Howdy,
Mr. Cantwell: <<We need a southern gospel book, before the tradition's gone
for good...>>
I was unaware that there was any threat to the Southern Gospel tradition.
>From where I sit, the tradition seems alive and well. Down the road from my
grandfather's house is the headquarters for the McKamey family band, plus
there's the Isaacs down the road a bit further up in Campbell County.
GTV is broadcast via satellite to a fair number of households (and,
according to a Philclip(tm) I posted here earlier is looking to expand and
become a standard cable network).
Locally, the good Rev. J. Bazell Mull hosts his Mull Singing Convention each
month (usually in the Tennessee Theater across the street, but
sometimes--based on scheduling conflicts-- up in Sevierville). "J-Bazz" also
owns two radio stations here in town (WIOL-AM 850 and WJBZ-FM) featuring
nothing but Southern Gospel.
Over the hills up in Sevierville, each October brings us a month-long
festival celebrating the tradition and future of Southern Gospel.
And this April, the Southern Gospel Music Association (SGMA) is finally
opening the doors to its museum and Hall of Fame. The SGMA Hall of Fame
Museum will be housed on the grounds of Dollywood.
Festivities will commence in April with Dolly hosting a Gospel Tribute Show
featuring the Kingdom Heirs (Dollywood regulars for most of the park's
existence), Honey Creek, and the Cox Family. Plus, other special
as-of-yet-unannounced guests, and ceremonies honoring inductees into the
Hall of Fame on April 17 and April 18.
A good resource page for the goings-on of the folks at SGMA is
www.sogospel.com/sgma/
The main page at www.sogospel.com provides links to just about everything,
including the Southern Gospel mailing list.
Dollywood's web pages have press release information about the new museum as
well at www.dollywood.com/new/gospel.html
Also worth exploring is the web site at http://southerngospel.org/
The tradition, if anything, seems to be enjoying a bit of a resurgence in
popularity here. Some fine new bands are always popping up on the scene
(along with some not-so-fine bands, but Southern Gospel is just like any
other music scene).
FWIW, I don't think, David, that you need to worry too much about the
tradition fading away from view. I do think, though, that you may want to
consider moving here. <g>
Take care,
Shane Rhyne...ain't that right, Ms. Mull?
Knoxville, TN
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
