From the Singing News website:

Ernie Haase & Signature Sound Launch Media Channel

Southern Gospel Quartet, Ernie Haase & Signature Sound has partnered with a Tampa Fl. based 316Muzik to launch a free membership-based media channel, EHSS TV.

Ernie Haase’s group is the first of its kind to use this newest form of video delivery technology. 316Muzik is an Endavo (http://www.endavomedia.com)/ Powered Community, and provides several media tools to 316Muzik which enable the group to have a stronger presence on the Internet and establish a direct connection with each listener who joins the community. The EHSS TV community can be found at ehss.316muzik.com.

By using the latest video delivery technologies available, EHSS TV shares with the world the personal side of the EHSS ministry, including music videos and backstage and on-stage video footage from tours. Registered members can view high quality videos in full-screen DVD quality right on their desktop, enjoying a TV-like experience, all without streaming.

Casio Jones, the founder of 316 Muzik, noted that by leveraging the power of Endavo EHSS TV can expand its ministry over the Web. 316Muzik also offers the EHSS ministry complete control of online distribution of their exclusive special footage.

“Based on the wonderful review from the EHSS TV members’ forum, this is going to be a big hit for all the fans of the EHSS ministry. 316Muzik could not have developed a better relationship with a finer ministry. Ernie Haase was able to see the vision and potential of what 316Muzik has to offer.” said Casio Jones, founder of 316Muzik.

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It’s been around a while, but it’s a pretty sweet deal, considering that it’s totally free.

According to a Singing News forum post, Daniel Britt will start there, and new general manager Brian Sanders will assume his role. Both will be filling in the positions once held by Rodney Baucom, who left on the last day of June.
No worries, this “new” JOY FM will not be going in the Contemporary direction. It’s all gonna be SG music 24/7 as it has been since the start.

JOY FM’s website

Hm… can’t help but think this might be a good idea…

People over on the Singing News forums have suggested the idea that we write to Oprah and ask her to put Ernie Haase & Signature Sound on the show.

People have made a very valid objection, and I admit that I somewhat agree with it; what makes you think that Oprah would devote an entire one-hour show to these guys? We all know Oprah is very liberal and left field, and EHSSQ is obviously conservative. Oprah’s show is also more human interest.

However, she’s had gospel music artists on the show before, some famous, some not so famous. One guy on the board said his wife wants to write in for an SG artist to appear. Bill & Gloria Gaither would be the most logical choice, seeing that they are SG “giants” in this day and time. But EHSSQ did some work with them in South Africa that helped those people greatly, and that alone may be enough to get them on the show. EHSSQ is also getting very high on The Billboard charts now. Their new Get Away Jordan album has almost gone gold.

I think it’s a long shot, but go ahead, write in. You never know what could happen.

Ernie Haase & Signature Sound’s website

Oprah’s website

Due to the real world interfering with my blogging (i.e., I’m going on vacation), I’ll not be blogging for a while. Look for a new post sometime Friday.

Another legend goes home.

According to a post on the Singing News forums:

J. M. “Whitey” Gleason passed away Saturday, June 30 at 3:16AM. He had battled lymphoma for over 3 years.

Whitey was best known in the Gospel World for writing hundreds of songs recorded by many of the major groups and for his tenure as the pianist for the Blackwood Brothers Quartet. Some of Whitey’s most popular compositions were “His Grace Reaches Me”, “Walk, Talk and Sing”, “He’s My Dearest Friend”, “At the Altar”, and “Nobody”. He sang or played for the Gospelaires, the Sooner State Quartet, the Blackwood Brothers Quartet, and his own Jubilee Quartet. For many years the Jubilee Quartet headquartered in Bethany, Oklahoma where Whitey owned and operated a successful music store.

As a young man he became an ordained minister and was a pastor and evangelist for several years. In his later years, Whitey was an educator and was widely recognized for songs he wrote to help students learn and remember key principles of math, language and geography.

Whitey is a member of the Gospel Music Hall of Fame as a member of the Blackwood Brothers, and he received the Living Legend Award at the Grand Ole Gospel Reunion.

Whitey was born on May 18, 1932 in Kingman, KS.