How far we've come....

Down through the years, it has been so amazing how far technology has improved the quality of live sound. Groups started years ago standing around two microphones and a piano. Then JD Sumner, a pioneer and legend in this industry decided to try everyone having their own. I remember when my father traveled in the 80’s; they had 6ft Peavey Speakers, Peavey powered board, huge monitors and Realistic microphones. I was watching a video the other day of a group back in 1992 that had a 5ft rack with Amps, Crossovers, etc with a soundboard that looked like it was 6ft long on a table beside it.

Today most groups use Allen & Heath, Mackie, Yamaha, Soundcraft or many others analog mixers. Some may use a digital that has effects, processors, EQ, and compressors all in one board; example of these are Yamaha 01v,01v96, or Ls9. For their choice of speakers they may use powered versions or non-powered. Instead of trying to get a happy balance of monitoring, now you have In Ear Monitoring Systems which will allow you to have your own personal mix. Most groups still use monitors for house sound for those who do not have sound person. Microphones have mostly gone wireless but still having a few groups to use a wired mic depending on personal preference.
Even track playback has come a long way from the 80's. Most groups earlier days carried a live band but as time went on most groups started to use tracks from Cassette Tapes or just piano and bass. Then the CD was invented, then the DAT and eventually was all were forgotten once Mini-Disc came on the scene. All up until last 5-10 years a little box called, 360 Instant Replay is the choice of most groups for track play back now days. The Instant Replay is a hard drive with a feature known as "Hot Keys" so that once you hit the button the track starts. Another less expensive version is a software that a gentleman from Oregon designed called Emcee Pro. The program mimic’s the Instant Replay features and more and can be loaded onto any laptop running Windows systems.

Man, how time flies...Can't wait to see what the future holds for Live sound...

Heroes and Legends

Being raised in a Christian household, there was a certain musical style that you lived, learned and loved called Southern Gospel. While living a normal young child’s life in a Christian environment and while most kids your age are idolizing, Michael Jordan, Joe Montana, and many other well known celebrities, these folks that sang were larger than life to me and were my heroes.

The first two of these men were George Younce and Glen Payne. They formed a group called the Cathedral Quartet in the early 1960’s and around late 70’s to early 80’s started to take this Southern Gospel Music industry by storm. George was the type of guy that would make you feel as though you had known him for years. Sitting at any of their live concerts you would laugh, cry and sense the presence of the Holy Spirit. I personally do not believe there will ever be another person like him and his partner, Glen Payne.

They instilled their knowledge, class, and faithfulness to their families and their love for Christ in many of the well known men that once called themselves a Cathedral. Being able to acquire most of their recordings, videos and also being able to attend some of the concerts, no one could create again the magic those guys made as they stepped out on stage. They seemed to always go the extra mile.

On my 15^th birthday my family and friends had a surprise birthday party for me. Little did I know that when my dad had a special caller on the phone. As I said hello, a big, booming bass voice sang, “Happy Birthday to you, Happy Birthday to you, Happy birthday dear Derek, happy birthday to you; this is George Younce I wanted to call and wish you a very happy birthday from me and the rest of the guys.” Just the thought that he would take time out of his busy schedule to call me on my birthday again proved to me that these men were very special. No, they did not have the worldly fame as other heroes nor did they seek it. They choose to center their lives on Christ and hope that they could help someone along their way.

Upon listening to some old albums the other day, some recorded a few years before I was even born, of a group called The Kingsmen. They were best known for their live recordings because they made you fell as though you were there when it was recorded. They had a man by the name of Jim Hamill who sang the lead part and was the master of ceremonies and would never let a dull moment happen while on stage. He was a man of big stature, big voice, and a humble heart to share the gospel of Christ across this world. My memory recalls a time back in the late 90’s after a concert in Ridgecrest, NC helping this man who I had followed and marveled over load his tapes and CD’s into the back seat of his old Buick. I began thinking that not so long ago, he had folks waiting on him hand and foot, but now he was just another ordinary man that had learned, loved and lived his life for this music for so many years.

The last and final person that meant so much to me growing up was my father, Earl Parker. He, being the person that had introduced me to this music and these men, had also traveled with a well known local group. He told me stories of him and Jim Hamill and how they would Sumo wrestle back stage during the concerts.

While I was developing and starting to sing, he was there to help me learn a part that I had never paid attention to previously. When listening to the groups, my favorite part as many others, was to hear the high tenor and the low rumbling of the bass. However this part, he taught me was the core of the whole group. As I finally began to develop an ear for the baritone, he was very encouraging of me to sing if I wanted to. He answered the call from the first group that asked for his permission to allow me to go and sing since I was still in school. I later realized that was the beginning of the torch he carried for me, now I was on my own.

Around the year 2000, my father developed some health issues and was in and out of the hospital for a few years. Finally after getting, his song back, as he described it, he traveled to a few churches to sing as well as being able to fill in with a group that I was singing with at the time. You could see the glow on his face as he climbed on the bus one more time to sing about the goodness and mercy of the Lord. Now knowing he didn’t have the voice he had once had, he gave it his very all and most people at that little church will never know what that day meant to him and as well as me.

In 2005, as I was stepping off one of stage of singing at a Showcase on Monday afternoon with Eighth Day, the group I previously travel with at the National Quartet Convention, I received a call from my mother. The doctors said they didn’t expect for him to live much further. While we rushed to the airport with nothing but the clothes on my back, I never felt the peace of God more in my life as I did as I boarded that plane heading back to see the unknown circumstance of my father.

As I arrived later that night at the hospital and turned the corner still having on my suit and tie, I saw family and friends lined along the hallways. As I entered through the door and saw him in that hospital bed, a glow came upon his face along with a smile asking, “How did your singing go today?”

A couple days passed by and during Thursday night in September 2005, he slipped out of this world into eternity to spend his endless days singing to the One that he had sang about for many years.

I’ve learned a lot from these men while knowing some personally more than others they all had the same things in common. They lived and loved the music, message and purpose of singing about Christ and sharing His love with others. That’s what it’s about not about the newest bus, best song or clothing. It is about being men of the King and using the talents He has instilled you with to hopefully bring someone closer to Christ by the way of the Cross.