2012 National Quartet Convention In Full Swing In Louisville

Louisville, KY – The 55th Annual National Quartet Convention officially kicked off on Sunday evening, September 9 at Louisville’s Kentucky Fair & Expo Center. The opening event included a special Sunday night concert,allowing Southern Gospel Music lovers arriving early for the 2012 event to enjoy the sounds of multi-award winning groups, Greater Vision, The Hoppers and The Booth Brothers. This was the second year in a row these three group’s celebrated the kick-off of Southern Gospel Music’s premier event, which has taken place in Louisville since 1994.

The National Quartet Convention is the only event of the year where fans can see and hear their favorite groups at a single event, then meet group members and purchase music, videos and much more at any one of the many exhibit booths which span throughout 175,000 square feet. Southern Gospel Music lovers can enjoy their favorite music all day long, as music spectaculars begin each morning and continue until midnight each evening.

Headliners on Monday evening’s concert in Freedom Hall included Grammy nominated recording artist, Karen Peck & New River, Gospel Music Hall of Fame members, The Hoppers, and seven-time IBMA Group of the Year, Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver.

Tuesday marks the 11th anniversary of 911, and throughout the evening, artists appearing in Freedom Hall will pay tribute to the fallen of that tragic day. Grammy Award winner, Jason Crabb will be among the 13 performers scheduled to be featured on Tuesday evening.

Seats are available for all afternoon showcases and evening concerts and may be purchased in the North Wing lobby of the Kentucky Fair & Expo Center. Visit www.nqconline.com for a complete schedule of events.

National Quartet Convention Announces Plans for 2013 and Move in 2014

National Quartet Convention Announces Plans for 2013

The National Quartet Convention has announced the dates for the 2013 NQC. September 9 - 14 will be the dates for the 2013 NQC in Louisville, Kentucky. The event will be very special, as it will be the last year for the event to be held in Louisville. Many special and unique events are being planned for 2013, to celebrate the end of a wonderful era for the NQC in Louisville.

Thousands of attendees from across the United States and Canada, as well as several countries around the world, will gather one last time in Louisville to relive great memories from two decades of gatherings at the Kentucky Fair and Exposition Center. Plans are already underway to make the 2013 NQC one of the biggest and best weeks of the event's 55-year history. Many first-time attendees are also expected, as it will be their last chance to experience the NQC in this historic location.

In September of 2014, the National Quartet Convention will begin a new and exciting era as Gospel Music's Largest Annual Event moves to one of America's most popular, family-friendly vacation destinations... Pigeon Forge, Tennessee.

Reserved seating can be purchased for the 2013 NQC during this week's event, in the North Wing Lobby of the Kentucky Fair & Exposition Center, and will then be available at www.nqconline.com throughout the year. Attendees are urged to reserve seating and lodging early for the final year in Louisville.

National Quartet Convention Announces the NQC Music Awards Nominees

Louisville, KY – The National Quartet Convention has announced the 2012 nominees for the NQC Music Awards. In partnership with the Southern Gospel Music Guild, the NQC will present these awards on Friday afternoon during the Friday afternoon Showcase Spectacular in Freedom Hall in Louisville, KY, on September 14.

According to the NQC Executive Vice President, Clarke Beasley, the awards will be presented based on both fan popularity and professional excellence, with two divisions of awards that will be presented. The first division is the Fan Awarded categories where awards will be determined by fan voting.

The second division will be the Industry Awarded Categories, which will be determined by the music professionals that participate as exhibitors during the National Quartet Convention. No purchase was required for those that are participating in the voting. All that was required is that they were registered on the NQC e-mail list prior to July 1st.

Beasley also states that the Southern Gospel Music Guild is an important partner in this process, as the SGMG is responsible for determining the category criteria, as well as screen entries for eligibility. The SGMG professional membership also determines the recipient of the annual Les Beasley Award, given to a person or company that has made a significant impact in the field of Gospel Music.

Below is a complete list of the nominees for the 2012 NQC Music Awards.

FAN CATEGORIES
Bass Singer of the Year Nominees:
Bennett, Eric – Triumphant Qt
Chapman, Jeff – Kingdom Heirs
Duncan, Tim – Canton Junction
Dustin, Glenn – Legacy Five
Riley, Tim – Gold City

Baritone Singer of the Year Nominees:
Brady, Jim – Booth Brothers
Griffin, Rodney – Greater Vision
Inman, Scott – Triumphant Qt
Lowry, Mark – Gaither Vocal Band
Trammell, Mark – Mark Trammell Qt

Lead Singer of the Year Nominees:
Booth, Ronnie – Booth Brothers
English, Michael – Gaither Vocal Band
Habedank, Joseph – Perrys
Rice, Arthur – Kingdom Heirs
Wolfe, Gerald – Greater Vision

Tenor Singer of the Year Nominees:
Allman, Chris – Greater Vision
Booth, Michael – Booth Brothers
Free, Brian – Brian Free & Assurance
Haase, Ernie – Ernie Haase & Signature Sound
Phelps, David – Gaither Vocal Band

Soprano Singer of the Year Nominees:
Alvey, Lauren Talley – Talleys
Collingsworth, Brooklyn – Collingsworth Family
Hopper, Kim – Hoppers
Isaacs Yeary, Sonya – Isaacs
Peck Gooch, Karen – Karen Peck & New River

Alto Singer of the Year Nominees:
Easter, Sheri – Jeff & Sheri Easter
Hopper, Connie – Hoppers
Stuffle, Libbi – Perrys
Talley, Debra – Talleys
Whisnant, Susan – Whisnants

Soloist of the Year Award Nominees:
Bishop, Mark
Crabb, Jason
Greene, TaRanda
Parker, Ivan
Penrod, Guy

Male Group of the Year Nominees:
Booth Brothers
Gaither Vocal Band
Greater Vision
Kingdom Heirs
Triumphant Qt

Mixed Group of the Year Nominees:
Collingsworth Family
Hoppers
Isaacs
Karen Peck & New River
Perrys

Musician of the Year Nominees:
Collingsworth, Kim – Collingsworth Family
Mote, Gordon
Stice, Jeff – Triumphant Qt
Williams, Kevin – Gaither Vocal Band
Wolfe, Gerald – Greater Vision

Album of the Year Nominees:
Celebrate Me Home (Oak Tree) – Perrys
Let It Be Known – Booth Brothers
Part of the Family – Collingsworth Family
Songs From the Heart – Triumphant Quartet
The Only Way – Greater Vision

Song of the Year Nominees:
Almost Home – Triumphant Quartet
Ask Me Why – Legacy Five
Blue Skies Coming – Perrys
I Believe – Brian Free & Assurance
I Know a Man Who Can – Greater Vision
I Want to Know – Mark Trammell Quartet
Please Forgive Me – Gaither Vocal Band
Saved By Grace – Triumphant Quartet
She Still Remembers Jesus Name – Booth Brothers
Tell Me Why – Kingdom Heirs
Who Am I – Jason Crabb

INDUSTRY CATEGORIES

Arranger/Producer of the Year Nominees:
Lari Goss
Wayne Haun
Ben Isaacs
Donna King
Steve Mauldin
Rick Sandidge
David Staton
Roger Talley

Concert Promoter of the Year Nominees:
Bill Bailey
Landon Beene
Ray Flynn
Bill Gaither
Brian Lester
Mike Wheeler

Radio Station of the Year Nominees:
WBOZ – Nashville
WCGW – Lexington
WJBZ – Knoxville
WTRM – Winchester, VA
WXRI – Winston Salem

SONGWRITER OF THE YEAR AWARD: The SGMG Awards and Criteria Committee will pull the Singing News radio charts for the eligibility time period and will assign each songwriter fifteen points for a number one song, ten points for a song in the top ten and five points for a song in the top 20. The total points for the eligibility period will be tabulated for each writer and the writer with the most points will be awarded Songwriter of the Year.

To obtain a complete schedule of events scheduled during the 2012 National Quartet Convention, visit www.nqconline.com.

SOUTHERN GOSPEL MUSIC GUILD ANNOUNCES PARTNERSHIP WITH NATIONAL QUARTET CONVENTION TO PRODUCE THE NQC MUSIC AWARDS

NASHVILLE, TN (February 16, 2012) – The Southern Gospel Music Guild has announced that they will be partnering with the National Quartet Convention to create a brand new awards presentation called the NQC Music Awards. These awards will be presented at the National Quartet Convention on Friday afternoon, September 14th during the Friday afternoon NQC Showcase Spectaculars in Freedom Hall.

“This awards presentation will be unique in several ways,” states Clarke Beasley, SGMG President and NQC Executive Vice President. “I believe we can expect a very large voting base to participate and much interest will be generated by the fact that awards will be given in both fan popularity and professional excellence divisions.”

There will be two divisions of awards that will be presented. The first division will be the Fan Awarded categories where awards will be determined by fan voting. To participate in the voting, all that is required is to sign up on the NQC e-mail list at www.nqconline.com. There is no purchase of anything required. The second division will be the Industry Awarded Categories, which will be determined by the music professionals that participate as exhibitors during the National Quartet Convention.

The Southern Gospel Music Guild will determine the category criteria as well as screen entries for eligibility. The SGMG professional membership will also determine the voting base for the industry categories and the recipient of the annual Les Beasley Award, given to a person or company that has made a significant impact in the field of Gospel Music.

To participate in the voting of the NQC Music Awards by signing up on the NQC e-mail list, just go to www.nqconline.com. A complete schedule of events set to take place during the 2012 National Quartet Convention may also be obtained there.

ABOUT SGMG
About the Southern Gospel Music Guild: In 1986, several Southern Gospel music leaders decided the industry needed an organization to foster the growth of the Southern Gospel music genre. Through the years, the Guild has grown to include every facet of the Southern Gospel music industry, encompassing artists (full-time and part-time), record companies, radio, promoters, publishers, distributors, talent management, media representatives, and booking agents. These professionals work together collectively to expand the economic base of the Southern Gospel Music industry.

ABOUT THE 2012 NATIONAL QUARTET CONVENTION
This year marks the 55th Annual National Quartet Convention. The Convention has made its home in the city of Louisville since 1994. Approximately 40,000 people will attend the 2012 event, which takes place September 9-15, with at least 40 states and a half dozen foreign countries represented. The Convention is Christian music's largest marketplace and largest annual event with more than 500 exhibitors and nearly 300 Southern Gospel recording artists in attendance. Seats for daily and evening performances may be purchased at the NQC office, online at www.nqconline.com or on site during the week of the Convention in the North Wing lobby at the Kentucky Expo Center.

Retro SGM Radio: Clarke Beasley and the NQC, June 2006

Clarke Beasley: At the Helm of the National Quartet Convention

The National Quartet Convention has long been one of the biggest and most prestigious Southern Gospel institutions. From its humble beginnings in 1957 in Memphis, Tennessee, this weeklong event sees fans and performers from all over the world descending on Louisville Kentucky for six days and nights of Southern Gospel Music. Sgmradio recently caught up with NQC Executive Director, Clarke Beasley, to find out about the man behind the helm of what JD Sumner called, “The Grand Daddy of them all”.

Clarke Beasley, son of a man who is also a Southern Gospel institution, Les Beasley, took on the role of Executive Director of the National Quartet Convention in 1993.“It was a big challenge, but it was also very exciting”, Clarke says. “ I had been working at the GMA for two years and had received quite a bit of event planning experience there helping to produce GMA Week. That really prepared me for the job at NQC… I was hired [initially] to bring all of the convention services in house, i.e. ticketing, advertising promotion, event management, etc., and move our headquarters to Louisville in preparation for the event’s move to Louisville in 1994.”

When JD Sumner first conceived the idea of a three-day event, he wanted to bring together artists and industry personnel, which was a unique idea at the time. However, Clarke also pays tribute to another Southern Gospel legend for making the NQC come to life. “[JD] was singing for the Blackwood Brothers at the time and convinced James Blackwood that it was something the Blackwood Brothers should sponsor. Much credit should be given to James Blackwood for being willing to take the initial risk.”

The National Quartet Convention is now a major production; a yearlong project directed by a board that oversees all of the activities, exhibits, concerts and showcases. What might appear enormously daunting to outside observers, Clarke as Executive Director finds exciting. “It is a multi-faceted event with many moving parts. The challenge is to keep all of the balls in the air without dropping any of them. That aspect of the job makes it a continuous challenge.”

“I love the event itself, and I always have. Even though I have enormous responsibilities now, I still love the event as much as I did when I attended the event as a kid. The actual event itself always charges my batteries for the planning process that takes place throughout the year.”

There are always special occurrences at NQC that are not experienced anywhere else, and as both industry insider and Southern Gospel fan, Clarke has his favourite memories. “The moments that stand out were the Speer Family retirement celebration, the Singing Senators performance (Trent Lott, Larry Craig, John Ashcroft and Jim Jeffords) and of course the Cathedrals Retirement and Glen Payne’s [call-in] performance of “I Won’t Have to Cross Jordan Alone.” That was probably the most special moment of them all.”



The 49th year of the National Quartet Convention promises to provide many memorable moments of its own. The Celebrity Baseball game is returning, as well as the Pianorama with famed pianist Dino. Friday afternoon will provide concertgoers the special treat of a presentation of the Brooklyn Tabernacle Singers along with Jim and Carol Cymbala. This will be of special interest to those who sing in their own church choir, and many who enjoy the ministry of the Cymbalas and Brooklyn Tabernacle. Clarke talks about this event directed to Church.

“I firmly believe that much of the future of our music will be determined by to what extent we can become a regular component of Sunday morning music in America’s mainstream churches. Bringing in the Cymbalas helps us appeal to a range of church leadership that might not otherwise be interested in what we are doing. Brian Hudson, who is handling many of the Brooklyn Tabernacle Singers dates, mentioned the idea to me, and I thought it was a great idea. With Dr. Jeremiah leading the morning Bible study, the Cymbalas and Brooklyn Tab performing that afternoon along with Mike Speck’s choral extravaganza, the Friday package has a stronger church appeal than we have ever offered. You can expect more of this in the future.”

This choir presentation, along with the webcast of NQC Radio, and the soon to be released NQC TV, are just some of the new initiatives being developed to keep NQC relevant to its audience, and to help it to retain it’s notoriety as the premiere SGM event of the year. Clarke explains that it’s these one-of-a-kind events that will help the NQC retain its competitive edge. To those who think that this event has had it’s day, he responds, “Some say that about our music in general. I believe that as the music goes, so goes the NQC. That is why I work really hard to expand the economic base of the entire industry through my work with the Southern Gospel Music Guild. I currently serve as President of the Guild, and I really enjoy working on behalf of the industry at large.”

“SGM is musically charming and unique…however, the most important component of our music is the overt, straight-forward presentation of Biblical truth within its lyric. We must guard with all vigilance that component of our music to insure that never changes.”

Clarke has seen the industry from both a performer and a promoter outlook. He traveled for several years with the Florida Boys, and knows what it’s like to get on the road, week after week. “What many do not realize is how truly arduous the lifestyle is. Traveling over 200 days a year is enormously taxing both physically and psychologically. Those who do it are truly called and gifted.”

Having this insight into the life of a Southern Gospel Artist has given Clarke great regard for many of the industry’s performers who have been traveling for decades. This includes his father, Les Beasley. He is grateful to have grown up as the son of one of SGM’s legends. “It was quite a privilege, not just because of his status in Gospel Music, but because of who he is. I cannot imagine a greater example to emulate.” Clarke continues, “My favorite quote of his is, ‘There is no limit to what someone can do as long as he does not care who receives the credit.’ That is a belief he has lived by.”

Meanwhile, Clarke’s own children are not quite ready for the SGM mantel to be passed down to them. They do enjoy Southern Gospel, but haven’t yet shown interest in becoming involved in the family business. “My children are 10 and 7, so their primary interests right now are in baseball, their friends, and how they can blame each other for their bathrooms being messy.”

The next generation will tell the tale of the future of Southern Gospel. What does Clarke see as the future of SGM? “I see a future where we are a regular component of Sunday morning worship in most churches. I also see a future where high standards will be set and artists will be required to meet them. These high standards will be set not only in musical excellence but in ministry readiness and in personal conduct.”

“I believe that the next five years will be of critical importance to the next 20 years of the future of our music, and as I said before, as the music goes, so goes the NQC.” Clarke continues, “I am very optimistic on what we can achieve within the next five years and in the future beyond that. I am convinced our music will be used as a powerful tool of evangelism to reach the lost and encourage the believers.”

Clarke Beasley and his team are working hard to pull together an event that will, as always, surpass the year before it. That requires a day-to-day determination to keep to the vision and mission of the event, as they work toward September and the beginning of the 49th NQC. Even Clarke however, is aware that SGM and the NQC are rooted in an experience in the daily lives of the singers, songwriters, and all who are involved in this type of musical evangelism. He was reminded of this lesson again recently.

“With one of my close friends and neighbors losing his wife this week, I am reminded that life is precious and short, and I should strive every day to enjoy the God-given blessing of life and make each day contribute something to the Kingdom of God.”

For more information on the National Quartet Convention, click on www.natqc.com

First published June 2006 on www.sgmradio.com
Written by Lorraine Walker

For current features and columns, click on http://www.sgmradio.com