording Heart Of The Matter.  The song starts with the chorus and moves in to the first verse, repeats the chorus and then goes in to the second verse before closing with the chorus.

The Anchormen, during this recording, was composed of David Walker (Tenor), Biney English (Lead), Terry Carter (Baritone) and Jody Medford (Bass).  The group has a full production with horns and their version is a bit more up tempo than the cover.  The Anchormen will take the first chorus and verse.

Triumphant Quartet covered the song on their 2008 table project, Intermission.  Triumphant’s arrangement scaled back on the horns and slowed the tempo down slightly.

The group will take the second chorus and verse.  It’s a wonderful day for a smack down.  Anchormen or Triumphant.  Enjoy!

Classic Videos – “Lazarus Come Forth”

In this classic video edition we find the Bishops singing their break through 1989 hit song “Lazarus Come Forth”.  This 1991 clip is from the Gospel Jubilee television program recorded at Opryland USA.  I know there have been several requests for Cathedrals and Gold City.  All of the classic clips I have of both artists are already all over YouTube.  If I can find something unique by either artist I will post, I promise.

“Lazarus Come Forth” – Bishops (1989)

►

Ten On Ten – Booth Brothers

Kicking off this new week with another ten on ten feature and highlighting the top ten albums of one of Southern Gospel’s elite artists; The Booth Brothers.  The group’s recording career span 15 years, dating back to 1996.  The Booth Brothers sound has remained consistent since beginning as a father/sons trio composed of Ron Booth Sr, Ronnie and Michael.  There have only been two other baritones that were a part of the group, Joseph Smith and current member Jim Brady.  In looking at the group’s entire recording career, the Booth Brothers top ten albums are:

1. The Blind Man Saw It All (2005)
2. Pure Southern Gospel (2004)
3. The Booth Brothers (2003)
4. Harmony (2006)
5. This Stage Of Grace (2001)
6. Room For More (2008)
7. Beyond The Cross (1999)
8. Walking On The Good Side (1999)
9. Carry On (2007)
10. Praise God Anyhow (1996)

• The years 2003 to 2006 are the Booth Brothers at their best.  The four albums released during those years are the top 4 albums of the group’s career.
• The Blind Man Saw It All is still the pinnacle for the Booth Brothers.  It is currently the top album released by the group.
• “He Saw It All”, “Testify”, “Eyes Of Heaven”, “Yesterday’s Battles” are just a few of the songs from that recording to put it over the top.
• Pure Southern Gospel may be one of the best table projects ever recorded by any group.  It is a rare instance when a song cover recorded by a group trumps the original version.  The Booth Brothers did that with several songs found on that recording.
• The Booth Brothers are also one of the few groups that can capture what makes them so great in the live setting and put that on to their recordings.
• The group released their debut recording in 1996 with Praise God Anyhow.  This introduction already showed the potential the Booth Brothers carried and this debut effort is one of the group’s ten best.
• The hidden gem in this group is the final recording released that featured father Ron Booth.  The 1999 album Beyond The Cross is a must have for any Booth Brothers fan.
• Harmony is the biggest strength the Booth Brothers have carried throughout their career.  It is no surprise the 2006 recording, Harmony, has some of the finest harmony singing you’ll find on any album by the Booth Brothers.
• Just like the Kingdom Heirs top ten list, the Booth Brothers two latest recordings (Declaration and Let It Be Known) didn’t have enough of that Booth Brothers wow factor to be considered among the group’s ten best recordings.  One, over produced/orchestrated, the other all over the map stylistically.
• Unlike the Happy Goodmans top ten list last week (which is set in stone), the Booth Brothers have plenty of years ahead of them to continue producing top quality music that will ultimately change this list in years to come.

***NEXT UP ON TEN ON TEN:  GOLD CITY***

Southern Gospel Round Table – Is The National Quartet Convention Still Viable?

I mentioned several weeks ago about starting a new feature.  I wanted to get other Southern Gospel bloggers together to discuss a specific topic within the Southern Gospel music industry.  After thinking about the way I wanted this feature to work; I came to the conclusion that it would be best to make these open topics to allow all my readers to weigh in.

With the National Quartet Convention only a few weeks away, the first round table topic is this:  Is the National Quartet Convention still viable?  When constructing responses here are a few items that could be hit on.

1. If the NQC is no longer viable; Why? and what alternative is there for Southern Gospel music?
2. If the NQC is still viable, what makes it so?
3. To all those who have attended the NQC, what made you go back?
4. To all artists who decide to obtain booth space; is it worth it to attend the NQC if you are not appearing on any of the major programs?

The floor is now open; fire away….

Smack Down!! – “Homecoming Day”

In this week’s smack down feature is the song “Homecoming Day”.  Penned by Melissa Brady, this particular song was originally recorded by the Shulers on their 1999 recording Peace For The Journey.  If you are not familiar with the Shulers, they were a mixed trio composed of Jim Brady (yes the same Jim Brady with the Booth Brothers), his wife Melissa and Melissa’s father Jack Shuler.  While the group didn’t have huge success, their recordings are full of Jim and Melissa’s compositions.  Many songs later recorded by the Booth Brothers.

“Homecoming Day” is a ballad that features Jim on the first verse and Melissa on the second.  Compared to the cover, the Shulers original cut has a scaled back approach on the instrumentation that allows the vocal to be the focus.  Listen to the Shulers take the first verse and chorus.

Tribute Quartet released their newest recording this year titled The Waiting Is Over.  This album has several song covers, one of those being “Homecoming Day”.  Tenor Riley Clark is featured on the second verse of Tribute’s version.  Tribute took a more orchestrated approach on their cover.

Listen to Tribute Quartet take the second verse and chorus of this Melissa Brady penned tune.  This is the second week in a row Tribute is featured in the song covers smack down.  Enjoy!

Classic Videos – “Children Go”

In this classic video feature is a group known as Truth.  They were more like a troupe, with the many singers and musicians.  They were not an exclusive Southern Gospel artist but did do some quartet stuff.  This clip from 1986 features the song “Children Go”.  Enjoy!!

“Children Go” – Truth (1986)

►

Ten On Ten – Happy Goodmans

A new week, a new top 10 list.  This week, as part of the ten on ten series, is legendary artist the Happy Goodmans.  This new feature allows me to look at all the big names in Southern Gospel music, both past and present and offer insight on the group’s 10 best recordings.  This Happy Goodman feature will include all music from their debut Sims recording in 1963 through the couple Goodman albums in the early ’80′s through the trio recordings of Howard, Vestal and Johnny Minnick in the late ’90s.

The Happy Goodmans top 10 albums are:

1. Chosen (1982)
2. This Happy House (1969)
3. Portrait Of Excitement (1968)
4. Leave Your Sorrows And Come Along With (1972)
5. What A Happy Time (1966)
6. Good Times (1970)
7. The Legendary Goodmans (1973)
8. Bigger ‘N’ Better (1967)
9. I’m Too Near Home (1963)
10. Wanted Live (1971)

• Of all the albums in the group’s nearly 20 year recording career, it was the 1982 album Chosen that featured the vocal line-up of Rusty, Sam, Tanya and Michael English to come out on top as the group’s best recording.
• Chosen had one of the best song selections of any Goodman recording.  Songs like “The Cloud He’s Coming Back On”, “Home”, “Look For Me”, “I Bowed On My Knees And Cried Holy” and “Sail On Over”.  Hard to beat.
• Outside of that, all of the Happy Goodmans best recordings fell between their debut recording in 1963 to The Legendary Goodmans album in 1973.
• Every album after that just didn’t quite measure up to the music released prior to 1973.
• The best Happy Goodman line-up (Howard, Vestal, Rusty, Sam) recording was the 1969 album This Happy House.  This album also had one of the most memorable album covers of any Happy Goodman album.
• The classic line-up did two live recordings during their career.  Wanted Live was the only one of the two to land among the group’s 10 best.
• Some of the group’s best known songs were part of the 10 recordings listed.  “Thank God I’m Free”, “I’m Living In Canaan Now”, “God Walks The Dark Hills”, “I’m Too Near Home”, “He Pilots My Ship”, “What A Lovely Name” and “Had It Not Been” to name a few.
• The group’s first album I’m Too Near Home was a great start to their recording career.  Too good not to make the 10 best recordings.
• All those trio recordings released in the late ’90′s with Howard, Vestal and Johnny Minnick, while great for history’s sake, just doesn’t match the caliber to be considered among the best of the group’s career.
• If you don’t have any classic Goodman albums in your collection, pick up Chosen from 1982.  To hear the classic line-up at their best, go for This Happy House from 1969.

***NEXT UP ON TEN ON TEN:  BOOTH BROTHERS***

Classic Videos – “Go Out To The Program”

In the 1960′s, the Oak Ridge Boys imitated other groups in a song titled “Go Out To The Program”.  In the 1980′s, the Kingsboys also performed “Go Out To The Program”.  It was fun to see a group of kids imitate other groups of that era.  The group continued to perform the song up until their disbandment in 1992.  Here is a 1989 clip of the Kingsboys performing “Go Out To The Program”.  Enjoy!

“Go Out To The Program” – Kingsboys (1989)

►