When I play gospel music before an audience, it's just usually me just there alone all by myself. Now that's fine and I can still get the message of the song across. But what I am really missing are the other instruments.You know bass and steel guitar as well as a piano. they can really fill in the places in between each line and bring it all together so to speak. I personally like a piano that's being played in a Jerry Lee Lewis style. Not how it sounds in his rock songs but how it sounds in his slower ones. He does play some gospel.
Anyway when I record it's always just me and as I listen to the playback I can certainly tell that it's just me. Something is missing. I don't record professionally, it's usually for friends or family.
As I have played at a number of churches I have been lucky enough to have their piano player get up with me. Sometimes it would be fine and at other times it would not work out to well because I have to switch the keys to a lot of songs in order for me to do them. Alas, a lot of the people who play piano for the church don't know how to play some hymns in a different key.
This is in no way a bad reflection on them because I've been to several churches where they would love to have someone to play the piano even if they could only play in one certain key. I think we can all relate to that.
There was one time I was called upon to do the service at this gospel mission where I was staying at in that time period of my life. It was five minutes before the service was to start. The pastor got called away on an emergency. So I hopped up there and we had a guest that night who played gospel music in a honky tonk piano style. She was eighty years old and played quite well. She asked me if i could do a couple of songs before I introduced her. I spied a guitar up there on stage and belted out a couple and she told me she wanted me to stay there and accompany her. Before every song I would ask her what key she was going to be in and every time I got the same response. The key of F. We made it through in fine shape and the fellows all had a good time. I did struggle with a couple of songs because there are some that I just can't do in the key of F.
I've kinda strayed off the main theme that I started out with so I just want you to know before I can upgrade the quality of the CDs, I had better see if I can find the people I need, that would like to play some good ole country gospel.
Thanks for reading.
Take care and may God bless you always.
Mike Rupe Sr.