An afternoon with the Wisecarvers

Just a few weeks ago I had the opportunity to visit with a relatively new group called The Wisecarvers. We first met a few years ago and have kept in contact. Their music, though sometimes unorthodox, has had an effect on me and my children. With a revisited “Heaven’s Jubilee” to “Thank You Lord for Your Blessings on Me” to “Go Down Again”, their style of writing and arrangement is impressive.

Now, I want to introduce you to the group, Vince and Tammy Wisecarver are the parents to Dustin and Chase. Kaila married into the family as Dustin’s better half. As you look at their bio’s, you will see a theme, each one of them are songwriters. Admittedly, they have different styles but love to work together too. 

Currently, the favorite song of mine is “Go Down Again”. Yes, this is the second time I’ve mentioned it, but that’s for a reason. Folks, you really need to hear this song. Introduced with a simple piano tune, Kaila brings the lyrics to life as she sings about the Old Testaments Naaman. Have you ever felt that you’ve tried so many times and still there’s no end of your pain in sight? This song exhorts us to press on and try once again.

“Somebody Here”, is yet another call to action for the believer. Chase, Dustin, and Kaila share the vocal responsibilities, and the message is a familiar call for somebody to grab that hand reached out to them. Another song, one that will catch you off guard is “Manufactured Smiles”, the idea is that we all have a hidden part, closed off to others, but “Jesus knows the hearts of man”.  Our faces “can’t hide our every scar”, is just one heart clenching lyric, but, if you move beyond title, the message is clear.

In our conversation, we were able to discuss the effect on Covid-19 on their ministry, their family and what is next for the family. We also uncover some little-known facts about the group. With little ones in the family, we get to talk about Chase and Kasie’s family as well as Dustin and Kaila’s little ones. 

So, I offer you two things. First, go out and get their music, there are three albums available, “Journey”, “Armor”, and “Silhouette”. Second, listen to our conversation on our podcast. 

Well, I’ve shared my story of the Wisecarvers and hope you can hear my heart in it. Now, it’s up to you to love them as much as I do, but that’s just my Southern Gospel Point of View. 

For more Southern Gospel news, visit www.southerngospelpov.com.

No New Thing

“…there is no new thing under the sun.” Ecclesiastes 1:9 This verse has always puzzled me, how can someone say that there are no new things? Electricity, telephones, radio, and television all sound like new things. But, in fact, they are not. They are different avenues of communication or power. 

Song writers, musicians, preachers, and singers are no exception to this rule. I’ve written two songs, I play the guitar, bass, and piano, I’ve been preaching for twenty-eight years, and I sing often. So, as a member of each of these groups, I can assure that in all of my “original thoughts”, they have all been thought of, spoken, sang, played, or preached before. 

What does this have to do with Southern Gospel music? Simply put, this genre is trying desperately to re-invent itself with “new” shiny, flashy, relevant product design, lyrical hooks, musical loops and all the while, it’s been done before.

I am an eighty year old man trapped in a forty-one year old body. I love old people, old things, and the old ways. Modern music doesn’t move me, modern church gymnastics do nothing for me, and modern bible translations irritate me. Proverbs 22:28 declares “Remove not the ancient landmark, which thy fathers have set.” From this I have to hold to the right in everything I can. I have failed in the past and in the last two years I’ve been reintroduced to the “Old Time Way”, and might I say, I love it.

In the SG genre, it is quickly becoming more contemporary or at best progressive. Songs written and performed by CCM artists are now recorded by SG artists but put a more country spin on it. Southern Gospel artists now or called Christian artists, they have secular music hooks as their introduction’s to songs or in their bridges. The sound has changed, from the old standard of guitar, piano, and light drums, now there are all types of stringed instruments, heavy drums, and other influences that change the style of music that it was intended to be.

Try as they may, no genre of music will come up with anything that hasn’t already been heard. No writer will pen a lyric that hasn’t already been thought of or spoken. But with all that is within me, I beg or you, as a listener, or artist, find those old paths, those ancient landmarks and walk in those. The message of Christ must be told, and the old way of doing so is still the best way to do it, but that’s just my Southern Gospel Point of View. 

For more Southern Gospel news, visit www.southerngospelpov.com.

'Tis the Season

  

BY: James Burke, Founder, and Host of Southern Gospel Point of View

Email: james@southerngospelpov.com

 

You read that title correctly. Thanksgiving is now past and the calendar has changed to December. The radio have started a full transition from Southern Gospel to mostly Christmas music. Country stations will begin to pepper in Christmas music. Shoppers have spent the last several days forging through crowds clad with masks and bandanas to protect them from COVID-19.

        The songs that are filling our radio waves and the muzak systems in all of the stores are filled with hope, love, care, cheer and at times a little mischief. Think about it, “Silver Bells”, “Christmas in Dixie”, “Christmas Shoes”, O Little Town of Bethlehem”, Silent Night” and “Grandma Got Ran Over By a Reindeer” are all filled with hope and cheer. Well, maybe not that last one.

 There are religious songs, secular, and funny Christmas songs that we all enjoy. My Favorite Christmas song is probably “O’ Holy Night”, on the secular side though, my favorite is probably “Blue Christmas” or “The Christmas Song” by Nat King Cole. After all, who doesn’t love Nat King Coles voice?

 Some of your favorite artists love and listen to Christmas music all year long. Mark Trammell, and Jon Epley are two of them. I sing or whistle Christmas tune all year long, so when the season finally comes along, I’m immersed in the music.

 One of the greatest Christmas songs, and without a doubt The Greatest of our generation is Mark Lowry’s “Mary Did You Know?”. Those words recorded in Luke chapter 2 have always made me curious. “But Mary kept all these things and pondered them in her heart.” Can you imagine through the nine months that she carried Jesus Christ in her womb what she must have thought? Further, can you imagine what she must have felt or thought when Christ was born and realized this child was the very seed of God.

 This will be a hard time for so many, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic, but take heart! Christ is still the source and reason for this season. He far outweighs the tinsel and lights, and the gifts and treats. His name is more important than Saint Nicholas, so once again, Take heart dear friend, “Tis the season, to rejoice, to care, to love, to laugh, to embrace and to share, but that’s just my Southern Gospel Point of View.

 

For more Southern Gospel news, visit www.southerngospelpov.com.

 

It’s all about “Hymn”

BY: James Burke, Founder, and Host of Southern Gospel Point of View

Email: james@southerngospelpov.com

 

In the last five years or so, there has been in the Southern Gospel community a push towards hymns. If you know me, you know that I love hymns. Our church sings out of the “Red Back Church Hymnal” and will continue to do so. However, I’m not a fan of hymn only albums.  I’ll explain that in detail very soon.

 

I am currently listening to Greater Vision’s recording entitled “Songs of the 1900s”, and surprisingly, I like it… a lot. As I mentioned before, I love hymns, but it’s the placement and/or arrangement that often leads to my disliking a recorded version. Too often a hymn seems placed in an album as filler. There’s no real connection to the song with the artist. The hymn is often re-arranged to fit an artist’s style, and it is, for me, off putting. 

 

Now, I know that the reason for the push for hymn singings is to educate a younger audience of the songs, but also, to retain the history and legacy of these prized songs. I use the word prized for a reason, these songs, for instance like, “There is a Fountain” are not being written anymore. While there are amazing writers for today’s music, the language and word pairing of that day are not being used today. 

 

If you want to excite me in church, sing one of these hymns with a heart filled with joy to a God in Heaven that is longing to hear our voice. Did you notice I said in church? That is where I typically enjoy hymns the most, I have on occasion been in a concert and a hymn is sang and have thoroughly enjoyed it. One such case was years ago in Pigeon Forge, TN at Dollywood. The Kingdom heirs were singing and stopped to sing “Love Lifted Me”. They sang acapella, and before long the whole audience became a “congregation” as they sang along. I could feel the Spirit of God moving in that auditorium in a way that I hadn’t felt even with the best music, voices, and songs. With that, I admit that singing hymns outside of church may have a place. I’m just not prepared to fully jump on the “Hymn album” wagon. 

 

Let me revisit Greater Visions album. This is not their only hymn album and won’t be their last. This one is special as it’s only vocal and piano. They have mastered the original music and vocals intended on these hymns from the 1900's. They were also joined by Gene McDonald to sing bass. A very welcomed addition to the album. 

 

Hymns are an important part of Southern Gospel history and they need to be highlighted and preserved. Just do me a favor, sing them the way they were written, enjoy the original arrangement and sing them to the Lord, but that’s just my Southern Gospel Point of View. 

 

For more Southern Gospel news, visit www.southerngospelpov.com.

If There Were No Song.

BY: James Burke, Founder, and Host of Southern Gospel Point of View

Email: james@southerngospelpov.com

 

I start each morning at 6:30 am. I get ready to meet the world and fix my first cup of coffee (Cafe Campesino’s Ethiopia Sidama Roast, in case you were wondering). But each morning, I hear it... I hear a song. In fact, I hear many songs from my back door to my downstairs office. The birds are the most noticeable with their chirps, whistles, and calls.  But as I listen in those few moments, I can hear the squirrels chittering to one another, the neighbors dogs barking, and if I wait outside long enough I hear the alligator in Murphy Mill Lake bellowing. 

 

Once I enter my office I usually start the music playing and enjoy a diverse group of songs before I go to my studies or about other business of my day. Inevitably though, music, or rather, songs make up a large part of my day. Whether it’s my wife or myself playing the piano and singing, or more music in the office, music is a daily staple. 

 

Now that you understand how my day starts, I wonder about yours. How would it be if you awoke tomorrow and there were no birds singing, the squirrels were silent and the barking dogs were eerily mute? 

 The very nature that you and I enjoy each day, the cool breeze and gentle rain are all individual songs, some are so slight that we can’t hear. Some may have their own force but the frequency is such that our ears can not discern. Each morning at dawn, the song of the birds “awaken the pores of plants and earth to aid in growth” in what is called the “Sonic Bloom”. Wow! I want to say that again, Sonic Bloom. Our Creator has blessed us with a new song each day that brightens our day. Sure we encounter life along the way and that songs fades in the distance but what would our day be without a song? 

 

That wife that snores or the little child that scratches her eczema too loudly, or the husband that fixes his coffee and makes too much noise in the kitchen might be a song that God has given you to start you day. Embrace it, thank God for it, sing along. How dark would this world be without our favorite song! From that old country song that transports you to a bygone day or the latest release from your favorite Southern Gospel artist, a song is a gift from God. 

 

Some of my readers may have had to say goodbye to that loud “sleeper”, or the early coffee drinker, so to you I say, remember the melodies of those days. Take a moment to hear what God has strategically placed around you to offer that “Sonic Bloom” to start your day. 

 

Embrace your song, sing it loud, you never who needs to hear it, but that’s just my Southern Gospel Point of View. 

 

For more Southern Gospel news, visit www.southerngospelpov.com.

The Pandemic and Southern Gospel

 The Pandemic and Southern Gospel

BY: James Burke, Founder, and Host of Southern Gospel Point of View

Email: james@southerngospelpov.com

 

I’ve held off on writing about the effects of the pandemic on Southern Gospel for a while now. I suppose I was hoping against hope that things would level off and our favorite groups and friends could get back out there.

 

In recent days and weeks, I have heard and read about the effects of COVID-19 on the Southern Gospel industry. To a small minority, the effects have been seen in small attendance to their concerts, possibly because of fear, but generally because of restrictions of crowd sizes. Some have had weekly cancellations and unfortunately, some of those have been for dates far in the distance. 

 

For many of the gospel artists that we see on Daystar, TBN, NQC, and in the Singing News Magazine, their income is made on the road, promoting themselves or their groups, selling albums, booking events, and moving product from their tables. They don’t work a secular job, so there is no steady paycheck. There have been special events held during this quarantine that have served to help these folks, but they are so few and far between that these artists cannot support themselves. 

 

Some groups are considered part-time in that they work throughout the week and travel and sing on the weekend. Those groups are hanging in and they’ve begun working full time until their events can be scheduled again. But those that are full time, have had to find work, do odd jobs, show off their skills in other ways, some are doing voice or piano lessons, some are teaching others to read shape notes, some are working as voice over actors. 

 

Then we come to a tragedy for others, when things are so dire that they have to leave a group in search of financial stability. Just this week, two vocal giants left a top billed group. While there are other more public reasons for leaving, there is no doubt that, their families could no longer survive on the hope that churches and venues would soon open again. 

 

How can you help? Buy…their…product! Each week I get digital and physical albums from studios for airplay. But I find myself guarding them closely and purchasing more music than I receive. On more than one occasion I have heard of a new song and the buzz that it is creating, so I purchase the album online, just to go to the mailbox in a day or so and find that same album there. Do I give it away? No! I suppose I could, but the group deserves that I implore others to purchase the music. 

 

I have no idea what the math is on the sale of an on-line album, but I know this, everything counts. We love these folks, we love their songs and sound, so in the midst of this pandemic, let us support them with everything we’ve got, but that’s just my Southern Gospel Point of View. 

 

For more Southern Gospel news, visit www.southerngospelpov.com.

 

Seek “The Old Paths”

I first met the Old Paths in 2019 shortly after moving to Americus, GA. A local church, Salem United Methodist had them and I was invited to hear this “Up and Coming” group. I was hesitant at first, but once they got to their second song, I was hooked. At that time Doug Roark was having heart surgery and was replaced (temporarily) by Jeremy Chupp in his absence.

In the winter this year I got to visit Salem UMC again to hear them in all their glory. Doug was back, Tim Rackley, Daniel Ashmore, and Steve Ladd were in full force, and I couldn’t have been happier. I recently downloaded the rest of that album, eight songs that will carry you from Americus to Cordele, about a half-hour. If that doesn’t compute, it will allow you to work out or go for a thirty-minute walk, and you will not be disappointed. 

 

Track one was a surprise, not sure it’s a pleasant one yet, it is the song “This Is Amazing Grace”, a cover of Phil Wickham’s 2013 hit on CCM charts. That’s no bearing on the group or the album, I’m just picky about SG music, and am not a fan of crossover songs. In spite of my feelings though, they did a great arrangement on is, even added some vocal effects that you are sure to enjoy.

Second is their single “I Got the Grace, He Gets the Glory” which, is in my opinion is a powerhouse song for the current social predicament. Next up is “Look at All I Lost”, a testimony of the transaction that takes place when we come to Christ for salvation, He takes all of the sin and shame, and trades them for His Joy, Grace, and a new song. 

“Bread” is a driving song with Steve Ladd leading about the five loaves of bread that fed the thousands. God can no doubt use the little that we have to do much! “Pray While You Wait” has the lead vocal held down by Daniel Ashmore. The music though is interesting, there’s a bit of a “haunting” characteristic about it, though it feels the opposite, this may be one of those “You have to hear it” songs so you can understand.

We come to “How Great is Our God”, another Contemporary song, but honestly, what’s not to love. Its played by Daniel on the saxophone, and if You’ve ever seen it in person you’d understand, that dude can blow! He also does a tribute to “How Great Thou Art” in the arrangement. 

There are two other songs that I can’t review, simply because of space. I’ve stated this before, but you owe it to yourself to purchase this album and allow yourself the opportunity to experience the Spirit of God that is on this recording, but that’s just my Southern Gospel Point of View. 

For more Southern Gospel news, visit www.southerngospelpov.com.

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BY: James Burke, Founder, and Host of Southern Gospel Point of View

Email: james@southerngospelpov.com