Smack Down!! – Cathedrals – Round 1

This week’s artist album smack down finds the first match up for a non current touring artist; the Cathedrals.  Listen to sound bytes of each recording and then vote for the album you think should win.

• Album – Something Special
• Release Year – 1982
• Vocal Line Up – Kirk Talley (tenor), Glen Payne (lead), Mark Trammell (baritone), George Younce (bass)
• Song List – (1) “Let Freedom Ring” (2) “Step Into The Water” (3) “Then Came The Morning” (4) “I Don’t Want To Live No More Without Jesus” (5) “Going Home” (6) “Turn Your Back” (7) “Mexico” (8) “Wade Right In” (9) “We Shall Be Caught Up” (10) “Jesus We Just Want To Thank You”

• Album – I’ve Just Started Living
  
• Release Year – 1989
• Vocal Line Up - Danny Funderburk (tenor), Glen Payne (lead), Mark Trammell (baritone), George Younce (bass)
• Song List – (1) “I’ve Just Started Living” (2) “He Saw What I Could Be” (3) “Crimson River” (4) “Look For Me (Around The Throne)” (5) “I Know Who Holds Tomorrow” (6) “That’s What Jesus Means To Me” (7) “In The Depths Of The Sea” (8) “Poet’s Song” (9) “Standing On Holy Ground” (10) “All The Glory Belongs To Jesus”

Album Covers To Rank – Set 14

My goal is to have 20 sets of album covers to rank before we begin the voting of best and worst Southern Gospel album covers of all time.  This week I need you to rank set 14.  In the comments section rank each from 1 to 6 (1 being best and 6 being worst).  Also, if there is an album cover you think hasn’t been included yet, please let me know because I don’t want to miss any.  Click on thumbnail for larger image.

Canton Junction – Canton Junction (2012)

Colors Of His Love – Cathedrals (1981)

Picture Perfect Love – Jeff & Sheri Easter (1989)

Naturally: An Almost A Cappella Collection – Isaacs (2009)

Inseparable – Ivan Parker (2008)

Black And White – Singing Americans (1985)

The #1′s – “Can He, Could He, Would He”

This week I wanted to take a look at another #1 hit from Singing News chart history.  ”Can He, Could He, Would He” was recorded by the Cathedrals on their 1986 album, Master Builder.  The song was penned by John Chisum and Dwight Liles.

“Can He, Could He, Would He” became the Cathedrals second #1 song and spent two months at #1 between the months of October and November 1986.  The Cathedrals would end up with four total #1 songs during the decade of the 1980′s.

Enjoy this YouTube clip of the Cathedrals performing their #1 hit, “Can He, Could He, Would He”.

Album Covers To Rank – Set 10

This week’s set of album covers to rank are all quartet albums.  In the comments section rank each album from 1 to 6 (1 being best, 6 being worst).  Click on thumbnail for larger image.

Doing This For You – Brian Free & Assurance (1998)

Puts It Together – Blue Ridge Quartet (1973)

High And Lifted Up – Cathedrals (1993)

Harvest Time – Harvesters Quartet (1959)

Highway To Heaven – Inspirations (2002)

Sweet Land Of Rest – Palmetto State Quartet (2006)

Album Covers To Rank – Set 7

Here is the 7th set of album covers to rank.  In the comments be sure to rank from 1 to 6 (1 being best, 6 being worst).  If you haven’t ranked prior rounds, I have created a category for best/worst album cover.  Be sure to go and participate in the other sets if you haven’t already.  Click on thumbnail for larger image.

Reach The Word – Bishops (1997)

The Stranger Of Galilee – Blackwood Brothers Quartet (1959)

The Blind Man Saw It All – Booth Brothers (2005)

Symphony Of Praise – Cathedrals (1987)

Driven- Crabb Family (2004)

Oasis – Crist Family (2010)

Smack Down!! – “Trying To Get A Glimpse”

I’m trusting everyone is having a relaxed holiday weekend.  On this Labor Day, and one week until the start of the National Quartet Convention, I thought it would be fun to have a little quartet smack down.  I pulled out a quartet classic, “Trying To Get A Glimpse”.

Starting with a 1960 version from the Prophets Quartet.  Found on the group’s Glory Glory Amen recording, the Prophets version of “Trying To Get A Glimpse” features the bass singing talents of Jim Boatman.  The Prophets will take the first verse and chorus.

The Cathedrals recorded “Trying To Get A Glimpse” on their final 1998 studio recording Faithful.  The Cathedrals modern version of the song featured an extra verse that was not in the original.  Listen to the group take the second verse and chorus.

This quartet smack down also features a third version of the song by Ernie Haase and Signature Sound.  Recorded on the 2005 self titled album, Signature Sound’s version sounds very similar to the Cathedrals version.

Bring on the Quartet Convention.  Who claims the quartet smack down this week?

Ten On Ten – Cathedrals

This week’s ten on ten feature finally highlights the recording career of the Cathedrals.  Many readers have been anticipating the albums I consider to be the Cathedrals ten best.  The truth is, this top ten list was not that hard to compile.  The Cathedrals dominated a specific time period in Southern Gospel music and most of the group’s best music came from that era.

I know there will greater discussion on the Cathedrals #1 album than anything else.  Considered by many as one of the best groups to ever grace a Southern Gospel stage, the Cathedrals influence will never be forgotten.

The Cathedrals ten best albums are as follows:

1. Live In Atlanta (1983)
2. High And Lifted Up (1993)
3. Something Special (1982)
4. Sunshine And Roses (1978)
5. The Prestigious Cathedral Quartet (1984)
6. Master Builder (1986)
7. Symphony Of Praise (1987)
8. I’ve Just Started Living (1989)
9. For Keeps (1975)
10. Focus On Glen Payne (1968)

• The top three albums are truly interchangeable.  In crowning the Cathedrals #1 album I finally had to go with my gut and decided on the 1983 recording Live In Atlanta.  If for nothing else than Glen Payne’s performance of the Cathedral’s best recorded song “We Shall See Jesus”.
• But the album also contained “I’m Gonna Live Forever”, “Everywhere I Go”, “We Are So Blessed”, “Movin’ Up To Gloryland” and “Rivers Of Joy”.  Live In Atlanta captured the Cathedrals better than any other live recording the group released.
• The best ’90′s era Cathedral recording is the 1993 album High And Lifted Up.  This is the only album from that decade to land among the group’s ten best.  It is easily the best studio recording the group has in their discography.  From “A Comfort To Know” to “I’d Like To Say It Again”, this album is power house from top to bottom.  There is not a single ‘filler song’ on the album.
• Landing at #3 among the group’s ten best is the 1982 recording Something Special.  Another recording considered for the top spot just missed claiming the crown.  It wasn’t for lack of high-caliber songs.  ”Step Into The Water”, “Let Freedom Ring”, “Then Came The Morning”, “Mexico”, “Turn Your Back” and “We Shall Be Caught Up” all highlight Something Special.
• The vocal line up of Funderburk (Tenor), Payne (Lead), Trammell (Baritone) and Younce (Bass) had more recordings in the top 10 than any other vocal line-up.  The albums landing at #5, #6, #7 and #8 all featured this vocal line-up.
• Those four albums brought great songs such as “Build An Ark”, “It’s Almost Over”, “Somebody Touched Me”, “Can He, Could He, Would He”, “Sinner Saved By Grace”, “Master Builder”, “Plan Of Salvation”, “For What Earthly Reason”, “God Himself The Lamb”, “I’ve Just Started Living”, “He Saw What I Could Be” and “In The Depths Of The Sea”.
• The best ’70′s era recording was the 1978 album Sunshine And Roses.  The recording ranked #4 among the group’s ten best.  Tremble, Payne, Webster and Younce was the vocal line up on this album that featured “When I See His Face”, “Streets Of Gold”, “Sunshine And Roses” and “Even Winds Whisper His Name”.
• The real gem in the Cathedrals discography is album that featured Glen Payne.  The 1968 album Focus On Glen Payne is hard to track down these days but any serious Southern Gospel record collector should have this recording in their collection.
• The Cathedrals even hold the distinction of having that album that should be forgotten.  The 1994 recording Raise The Roof – 30th Anniversary was a disappointment after having one of the best recordings of their career the year prior in High And Lifted Up.
• With an extensive recording career like that of the Cathedrals, there were several albums that didn’t make the top ten but deserve an honorable mention:  Goin’ In Style (1988), Travelin’ Live (1986), With Strings (1965), Better Than Ever (1980), Colors Of His Love (1981).

***FOR ALL THOSE WHO STILL WANT TO PARTICIPATE IN THE 2012 SOUTHERN GOSPEL MARCH MADNESS COMPETITION, TODAY IS THE FINAL DAY FOR SELECTING YOUR ARTIST.  THE BRACKETS WILL BE RELEASED TOMORROW AND ROUND ONE VOTING WILL BEGIN THURSDAY***

Smack Down!! – “It’s Almost Over”

I was hesitant in using this next song in the smack down feature.  Anytime you use a Cathedral original, it really is no contest when it comes to the song cover.  That is one reason I have been so unimpressed with all these Cathedral tribute albums over the course of the last several years by former group members.  Nonetheless, this week’s smack down features Ann Ballard’s “It’s Almost Over”.

The Cathedrals recorded the original cut on their 1984 album The Prestigious Cathedral Quartet.  This power ballad featured Glen Payne on the lead.  The song features both verses before getting to the chorus.  The chorus builds until finally reaching that power ending many Southern Gospel ballads are known for.

The song will pick up at the second verse before getting to the chorus.

Mark Trammell Quartet is one of several groups who have decided to cover Cathedral songs on various recordings.  ”It’s Almost Over” was featured on the group’s 2010 recording Testimony.  The group decided on a similar arrangement to that of the original.

Mark is featured on the cover and I decided to use the same second verse and chorus to that of the Cathedrals version.  That way, you get an apples to apples comparison of each version.  Mark Trammell Quartet’s cover of “It’s Almost Over” currently sits in the top 10 on November’s Singing News chart.  Enjoy!