Priority, formerly the LeFevre Quartet, has now changed their name back to the LeFevre Quartet.  The group had changed their name to Priority due to the LeFevre family wanting to the retire the name following the passing of Eva Mae LeFevre last year.  So, what changed?

Maurice LeFevre, speaking on behalf of the family, said, “Our initial reservations concerned quality; however, after hearing the group we could not be more in tune.”

I’m sorry, but I don’t buy that.  If  “quality” was the issue, lawyers wouldn’t have been involved last year when the situation initially transpired.  The family could have simply listened to a CD or went to a concert.  Listening to one song would have put to bed any concerns about the group’s quality.

Anyway, I’m glad the family has reconsidered and gave Mike their blessing to use his own name for his quartet.  The whole thing makes me  wonder if I would have to get permission from all the Coomers in the world if I wanted to start The Brandon Coomer Group.

Let me say that again… people are ridiculous.  Apparently, people are getting depressed after seeing the movie “Avatar” because the world in the film is so beautiful and our Earth is well, Earth.  This feeling has been named “Avatar Blues“.  Some people really need to get a life.

According to this release on the Singing News website, Tony Greene is retiring the Greenes’ Gospel Singing Jubilee after holding the August event for 27 years.

I attended the event several years have many standout memories of the concerts through the years.  I remember the crowd raising umbrellas in beat instead of clapping while the Greenes performed during a hard rainstorm.  One year, Poet Voices blew me away with their vocal line up of the just returning Dale Brock, Phil Cross, Donnie Henderson, and Tim Duncan.  The first time I heard Brian Free sing “Glory Road” was at the Jubilee.  I cannot forget Gold City taking the stage and seeing Danny Riley (then sound engineer) running to the sound board, slipping in the mud, and hitting the ground hard.  He almost slid under my seat!  Like I said, I have many great (or at least unforgettable) memories at the Gospel Singing Jubilee.

Over the last several years, the event has moved a couple of times.  One year (at least), it was held at the Holmes Center on the campus of  Appalachian State University.  In 2008 and 2009, the event was held at Rally Park in Marion, NC.  The press release mentions new facilities being built in Boone, NC, the original home of the event.  Hopefully once these facilities are open, Tony will consider reviving the event in the city where it began.

Happy New Year!

I’m going to bed, but wanted to post that just like everyone expected, Gus Gaches was out of this world in his debut with Legacy Five.  I can’t wait to hear him again when he isn’t under the weather!  I’ve always liked Legacy Five, but now, they may be the best group going.

Tonight was also my first time hearing Greater Vision with Jacob Kitson and I was very impressed with them.   Greater Vision had more “umph” tonight than I’ve seen them have in ten years or so.

As I type this, I’m expecting the official announcement of Josh Cobb as Gold City’s new tenor to be made at any moment.  In addition, Roy Webb has joined the group as pianist and Tim Riley is officially the “new” bass.

You can read the full press release here on the Singing News site.

Josh, 18 years old at the time, was the original tenor for Legacy Five.  His most notable song was “I Stand Redeemed” on the group’s debut label recording, which, if memory serves, was the group’s initial radio release.  Josh won the Horizon Individual award at the Singing News at the 2000 National Quartet Convention.  At the end of that year’s convention, Josh suddenly left the group (to be replaced by Tony Jarman).  (Side note:  Some comments that appeared on Josh Cobb’s myspace page several years ago received a lot of attention in the past.  I’ve been told that some of those comments were the result of a friend’s hacking Josh’s account and attempting to be funny.  In any case, a young man can grow a lot in maturity and in the Lord over an almost ten year period.)

Roy Webb is maintaining his solo status but will be behind the piano for Gold City when his solo bookings do not conflict with Gold City’s schedule.

The least surprising bit of news is that Tim Riley “has committed to a return to the full-time world of Southern Gospel music”.

Best wishes to Josh, Roy, and Gold City for a long, successful ministry together.

Here is a video of Josh singing a duet for an Easter service this year.

Jean Bradford, co-writer of the song “Calvary’s Hill”, passed away Sunday, December 12, 2009.  You can read her obituary here.

“Calvary’s Hill” was recorded by Gold City on three projects (Portrait, Signed, Sealed Delivered, and 20th Anniversary Celebration Volume 2) and by Brian Free & Assurance on At Your Request.

Here is a recording of “Calvary’s Hill” performed at the 2008 Gold City Reunion.

Rumblings started late Sunday night, continued yesterday, and now Kyle Boreing has posted that Chris Cooper is no longer with Gold City.  Although no official announcement has been made yet, I can confirm that this is not a rumor and that Gold City will have a new tenor when they return to the road after their Christmas break.  As Kyle mentioned in his post, the new tenor may be announced this week.  I’ve heard that the group will be looking for a high, consistent tenor.

I’ve also heard that Gold City will have a guest piano player with them in January while they search for a new one.  Current piano player/bus driver Jim Korn will reportedly be going back to only his bus driving duties.

And although I can’t say for sure, I’d look for Tim Riley to be staying with the group in the bass position for the foreseeable future.

When Gold City announced that Aaron McCune was leaving, my first choice to replace him was Chris West.  So, last month when Chris started filling in for Tim Riley on a few bookings, I was hoping that it would lead to Chris eventually becoming Gold City’s bass singer of the future.

However, it seems that will not be coming to pass.  I’ve been told that Chris West will be joining the Ron Blackwood Quartet, who Aaron McCune has been filling in for.  Like I said, I wanted Chris to replace Aaron, but with Gold City, not another group.

I’m excited to announce the launch of the Gold City Tribute site at http://www.goldcitytribute.com.  I’d been planning the site mentally for several years, but I began putting the site together a couple of months ago.  Finally, I think it is ready for everyone to see.

The website includes a full Gold City discography with credits and cover photos, a detailed group history, a song list that includes every song that I know of that Gold City has recorded, and more.

Please take a look at the site and let me know what you think!

Tomorrow (November 22, 2009), you can watch Legacy Five’s concert on El Cajon Wesleyan Church’s website.  The service starts at 6:30 PM Pacific, and I think that is 9:30 PM Eastern.

From Legacy Five’s e-letter (thanks to texjoy777 on the Singing News Forum for posting):

Hey Friends!
It’s the end of the week and we wanted to tell you about an opportunity for you to hear us, Legacy Five, live online. This Sunday night, November 22 at 6:30PM Pacific time, we will be performing at the El Cajon Wesleyan Church (south of San Diego, CA) and you can watch it on your computer from wherever you are. Just click here and then click “Watch live”! Then sit back and enjoy the concert.

Don’t forget – that’s Pacific time so most of you will be able to watch it after you get home from your Sunday night church service.

For the majority of you, it will be the last time to see Frank singing with us. Be sure to watch.

Till We Meet Again
Legacy Five