dad deserved it...

This past week I took a trip back in time. One of the neat, or sometimes not so neat things about performing in front of people for so many years is that some of it was actually captured on video. Thanks to Dean in West Virginia I've been able to relive some great moments of our group on the stage.

A few weeks ago he sent me a copy of one of our group's most proud southern gospel achievements. Back in the late 1980s and early 1990s TNN produced and aired a show that featured Southern Gospel Music. Comedians Hicks and Cohagen hosted it, the Harper Agency coordinated the talent and Eddie Crook was the music director. The show was taped inside Studio B in Nashville, the same place they shot Hee Haw.

As a pretty young group we were beyond thrilled when we were asked to be one of the select few artists to be on the show. Then we found out that we were going to be on the very first episode! With the Cathedrals! It was nearly dizzying! It was all happening so fast... There's a really neat Singing News Magazine cover photo of the two groups playing around on the set. There's a story attached to that too. Maybe later.

While watching the video last week it occurred to me what a wonderfully stable and humble man my dad is. During the whole show I was bouncing around and exaggerating way too much, especially for TV. He and Mark stood there with pleasant written all over their faces, smiled and sang.

Last week I got another video from Dean. This one was our group's 1998 set at the National Quartet Convention in Louisville. I just put it in the player and watched it for the first time yesterday. I was actually pleasantly surprised. I usually pick our performances apart like piranha on a feeding frenzy. This time though the singing wasn't bad; our little band had it together; and the songs, mostly written by my brother Mark, were really good. On the other hand, once again I think I made way too much noise.

I don't usually get too emotional when I see things like this. I pay too much attention to the technical stuff to get bogged down with the nostalgia. I almost watch with a cringe because I know I'm probably going to embarrass myself.

This one was different. Before anything else, the thing that captured my attention was my dad's being there. There was something about him on that stage at that event in front of all of those people that struck me as amazingly beautiful. He's never given me a reason to be ashamed, but watching him hold his place and play his part that night made me feel very proud.

He deserved to be on that stage whether anyone else did or not. The thousands of people who had the privilege of hearing his voice, watching his countenance, and seeing his heart every time he took a mic probably don't really know how blessed they were to be in his presence. I got to do it nearly every night for 17 years.

I doubt you'll ever hear his name mentioned when the list of gospel music's pioneers, innovators and great contributors is read, but knowing who Kenneth Bishop is and what he his, what his motivations are and the place that he came from, he is at the very top of mine for things even more noble. When he was younger it never dawned on him that he'd be singing on TV and on stages in front of tens of thousands. Talk to him today and he'll never tell you that he did.