I’m a huge fan of the Gaither Vocal Band, and was very sorry to see David Phelps leave. I had been slightly skeptical to see him come, but I was sorry to see him go. I came to like him a lot.
So he left God’s perfect will for his life as tenor of GVB, and went to CCM as a soloist. Tragic. But as far as CCM goes, he’s one of the best they’ve got. Which really isn’t saying much, I guess, but I mean it as a compliment!
And of course my wife thinks he’s the greatest that’s ever been. So we went to see him last Friday night.
As with nearly every non-a cappella concert I ever attended, the band was too loud and the vocals were too quiet. But wow, what an incredible singer. Vocally, he’s nothing but dynamite.
If you can look past the hair! His wife probably holds him up by his feet and uses him to mop the floor.
The encore was really strange. First thing, they didn’t come back for ages! I was starting to wonder if they were going to come back at all or not.
They finally did, and were bombarded with calls from all over the crowd, “Revelation!!” Everybody wanted him to sing “Revelation,” because he hadn’t done it yet. And why not, it’s one of his best songs.
But then he does “Life is a Church.” I don’t understand that, it’s a terrible encore song. And that was the first I’d heard it, but I don’t think it’s that great of a song anyway! Bizarre.
The only thing I can figure, “Life is a Church” is his latest album, and “Revelation” was the one before that. Trying to promote the new stuff? I don’t know, but it was the wrong choice for an encore.
So anyway, the concert wasn’t bad. But I’d sure like to stick him back in GVB, that voice is too good to waste on CCM.
14 Responses
April 8th, 2007 at 4:05 pm
I feel your pain and concur. He has a dynamite voice–probably the best tenor I have ever heard. Would love to see and hear him back with the GVB. By the way, nice pix. Must have a new camera. :-) The IS and 12x optical come in mighty handy in that setting, don’t they? I have neither. So sad. A concert is a prime environment in which to experiment with spot metering and manual settings. Have fun with the new gizmo!
April 8th, 2007 at 6:24 pm
Mr. ITF, you’d better be nice with the hair. I think with him in GVB they had the greatest hair that they have had and ever will have! Personally, I think his hair fits him. Now don’t think that you can grow hair like that cause I don’t think that style quite fits you!
April 8th, 2007 at 6:26 pm
Oh my. I’m speechless.
April 9th, 2007 at 1:54 pm
I agree with you totally Tom. David Phelps has one of those amzing voices that you just don’t hear every day. I do wish he would have stayed Southern Gospel,but than that’s just a personal preference. As far as the hair goes it’s just a little bit Shirley Templesh for my taste. Sorry Jewel ;-)
April 9th, 2007 at 2:29 pm
Ha ha! That’s great!
April 9th, 2007 at 10:10 pm
what is it with these suthern gospull people and the mops they call hair? i’ve never heard of the (man?) but as i recall didn’t we have a conversation in this same forum not so long ago about another one of your idols with the same suthern gospull group? E.G be nice to me you know where i was educated. douglas
April 9th, 2007 at 10:21 pm
I’ll try, Douglas. Maybe if you’re nice to ME. Not sure what your education has to do with the topic of this post, though. Do you think of me every time you intentionally mispunctuate and misspell and have run-on sentences? Ha! I guess I DID have an impact on your impressionable young life after all!! ‘Twas not all in vain…
And now that Mr. Vocal Phenom, David Phelps, is now in the CCM camp, you yourself may at some point become acquainted with that fabulous voice.
April 11th, 2007 at 1:02 pm
Interesting, I haven’t paid any attention to GVB since Mark Lowry left. I liked their early stuff and not their Southern Gospel stuff so much. But then I don’t are for SG as a general rule….
So who is in the group now? I guess Gaither still sings? (That’s a joke. Isn’t he getting old?)
April 12th, 2007 at 7:45 pm
stop using abbreviations. what or who is ccm?
April 12th, 2007 at 8:19 pm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Contemporary_Christian_music
April 12th, 2007 at 8:56 pm
thank you mr. itf. at last, some names i recognize.
April 16th, 2007 at 8:24 am
Yes, I’ve heard Phelps in person, as well, but back then he had his hair short, as the Bible says men should.
December 8th, 2011 at 9:26 pm
He is blessed by God with his talent and he uses it to glorify our Lord. He could be using it for so many other things instead to seek personal gain, self-glorification or the applause of a secular world gone mad.
And you think his hair is the issue? Or who he sings WITH?
Wonder what you would say if Jesus were standing right beside him?
I thought so
December 8th, 2011 at 10:56 pm
Thanks for commenting Sheree. I like to write a little bit tongue-in-cheek sometimes, as a regular reader would know. And I like to poke some good-natured fun at pretty boys and their hair! Especially because my wife disagrees with me.
And my over-the-top statement at the end was just because he was so awesome in the Gaither Vocal Band.
And now he is back in GVB!
Anyway, sorry you didn’t care for my wisecracks. I’m sure you’re in good company.