Change is in the air once again, as this announcement from the Inspirations lead singer just hit the Internet. From his Facebook page:

Hello friends, I have some unfortunate news. As of Friday, April 26th, 2013, exactly one week after my son was born, I am no longer the lead singer for the Inspirations.

There will no doubt be many questions about this, and I am prepared to answer any of them that you might have. Let me say first that I want to put any potential rumors to rest by stating that I was not fired for any kind of moral issues or anything else of that nature. The decision was mine to make, even though I did not expect to have to make it last week. Needless to say, the past week and a half has been very chaotic for me and my wife.

Singing for the Inspirations was my dream ever since I first saw them in concert when I was 14 years old. I am very thankful that God allowed me to live that dream for the past 4 ½ years. I wouldn’t trade that time for anything. I have met some of the most amazing, wonderful people in the world, and I have been privileged to experience so many things that many people never get to. I have made so many friends, both artists and fans alike, in the past several years. For all of that I am extremely grateful.

Last week I was presented with a situation that I believed was completely unreasonable. Without getting too specific, there were simply too many irreconcilable differences for me to continue with the group. I was not fired; I decided to leave. It was in the best interests of me and my family to do so, even though it is not something that I had planned before last week. If anyone has any specific questions I have nothing to hide, but I would prefer to answer questions in a personal message rather than on a public post.

To the guys I have sung with, I support you and love you like brothers. I have never, nor will I ever take your friendship for granted. I wish them all the best and hope they can find somebody that sings better than me!

Let me say a huge thank you to all of you who have supported me, befriended me, and prayed for me during the last 4 ½ years. I am very grateful. At this point I’m not sure what the future holds or if I will sing full-time again, but I will keep you all posted. Please continue to pray for me and my wife along with our newborn son as we begin a transition into a new time in our lives. Please pray that I’m able to find employment soon as well.

I love you all and thank God for the opportunity to be involved in the greatest music this world has ever known. God bless you all.

David

I came to appreciate David’s work with the group over his relatively brief tenure with the group, both on and off the stage. On stage, he was a dynamic voice that clearly defined their sound. On top of the Appalachian Gospel sound that the quartet has become known for over the years, you could tell who was singing when the lead singer stepped up to the microphone. Aside from that, I enjoyed interacting with him at the product table. While I have never seen the group in a full concert, I had the opportunity to talk to David on numerous occasions at NQC, and I greatly appreciate his friendly demeanor and the kind words he had to say about this little corner of the web. I wish him well.

Obviously, family comes first, and while you always hate to see them go, it’s completely understandable, especially with a newborn. While some details of the departure are apparently not the most pleasant, I hope that both parties can amicably move forward, and am anticipating good things from both David and the Inspirations with their new vocalist.

Update: Inspirations baritone Jon Epley posted this on behalf of the group:

Hello everyone, this is Jon Epley. First of all, let me say on behalf of all the guys, that we love David and wish the best for him. He is an incredible singer and a good friend. David made a decision that he felt was the right thing for him and his family, and we support his decision. There was no sin or immorality involved, so we can put any of those rumors to rest!

Change is never easy, but at times it is inevitable. We, The Inspirations, will continue to sing about the same Jesus and His great love, and that will never change. We appreciate ALL of our friends and thank you for sticking by us through even the most difficult of times. We hope you will continue to stand by us as we seek the Lord’s will in the search for that one person that God has in mind for us. We know that He always has a plan and covet your prayers in the days ahead.

We know that there are many questions; however, out of respect to David’s privacy and the group’s privacy, no questions will be answered on this public page. On a final note, the last thing David did as administrator of this page was remove his previous post. We did not remove it, that was his decision. Editor’s note: The post referred to here is the announcement above. David posted to his personal Facebook first, then the group’s page.

Once again, thank you all so much for your prayers and support. We love each and every one of you and look forward to seeing you down the road!

I Corinthians 15:58

By now, most of you have probably seen the initial schedule for NQC’s last year in Louisville. Since the showcase schedule is not really fully formed yet, I’ll just comment on the main stage lineup. Daniel Mount gave a good rundown of additions and removals, so I’ll quote his list and give my thoughts below:

The Inspirations and The Torchmen return, and there are five new artists: 11th Hour, Keepers of the Faith, Old Paths, Providence Quartet, Wilburn & Wilburn.

…

Meanwhile, ten artists on the 2012 program won’t be returning to the mainstage: Bowlings, Browders, Chuck Wagon Gang, Down East Boys, Naomi & the Segos, Nelons, Paul’s Journey, Pfeifers, Sisters, Skyline Boys.

I’ll admit, I don’t “get” some of the moves. I remember a conversation I had with a friend shortly after last NQC. We noticed the strength of both of Tribute Quartet’s sets (two of the best sets of the convention), and my friend commented that the Down East Boys seemed to have been received just as well. As someone who actually attended and caught both groups, I agreed; plus, they are seeing some success from their latest major release. Surely they could have gotten at least one night; perhaps another Quartet Night slot as they did last year.

Sisters were on the Gaither slot, but they also took the spot of the King’s Heralds for “A Capella” moments in between sets. I wonder if they’re doing away with that feature altogether, or if they’ll bring in a completely different group like the Penny Loafers to fill the spot.

Nelons were also on the Gaither slot, and got a favorable response. For their first set on main stage in years, it was apparent that the crowd was glad to have them back. Of course, it’s entirely possible that they and the Sisters will be with Gaither again.

I’m glad to see Wilburn & Wilburn and the Old Paths get spots this year. The Old Paths have had it coming for years; “Battle Stand” going #1 no doubt sealed the deal.

The Inspirations return after not appearing last year; Ernie Haase & Signature Sound and Dove Brothers, so far, don’t share the same fate. If you look around in the comments section of a couple other blogs, you’ll get a pretty decisive answer on one of those, but it’s fair game for these and several other absences.

If history repeats itself, this schedule will undergo several changes before September rolls around, but for now, let the speculating and “armchair quarterbacking” begin!

By way of announcement from his Facebook page, the news has hit that the LeFevre Quartet is welcoming Thomas Nalley into the tenor position for the group after the departure of Harold Reed. Nalley has spent the past two years as tenor for Providence Quartet, a group featured as a showcase winner on main stage at NQC 2012, and his first date with the group will be this Saturday.

In a recent conversation with a friend, we got on the subject of Providence Quartet, and Thomas Nalley in particular. Some video clips were sent back and forth, and I wondered why we haven’t heard more from this guy before. I enjoyed the fact that he seems to know his limits, resulting in less “forced” sounding tones. Look for Nalley to turn some heads with this group, especially once the group can solidify and carry on with a new bass singer (no word on a pick for that spot yet).

Here’s some clips of Nalley with his former group. Included is their NQC appearance:

Last Friday was a rare opportunity to see Legacy Five at a church only about thirty minutes from my home area of Lynchburg, VA. It was especially worth the trip because it would be my first opportunity to hear the group outside of NQC since the hire of bass singer Matt Fouch. The vocal lineup has gelled even more since the convention, and they are more comfortable with each other on stage and are more used to the vocal tendencies of the other members, making for their strongest sound to date. Check out the videos from the night:

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1. Today marked the first ever NQC Music Awards show, and I’m still trying to decide how I feel about it. On the one hand, there were several moments that echoed the spontaneity of some of the Singing News Fan Awards shows throughout the year, but it ended up running really long and at times felt like a train careening out of control. At the beginning, some ground rules were laid out that basically said, “Stick to the script, no additional joking,” but that rule wasn’t followed, and actually became a joke in itself as the awards show went on. It did make for some moments that made me laugh till I cried, though!

But I digress. I don’t even remember who I voted for, but I can’t think of any winners today that left me disappointed. It was nice to see David Phelps win Favorite Tenor, for sure. Hopefully, if the Music Awards become an annual thing, they can refine what they do further.

2. Gaither’s block made for some of the strongest moments of the evening. Sisters had a strong set, especially with their A Capella number, as did The Nelons. Speaking of The Nelons, I was glad to see them finally get back on Main Stage, as they have had a quality group in recent years that deserved a spot there. Let’s hope this starts another streak of inclusion for them.

The Gaither Vocal Band did several things different from their usual material. Mark Lowry had fun with “I Catch ‘Em, God Cleans ‘Em,” and Matthew Holt played some great licks on the piano. By the way, he was officially announced as Gaither’s new pianist tonight. The new material from Pure And Simple went over really well with the crowd as well.

3. All the sound issues that have held off, for the most part, throughout the week all decided to converge on the day’s events. Feedback, mic level issues, and more plagued the night. Here’s hoping they will disappear so the sound can finish the week strong on Saturday.

Today was another busy day at NQC, and most of the evening found me in the exhibit hall visiting with friends. I will say that it was nice to finally meet Brian Crout in person! I thoroughly enjoy reading his blog and am looking forward to his notes on the week. Since I wasn’t in the audience for the evening concerts most the time, my thoughts on those are few, but I do have some observations from the day:

1. While Gaither still hasn’t successfully gotten every Gaither Vocal Band alum back together, it was nice to see Guy Penrod back. I appreciated the fact that the showcase wasn’t a rehash of the videos or last year’s reunion; there were plenty of moments that made it an event all it’s own. While I would have liked to hear Penrod featured more, it was nice to hear “Baptism of Jesse Taylor” again. Closing with “Glorious Freedom,” was a wise move; it’s a powerful song, and served as a sort of “teaser” for the GVB’s newest project, Pure and Simple.

2. In the “Things That Make You Wonder” department: did anybody else notice that Gene McDonald was on stage and singing for the Gaither Vocal Band Reunion? The wishful thinker in me wants that to be foreshadowing for something big…

3. While there were several repeated stories from last year, the “Funniest Stories” showcase is brilliant. The concept itself is great and well executed; it almost plays like sitting around a table at a restaurant somewhere swapping stories, except the audience is privy to the discussion. I would love to see a revolving cast each year, bringing in different artists with different stories each time.

4. Of the sets I did see in the evening concerts, two stood out. First, Tribute Quartet produced what was easily their strongest set since being on NQC Main Stage, and I don’t say that lightly. From song selection to the vocals, it was a testament to the group’s development. “Good News From Jerusalem,” in particular, was met with strong response.

The other set that stood out was Greater Vision’s, partly because of Gerald Wolfe’s generous move in bringing up an A Capella trio to sing the Doxology. Great sound, lots of potential, and very cool of Greater Vision to give up a portion of their time to spotlight a young group.

I arrived in Louisville this evening just in time to settle in for the first group at 6:00, and stayed the rest of the night. A few thoughts from the evening:

1. If one were making a case for the comeback of live bands in SG, they could point to several of tonight’s sets as positive examples. The LeFevre Quartet’s set kicked off the night, and while a whole set of brand new songs by itself would be great to listen to, it grabbed my attention more when they hit the stage with a live band.

I also enjoyed seeing the Dixie Melody Boys with a band once again; while the “All-Star Quartet” that was scheduled never made it to the stage, the DMB brought the “All-Star Band” on stage: pianist Stewart Varnado, bass guitarist Scoot Shelnut, guitarist Madison Easter, drummer Michael Booth, and Adam Crabb on harmonica. It felt like going back in time hearing “When I Cross To The Other Side of Jordan” and “Ride That Glory Cloud” with a live band, complete with encores!

2. It was a night of debuts, with several vocalists making a first time appearance on Main Stage. The Dixie Echoes brought two new faces in tenor Craig Thomas and bass Jordan James, and the crowd enjoyed James especially, giving applause before the first line of “How Big Is God” was even finished. The Kingsmen presented lead Bob Sellers and tenor Chris Jenkins for the first time at NQC tonight as well, and the group got several standing Os in their set. To tie this in with the first note of the night, I sure wish the Kingsmen had put together a band!

Though not his first time on Main Stage (I believe he performed there with The Anchormen at least once), Paul Harkey made his first appearance there as the LeFevre Quartet’s bass singer. His vocals added to an already solid three other parts make for the best sound the group has had in their existence, and I thoroughly enjoyed their set.

3. Gold City’s “let the fans pick the set” thing that they did tonight made for one of the strongest sets of the evening. No talk, just singing. “Midnight Cry” especially got a big response, with most of the crowd standing at the end. The Jerry Pelfrey-Ivan Parker comparison was very strong.

4. This is usually the note where I would give my annual complaint about how awful the sound was, but I’m pleasantly surprised to say that I have no notes to that effect. Were there hiccups? Sure. However, the sound tonight was mostly an improvement over recent years, and I hope that this trend will carry throughout the week.

Look for more thoughts tomorrow night, and feel free to leave your own in the comments section!

Bonus note: Soul’d Out Quartet is AWESOME! (Rankin, I accept cash, checks, food, etc.).

With college starting up for me recently, I hadn’t found much time to blog as I settled back in to the routine. Now that I’ve found a bit of time, what better news story to cover than a change in the biggest event in Southern Gospel music? It turns out that the rumors that have popped up around our corners of the web of NQC moving to Pigeon Forge are true. Check out the press release (emphasis mine).

Louisville, KY – The National Quartet Convention has announced the dates for the 2013 NQC. September 9 – 14 will be the dates for the 2013 NQC in Louisville, Kentucky. The event will be very special, as it will be the last year for the event to be held in Louisville. Many special and unique events are being planned for 2013, to celebrate the end of a wonderful era for the NQC in Louisville. Thousands of attendees from across the United States and Canada, as well as several countries around the world, will gather one last time in Louisville to relive great memories from two decades of gatherings at the Kentucky Fair and Exposition Center. Plans are already underway to make the 2013 NQC one of the biggest and best weeks of the event’s 55-year history. Many first-time attendees are also expected, as it will be their last chance to experience the NQC in this historic location.

In September of 2014, the National Quartet Convention will begin a new and exciting era as Gospel Music’s Largest Annual Event moves to one of America’s most popular, family-friendly vacation destinations… Pigeon Forge, Tennessee.

Reserved seating can be purchased for the 2013 NQC during this week’s event, in the North Wing Lobby of the Kentucky Fair & Exposition Center, and will then be available at www.nqconline.com throughout the year. Attendees are urged to reserve seating and lodging early for the final year in Louisville.

It was not mentioned in the press release where, exactly, in Pigeon Forge that that NQC will find a home, but I’m assuming that they aim to hold the event in the new convention center being built there. While I’m not convinced that the size of that, or any of the facilities in Pigeon Forge, are a step up from Freedom Hall, I trust that a lot of time and thought was given to the decision. We’ll see what transpires in the next couple of years.

Speaking of NQC, I plan on being there from Wednesday night onward, and giving my thoughts on each night again (if not every night, then at least the nights on which I am attending). Say what you will about NQC, but the interaction with people on both sides of the stage lights is unrivaled at this event, and I look forward to joining many of you there!

The Blackwood Brothers came to Madison Heights, VA, this past Sunday night. I had not seen this quartet outside of NQC, and I was curious to hear their change in sound since the departure of bass singer Randy Byrd. The vocal lineup now stands as tenor Wayne Little, lead Jimmy Blackwood, baritone Billy Blackwood, and bass Butch Owens. The group brought a great concert in the tradition of the classic Blackwood Brothers, and did the majority of their songs with no tracks, just piano. Speaking of piano, Mike Hammontree has officially returned as the group’s pianist after coming off the road due to a quadruple-bypass heart surgery, and added quite a bit to their performance. Here are the clips I got of the night:

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The group announced today that some changes are taking place after NQC. Here’s a snippet of the press release:

Lead Singer Dustin Sweatman has accepted the Renaissance Program Director of Choirs position at Bethel University in McKenzie, Tennessee. He will remain with the quartet playing piano and singing thru mid-September and will assume his responsibilities at Bethel the week after the National Quartet Convention. Dustin has been a very important part of the beginning years of this ministry and we wish him Godspeed as he begins this new chapter in his life.

Nick Trammell will be filling the open position in the quartet. Nick and his wife Jessica have served the Lord with The Browns from Lemars, Iowa, for the past year and a half and have just become proud parents of their first child. While both Nick and Jessica have enjoyed singing with Jessica’s family, Nick shares that he is excited to fulfill a dream of standing beside his father in Christian work. Likewise, Mark is pleased to have his son joining him as he carries on a quartet tradition that Mark first loved as a child growing up in Arkansas.

The quartet will be releasing a new mainline project at NQC that will feature Nick’s vocals. This CD will also mark the first recording since the return of original Mark Trammell Trio tenor Eric Phillips. Since Sweatman also played piano for a good portion of their concert sets, Mark had this to say about that void:

“The last time I checked,” says Mark, “a keyboard fits just fine in the bus bays—and these young men know how to carry it into the venue. We might as well use it.”

While I thoroughly enjoyed Sweatman’s vocal development while with the group and hate to see him go, I am looking forward to hearing the new dynamic that Nick will bring to the group. The prospect of a full-time pianist with the group is also intriguing. I am glad to be attending NQC during the time frame of Sweatman’s last appearance with the group.