Thinking about the Florida Boys retiring this year and thinking how long Les, Glen & Darrell have been together....will we see longevity like this in the current groups out there today?

KattieE when folks are around each other as long as these folks have they move from friendship to Family. I hope and pray we will continue to see folks stay together like these have.

I not only don't see members staying in a group for any period of time, I don't even see family groups staying together. Our legends loved the singing, the songs, and realized they were blazing trails for others to follow. I don't claim to know the hearts and minds of everyone traveling, but I don't see or hear from them that tomorrow is of great concern for Gospel Music unless THEY are in the news with a new "project", or being featured somehow. Somehow the recording companies tell us what is going to be a hit, not the fans. This has a sad impact on the groups trying to pay for $150,00 buses. Groups like the Speer Family, The Statesmen (who didn't even like one another), the Blackwood Brothers, and yes even The Florida Boys saw singing Gospel Music as there only desire in life. Even when our quartet music was in its infancy, groups changed frequently. That will always be the case, but their desire to sing was always paramount to just seeking a more popular group. Maybe the ministry of the songs weren't as high a priority as it should have been, but the GROUP took backseat to nothing. I would love nothing more than to see that some of my favorite groups pictures are the same years from now, but I don't see it.

that is a good point, Mineola.......how many groups do you see now, that are the same as they were just a couple of years ago? Maybe the Hoppers, but not many others. I guess the Inspirations are one that stays pretty intact..........I know Archie has been out for awhile, but he isn't changing groups, and I think I heard Martin say that he will be back soon. Some of my favorite groups, who were at the GOGR last week, have changed members several times in the last few years.

I don't know exactly why they change, but they do........and most of them wind up with other groups.

Mineola

Just curious but what is the source for your statement that the Statesmen "didn't even like one another?" I don't recall reading that in the various books and articles that have dealt with them.

I really wasn't meaning to cast a shawdow on probably the best loved quartet of all time. I will not discuss the relationship of The Statesmen here or any other public forum. My point was that the group came first, THEN the member. The family members knew this, and just took it for granted. Rarely did one ever say it was they wanted to spend more time with their family. That isn't a bad reason, just overly used today, when something entirely is the base reason for quitting, or changing to another group. I hope that this more clearly makes my point. This whole discussion could get to the heart of where Gospel Music just might end up in a few years if THE GROUP doesn't become the center of decision-making rather than the individual members.

Mineola

Thank you for your explanation. I know some gospel groups whose members were not on the same wavelength managed to stay together despite differences. My view that a steady, decent income was a major factor in this might or might not be true but it seemed to be an influence.

I think it's interesting but sad when a popular individual from any particular group decides to break off into their own solo ministry, only to form a group of their own. Then, when it seems that they tire from the "Group Singing" again, they decide to go solo once more, leaving the lesser known members without the name recognition they really need to continue.

I've noticed this from several observations over the years. There are other groups that continue to do well and develop good singers, only for them to be snaked away by more popular groups. The Anchormen are an excellent example. For a long time they have been a "Farm Team" from which many of their good, newly discovered singers have been drawn away.

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