There are a couple of gigs I have been to over the past couple of weeks or so that I haven't covered in other blogs, so I will get started with those to catch up. (I'll explain off the top here that I'm going from memory of a couple of weeks back and don't have any notes to refresh me, so this won't be as detailed as it could have been had I started this blog earlier. My apologies.)
One of the prime attractions to me for coming out here is to see some of my favorite Christian/Southern Gospel artists in their own concerts (outside of Gaither Homecomings, for example). A couple of weeks ago I heard that Michael English was appearing at a church in Nashville, so off I went. For those who have seen Michael in larger concerts, this was an opportunity to hear him in a more intimate concert setting. His well-celebrated vocal power was in full force, and I particularly enjoyed his blues/soulful arrangements of "Blessed Assurance" and "Old Gospel Ship". He also sang "Mary Did You Know" (I must confess: back in the day, before I even heard of Mark Lowry or Buddy Greene, I thought Michael had written the song, as he was the first I'd ever heard sing it). But I'm sure both writers would be very pleased with the kind words Michael had for the song. Michael walked us through some of the phases of his career and shared a bit of his testimony from his compelling biography "The Prodigal Comes Home." He also turned the stage over for one song to a friend of his, Christopher Lee, also a solid singer. They later paired up for a powerful rendition of "I Bowed On My Knees". Acknowledging being in a different stage in his career than years ago, Michael told the crowd he feels better equipped for ministering in music now. Certainly worth the support and encouragement---Michael will be touring with Avalon this fall.
MySpace has also been a good source for finding new artists. I do try to check in with my growing "friends" list to see if they are playing locally. A couple of weeks back, The Herricks were playing the Sunday featured spot at the Bluebird Cafe so I went to check them out. Twin brothers Kevin and Kerry Herrick and their sister, lead vocalist Donna (also backed this evening by Michael Bongura of "Baille and the Boys" fame) turned in an excellent set of country and bluegrass originals. The early Sunday spot at the Bluebird is a short one leading into Writers' Night, but the crowd demanded an encore. The group went back to its Southern Gospel roots and offered up a finely sung acapella number. This is definitely a group to keep an ear open for in the future.
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