“Words and Music”
Have you ever imagined how dreary the world would be without music?
When you wake up in the morning, listen to that beautiful melody playing outside your window. The sparrow, the robin, the meadowlark—they all have their own composition. What a song it is!
The “cricket choir” you hear chirping through the summer, is that cool or what? Those dudes can sing. Well, maybe…NOT! But life just wouldn't be the same without their beautiful noise providing a backdrop for the casual routine of a peaceful summer evening.
Other neat sounds are: a loved one's voice: hoot owls; an acoustic guitar; city traffic; crashing waves; a trumpeting elephant; the hum of an electric fan on a hot day; tree leaves rustling in the wake of a summer breeze; a trucker's horn in the middle of the night; bumble bees; trains; mom's mixer whirring through a bowl of cake batter; whinnying horses; a donkey braying; a barking dog; the way one dog sets off every dog in the neighborhood. You gotta' love that! I think it was called the “midnight bark” in a Disney film.
I could go on for hours—you could too. All these things, and so many more, comprise the soundtrack and fabric of our lives.
Some would say a few of the sounds I mentioned are man-made, but not really. The Bible says God, through Christ, made all things and by Him all things consist. Every one of these sounds originated with the Master Composer. Yep, God, not Barry Manilow, writes the songs that make the whole world sing—and all of Heaven, too. He designed the template from which all music comes. It was God who created the chromatic and diatonic scales, the triads that produce the various chords—diminished, augmented, major seventh, minor sixth—and so on. God inspired and designed all this music theory stuff I don't know enough about to even be discussing!
A songwriter I spend time with wrote in one of the verses of his song, “ God's Creations” -
Mr. Bell's invention was a monumental thing
Without his spark of genius, your phone might never ring
But the power that made Bell 's mind proves this fundamental law
God's inventions are the greatest of them all.
Every good thing can be traced back to Him. I do know this. God the Creator, in His generosity and goodness, let's us create a little, too. He has ordained many songwriters down through history. David was one. Maybe even Noah. You can almost hear him singing “Didn't It Rain” as he built that boat, can't you? And who knows, Adam and Eve might have been the first Ashford and Simpson.
Getting back to the God “let's us create a little” theme, the Southern Gospel Music realm is richly blessed with some of the finest songwriters in the land. Their output is incredible. This is a tribute to them. I'm going to name a few in a moment, but please, please realize, it's by no means a complete list. There are other gifted writers supplying music to the Southern Gospel music genre as well. However, a look at the current Top 80 chart revealed the following names, to which I've added a few.
Mark Bishop, Phil Cross, Paula Stefanovich, Mark Lanier, Tim Lovelace, Eddy Bolton, Reggie Saddler, Melvin L. Williams, Stephanie Brown, Rebecca Peck, Amy Marie Unthank, Gerald Crabb, Aaron Crabb, Mike Bowling, Annie Laura McCrae, Greg Day, Steve Hurte, Roger & Debbie Bennett, Mosie Lister, Wayne Haun, Joel Lindsey, Joyce Martin McCollough, Jamie Harvill, Bobby Burnette, Videt Polk, Mark Jones, Scott Thomas, Tessa Thomas, Jack Toney, Jimmy Dooley, Lisa Chesser, Tobey Schwartz, Jeff Steele, Beverly Lowry, Daryl Williams, Rodney Griffin, Dottie Rambo, Dianne Wilkinson, Barbara Huffman, Randall Hunley, Ricky Atkinson, Joel Lindsey, Marty Funderburk, James L. McFall, Twila McBride-LaBar, Jack Toney, Mark Lanier, Michael Combs, Bill Gaither, Suzanne Jennings, Kyla Rowland, Emma Fern Middleton, Patty Hawkins, Debra Shepherd, Jeff, Silvey, Jason Patrick Runnels, Steve Cheney, Sheldon Wade Mencer, Zane King, Ronnie Spriggs, Charles Isbell, Stephen Hill, Jim & Melissa Brady, Tony Jolene Clay, John Mathis.
Although he wasn't in the chart, I must mention Squire Parsons , perhaps the most prolific Gospel songwriter of the last twenty-five years. Also, our good friends Sandy Knight (she has TWO songs of the year nominations this year alone), Chris White, Mitch Kenitzer, David Jenkins, Tim Caudill, Diana Gillette, Becky Isaacs Bowman , Sonya Isaacs , Terry Wilkins, Chris Binion, Joseph Smith, Chris Allman, Matthew Browder, James Metcalf, Tim Bates, Jonathan Lawson, Wes Byrd, and the list could go on and on .
At one time or another, you'll see those names listed under a song title, some of them month after month, year after year.
I'm a big fan of all these gifted writers. And of anybody , anywhere who has ever, or will ever put a pen to paper to compose a Gospel song, even the unpublished writers whose works may never be known beyond their local church or the family parlor. They also have a God-given gift!
What's most impressive about these people is the desire they have to use their writing talent for the sole purpose of glorifying God and lifting up the name of Jesus. All could write for a financially more “lucrative” market, but they're wise enough to know the benefit of writing for the King of Kings is eternal, and it far surpasses the temporary gain they might realize a few short years on earth.
These men and women know storing treasure up in Heaven makes a lot more sense than socking it away down at the First National. In Heaven's vault a thief can't steal it, moths and rust can't corrupt it, and best of all— eternal and forever is a mighty good yield.
Write on brothers and sisters, right on!
Author: .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
Written: 08/01/2004
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Category: Monthly ArticlesCrossroads Chronicles
Comments: 5
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Well said, Mr. Stover. I have a great admiration for songwriters, especially those you mentioned, who we know write to glorify God. I too am a fan of these gifted writers! I appreciate your article.
Right on Jim! Southern Gospel is blessed with the best writers. The thing that seperates the SG writers from the rest...you KNOW that they are writing about HIM.
Thanks for reading, and for your kind comments Michael and Tim! In church last Sunday morning a lady sang "Holy Ground," so I must mention songwriter Geron Davis. That piece of music is undoubtedly one of the finest Christian anthems in recent years.
I was wondering if anyone could help me get ahold of a copy of a CD by the Inspirations, with the Song I will Praise Him on it. I heard that is an awesome song, so i want to hear it.
I am trying to find the CD of the Heir-Line Group's gospel song "He'll see you through",also Charles Johnson & the Revieres' song "Can't walk without you holding my hand.
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