Progressive Southern Gospel
Encyclopedia
Progressive Southern gospel music is music
that is written to express either personal or a communal belief regarding Christian
life, as well as (in terms of the varying music styles) to give a Christian alternative to mainstream secular music. Progressive Southern gospel is a form of Christian music
and a subgenre of gospel music
and Southern gospel
.
Like other forms of music
the creation, performance, significance, and even the definition of progressive Southern gospel varies according to culture and social context. It is composed and performed for many purposes, ranging from aesthetic pleasure, religious or ceremonial purposes, or as an entertainment product for the marketplace. However, a common theme, as with most Christian music, is praise, worship or thanks to God
and/or Christ
.
music genre that has grown out of Southern gospel
over the past couple of decades. The style can trace its roots to groups like the Nelons in the 1980s, who appeared regularly on events with traditional Southern gospel groups despite their sound which was called "middle of the road" at the time.
Current progressive Southern gospel is characterized by its blend of traditional Southern gospel
instrumentation with elements of modern Country
and pop music
. Hints of other styles are frequently employed in the mix as well. In some progressive Southern gospel, you can hear a touch of Cajun
, Celtic
, Bluegrass
, or even Southern rock
.
Where traditional Southern gospel more often emphasizes blend and polish, progressive Southern gospel tends to be presented with a more emotional tone. Vocalists are known for experimenting, stretching, scooping, slurring, and over accentuating melodies and diction.
Lyrically, progressive Southern gospel songs are patterned after traditional Southern gospel in that they maintain a clear evangelistic and/or testimonial slant. In many cases, lyrical content and/or Country diction are the only elements separating a progressive Southern gospel artist from a pop oriented, contemporary Christian music
artist.
Series. This did much to introduce progressive Southern gospel to the masses. Through video and television distribution many progressive Southern gospel artists such as The Martins, The Hoppers and The Isaacs became household names.
The series has also taken these groups to such places as Ireland
; Sydney
, Australia
; London
, England
; and South Africa
; not to mention almost every major US city for live concerts.
Another group that has made a huge impact on the progressive Southern gospel genre would be The Isaacs. This group is deeply rooted in Bluegrass
gospel but over the last decade has erupted onto the progressive scene with such hits as "Friend To The End", "Stand Still", "Carry Me" and the a capella spiritual "I Have A Father Who Can".
Other artists in the progressive Southern gospel genre include The Talley Trio, The Jody Brown Indian Family
, Keith Caldwell
, The Hoppers
, and The Martins
.
Music
Music is an art form whose medium is sound and silence. Its common elements are pitch , rhythm , dynamics, and the sonic qualities of timbre and texture...
that is written to express either personal or a communal belief regarding Christian
Christian
A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament...
life, as well as (in terms of the varying music styles) to give a Christian alternative to mainstream secular music. Progressive Southern gospel is a form of Christian music
Christian music
Christian music is music that has been written to express either personal or a communal belief regarding Christian life and faith. Common themes of Christian music include praise, worship, penitence, and lament, and its forms vary widely across the world....
and a subgenre of gospel music
Gospel music
Gospel music is music that is written to express either personal, spiritual or a communal belief regarding Christian life, as well as to give a Christian alternative to mainstream secular music....
and Southern gospel
Southern Gospel
Southern Gospel music—at one time also known as "quartet music"—is music whose lyrics are written to express either personal or a communal faith regarding biblical teachings and Christian life, as well as to give a Christian alternative to mainstream secular music...
.
Like other forms of music
Music
Music is an art form whose medium is sound and silence. Its common elements are pitch , rhythm , dynamics, and the sonic qualities of timbre and texture...
the creation, performance, significance, and even the definition of progressive Southern gospel varies according to culture and social context. It is composed and performed for many purposes, ranging from aesthetic pleasure, religious or ceremonial purposes, or as an entertainment product for the marketplace. However, a common theme, as with most Christian music, is praise, worship or thanks to God
God
God is the English name given to a singular being in theistic and deistic religions who is either the sole deity in monotheism, or a single deity in polytheism....
and/or Christ
Christ
Christ is the English term for the Greek meaning "the anointed one". It is a translation of the Hebrew , usually transliterated into English as Messiah or Mashiach...
.
Origins
Progressive Southern gospel is an AmericanUnited States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
music genre that has grown out of Southern gospel
Southern Gospel
Southern Gospel music—at one time also known as "quartet music"—is music whose lyrics are written to express either personal or a communal faith regarding biblical teachings and Christian life, as well as to give a Christian alternative to mainstream secular music...
over the past couple of decades. The style can trace its roots to groups like the Nelons in the 1980s, who appeared regularly on events with traditional Southern gospel groups despite their sound which was called "middle of the road" at the time.
Current progressive Southern gospel is characterized by its blend of traditional Southern gospel
Southern Gospel
Southern Gospel music—at one time also known as "quartet music"—is music whose lyrics are written to express either personal or a communal faith regarding biblical teachings and Christian life, as well as to give a Christian alternative to mainstream secular music...
instrumentation with elements of modern Country
Country music
Country music is a popular American musical style that began in the rural Southern United States in the 1920s. It takes its roots from Western cowboy and folk music...
and pop music
Pop music
Pop music is usually understood to be commercially recorded music, often oriented toward a youth market, usually consisting of relatively short, simple songs utilizing technological innovations to produce new variations on existing themes.- Definitions :David Hatch and Stephen Millward define pop...
. Hints of other styles are frequently employed in the mix as well. In some progressive Southern gospel, you can hear a touch of Cajun
Cajun
Cajuns are an ethnic group mainly living in the U.S. state of Louisiana, consisting of the descendants of Acadian exiles...
, Celtic
Celtic music
Celtic music is a term utilised by artists, record companies, music stores and music magazines to describe a broad grouping of musical genres that evolved out of the folk musical traditions of the Celtic people of Western Europe...
, Bluegrass
Bluegrass music
Bluegrass music is a form of American roots music, and a sub-genre of country music. It has mixed roots in Scottish, English, Welsh and Irish traditional music...
, or even Southern rock
Southern rock
Southern rock is a subgenre of rock music, and genre of Americana. It developed in the Southern United States from rock and roll, country music, and blues, and is focused generally on electric guitar and vocals...
.
Where traditional Southern gospel more often emphasizes blend and polish, progressive Southern gospel tends to be presented with a more emotional tone. Vocalists are known for experimenting, stretching, scooping, slurring, and over accentuating melodies and diction.
Lyrically, progressive Southern gospel songs are patterned after traditional Southern gospel in that they maintain a clear evangelistic and/or testimonial slant. In many cases, lyrical content and/or Country diction are the only elements separating a progressive Southern gospel artist from a pop oriented, contemporary Christian music
Contemporary Christian music
Contemporary Christian music is a genre of modern popular music which is lyrically focused on matters concerned with the Christian faith...
artist.
Impact of The Gaither Homecoming Series
In the early 1990s, songwriters Bill and Gloria Gaither developed an enterprise known as The Gaither HomecomingGaither Homecoming
Gaither Homecoming is the name applied to a series of videos, music recordings and concerts, which are organized, promoted and usually presented by Christian music songwriter and impresario Bill Gaither...
Series. This did much to introduce progressive Southern gospel to the masses. Through video and television distribution many progressive Southern gospel artists such as The Martins, The Hoppers and The Isaacs became household names.
The series has also taken these groups to such places as Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
; Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
; London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
; and South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
; not to mention almost every major US city for live concerts.
Artists
Several groups have made progressive Southern gospel their genre of choice. One of the most popular and outstanding of these are the Crabb Family. With origins that go back to the country gospel genre this group has now become one of the leaders in progressive Southern gospel and has even crossed over to contemporary Christian as well.Another group that has made a huge impact on the progressive Southern gospel genre would be The Isaacs. This group is deeply rooted in Bluegrass
Bluegrass music
Bluegrass music is a form of American roots music, and a sub-genre of country music. It has mixed roots in Scottish, English, Welsh and Irish traditional music...
gospel but over the last decade has erupted onto the progressive scene with such hits as "Friend To The End", "Stand Still", "Carry Me" and the a capella spiritual "I Have A Father Who Can".
Other artists in the progressive Southern gospel genre include The Talley Trio, The Jody Brown Indian Family
The Jody Brown Indian Family
The Jody Brown Indian Family was a professional Southern Gospel group from Robbinsville, NC. The family recorded on the Crossroads Recording Label.-Members:...
, Keith Caldwell
Keith Caldwell
Air Commodore Keith Logan "Grid" Caldwell CBE, MC, DFC & Bar was a New Zealand fighter ace of the Royal Flying Corps in World War I who also rose to the rank of Air Commodore in the Royal New Zealand Air Force during World War II.-Early life:Born in Wellington, the son of David Robert Caldwell and...
, The Hoppers
The Hoppers
The Hoppers are a Southern Gospel group from North Carolina.The Hoppers are a family ensemble which first began performing together in 1957. They appeared at the inauguration ceremony for Ronald Reagan in 1981...
, and The Martins
The Martins
The Martins are a Christian music vocal trio composed of three siblings: Joyce Martin Sanders, Jonathan Martin, and Judy Martin Hess.-Music career:...
.