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We’re all familiar with the famous quote, “A rose by any other name would smell as sweet.” It originated in the play “Romeo and Juliet,” written by William Shakespeare.

The meaning is clear and simple. You can call a rose a banana, a cucumber, a daisy, or any other name you can think of, but the rose will still be what it is.

At first glance the rose bush is beautiful, but hidden among the pretty flowers are thorns…nasty thorns that will hurt you. It is generally believed that the purpose of the thorns is to repel animals that would make a meal of the roses.

The same analogy applies to the thorn…you can call it anything you want to but it is, and will always be, a thorn.

THE ROSE

To me, Southern Gospel Music is the “rose,” exquisite in its beauty and fragrance. There is no other music on earth as enjoyable to me as good SGM. I will admit I’m partial to male quartets. That’s what SGM was when I started in 1963, mostly male quartets. There were a few mixed groups, The Speer Family, The LeFevres, The Chuck Wagon Gang, The Weatherford Quartet, to name a few, but SGM was predominantly an industry of male quartets. Our industry today has many mixed groups and I enjoy listening to them all, trios, family groups, duets, whatever. As long as they are singing SGM, and singing it well, they’re singing my song.

THE THORNS

Just as in the rose bush, SGM has its thorns. Some are right out there where you can see them and some are hidden way back, behind the scenes, so to speak. They WILL hurt you and they are, in fact, hurting SGM.

THE MUSIC ROW CROWD

In Washington they are called “The Inside The Beltway Crowd.” These are the people who are so caught up with each other that they are oblivious to the rest of the country. The only thing that matters to them is appearing to be important to the rest of the “in” crowd, or as so aptly described in the song by The Eagles, they are “too busy being fabulous.”

We have a similar group in SGM. I call them the “Music Row Crowd.” They don’t all live and work in Nashville, but they all belong to the club. They are Southern Gospel label executives, radio promoters, talent agents, marketing and design people, promoters, trade executives, and some artists.

These folks rub shoulders with their secular music and contemporary Christian music counterparts on a daily basis. They desperately want to be accepted and to be treated as equals, but many of them are ashamed of our heritage and embarrassed by our music, and so they willingly compromise our art form to be accepted by the “in” crowd. It is beneath them to accept Southern Gospel Music as it is, or as it should be, so they are always trying to change it into something else… always with the same phony-baloney story about reaching more young people by changing the music. To which I say… A THORN BY ANY OTHER NAME IS STILL A THORN!

THORNS BEGET THORNS

Of course any time a group shows up on the doorstep of SGM that is anything but SGM the “Music Row Crowd” begins salivating. The longhaired, un-shaven, un-pressed, hole-in-blue jeans, gravely voiced rocker is music to their ears. They go running to their secular counterparts with CD and press kit in hand, “See, see, this is what we are. This is what Southern Gospel Music is now. Can we join your club now, can we, can we? Oh please, please?”

The “Music Row Crowd” also likes to play the “Name Game.” If an artist doesn’t fit into the mold of traditional Southern Gospel they just call it “Something Southern Gospel” you know like, Bluegrass Southern Gospel, or Christian Country Southern Gospel or my favorite…Progressive Southern Gospel.

They also think that by changing the name of SGM to “American Gospel Music,” or “Chinese Gospel Music,” that more people will want to hear it. They believe that the name Southern Gospel Music turns people off.

It’s not the name that turns people off…it’s the poor performance of many SGM artists that turns people off.

This fact, combined with the presence of artists that don’t perform true SGM, is why SGM is viewed as inferior. We have lost our identity. We have abandoned our true heritage.

SGM, when performed by a top notch SGM artist, is loved by everyone. If you don’t believe me ask The Perrys, Ernie Haase and Signature Sound, The McKameys, The Booth Brothers, The Inspirations, Legacy Five and the other truly fine, professional groups (I don’t have room to name them all) who are doing quite well.

THERE IS ENOUGH AUDIENCE, YOUNG AND OLD, TO SUPPORT OUR MUSIC IF THEY WILL STOP TRYING TO MAKE IT INTO SOMETHING ELSE.

My good friend and partner, Bob Jones, told me about a night in 1986 during the Dove Awards week when Southern Gospel Music really shined. At the time Bob was the President of Zondervan Music Group, which also included the Benson Company. Their labels were Impact, Powerdisc, Riversong, Heartwartming and also Enigma. The artist repertoire of those labels included Sandi Patti, Larnelle Harris, Degarmo and Key, Stryper and The Cathedral Quartet, among others.

The Benson Company was given one night to feature their artists and it was decided that the theme would be to showcase the variety within the company. You can imagine the broad range of music that appeared on that stage that night, from Sandi Patti to Stryper, but Bob said the biggest hit of the night was the Cathedrals. The crowd loved them and showed their appreciation with a standing ovation. In fact, they got the biggest response of any artist the entire weekend. Of all the artists and bands that appeared on that stage that week, four gentlemen with a piano player and a bass guitar stole the show.

In all the years I enjoyed the Cathedral Quartet I can’t ever remember them singing anything but pure Southern Gospel Music. As a matter of fact, in trying to define Southern Gospel Music, I would have to say, “Listen to the Cathedral Quartet. Do that and you’ll be doing what I believe is the finest example of Southern Gospel Music.”

SGM is an art form that originated in the South and, it has been argued, stands alongside jazz, blues, and country music as the fourth great genre of grass roots music and the fourth major type of southern music. It has a distinctive sound. Other genres of music also have a sound that is unique to that genre. To alter or distort a genre’s sound and try to make it sound like something else is, in my opinion, a cardinal sin.

For example, have you ever heard of a barbershop duet? I doubt it, because barbershop music is designed to function as a quartet. There are lots of people who love that art form and probably many more who don’t, but you never hear of the barbershop quartet industry changing their music to reach more people. They remain true to their heritage. You either like it or you don’t…that’s it.

How about George Jones with a big band… Or Frank Sinatra with a steel guitar? I think you get my point.

A ROSE IS STILL A ROSE

My friends, Southern Gospel Music can stand on its own merits. It is designed by its very chemistry to be performed by four voices, much like barbershop quartet music. Please understand me here. I’m not suggesting that we dismiss every group that is not a quartet. I am merely trying to point out that our art form, Southern Gospel Music, is by its nature, Quartet Music. The name of our biggest event is The National QUARTET Convention. That is our heritage. Just like the rose, you can call it anything you want to but it will never change what it is.

WHAT IT IS NOT IS COUNTRY, BLUEGRASS, MOR, PRAISE AND WORSHIP ROCK AND ROLL OR PROGRESSIVE.

I disagree with those who proclaim that there is a place for everyone in SGM. There is only a place for those who are committed to the art form, and the art form is clearly defined by listening to groups like the Cathedral Quartet. If you want to sing music like that, whether you are a quartet, or a trio, or a mixed group, then you are welcome.

If you and the “Music Row Crowd” insist on making this beautiful rose bush into a bush of thorns then you are most certainly not welcome.

I, for one, have had my fill of the blue jeans, long hair and country music “wannabees,” singing music that is not SGM pretending to be a rose, and I don’t believe I’m alone on this.

I say, “Bring back the red suits, short haircuts, shined shoes, and tried and true Southern Gospel Music.”

As Always, I Welcome Your Comments.

God Bless You,

Nick Bruno
http://www.nickbruno.com

Reader Comments

MD's comments are most pertinent, and I think he/she senses the point of Nick's article much better than a good deal of some of the reaction to it here.

I'd like to add(strictly for the sake of discussion)...

Is it possible that quartets were created BY THE PUBLISHING COMPANIES that published the songbooks that were originally the impetus behind the gospel music industry in the Southeast United States because the music in them was written for four-part vocal groups(i.e. quartets)?

In those SONGbooks there are no charts for guitars, basses, violins(aka "fiddles" to some), or drums. Was this because those publishers had an aversion to instruments?

Maybe some of them did, I don't know. But I submit they wrote those arrangements because that was the style of music they wanted them presented in.

Susan is correct...there was no such thing as "southern gospel" when that genre was birthed. In fact, that term did not exist as an official(or quasi-official)designation for the music until the 1980s.

Prior to that, the genre that arose from the Southeast in the early 20th century was usually referred to as "gospel music"...and what is so imprecise about that name?

As the Gospel Music Channel promos point out, ALL the styles of music used in the general field of gospel music are valid..."...it's all good, it's all gospel."

And Nick is not for one moment suggesting otherwise in his article.

He is simply concerned that the music that has come to be known as "southern gospel"(whose roots I described above)does not lose its' identity in the midst of all this syncretistic stylistic amalgamation that is taking place nowadays.

I am, too...and that's why I appreciated Nick's article. I also appreciate the point of Matt Felts' response to it, although I think his observations are largely beside Mick's point.

Surely there can be something for everybody that wants to hear good Christian music...to paraphrase Paul Baker's book of years ago, there's no reason the devil should have it all!

I just hope we can stop being so obsessed with "The Name Game" that Nick describes.

Morning glory and evening grace,

Giving the world a smile each day,

john.sogospelnews.com

MD~"Some people will NEVER buy a pick up truck, but Ford hasn't changed the basic styling of it's pick up trucks because some people prefer the newer SUV's. Nope... a pick up truck remains a pick up truck."

Sorry, MD, but I can't resist...Have you seen the new Ford Sport Trac or the older Ford Explorers? They are Ford SUV's which also convert into pick up trucks for the people who want both. Ford also makes sports cars, vans, etc., to reach all of their customers with something they may like. Oh, and they are all under the name Ford.

That is how SG music is. There are plenty of quartets out there, doing the same thing that was done with the Stamps and Statesmen, back in the 50's and 60's. They are the pick up trucks you spoke of that do not change much in style. They keep the basics going for the people who still want the pick up.

However, Ford is wise enough to see that there are younger people coming up, who didn't grow up when the Ford pick up was first produced. Even though some of those young people may still love and want a pick up, Ford sees that there are others who also enjoy the look and feel of an SUV, which they also produce. Then, someone at Ford said, "Why can't we just all get along? Our whole company doesn't have to be pick ups. We don't have to criticize every other vehicle or SUV that doesn't look or feel like a pick up. We see good in both. We could probably make much more money if we produced many different styles, and even let some styles be a combination of both pick ups and SUV. Then, instead of alienating our other customers, or trying to make them all like or fit into a pick up, we can provide product to fit everyone's taste.

Now it would be of no benefit for Ford to say, "Our SUV's do not wear suits and ties...er, uh... have the sleek style of the long bed pick ups. They just don't look right, so let's tell the world about that and shoot ourselves in the foot. Let's show them how we, a part of our own company, do not like or appreciate those SUV's, and try to discourage other people from listening to...er, uh...accepting them. Let's be so narrow in our opinions that we want to show outsiders just how wrong our own production team is for even designing or thinking about actually promoting something as different from a truck as an SUV. For Pete's sake, please don't even think about acting like you like those conversion things that can have such variety that they can sing both...er, uh...be both a pick up and an SUV. Who in the world would want to come up with something like that to reach a wider age range/fan base...er, uh...customer for our Ford products and possibly get our message...er, uh...product out to many more people and even increase our capital and popularity???" Hmmmm...

Concerning the "name game" I have dealt with "up and coming" artists like that. They recorded a new song by "so and so", their new project was produced by "so and so", "so and so" sang backup on their new project. It might have been excitement over these people being involved, I don't know. To me it sort of reeked of name dropping. Then reading press releases from some can be a real hoot. One in particular made it sound like the person was much more great and accomplished than they were (but then many do that.) It didn't help that it was written by a relative. LOL.

MD...since you addressed your comment to me personally, please re-read:

"That is how SG music is. There are plenty of quartets out there, doing the same thing that was done with the Stamps and Statesmen, back in the 50's and 60's. They are the pick up trucks you spoke of that do not change much in style. They keep the basics going for the people who still want the pick up.

However, Ford is wise enough to see that there are younger people coming up, who didn't grow up when the Ford pick up was first produced. Even though some of those young people may still love and want a pick up, Ford sees that there are others who also enjoy the look and feel of an SUV, which they also produce. Then, someone at Ford said, "Why can't we just all get along? Our whole company doesn't have to be pick ups. We don't have to criticize every other vehicle or SUV that doesn't look or feel like a pick up. We see good in both. We could probably make much more money if we produced many different styles, and even let some styles be a combination of both pick ups and SUV. Then, instead of alienating our other customers, or trying to make them all like or fit into a pick up, we can provide product to fit everyone's taste."

I'm still not sure where you got that I was "extremely disrespectful to any young person to take a shot at an older person's age. extremely." If you had read my previous comments, you would know that I am well over 50 and NOT a young person, but thanks for the compliment. I don't recall disrespecting anyone.

Let's take the Ford truck analogy that was offered. Yes, indeed Ford still makes a truck. But, he doesn't still make the original 1949 truck. He now offers thee 2009 Truck. This new model, though still a truck, now includes more features, and yes, even has a few different styles to it. Today's truck includes an option to have a 2-door or 4-door model. You can even include or exclude certain features that the original model didn't hqve. Things like air conditioning, automatic transmissions, electric door locks, and the list goes on.

You have a choice between different truck models (styles) such as the F150, F250, F350, the Ford Ranger, and more (I won't even say that Ford includes Vans in their truck lineup). Now Ford didn't start with all these models and options but he saw that to give the public what they wanted he needed to offer more options. What a smart business man. He didn't stop making the truck he just started keeping up with the times and offering more options.

Now there are those who would still say, give me that original 1949 pickup truck, because I don't want all these new-fangled contraptions on my perfectly useable, original 1949 model. But guess what? It isn't 1949 anymore and Ford can't stay in business by only offering the 1949 model.

Let's take the rose/thorn analogy that Nick introduced. Would it surprise you to know that there are more than 1 rose breeds/styles? Yes, there is more than just that original red rose. Rose breeders still come up with new styles even today. The world is offered more options for roses than that simple beautiful red rose that most people associate with the word.

So, yes a rose is still a rose, but you get to choose your style, whether it be a Tea rose, a Floribunda rose, or a David Austin rose, you still get a rose. Take your pick.

As long as there is southern gospel there will be choices as well, whether it be traditional 4-part quartet style, or a little bit country or a little bluegrass or a little mountain. It's still southern gospel music.

And I for one say, "Thank you Jesus!"

Susan Unthank
http://susan.sogospelnews.com/
http://mostlyorganized.com/
http://twitter.com/sunthank
http://twitter.com/sogospelnews
.(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)

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