In Memoriam: Peg McKamey Bean

Yesterday, the Singing News reported that Peg McKamey Bean had passed.  Peg was known for her exuberant stage presence and welcoming personality.  “God On The Mountain” was the McKamey’s most well known song and a signature song for Peg.  Earth’s loss is truly heaven’s gain.

VOTE: Best Southern Song: Bracket 1; Round 1

Today begins voting in round one of the March madness bracket challenge, in search of the best Southern Gospel song of the last 15 months.

Each reader is allowed ONE VOTE PER DAY.  Polls for bracket 1 will be open for 3 days.  If one attempts to vote more than once per day, the system is set up to blacklist that IP address.  Have fun!

VOTE: Best of 2019: Quartet/Mixed Group/Trio

Today starts the voting for best Southern Gospel quartet, mixed group and duo/trio of 2019.  Be sure to remember to put in another vote for yesterday’s categories.

ALL readers of this blog can participate in the voting.  ALL readers are allowed one vote per day.  If anyone attempts to vote more than once per day, the polling system will blacklist your IP address and you will be disqualified from voting in that category.

The polls for these three categories will close on 11/27/19.  Click the link on each nominee to see an audio/video of the nominees.

And The 2019 Nominees Are….

It is time to announce the nominees for the 6th Annual Southern Gospel Views from the Back Row Honors.  I went through all the Southern Gospel album’s released in 2019 and scoured through the radio single and streaming charts (January to December) to determine what I considered to be the five nominees to best represent each of the 17 categories.

AND THE NOMINEES ARE:

Recorded Song of the Year (song recorded on a 2019 album, did not have to be a radio single)

1. “Blank Page” – Lee Black, Devin McGlamery, Nathan Woodard; recorded by the Dunaways (Blank Page)
2. “Even Me” – Jeff Bumgardner, Jason Cox, Kenna West; recorded by Triumphant Quartet (Yes)
3. “I Know Him” – Jason Cox, Amber Eppinette, Kenna West; recorded by 11th Hour (A Lot With A Little)
4. “None Of That Here” – Lee Black, Joseph Habedank, Tony Wood; recorded by Joseph Habedank (Deeper Oceans)
5. “What Kind Of Man” – Jason Cox, Sue C Smith, Kenna West; recorded by Legacy Five (Pure Love)

Single/Streaming Song of the Year (had to be on the radio singles/streaming chart from January to December 2019)

1. “All My Hope” – Edmond Cash, David Crowder; recorded by Gold City (Hope For The Journey)
2. “Every Moment, Every Mountain, Every Mile” – Jeffrey Bumgardner, Wayne Haun, Joel Lindsey; recorded by the Williamsons (Give Them Jesus)
3. “Going There” – Lee Black, Scott Inman; recorded by Triumphant Quartet (Yes)
4. “Grace Is Still Amazing Me” – Joshua Jordan; recorded by the Jordan Family Band (Reach)
5. “Victory Shout” – Jason Cox, Kenna West; recorded by the Kingsmen (Victory Shout)

Song Cover of the Year (a previously recorded song covered on a 2019 album release)

1. “The First Million Years” – Joneses (Good Things); Jimmie Davis, Dottie Rambo
2. “Hiding Place” – The Sound (Memories); Steven Curtis Chapman, Jerry Salley
3. “The Lovely Name Of Jesus” – Kingdom Heirs (Something Good Volume Two); Squire Parsons
4. “That’s Just His Way” – Villines Family (He Already Made A Way); Dottie Rambo
5. “Well Done My Child”- Adam Crabb (Clean); Byron Faust

Songwriter

1. Lee Black
2. Jason Cox
3. Tammy Dunaway
4. Joseph Habedank
5. Kenna West

Album of the Year (had to be a 2019 release)

1. Blank Page – Dunaways (Custom)
2. Deeper Oceans – Joseph Habedank (Daywind)
3. Everything In Between – Kingdom Heirs (Sonlite)
4. Victory Shout – Kingsmen (Horizon)
5. Yes – Triumphant Quartet (Stow Town)

Album Cover Design (best album artwork/cover design from a 2019 release)

1. Dear Yesterday – Michael Booth
2. Don’t Wanna Miss This – Cana’s Voice
3. Make It Count – The Sound
4. Pure Love – Legacy Five
5. Victory Shout – Kingsmen

Artist – Breakthrough (New)

1. Joneses
2. McNeills
3. Real Truth Revival
4. The Sound
5. Villines Family

Artist – Duo/Trio (no more than 3 vocalists)

1. 11th Hour
2. Cana’s Voice
3. Jeff & Sheri Easter
4. Greater Vision
5. Jordan Family Band

Artist – Mixed Group (at least 4 vocalists)

1. Dunaways
2. Erwins
3. Lore Family
4. McKameys
5. Perrys

Artist – Quartet

1. Down East Boys
2. Kingdom Heirs
3. Kingsmen
4. Legacy Five
5. Triumphant Quartet

Artist – Soloist

1. Mark Bishop
2. Michael Booth
3. John Bowman
4. Jason Crabb
5. Joseph Habedank

Vocalist – Alto

1. Tammy Dunaway (Dunaways)
2. Sheri Easter (Jeff & Sheri Easter)
3. Randa Jordan (Jordan Family Band)
4. Libbi Stuffle (Perrys)
5. Lisa Williamson (Williamsons)

Vocalist – Baritone

1. Adam Crabb (Gaither Vocal Band)
2. Loren Harris (Kingdom Heirs)
3. Scott Inman (Triumphant Quartet)
4. Daniel Riley (Gold City)
5. Bryan Walker (Legacy Five)

Vocalist – Bass

1. Daniel Ashmore (Old Paths)
2. Eric Bennett (Triumphant Quartet)
3. Jeff Chapman (Kingdom Heirs)
4. Mike Holcomb (Old Time Preachers Quartet)
5. Ray Dean Reese (Kingsmen)

Vocalist – Lead

1. Andrew Goldman (Perrys)
2. Clayton Inman (Triumphant Quartet)
3. Roland Kesterson (Inspirations)
4. Levi Mills (The Sound)
5. Arthur Rice (Kingdom Heirs)

Vocalist – Soprano

1. Sonya Browder (Browders)
2. Amber Eppinette (11th Hour)
3. Joy Jones (Joneses)
4. Kannah Lovern (Dunaways)
5. Taranda (Cana’s Voice)

Vocalist – Tenor

1. Chris Allman (Greater Vision)
2. Lee Black (Legacy Five)
3. Chris Jenkins (Kingsmen)
4. Jerry Martin (Kingdom Heirs)
5. David Sutton (Triumphant Quartet)

So do the nominees represent the best of 2019?  Were there any snubs? The voting rounds will begin Wednesday (11/20/19).

NQC 2019: Tuesday Night Recap

Tuesday night of the 2019 NQC is wrapped.  Tuesday evening’s program was no where near as good as Monday evening.  Here are the hits and misses.

• Good to see Daniel Riley performing with Gold City.  Here’s to a speedy recovery.  “All My Hope” is truly one of the best songs of 2019.
• Always enjoy just the vocals and instrument performances.  It is a shame, considering it is a music event, there is not more of that.
• Tribute Quartet did that with just piano and voices on the Squire Parsons classic, “I Call It Home”.
• Then the Sound performed “I’m Free” with just acoustic guitars and vocals.
• I can’t name another current touring artist in Southern Gospel music that can sing acapella like the Nelons.  Outstanding!
• Thanks to Peg and Ruben Bean (McKameys) for their many years of dedication.  You will be missed.

• If someone who runs sound could answer this question for me; why are the mics not on when they are handed to the singers as they go on stage?  Why do many singers have to actually sing before their mic is turned on?
• “You Asked Him To Leave” has to be the worst song recorded in Southern Gospel music over the last decade.  An absolutely abysmal lyric.

**Now to crown the best of the night:

Best single song performances (in order of appearance):  (1) “When He Was On The Cross” – Dixie Echoes  (2) “All My Hope” – Gold City (**Favorite song performance of the evening)  (3) “The Healer Hasn’t Lost His Touch” – Tribute Quartet  (4) “I Call It Home” – Tribute Quartet  (5) “There Is Jesus” – McKameys  (6) “I’m Free” – The Sound  (7) “Never Gets Old” – Perrys  (8) “I’ll Never Get Over The Blood That I’m Under” – Kingdom Heirs  (9) “Come To The Well” – Kingdom Heirs  (10) “He’s Coming Back” – Master’s Voice

Best Set of the Night:  Gold City

SGVBR: Weekly Top 20: 09/13/19

Thanks for listening to my weekly playlists on both Apple Music and Spotify.  You are driving this weekly chart of total streams for current Southern Gospel radio singles.

The chart will always represent a running (4) week tally of total streams.  If you want to find my weekly playlists, on Spotify search SGVBR and Apple Music search Southern Gospel Back Row.  Here is the SGVBR weekly top 20 for the week of 09/13/19.

The Crown: McKameys

GRADE:  C+

• Album:  The Crown
  
• Artist:  McKameys
• Label:  Horizon
• Style:  Traditional, Appalachian
  
• Release Date:  05/31/19
• Streaming:  Yes (Apple Music/Spotify)
• Running Time:  31 Minutes

SYNOPSIS:

Today we take a look at the final album of new music by the McKameys; The Crown.

The McKameys have given Southern Gospel listeners over 60 years of Appalachian style music.  They rose to prominence in the 1980’s and was catapulted to the top with their hit single, “God On The Mountain”.

The Crown features Peg Bean, Ruben Bean, Sheryl Farris, Connie Fortner, Roger Fortner and Eli Fortner.

HIGHLIGHTS:

• Resident songwriter Sheryl Farris and the McKameys have always been a winning combination.  That continues on The Crown.
• The first single from the album, “From Dust To Glory” was the immediate stand out upon first listen.  Sheryl not only wrote the song but takes the lead.  A unique song from the group but one I will definitely remember.
• Roger Fortner has seen success with several of his leads on previous albums.  He has another winner with “Heavy”.  A strong lyric that can go hand in hand with “Unspoken Request”.
• Don’t know how many singles the label plan to release from The Crown but another strong contender would be another Sheryl feature, “Don’t Forget”.  This mid tempo song is classic McKameys.
• The last half of the recording far outweighs what listeners get on the first half.  Connie’s performance of the title track, “The Crown”, also deserves a listen.
• Strongest songs included in order: “From Dust To Glory“, “Heavy”, “Don’t Forget”, “We All Need A Savior” and “The Crown”.

CRITIQUE:

• I don’t know if I heard a single key change on the entire recording.
• Several songs on the first half of the recording are not up to the standards McKamey listeners have come to expect from the group.  That is a shame since it is the group’s final album of new music.
• Weakest songs included in order:  “Go Back And Pray”, “Cleanse Me” and “You Must Be Born Again”.

WRAP UP:

I want to thank the McKameys for staying true to their Appalachian style Southern Gospel music and their unapologetic stage performance for the length of their career.  You will be missed.

SONG (tempo)/Featured Vocalist – Songwriter:  1. “We All Need A Savior” (Mid/Fast)/Sheryl – Sheryl Farris  2. “You Must Be Born Again” (Mid)/Peg – Rebecca J Peck, John Robinson  3. “Cleanse Me” (Slow)/Ensemble; Connie – John McNeill, Edwin Orr  4. “Go Back And Pray” (Mid/Fast)/Ruben – Traditional  5. “The Holy Spirit Prayed” (Slow/Mid)/Peg – Tina Sadler  6. “Heavy” (Slow)/Roger – Brent Ellison, Chase McDaniel, Sue C Smith  7. “Don’t Forget” (Mid)/Sheryl – Sheryl Farris  8. “The Crown” (Mid)/Connie – Sheryl Farris  9. “God Is Good” (Slow)/Eli – Joseph Habedank, Sue C Smith, Tony Wood  10. “From Dust To Glory” (Slow)/Sheryl – Sheryl Farris

Best Radio Songs Of The 1990’s: #33

Let’s kick off July 2019 by getting back to the countdown of Southern Gospel’s best radio songs of the 1990’s.

Roger Ealey penned the song ranked 33rd among the best of the 90’s; “Arise”.  The McKameys prime period In Southern Gospel music became between the years 1987 and 1997.  One of the group’s greatest albums was their 1993 release, With His Power.

On that album was the song, “Arise”.  It ultimately spent four months at #1 and went on to win song of the year at the 1994 edition of the Singing News fan awards.