What happened to the era of the "super choir"?

[favoritepsalm1]

I was discussing this with my head musician the other day.  I got no problem with the small groups being prominent, but does anyone besides me miss the choirs?  Remember when The Associates, Hez, Ricky Dillard, James Hall, Milton Brunson, Hawkins & Love Alive dominated?  Is it because we're in more of a praise and worship mode that choirs don't put out as much?  Is it because it's cheaper for small groups to minister?   Just curious as to what others think.  And do you prefer one to the other?

[key-wiz]

Good Question This Should Get a Lot Of responses :wink:

[rwynn]

There is nothing like the sound of those choirs. There are still a few around:
MS Mass Choir (Having You There, Yes)
Full Gospel (The Just Shall Live, Bow Down and Worship)

Just to name a couple. There is NOTHING like hundreds of voices on one accord giving glory to God. It's yoke breaking!

[T-Block]

I was wondering the same thing.  Cuz when my choir director comes with a song for a choir, it ain't that many choir songs out, just a lot of little groups.  I think the idea of a super choir is kinda dead internationally, but in churchs, the choirs are very much alive.  A lot of them don't have the funds to put out CDs.

[ezekg21]

Yeah, I miss those days too. There are number of reasons. like someone mention earlier the praise and worship small group mode did put a a hurting on the mass choir production stuff. Also I remember reading a artcle about choir members were upset at how much money the director and pastor was getting of their ablums and they werent being paid as well so the choir disbanded. Its also expensive imagine a mass choir on tour, Hotel and traveling expenses would be through the roof but thank God for the Newbirths, and Pottershouse and chicago mass that still putting out those cds.

[4hisglory]

Yeah...I miss those days also.  i actually prefer the chior songs

[moosiejac]

We have commercialized Gospel music. Most of the voices can be duplicated in the studio to get the choir sound and you don't have to pay that money.

You can get the not so good singers to sound good with technology now so you can have one person sing almost all the keys and just duplicated them over and over.

And because people are charging a lot of money for people to come sing.

Oh and now Gospel is getting into the you have to be pretty to get a deal these days. Talent or Annointing means nothing anymore.


I miss Choirs very much bring back Keith Pringle, and Love alive.

Peace

[LisaE]

My church used to have a large choir when I started going seven years ago, but after we moved to our new location over a year ago, that choir was broken up and ever since then we only had a Praise and Worship team. I never really got a clear answer why the choir was broken up - I have heard reasons from there was a lot of strife going on and lack of respect of the position of the minister of music to it was really the church vision to have a choir.

I do admit I miss our church choir   . There is a lot of power and energy when you have that large number of voices that are in agreement to give God all His praise and due. Well, it is great to see the large choirs of The Potter's House, New Birth, Lakewood Church, WorldChangers (Dr. Creflo Dollar's church) etc.

[Muziqmann]

I also miss the days of the choir it is becoming more and more difficult to find songs to teach my church choir. Also, more people are making albums in the studio to save time and money.  Choirs can't fit in most studios.  I miss live recordings and choirs.

[Jmanley1116]

I think the reason why the "choir" scene has died or is dying is because of the huge mess that the community choir caused.  It left a bad taste in the mouths of most people both leaders and laymembers alike.  The competition, scandals and such has destroyed it.  Now the focus is on church choirs with a community feel.  But many of these choirs, as said in an earlier post, can't afford to put out the music.  So, now we are stuck with music from the P&W groups and smaller ensembles.  

I for one truly miss choir music.

[B3Wannabe]

This is a sign, that all of us who liked that music are getting old.

I doubt that this type of music will be back, any time soon, because of the reasons stated. People have to be paid fairly, and that would mean those people whose names are on the cds would get less. That's not going to happen. This topic can bleed into "why should musicians get paid". It's all the same thing. You can't expect everyone, that is performing a service, in the church, to do things out of the kindness of their hearts....but I don't want to start a tangent, so I'll say that I too miss those days.

We can bring them back, but it would mean buying more old cds, instead of new cds. Money is partly what's driving this engine. God's word doesn't need Kirk Franklin behind it to reach the masses. It can be done with Mahalia Jackson too.

[princeoftheb3]

I personally like choirs more than I do groups except on certain songs, but praise and worship has really captured the hearts of God's people these days, because people are really realizing the power in praising and worshiping God in Spirit and in Truth.

[B3Wannabe]

I always wondered why people make praise groups sound different than a choir. They're really no different. They're just smaller. I mean, I like choirs better because they're bigger, and the music is a little different, but a praise group isn't anything special to write home about. People can "worship God in spirit and truth" with a choir too. I don't understand that saying.

[rickshaun]

Well it is a difference with worshipping in spirit and in truth with a choir because usually choirs are open to whoever but a praise team is different. Most praise team members are people that are chosen, not only because of their vocal ability but for their  passion for worshipping God. It takes  someone serious about praise and worship to really bring in the atmosphere of worship into the house. It is also easier to get on one accord with a praise team because a true praise team all have like spirits and stay connected to each other but most importantly to God. Most Praise team Members live worship but most choir alot of choir members are in choir to keep from being a lay member. Im not saying this is the case for all praise teams but for most or should be the standard for a praise team.

[B3Wannabe]

That's like saying there's a difference between a saved choir and a saved praise and worship team.

LOL

If you're "worshipping in spirit and truth", it shouldn't matter how many people you have. There isn't a gray area.


I still like big choirs better. To me, the more voices you have, the better it is...if they're all serious.

[rickshaun]

its a totally different realm of seriousness.  like yourself i love choirs too. i work with my choir just as hard as i work with the praise team, if not harder but the maturity level is different and thats what i was meaning by the response to what you said earlier. There is a difference between pw teams and a mass choir. I also agree that a choir can bring in the spirt as well but i am surrounded by people searching for something deeper than a  20 min shout or worship break. Only true pw members can usher in something life changing. It is possible that a choir could all be full of the holy ghost and have characteristics of a tru pw team but its not so likely. thats all i was tryin to say.

[tondee]

Initially, I liked the P&W better.  My thought:
 
1. I'm from the BAND culure.  
2. I like space in my music.  
3. I like to hear every single person and everything.  
4. You can't get clarity with a large group of people.

Since I've been involved with the music ministry my thoughts have changed radically.  Once I got used to all those voices hitting me at once (up close) I can really appreciate it.  On Sunday mornings, i get excited about playing P&W songs.  'Cause the quicker we start them, the quicker they will be out of the way.  Then out comes the REAL meal, the steak and potatoes.  Nothing compares to that.  It's time to get these kids used to hearing a choir.  They don't like it because they're unfamiliar to it, like live music.  A person rapping or singing to a loop isn't live music.  And these kids grew up on that.  They don't know any better...until they mess around and get into the choir.


Tony

[lilcarolina]

Even though I'm only 14, I grew up on choir music.  I'm from North Carolina which has lots of choirs in the different cities.  I think praise and worship is cool and all but I gotta stick with my choir music.  Hezekiah Walker, Ricky Dillard, James Hall, Donald Lawrence, Kirk Franklin and the Family, John P. Kee.  I love em all.  

Hollla

[bishop2]

:cry:  :cry:  :cry:  :cry:  :cry:  :cry:  :cry:  :cry:

OH THE DAYS!!!
I wish that the choir thing would come back,(I'm trying to bring it back here in Northern Cali.)
It's something about a choir that a P&W team will NEVER have. NEVER
Keith Pringle was AWESOME back in the day, (where are you man?)  The Pentecostal Community Choir was BAD. It seems like gospel is going secular, and that is why the choir is going bye bye, but the church will always have a choir...COGIC people remember the UNAC recordings form the 70's and 80's, pure classic, can't get that sound anywhere else...
Here's my "back in the day" list, remember these folks?

The Majestics
Southwest Michigan State (Dr. Mattie Moss Clark)
Institutional COGICI (Joyce Taylor, WHEW MY GAUD)
The Savettes
St.James (Charles Nicks)
The Los Angeles Community Choir
the list goes on and on...
Give me a choir anyday!

[bobby1361]

The 70's and 80's were the bomb when it came to the choirs here in NYC!  Of coursre we had the Institutional Radio Choir(170 Adelphi St), the greatest choir out of NYC!  We also had
Bibleway Temple Radio Choir (Bishop Huie Rogers)
Bishop Billy Robinson and the Garden Of Prayer Cathederal
Tri Boro Mass Choir (Bishop Albert Jamison)
Proffessor Jeffery White and the Soul Stirring Crusade Choir (where Hez got his start)!
The Benny Cummings Singers
The JC White singers
The John Hason Singers
The Bronx Mass Choir( Bishop Eric McDaniel)
Rev Timothy Wright and the Concert Choir
New York Restoration Choir (Donie Mclurkin)
Bishop Nat Townsley and Singers
Man those where some good old days back then!  No dis to Hez or James Hall but back then these guys where holding it down here in NYC.  A lot of them didn't get the props they desereved but they open the doors for so many artist after them!