I first met David Murray many years ago on the old SoGospelNews email chat group in early 2000.  I’ve made and maintained some wonderful and valuable friendships through that group, David Murray being one of those.  I started doing CD reviews on the old SoGospelNews site (now known as AbsolutelyGospel) and I think David did some reviews there as well until he started MusicScribe.  I always admired his way with words and his ability to go deeper into the musicality of things without going above people’s head or coming across as a know it all, and he’s helped me become a better writer as well.  I’ve gone to David for some help with certain musical terms when trying to describe certain styles, and I appreciate the help…and the comedic wit is a plus…most of the time!  LOL!

I have found the articles and reviews posted here on MusicScribe to be extremely informative, entertaining, enlightening and even inspiring.  This is not a one man show, as David has enlisted the talents of multiple individuals to share their thoughts and insights on a regular basis, which keeps things unique and interesting.  I appreciate each perspective offered here and feel MusicScribe offers a unique take on a very unique industry and genre.  I was thrilled when David approached me about sharing my album reviews on his site and I genuinely hope they add some value to an already highly valuable asset to our industry!

Several years ago, I was very honored when David asked me to assist with some entries in his original Encyclopedia of Southern Gospel Music (well, maybe I asked him if I could help…I don’t exactly remember how that actually went down! LOL!).  Anyway, I had big plans to help him with several entries for his book, but alas I think I only provided 2 or 3 entries, and I always felt I let him down, but I was thrilled to see his vast work finally get published, as it was a massive undertaking.  David’s SGHistory website is truly the most valuable and comprehensive place on the internet where you can find the history and discography of all the major artists in Southern Gospel Music.  I visit there almost every single day as I work on my weekly articles for my own Facebook page, and I am so thankful David has been able to maintain that site, as I know it’s not been an easy task doing so!

Our genre is all about the music…the songs, the singers, the writers and the musicians who make the music happen.  Then there are those behind the scenes, who strive to keep the history alive, while also championing ways to make our music better and challenging the status quo.  I deeply appreciate the work David has done these past 20 years with MusicScribe, and I am honored to play a small part in its continuing success!  Thank you, David, for all you do for this industry, and I pray at least another 20+ years of success for you and your important work within our genre!  Happy Anniversary!!!

-James Hales