Best male singer...

It's been said that you don't pick singers…they pick you.

Most people who read my blogs and website regularly know that I've been on record for the past five years or so saying that Mark Lowry is the best male singer I've ever heard. I was not born yesterday. I've been a serious, and somewhat astute, music listener for most of my life…and a lot of you also know how old I am.

If you've been wondering why I declare all this, let me explain it to you.

To me, the elements of a great singer are: voice quality, emotion, strength, lyrical phrasing, and ability to handle diverse styles well. Some singers are considered great because they have one area that is particularly strong. For instance, they may be able to sing big very, very well. But, for someone to come along and have all of these elements to such a great degree is very rare. The only other singer who to my ears had it all was the late, great Patsy Cline, who I feel is the greatest female singer who ever lived. Barbra Streisand runs a close second for female singers. Michael McDonald was the reigning male singer in my world for about 20+ years prior to my discovering Mark. (Don't feel bad, Michael...that's a good long run and he still hasn't moved far from the top spot).

I encourage you to check out the following performances and hear for yourself what I'm talking about (try Mark's website at www.marklowry.com or Amazon.com for sound bites). Most are from Mark's solo albums.

1. Mary Did You Know (Mark Lowry On Broadway)
The one that started it all…it can probably be said this performance changed my life. It opened the door to a lot of personal blessings over the past five years. I even lobbied for a Grammy nomination for Mark in the male vocal category for this performance. Basically, I watched the video that night on TV, heard Mark sing this and my jaw dropped. I looked at Mark on the screen and said "you don't know me now…but you will". I was only going to write an e-mail to tell him he was the best male singer I ever heard...and the rest is "Wendy V" history. Who knew?

2. Reaching (Still the Greatest Story Ever Told-Gaither Vocal Band)
Mark's solo break in the middle of this song to me has as much breath-taking, emotional, goose bump impact as Patsy Cline's "Faded Love".

3. The Christmas Song (Mary Did You Know)
I have not heard this song sung better (and yes, I've heard many versions). As perfect a pop standard performance as they come. All the elements I mentioned earlier are masterfully demonstrated here and throughout this album: voice, emotion, diverse style, phrasing.

4. Make It Real (Some Things Never Change)
The hit that should have been. Had this song been played on country or adult contemporary radio, it might have done what "Butterfly Kisses" did and gone straight to #1. I believe those markets would have responded in a big way to that voice and a song that expresses where many of us have been at some time or another in our lives.

5. I'll Worship Only At the Feet of Jesus (Best of Mark Lowry, Volume 2).
Even as many times as I've heard this track, I recall at the last Praise Gathering I attended, they played this as people were filing out of the worship service. I just stood there and froze.

6. But Seriously (album).
It's hard to be blown away by 30 second sound samples. But I was when I first heard these on Mark's website. When I finally got a copy of the album, I played it 6 times in a row. A classic, timeless, perfect combination of the right songs and a great singer. (FYI, if you have the Best of Mark Lowry vols.1 & 2 , then you have the whole album).

Mark's next planned release is a hymns with orchestra project. Look out.

Oh, by the way…Happy Birthday, Mark.

East Coast Trip

I am just back from a trip to New York and CT to visit family. We've been dealing with ill health of parents for many years. With one remaining, it is still sad and stressful at times.

Many of the New York and New Haven area radio stations set the soundtrack of my growing up in the 60s. This time out my sister and I visited the Savin Rock Museum, a place that celebrates the setting of where we grew up. Savin Rock is on the Connecticut shoreline in West Haven, the former home of a grand amusement park which existed from the early 1900s till 1968. It's now a shorefront and a boardwalk, but the memories are well preserved.

I begin and end my trips with overnight stopovers in New York City to regroup, break up the long travel duration and to know I'll make it to the airport on time on the way back home.

Man, I love New York.

I've been there more times since I left the East Coast than when I lived in CT only 75 miles away. I love the city's energy, media coming at you from all sides (a bit like the Tom Petty song "Jammin' Me", admittedly) and watching the tons of people do their thing, trying to get from point A to point B. Most interesting is the juxtaposition of the well to do side by side along the streets of the homeless and destitute.

I went out in the early evening and sat in Bryant Park for awhile, just watching people chill, read, chat, relax, whatever. I do remember a time when New York seemed sinister and unsafe. Though I do instinctively keep my hand on my bag when I walk, I feel safe and unthreatened as I walk the streets (my main way of getting around the city).

My usual hangout, the Museum of TV and Radio, was closed when I was in town so I couldn't go there this time. However, Virgin Megastore on Times Square is fast becoming my favorite place in the city. I told a worker there that they needed to have a dance floor in the store—because every time I go there, I want to dance. The closest I come to that is walking rhythmically throughout the store's three levels. If ever one place in New York captures the city's pulse and spirit, Virgin Megastore is it.

And ever still, the best place to eat in New York is any of the hot and cold buffet delis you can find.

"Prairie Home Companion" movie

I have been eagerly awaiting the Robert Altman "A Prairie Home Companion" movie release. I've been a fan of the show for over 20 years and you could say it impacted my life, since it was what made me take a look at MN as a place to live. The rest was history and you can read that at the Radio Regulars portion of my website.

So, I got to see the movie this weekend. It was just wonderful and it went way too fast. It was very funny and entertaining, and I felt it captured the essence of the show, save for a few changed details (I didn't miss the monologue...I'm a fan of the music primarily). At first, I was skeptical of the hoopla that surrounded the various actors who participated (particularly Lindsay Lohan). But I must say, I thought they were all excellent (even Lindsay). Meryl Streep also sings well. Kudos to Altman for featuring Sue Scott and Tim Russell in prominent roles, even though their usual PHC show acting roles weren't reprised in the film. They are great talents who deserved their chance to shine along with the Hollywood folk.

The one thing I am most pleased about with this film is the fact that the regular musicians on the show are getting major exposure. Another nod is due to Altman for keeping this real rather than using actors as musicians or getting current chart-toppers. I'm very proud of and happy for all the folks like Jeralyn Steele, Prudence Johnson, Robin and Linda Williams, Butch Thompson, Peter Ostroushko (and others you'll see in the background), and most especially the Guy's All Star Shoe Band (can you say Oscar nomination for Rich Dworsky for original score? Why not!). I hope they all get a career bump on this similar to what "O Brother Where Art Thou" did for its musicians, because they are so deserving.

So, go see it for yourself, and enjoy.