Join us, Melody and Candi, as we take a stroll down memory lane, celebrating our shared love for Southern Gospel music. With 17 years of concerts, events, and countless memories, we reflect on the times we followed artists like Signature Sound and Michael English, and attended massive gatherings like the National Quartet Convention and Singing in the Sun. Listen in as we recount the hilarious moment we unwittingly found ourselves on the red carpet at Dollywood, decked out in our finest—save for the Crocs and sandals on our feet.
In this heartfelt conversation, we also explore the unique atmosphere of Southern Gospel events and how they serve as the ultimate setting for people-watching, surpassing even the likes of Walmart for entertainment value. Plus, we touch on Aaron Wilburn's humorous take on Southern Gospel fandom in his book, "You Might Be a Southern Gospel Music Fan If." Whether you're a die-hard fan or just looking for a laugh, our anecdotes are sure to bring a smile to your face and maybe even a bit of nostalgia for the sights and sounds of Southern Gospel music.
Join us, Melody and Candi, as we take a stroll down memory lane, celebrating our shared love for Southern Gospel music. With 17 years of concerts, events, and countless memories, we reflect on the times we followed artists like Signature Sound and Michael English, and attended massive gatherings like the National Quartet Convention and Singing in the Sun. Listen in as we recount the hilarious moment we unwittingly found ourselves on the red carpet at Dollywood, decked out in our finest—save for the Crocs and sandals on our feet.
In this heartfelt conversation, we also explore the unique atmosphere of Southern Gospel events and how they serve as the ultimate setting for people-watching, surpassing even the likes of Walmart for entertainment value. Plus, we touch on Aaron Wilburn's humorous take on Southern Gospel fandom in his book, "You Might Be a Southern Gospel Music Fan If." Whether you're a die-hard fan or just looking for a laugh, our anecdotes are sure to bring a smile to your face and maybe even a bit of nostalgia for the sights and sounds of Southern Gospel music.
0:00:00 - Melody
Hi, I'm Melody and I'm Candi, and you're listening to Quirks, Bumps, and Bruises. Thanks so much for joining us on this episode of Quirks, Bumps and Bruises! And Candi, you and I love Southern Gospel music and through the years, we've been together 17 years. Long time. How many concerts and events of Southern Gospel do you think you and I have attended?
0:00:24 - Candi
Honestly, I couldn't count, because there was a period when we first started the morning show that we were gone somewhere every weekend, sometimes twice in a weekend, sometimes thrice.
0:00:36 - Melody
Yes, yes, there were, there were a few weekends we did like Friday, Saturday, Sunday.
0:00:42 - Candi
Yeah, we were younger then, can I just say we were a lot younger then and I remember one time in particular that we were doing like a Signature Sound tour and we followed them that whole weekend. I think one was in like Waynesboro, Virginia, and one was was it in Lynchburg.
0:01:00 - Melody
It was. It was the Virginia area. I can't, I can't quite remember where.
0:01:04 - Candi
So we went to see them one night and the very next night we had to be somewhere else. So yeah, we were. We were just moving and shaking. I don't know how we did it.
0:01:12 - Melody
I know we did the same thing with Michael English. Yes, we traveled around with him for a while. And then let's just talk about the National Quartet Convention oh my gracious. And Singing in the Sun. Oh yes. And Gatlinburg Gathering. Great memories. I mean, how about the fan awards at Singing in the Sun? Do you remember at Dollywood?
0:01:34 - Candi
Yes, and I remember this is the funniest moment, because Melody and I just did whatever we were supposed to, whatever we were told to do, that's what we did. So we showed up and they were like do this, do that? We did it. So somehow Melody and I got to where we were walking down the red carpet Like they actually had a red carpet for the Singing in the Sun fan awards, for the artists who are in the awards and here come Melody and I.
0:02:05 - Melody
Well, they told us we want y'all to walk down the carpet, but now preface that by saying Candi, we had no clue about that, we did not even want to do that.
0:02:14 - Candi
No, but we had our cute little outfits on and ready to go, except for, except for the fact that I had forgot to change my shoes over, because they grabbed us so quickly that I had a nice pair of black heels and, while we were in Dollywood walking to that event, I had put on some black crocs. Well, I had put on sandals and you had on your sandals, because this is a very nice formal event.
0:02:40 - Melody
So we were really dressed in the nines, right, oh yeah. But we knew we had to walk from the parking lot to all that area. We ain't doing that in heels, no.
0:02:47 - Candi
So Candi had on crocs and I think I had on just a pair of sandals with this very nice dress, and they literally pushed us onto this red carpet and we're looking at everybody, and I remember that the only thing I could think was I am fine, I am walking on a red carpet and all these people and I got crocs on.
0:03:05 - Melody
Now there's people lined up on each side of this red carpet.
0:03:09 - Candi
Yes, who had no idea who we were? No, and we're just waving like we're queens, really, and we are in sandals and crocs.
0:03:19 - Melody
I hadn't thought about that fun memory.
0:03:21 - Candi
Thank you for bringing that back up.
0:03:22 - Melody
I remember Scotty Emmett was just laughing his head off at us.
0:03:25 - Candi
Yes.
0:03:26 - Melody
Yes, so we have had a lot of fun times at Southern Gospel events. Yeah Well, there's nothing quite like Candi and I think you will agree a Southern Gospel event, If you like to people watch Perfect Better than Walmart, Better than Walmart. It is the most fun to just sit, especially in these bigger events like NQC singing in the sun, that kind of thing to just sit in the middle of it all and watch. You could sit there for days and not move. You could.
0:03:55 - Candi
I'm telling y'all yeah.
0:03:57 - Melody
So Aaron Wilburn, Candi, wrote a book and the title of this book is You Might Be a Southern Gospel Music Fan If. Mmm. So we're going to talk about a few of these because you and I, since we have been to so many Southern Gospel things, I think we can kind of understand Aaron's talking here.
So talking about the Southern Gospel Music Fan Awards, Aaron goes, you might be a Southern Gospel music fan if you were ever upset that your favorite singer did not win an award. Oh, have you done that? No, can I just be honest and say I've wondered like really, yeah, yeah, okay, you might be a Southern Gospel music fan if you ever got mad at a singer for talking too much on stage and not singing enough.
0:04:44 - Candi
All right, I've been around some folks during a concert that have felt that way and I can't blame them. They buy a ticket to hear their music.
0:04:53 - Melody
Not what you got to talk about. They really don't want to know what you had for dinner. No Right, you might be a Southern Gospel music fan if you've ever quit a job because they wouldn't give you vacation time during National Quartet Convention Week.
0:05:08 - Candi
Oh, that is. I've never known anybody that's done that. I would love to.
0:05:12 - Melody
You would have.
0:05:13 - Candi
Oh, absolutely. Thankfully, I work in Joy FM. I didn't have to.
0:05:18 - Melody
So what about this one? You might be a Southern gospel music fan if you've ever told two or more artists on the same night. I came here just to hear you. That's hilarious. I'm going to be on the show for a while and you might be a Southern gospel music fan if you send more Christmas cards to Southern Gospel singers and you do your own family members. I know a few y'all. And you might be a Southern gospel music fan if you've got every Gaither video in your collection at home, which is so many. There's so many of them. You know Mark Lowry says that when Bill Gaither passes away one day, that he is going to even put that on a homecoming video and call it the final homecoming. I love Mark. I wouldn't be surprised either.
0:06:01 - Candi
Oh, absolutely not. You also might be a Southern Gospel music fan if you spent your grocery money at a product table.
0:06:11 - Melody
Oh, yes, yes, only Candi, you and I at these bigger events where they have the booth set up. You know where they sell different things. Oh yeah, and I may or may not have bought earrings with our grocery money.
0:06:27 - Candi
I refuse to agree with you about that. You might be a Southern Gospel music fan if you've ever been mad at your pastor because he wouldn't have your favorite gospel singers at your church.
0:06:38 - Melody
Oh yeah, that's probably caused a little bit of a church conflict.
0:06:42 - Candi
You also might be a Southern Gospel fan if you have more videos of gospel singers than you do of your family. Oh, I can see it happening. Have you ever wished the person in front of you would sit down during the concert?
0:06:58 - Melody
Well, now, I've done that. I have been at concerts and if the Lord says, worship and raise your hand and do whatever, I'm not going to argue with that. But it is a little annoying if, out of a group of maybe a thousand people sitting there, if you're the only one standing, yeah, and the person behind you cannot see one thing. That's right, yeah, I agree with that.
0:07:25 - Candi
Well, you might be a Southern Gospel music fan if you've ever told a quartet owner who they should hire. Oh, I know somebody who knows somebody who knows somebody, I know that's the tree, and you might be a Southern Gospel music fan if you know that greater vision has nothing to do with eyesight, absolutely, that's hilarious.
0:07:50 - Melody
You know, Candi, I think about all the memories that you and I have had at these events, and one of the things that I think about is you and I in the early days and the way we dressed compared to the way we dress now.
0:08:04 - Candi
What are you trying to say? Well, we, you don't have to say it, I know.
0:08:09 - Melody
We, Candi and I, used to dress to the nines. I mean high heels. Y'all fake eyelashes.
0:08:16 - Candi
Fake fingernails Fake fingernails. We were part of the problem.
0:08:20 - Melody
I know we were, but we looked good while we were doing it and we would go to these places like Freedom Hall that had. You know it's a major arena and we'd walk up to the top because it would be so packed in there that to get a seat we would sometimes walk all the way up to the top in those high heels. Yes, I know, that's why I've had to have two knee surgeries.
0:08:43 - Candi
I think, if I like, honestly, it makes me very uncomfortable to even think about that. If I had to do that again, well, I couldn't do it again. We'll just say that.
0:08:53 - Melody
And I wouldn't do it again. For, oh, my goodness, no, and I think about do you remember this? A little trivia what, what food item, Candi, at the National Quartet Convention that I absolutely love.
0:09:07 - Candi
The Bavarian Nuts. Nope, oh no, no, no, no, wait, wait, wait. Not that it's popcorn, but it's like the sweet caramel. Is caramel corn? Caramel yeah, caramel corn, that was it right. And it's, yes, it is.
0:09:19 - Melody
I always would just smell so good and I'd always have to get it. What was your favorite food there? You used to get something a lot, but I can't Honey. I ate it all.
0:09:28 - Candi
That's back when I could lose weight.
0:09:30 - Melody
Because we were walking up and down those steps and do you remember that? Because we were with Joy FM and kind of a sometimes a major part of these events you and I got to go to, like the entrance.
0:09:45 - Candi
Yes, where we?
0:09:45 - Melody
got to just hang out with the artists all the time.
0:09:47 - Candi
That was fun, and then we could also sit around the stage like where the artists were supposed to be. Those were the good days, girl, I know.
0:09:55 - Melody
Like we were somebody.
0:09:56 - Candi
I know, and we really aren't. Now we're sitting over here wearing tennis shoes with our Sunday dresses, and they don't want us anywhere in sight.
0:10:04 - Melody
I guess we do it in justice to the name of Southern Gospel now because we have on our tennis shoes, but you need to go to one of those events, one of those bigger events, and just watch, because you've never seen so much sparkly stuff and high hairdos and all your life and you really never know.
0:10:22 - Candi
We were so enthralled by these artists because we, even though we played them and knew them, it was just we have their numbers in our cell phones. Yeah, there's just something about being at those. If you're a Southern Gospel fan, you truly understand that. And it's not about them, it is totally about God. We know that, but there is just something about that.
0:10:42 - Melody
I will say that, Candi, those we've been together again 17 years, yeah, and those were some of the most fun times I think I have ever had, except for me my life were at those events. I agree, I agree with you and I mean they were exhausting events because we were working right.
0:11:00 - Candi
Yeah, we wake up at six o'clock do a morning show with some of the artists. Yes, and then be up at 11 o'clock going to eat dinner after. Yes, and then back up again.
0:11:08 - Melody
You know, in four hours we were back up, yeah.
0:11:10 - Candi
I don't know how we did it.
0:11:11 - Melody
I don't think I could do that now. Oh, I know I couldn't. I don't think I want to do that now.
0:11:16 - Candi
Do you remember walking through Freedom Hall and we had to get into an elevator to go somewhere? And David Jeremiah walks onto the elevator.
0:11:26 - Melody
Yes, the David Jeremiah. Yes, you and I are on an elevator with him and he is a big presence. Yeah, like he's very tall. You know who he is immediately. Oh, he cannot. You know who David Jeremiah is. And so there we were, on the elevator with Dr David Jeremiah.
0:11:44 - Candi
I don't even remember what we said. Well, I might do, you and I just give each other the eyes because, like, obviously we know who this man is.
0:11:51 - Melody
And he's kind of he's very nice, but he has like a almost stern presence about him. You can tell he's always thinking oh yeah, and like contemplating.
0:12:01 - Candi
Do you remember? Through that though, we found out he listened to Joy FM. He loves Joy FM.
0:12:06 - Melody
I think he still listens to Joy FM. That's really awesome and you know he has the artist sometimes at his church and come and sing and that kind of thing. The same thing happened to Elevator wise. You and I were standing waiting on an elevator and the elevator opened and there stood Michael English.
That's right, that was it singing in the sun, who is also a very big present, very big, real tall. So it's just so many fun memories that I know that you're going to want to try, if you can in your lifetime, go to one of those bigger Southern gospel music events and it's like a trip too. I mean, you know you can make it a vacation as well. Oh yeah, but good memories, and can you give us one more?
0:12:44 - Candi
You might be a Southern gospel music fan if if you have put over 100,000 miles on your car by just going to concerts Only 100,000?.
0:12:59 – Announcer 1
Thanks for listening to the Quirks, Bumps and Bruises Podcast with Candi and Melody. If you enjoyed the show, please take a moment to subscribe, rate, and share the podcast. You can learn more at joyFM.org.
0:08:00 - Announcer 2
Try Peas and Carrots Podcast for more encouragement. Brian and Kayla share life from their piece of the vegetable patch. Expect to laugh, find common ground, and hear stories you can't wait to share. It's a podcast about doing life together, growing in Christ together, and learning to laugh no matter what comes your way. Search Peas and Carrots Podcast wherever you listen to podcasts today.