Dear Fan,
Wow! What a year it has been for the guys at Monument. Lots of changes not just personal but in direction as well. In case you haven’t had the chance to see us in person this summer, I would like to tell you a little about what you have missed.
To begin with, we now have a live band -- and a good one I might add. We have adopted a format for our program much like a show you would see in Branson MO. Our concerts are very fast paced and energetic. The show includes some clean family friendly country songs, some new and some almost everybody knows, a few patriotic songs and a little comedy along with some great gospel quartet music. We keep our program very entertaining. Now, you might say, that’s not what I like to see at a gospel concert, and you would be entitled to that opinion and with respect to that we would tell you here and now if you don’t want to be entertained don’t come to one of our concerts. We hope you have a great time at one of our shows so much so that the next time we are going to be near you, you might want to invite that neighbor or kin folk that you have always tried to get to come to your church to a concert but they just will not go to a church for anything. You see most likely you won’t find us singing in a church. Oh yes, we still do a few church concerts now and then, but most of them are not in the church. They are in the parking lot or at the local high school auditorium, and we are used as a community outreach event and booked for just what we are, a country quartet that also sings gospel.
In 2006 when I sang at my home town fair in Crossville TN I realized something while on stage looking back at a packed grandstand. I knew a lot of the people there that night would not come to see us at a church, but there they were enjoying our music clapping their hands and patting their foot. That night God placed a desire in me to take our talents and efforts in that direction, putting gospel music in front of as many unsaved people as I could. As we yielded completely to that calling God followed through by opening doors, one after another that allowed us to take our music this year into 21 fairs that have never had gospel music at them before or at least not in many many years.
As we ventured into this fair and festival market, we also realized that the same program that we did night after night in the churches was not going to get it done. That’s when I met Marshall Grant. Mr. Grant was the original bass player for Johnny Cash, he was with Cash until around 1981 and then went to work for the Statler Brothers somewhat managing them until their retirement in 2002. Mr. Grant said “Why don’t you do a show like the Statlers did, they are retired now but were very much loved in the fairs all around the country”. After some debate and a LOT of prayer that is the direction we have taken.
I know the Statler Brothers had a very big following among the fans of gospel music, and we hope that we can bring our fans in gospel along with us as well -- and more than anything I hope our fans will continue to hold us up in prayer as we head full steam into this mission field. We truly want to make an impact for the cause of Christ. We know that our ministry is one of planting seeds not the harvest, but there can be no harvest without first planting the seed. I would like to challenge everyone reading this to make it your top priority today and every day to plant a seed in some ones life.
Sincerely,
Marshall Pugh
Owner/Baritone
Monument Quartet
http://www.monumentquartet.com
Author: AGM
| Author's Website: http://absolutelygospel.com/
Written: 12/01/2007
| 
Category: Feature Articles
Comments: 16
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I think that is a great idea.The Statler Brothers were awsome.So is your quartet.GO FOR IT!
Skull
I believe in what you're doing. Keep at it. It's always great to work with you.
Marshall, I am in support of what you are doing. That being said, I am also hopeful that you can see the "line" and do not cross over it, like the Oaks and some other groups have done. It is so easy to get discouraged and be out there doing your thing, and seeing your flat versus what a lesser talented country or bluegrass group might be getting, and be tempted to "cross that line" and go on and do what they are doing. Don't think it can't happen.... Only a few months before the Oaks went country (and I for one have never liked or repected them since) Duane Allen stood on the stage at the Charleston Municipal Auditorium in Charleston, WV and told the audience not to be concerned about hearing that the Oak Ridge Boys are singing in casinos in Vegas; because as long as there is an Oak Ridge Boys, they will be singing Gospel Music....... Going from a $2500 flat to a $25,000 flat overnight is a big temptation.....
Wow!! I love it. I am thrilled to see you guys take the Gospel to the country world. Its good when a country artist sings a gospel song but then they turn around and sing a drinking song. To have a "country" group that lives a Christian walk may changes thousands if not millions of lives. God bless you! I will be praying for you.
Just keep in mind, bludline, one of the reasons why the Oaks "crossed the line." They were criticized again and again by "good Christian folks" for their "look" - the long hair, etc. I think we should try to look at people the way God looks at them and that we should all be careful not to make the same mistakes again with some "young" groups out there today who don't "look" the way we think they should. Let's not drive more away...
Spotsy, that sounds more like an excuse than a reason......
And what the Oaks fell into hopefully have nothing to do with Monument; I was simply stating that it is a BIG temptation.
I'd say The Oaks have done very well.Bringing Southern Gospel music to new audences that would never have heard it.It just didn't sell according to Columbia Records.They were starving and had no choice but cross over.I think Monument has a very good idea.
I wish them luck.
Sure they had a choice! Tell George Younce and Glen payne that they didn't have a choice when those guys mortgaged their homes to keep the bus on the road singing GOSPEL music!
Hey Bludline, what do Christians "look like?" What criteria do I need to meet? I don't want to "cross the line," better give us a list.
I agree, Aaron. I was going to ask the same question myself, but didn't. Isn't it good that God looks at the heart and not the hair?!
Yes, I would hate to see David Phelps or Guy Pinrod go to "The Bad Place" when they die. I usually don't get into leaving comments, but this mentality has plagued the Gospel industry for as long as I can remember.
I don't usually leave comments either. And let's not forget Ernie Haase and the guys with Signature Sound. I, for one, love their hair. Everything about them is a breath of fresh air.
I THOUGHT that'd get a rise! LOL!!
and , btw, it's PENROD
I think Monument is doing amazing things. If their flat goes up maybe God is blessing them for doing what He wants them to do and not what jealous men want. I have heard them a few times, also own their live DVD. They are great performers, great entertainers, their band is better than anything i have seen in gospel music. Having their band makes the concert so much better. I think with the tools they have like band, great voices, great platform and good venues will help them spread Gods word in places other group only wish they could go.
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