After the sudden departure of Daniel Rivera, the search was on for a new tenor for the group. Today, it was announced that the man for the job is Paul Secord:

Daniel Childs, descendent of the original Blackwood Brothers Quartet and lead singer for Southern Gospel group Blackwood Legacy, announced today the addition of Paul Secord as tenor singer for the quartet.

“Our last tenor left very suddenly,” Daniel said, “so we were pressed to find a fill-in as quickly as we could.  After praying about it and searching through dozens of resumes, we knew that Paul was a special candidate and was someone we wanted to meet.  And, as it turns out, he’s not only a very talented guy, but an incredibly nice guy as well.”

Secord flew to Portland, Oregon to join the group on tour last week, and after much prayer and thought, both Secord and Rick Price (group leader / emcee) felt that making Paul a permanent addition to the group was the right step.

“So excited to have Paul here,” says Price.  ”He will be recognized as one of the great vocalists in Gospel music today.  He’s a great friend, musician, and has an ability to communicate with an audience – which is truly a gift from God.  We feel blessed to have the sudden opportunity to add him to our team.  God certainly can take something that was meant for harm, and turn it into something good!”

Paul Secord has a long history in ministry and in entertainment, having been a featured performer at Walt Disney World, as well as having been a Worship pastor at a church in Virginia Beach.  Paul currently resides near Nashville with his wife, Dawn, and their two wonderful children.

“I am thrilled to be a part of Blackwood Legacy,” says Secord.  ”I believe my gifts are a great match for their ministry and can’t wait to see what God does when we put it all together.”

Paul will be featured on all the upcoming tour dates with the group, and will also be featured on their next album, which is currently in the works.

For more information, visit the group online at www.theblackwoodlegacy.com.

I admit that I am unfamiliar with Secord’s voice, but I am looking forward to hearing how he affects the sound of the group. Perhaps this change will be one that finally stabilizes the lineup for a good long while!

I attended a concert last Thursday night in Vinton, VA featuring the Dixie Melody Boys. I had never seen the group outside of NQC, and I had heard enough from the reunion last year and the 50th Anniversary project to know that I would likely enjoy their sound with the new lineup, and I was not disappointed. Due to the number of videos that I got, I’ll just link to the playlist. A large number of the songs done at this concert came from their latest CD, including their new radio single, “Jesus In My Boat.”

(l-r) Ray Dean Reese, Bob Sellers, Randy Crawford, Chris Jenkins, Brandon Reese)

After a fill-in period that once included Ernie Phillips, and a guessing game this past weekend on Facebook that built some excitement, the Kingsmen have finally announced their pick for the tenor position:

The Kingsmen are pleased to announce the addition of Chris Jenkins as our new tenor vocalist.

Chris, 25, has been singing in various ministries and groups since his teenage years, most recently tenor vocalist for the Vintage Quartet since 2010. Prior to joining The Kingsmen, Chris worked as a loan officer and banking manager for the last six years.

“I am so thankful that God has allowed me to do what I have always loved to do,” says Chris. ”I could not be more excited about joining a group with such a legacy and rich history as The Kingsmen.  I have been a fan of The Kingsmen since I was very young. I look forward to seeing what the future holds with this great quartet, especially this line-up of individuals as they are top-notch vocalists. It is a real honor to follow in the footsteps of some of my heroes.”

Chris will begin touring with the group immediately. In fact he has been filling in with us in recent weeks. Chris, along with his wife Kimberly, and two children make their home right outside of Greensboro, in the Piedmont area of North Carolina.

Chris is looking forward to meeting many friends and fans of The Kingsmen as he begins this new chapter in his life. To find out when the Kingsmen Quartet will be in a city near you please visit us at www.kingsmenquartet.com, and also visit our Facebook page at www.facebook.com/kingsmenquartet

I have been excited about the possibility of this hire ever since I learned that Chris was filling in after Ernie Phillips came back off the road. Jenkins has already impressed me with his work with the Vintage Quartet, and I am glad that he has been given a platform with such a well-known group. I would encourage anyone in the “bring back Ernie” camp to give this guy a chance; Jenkins bring a sound to the table that is a throwback to the Ernie days of the group, while still having the modern flair the group has adopted over the past few years.

I am looking forward with renewed anticipation to the release of material featuring this lineup of Chris Jenkins, Bob Sellers, Randy Crawford, and Ray Dean Reese.

No videos of Chris with The Kingsmen have surfaced yet, but here’s a clip from the Vintage Quartet:

Any time that there is a lull in the stream of news in Southern Gospel music, you can be sure that it is the calm before the storm. We’re already waiting on the announcement of a new Kingsmen tenor (more on that later, but it’s gonna be good!), but another lineup change has hit and is making shockwaves. In a Facebook post yesterday, Dixie Echoes pianist Stewart Varnado made this announcement:

I’d like to thank the Dixie Echoes for allowing me the opportunity to live out my dream for the past 14 years. I joined the group when I was 17 years old. Randy and Scoot Shelnut have became like family to me, and it’s been a blast traveling with some great guys through the years. I realize that when people put out statements saying they want to spend more time at home, it seems to be a cover for unhappiness within the group. That is not the case here. I simply have the desire to come off the road for a while. I wish nothing but the best for the Dixie Echoes, and pray that one day, if it’s God’s will, I can return to Gospel music.

I have no future plans at the moment and will be filling in for the group until a replacement has been found. Thanks also to the many friends that I have made while traveling! It has been an honor to get to meet so many fine people. I will still be active behind the scenes promoting the music that I love. Anyone interested in auditioning should contact Randy Jr. at scoot@dixieechoes.com

In a later update, Stewart also confirmed that he will still be involved with promoting events like the Memphis Quartet Show and the Gospel Jubilee Cruise.

Remaining for fourteen years with one group is no small feat, and I appreciate Varnado’s longevity and commitment, qualities that are arguably a rare find in the revolving door of SG group changes. While I’m certainly shocked by this announcement and am sad to see him go, I’m sure that he’s probably ready to rest after being on the road for so long! Perhaps we’ll see him back playing again in a few years.

As far as a replacement… the return of Andrew Ishee, anyone?

Hat tip goes to Daniel Mount for recording (and posting) these two clips of The Inspirations at work on their next release through Crossroads. Interestingly, both songs featured are updated recordings of past Inspirations songs. The first one is a fairly recent radio hit, “In The Twinkle Of An Eye,” which was found on their 2004 release, What a Day. I particularly enjoyed watching baritone Jon Epley’s reaction to Mike Holcomb’s low ending on the verse:

The next song is quite a bit older; over thirty years old, in fact. “It Won’t Be Long” was recorded on the 1980 album Singing in the Smokies.

What strikes me about both of these “covers” is that, with this lineup, it doesn’t feel that way. The hiring of Jodi Hosterman changed the sound and dynamic of the group, and while they are still maintaining the classic sound that makes them “The Inspirations,” the vocals are versatile enough that they can do different things with the harmonies on these older songs. It makes more of a mark on them than it would have if the Dallas Rogers lineup had gone back and re-recorded them; in that case, it would have just sounded like the old group recording it with modern technology. I’ve enjoyed hearing the harmonies changed up even in these short clips, and I am looking forward to the final product.

Change has hit the lineup of Ball Brothers once again with the departure of bass vocalist Joshua Ball. In true “Ball Brothers” fashion, the press release for the change was both heartfelt and humorous:

Chickamauga, GA – THE SKY IS FALLING! The previous line was intended to make the following statement less shocking. After 6 years with the Ball Brothers, Joshua Ball has retired . . . at age 26. Josh states, “I was going to resign, then it dawned on me that retirement made more sense. The guys will have to pay me until Social Security kicks in. All joking aside, I am leaving the Ball Brothers. I will miss all the friends I have made and I will miss singing and being with the guys, but I am definitely looking forward to spending more time at home. I’ll still be the Ball Brothers ‘#1 fan’ but it won’t be as weird now that I’m no longer in the group.”

Daniel Ball said, “Most press releases are boring and void of useful information. I read them . . . then wonder what the ‘real’ story was? In order to avoid unfounded speculation, I will seed speculation with misinformation. We fired Josh because he is our family’s version of “Joseph”. Andrew and I were jealous that he was Dad’s favorite so we sold him on eBay and told dad that he was eaten. BAM!!! There’s your story! Seriously . . . We’re saddened that Josh is leaving, but fully support his decision. We are thankful for Josh’s hard work and contributions and look forward to seeing what God has in store for Josh and the Ball Brothers.”

The new Ball Brother will be announced soon!

For more information about the Ball Brothers visit: www.theballbrothers.com

I will be interested to see what kind of sound the group adopts as a new vocalist is brought in. Josh was a bass, but was more of a “lower blend” part than a true bass. The hire of a bass singer in the traditional sense would give the Ball Brothers sound a whole new dynamic. I enjoyed Josh’s work with the group and wish him well in his future endeavors.

Side note: The group put this press release in a Facebook status update, and had this note at the bottom: “Our sincere apologies to any blog or news editor that has to edit this release.”

Apology accepted, guys! As always, I got a chuckle out of reading a press release from the Ball Brothers, no matter what the news was!

1. Legacy Five debuted their first ever concept video late last week. The song is “Ask Me Why,” arguably one of the finest songs the group has recorded, and the story behind the song is acted out very well in the video. One cool tidbit is that the lady that the song was written about is actually featured in the video. Check it out:

2. Dixie Melody Boys tenor Matt Felts has released a project highlighting hymns of the Civil War. The project, Angels On The Battlefield, will be carried by parks across America, and features a throwback style of music, as well as guest vocalists Johnny Minick, Aaron Minick, and Mike Allen. This website features clips and ordering information.

3. Dailey & Vincent have released an instructional video on quartet harmony. The video features the current vocal lineup of Jamie Dailey, Darrin Vincent, Jeff Parker, and Christian Davis, and can be purchased here.

Rating: 4 stars

Producer: Billy Coren
Label: Music City Media Group
Website: www.mark209.com

Song titles: The Blood of One Man; Book of Life; Count Me In; Daddy; Down In Bethlehem; Get Up In Jesus’ Name; Already On The Phone; In God We Still Trust; My Home In Heaven; That’s How Jesus Sees Me; Tougher Than Nails; Who Prayed For Me; Wine Into Water; The Tree

Last year, after the departure of baritone Ed Crawford from the Mystery Men Quartet, and the subsequent hiring of Jimmy Reno a short time later, it was announced that the group would be changing their name. During the week of NQC 2011, the new name was announced; the quartet would be called Mark209, a reference to mile marker 209 that leads into Nashville. It is fitting, then, that the group’s first project of original songs would be titled From The Heart Of Nashville.

Fans of the Mystery Men Quartet may find a lot of this project very familiar; that’s because all but two of the songs can be found on the Mystery Men’s Blue Collar Gospel project. Before you blow this off as a “get something out quick” effort, I’d encourage you to take a listen to it. I admit that, seeing the song titles, I went into this fully expecting something of that nature. However, I appreciate the fact the current lineup of Nathaniel Justice, Jym Howe, Jimmy Reno, and Joe Armstrong took the time to go back and re-record most, if not all, of the vocals on the project. Their vocals take the sound that Blue Collar Gospel had and refines it, making this CD an improvement over the original. The new tracks, “Down In Bethlehem” and “In God We Still Trust” fit seamlessly into the track list, though the latter has been recorded so much that another song may have been a better choice. I also appreciate the fact that the mix has been tweaked and improved as well. Two of the issues most of the tracks had the first time around were that the instruments were unevenly mixed (for example, the cymbals were louder than everything else to the point of distraction), and the vocals often sounded muddy behind the instrumentation. Both were resolved this time.

Being from Nashville, you would expect the country music influence to be very prevalent in Mark209′s sound, and the group certainly delivers that in both sound and lyrical content. The opener, “The Blood Of One Man,” is a straight-ahead gospel tune with that genre’s feel, as is the next track, “The Book of Life,” which highlights the quartet’s ensemble work and harmony. Other such tunes include “He’s Already On The Phone,” another harmony feature that also gives lead singer Jym Howe a solo verse, and “My Home In Heaven,” the group’s current radio single penned by Woody Wright, which has seen some favorable chart action.

The other component of a country influence manifests itself in “story songs,” and this project has its fair share of such songs with a Christian message. Bass singer Joe Armstrong delivers “Daddy,” which centers around a father figure who was a simple man of simple means, whom the singer imagines will have a similar home in Heaven near his mansion. “Who Prayed For Me” is a baritone feature for Jimmy Reno, and a thanks to an anonymous person that prayed for the storyteller during various parts of his life. Reno also sings “Tougher Than Nails,” which relates the story of a father teaching his bullied son the “turn the other cheek” lesson through the example of Jesus’ life, and tenor Nathaniel Justice carries a thoughtful ballad in “That’s How Jesus Sees Me.”

Other high points in the project come in the form of “Wine Into Water,” a tender prayer for help from God, and the project’s closer, “The Tree,” which reflects on the fact that the Creator made the tree He would be crucified upon.

This project is one of the better debuts that I have heard in the past couple of years. It defines Mark209′s sound very well, and each member of the group is featured fairly equally, so the listener gets a taste of each vocalist’s style. Fans of the Mystery Men, as well as country-flavored gospel music, will appreciate this effort from Mark209, and I would encourage the uninitiated to give this CD a spin as well. From The Heart Of Nashville receives 4 stars.

Longtime fans of the Southern Gospel genre may remember a quartet called The Rebels. Active in the 50s and 60s, this quartet saw several of the more well-known names of this music’s history, including Ron Booth, Sr., Jim Hamill, London Parris, and Nick Bruno. They are the quartet that is featured on one of my favorite “vintage SG” clips on Youtube:

Former Statesmen/Palmetto State Quartet baritone Rick Fair even started his career with the group. Now, he’s helping to bring the name back. The lineup for the “revived Rebels” is tenor Mike Young, lead Alan Kendall, baritone David Fair, bass Rick Fair, and pianist Barry Patrick.

If this group has a sound that’s familiar to you, the reason may be that everyone except the lead singer was most recently heard together in the Southern Sound Quartet with Ben Harris. With the addition of Alan Kendall, who has a very “classic Southern Gospel lead” quality to his voice, this group has the potential to go far with their music. I appreciate the fact that a former vocalist for the group has brought back the Rebels name with the blessing of former members and a quality lineup that will match what fans of the original quartet might expect.

The group is traveling on a limited schedule, but I hope to catch them in my area some time soon, if not at NQC. You can find out more about them at their website.

A few weeks ago, it was announced that Blackwood Legacy was making a huge change by adding Daniel Rivera on tenor and moving the other vocalists around (Daniel Childs to lead, Luke Yates staying on baritone, and Rick Price moving to bass), effectively making Blackwood Legacy a quartet. Yesterday, I saw a video on Youtube that showcased what the group sounds like now. Rick Price was unable to make the tour this video was taken from, but check it out. Daniel Childs leads on “Back To Grace,” which was recently covered by The Kingsmen but originally showed up on Statement of Faith’s only release (the track for which is used here):

If the group can retain these singers, I’m interested to hear what the four man lineup sounds like and what music they will produce.