Passing Away?

I attended and hosted a Southern Gospel music concert last night with the Melody Boys from Little Rock, AR. Unfortunately, the crowd was quite sparse. Was it the weather? (It had turned cold.) Was it the cost of tickets? (We are in a recession.) Or was it something else?

Clue: I noticed that most all of the audience had gray hair. This includes the host- me.

Even Gerald Williams, venerated bass singer of the group and member of the Southern Gospel Hall of Fame referred to the phenomena. He stated that if we wanted to see the music carry on to another generation, we should take our grandchildren to a Southern Gospel music concert.

I recall asking a question of a famous SG artist a few months back about the mostly grayhairs in the audience. He stated that this was nothing new. When he started out, the audience then- in the 1950's -was mostly grayhairs as well. I asked Gerald about this. He said that it was true, but he also noted that "That was the only kind of Christian music we had back then." There was the music of worship in the churches, and then there was the quartet style, camp-meeting singing.

No "contemporary Christian," no "Christian rock," no "Christian country." Just gospel.

We have so many choices today. Nothing wrong with that.

But I am concerned that the old quartet style of gospel singing is passing away. Some quartets today are moving toward a more contemporary "Praise and Worship" style, or a country style.

In quartet singing the music, you can hear the message above the music. The music is a servant to the message.

Not the other way around.

May that never change!