It’s Almost October?

So time for an update for all my internet friends and real life friends who I only get to see on the internet now.

Life is fantastic, other than this nasty little head cold that my dad gave me last weekend (thank you Lord for Mucinex D).

NQC came and went much faster than I would have liked. I absolutely loved getting to hang out with some of my favorite people in the whole world - people like Vertical Praise (that includes you Grandpa Johnny and Mama Betty Jo), Amazed, Tony & Wendy Word, Adam & Kathy Glover, Sharron Kay, Chuck, and countless others. None of you can stop going to NQC, you hear me?

The new record seems to have come to a halt. Hopefully when I get to feeling better I can finish things up there. I've found yet another song, bringing my total to 12. I'll be recording Chris Binion's "One Good Reason". That song is just a fantastic thought about God's all knowing power in our situations. Plus, it fits the album, both stylistically and musically.

Sunday Edition will be going into the studio very soon to record vocals for our new album - Sunday Worship. We are super excited about this album - which will feature 6 hymns and 6 worship songs in a piano-only setting. One of the worship songs is a brand new song from my friend Leah, "Love Song", and the track was recorded by our praise band at church. We got the tracks back a couple weeks ago, and we have never been more excited about a recording.

I've got a lot of traveling coming up - both with the group and by myself. We're singing in Belleville, Illinois next weekend, then 2 weeks after that my sister, Leah, Noel, and Tosha, and I will be taking a short vacation to the St. Louis area just to get away. In November, I have the EVS 40th Anniversary Concert (which I'm super excited about), and then Tony (Vertical Praise) and Pam's wedding in Virginia a couple weeks later. After that it will be Thanksgiving, then Christmas. This year has flown by.

Amy's big birthday bash is this coming Saturday. She'll be turning the big 3-0! I would give her a harder time about it - but it just means that in 18 months I will be turning 30 as well, so I've decided to leave those jokes out for now. Please come if you can!

I joined a book club with some folks from my church. It's been interesting so far. We've already read The Chosen by Chaim Potok (which I absolutely loved) and A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens (which was tough at times to get though, but overall enjoyable). Now, we're reading Jane Austen's Emma - and man is this one boring read. I'm sure the girls are loving it - but I'm having a hard time just picking it up.

So here's some new music that I've been into since I last blogged:

Karen Peck & New River, Ephesians One
Article One, Colors & Sounds
Andrew Peterson, Resurrection Letters, Vol. 2
Downhere, Ending Is Beginning
Mike LeFevre Quartet, Nothin' But Good
33Miles, One Life
Family Force 5, Dance or Die
DecembeRadio, Satisfied
Booth Brothers, Room For More
Brandon Heath, What If We
Gold City, Moment of Truth
Seabird, Til We See the Shore
Mike & Kelly Bowling, Faith to Believe

Plus, new Christmas music already that I've fallen in love with from Sara Groves, Shane & Shane, Sixpence None the Richer, Faith Hill, Mandisa, and many more!

That's it for now. Magnum is still the best dog in the world, and Chester is, well, Chester. Hopefully I'll blog again soon rather than later!

Unthank, OUT!

Why NQC Matters to Me

I know it's been a while since I posted a blog. However, with what is now my 7th NQC to attend now over, I wanted to post a recap of my week in Louisville, as well tell you why this week is so important to me as a member of the industry, artist, and fan.

My week during the National Quartet Convention is all about building relationships. I find that some of my most cherished memories and friends come from the time I spend on the floor of the exhibition hall. I've grown to love people like Wendy Word + forgiven, The Allens, Vertical Praise, Eighth Day, The Glovers, The Dills, Chuck Peters (SGShowPrep), Hearts of Faith, Rob Patz (SGMRadio.com), Family Legacy, Amazed, and a host of others just from the time I spend with them at NQC. Some of these people I have a privilege of working with every day - others I just call friend. Some of these people I only see once a year - so it means the world to me that I get 6 whole days to spend with them - those are the times you can't pass up.

I wouldn't trade this week for the world.

Like all NQCs - this one was fantastic. I didn't get to catch a single performance in Freedom Hall this year - but I got to hear a lot of fantastic talent. Some of the best performers in all of Southern Gospel are performing on showcases both at NQC or in one of the ballrooms in the Executive Inn. I got to see people like Calvary's Voice, 2nd Generation, the Childress Family, The Quicks, the English Family, Heartland Harmony, Misty Freeman, Matt Throgmorton, Rejoice!, Three Bridges, Voices Won, and the Living Waters Trio give show stopping performances. Be on the look out for these artists - you'll be hearing from them very soon.

The Singing News Fan Awards seemed a bit more low-key this year - but it worked for them - and I couldn't help but feel like the fans got it right this time as my friends the Booth Brothers walked on the stage over and over again to claim their very deserved Fan Awards.

But just the day before - the fans got it right as well as The Isaacs won a truck load of Diamond Awards. It was a great year for some of the industry's finest people.

And how can you go to NQC without laughing hysterically at least once a day. My dose of comedy usually came from Holly Carden (of Vertical Praise). This year's greatest memory has to be drawing on the faces of Jim and Melissa Brady on what had to be a very expensive flyer they were passing out. Sorry guys - but it was just too much fun to pass up! (To Holly: "You really should develop a relationship with them").

All in all it was another memorable year that went by entirely too fast. I'm still shocked that I'm sitting at home after another year has passed. Hopefully it won't take too long for the 52nd Annual National Quartet Convention to make its way around.

Page 1 of 1 pages