Songs & Artists . . .
In the days since the Singing News Top 80 chart for August was released, I’ve been thinking about the artists that have made it into the top half of this “hallowed” (which I say more facetiously than not) list.
Three artists you don’t normally see mixed in with the group and artist names that just sorta live there … it’s only the song title that changes … are HisSong, Eighth Day and New Ground. In fact, Rolled Away Stone by Eighth Day is coming out of my XM SkyFi radio at this very minute as I write this.
Whether any of these groups have had a Top 40 song previously, I cannot say – I don’t keep such records. The Bradys remain on the list for the third month with Might Go Home Today. And, it appears that Mike Upright is poised to cross over the #40 line, as are the Shepherds with Move, Oh Mountain … their second visit to the “upper deck” in short order.
As others have discussed at great length in blogs and commentaries in times past … many consider the top half of the Top 80 chart to more accurately reflect what’s really happening in the marketplace than does the lower half. As I likely have stated before, an appearance on the Top 80 does not necessarily equate to being heard on enLighten34. We use it mainly as a guide as to what selections the record companies and groups are promoting as their current “radio single.” As for the several other charts, there are such discrepancies from chart to chart that we see no benefit in consulting them … even though groups regularly tell us that their current “single” has reached so-and-so position on such-and-such chart.
I hadn’t planned on going here, but I cannot help but observe: There are several groups which have the talent to make it onto this list. Why they haven’t is that they – as has been discussed here before – have not sought to take the steps to make absolutely sure every aspect of the finished product is the very best it can possibly be. If doing so costs a little more or takes a little more time to accomplish … so be it. Dan and I listen to recordings and say “oh, this could have been great.” The singers involved can sing, the message of the song is good, the presentation just is lacking. In other cases, what’s needed is more diligence in song selection, the singers need more training in singing and communicating the message of the song … or simply a producer who is skilled in his craft and/or cares about the end product.
Alright . . . back to the top 40 of the Singing News Top 80 chart for August: Something else you don’t see too often, an artist who’s new recording reaches the top region of the chart before the previous one departs. This has occurred this month for Karen Peck & New River, where “goin’ up” meets “comin’ down.”
I call Karen my “Southern Gospel Sweetheart.” I can’t help it, there’s just something special about Karen (Ricky, you are married to a great lady – which I’m sure you recognize). No, it’s not the blond thing … I’ve always had an affinity for redheads, which of course my dear Alicia is. It may have started during my first visit to the National Quartet Convention in 2005, when I met Karen to arrange for them to record liners for enLighten34. We set a time and location for meeting later that evening to record. At the appointed time, I took my trusty recorder and went to the agreed upon location … as did Karen, Susan and Devin. The only problem was that they were not the same location! We finally met the next day, had some good laughs and accomplished the task. This was the same year that Karen let out with her most famous “utterance of all time” from the stage of Freedom Hall during the Singing News Fan Awards. Ever since that time we’ve had a special relationship.
Let me wrap this up by telling you that Karen can be heard delivering that famous utterance again on September first, Labor Day, when we’re planning to air “encore broadcasts” of enLighten34’s exclusive “enhanced” four-plus-hours productions of both the 2005 and 2006 Singing News Fan Awards presentation. If you’ve not heard them … both contain a number of “treasured” moments which we are confident you’ll truly enjoy. Mark your calendars to reserve that day and check back to the Programming Page in late August for the exact broadcast times.
And, if you check your calendar, you’ll note that less than two weeks later … on Saturday September 13th, the 2008 Fan Awards will be presented from the stage there in Freedom Hall on the final evening of the National Quartet Convention.
Marlin
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