Top Moment of 2012 - #1

Group changes always leave fans wondering how the "new guy"will fit in and what the group will sound like with the addition. Fans can be pretty vocal about how they feel regarding group changes. Often it's not hard to see when a group member is new, because it can take time for these new group arrangements to click which is no indication that it's not working or won't work, but there is an adjustment period. So when it clicks from the start, it's a rare moment, which brings us to my top moment of 2012.

I had the privilege of seeing Matt Fouch in his first night with Legacy Five. And from the moment they started singing, there was no doubt that this was the right move for Legacy Five and Matt. When Matt sang his first feature song of the night "I've Been Changed," it was evident that Legacy Five fans and gospel fans all could hear that Matt's voice fit the group right away.

The group transition was handled very tactfully by both groups. Matt sang with Soul'd Out Quartet just the day before. It impressed me that Matt was already mouthing the words to other  songs when he wasn't singing. It was also neat to see the rest of Legacy Five definitely gave him encouragement throughout the night.

They closed the concert that night with "We Shall See Jesus." Matt knocked this one out of the park! This was by far my favorite song of the night, and my only regret is not getting a video of it. It had the entire audience of more than 4,000 on its feet.

I do have another video from that night that you can check out below.

Fun Clip Friday - The Hoppers

Hope everyone has had a great last full week of 2012! I've gotten to spend some time with my family this week which has been a great blessing. After celebrating Christmas, we decided to get away to the Smokies for several days and enjoy a Tennessee Christmas. Hope you've also gotten to spend some quality time with your family, but I'm not sure I wish the 10-hour car ride quality time that we had! ;)

The Hoppers shared on YouTube on Sunday their GMA Hall of Fame Induction. So for this Friday's Fun Clip, here's a glimpse at the first part of their induction. All three parts are on YouTube, but here's the first one below! Enjoy!

Top Moment of 2012 #2

I had the privilege of seeing two "testimony concerts" this year, where each group shared their personal testimony. Both of them made the list of my favorite moments from the year. Top moment #2 was with the Perrys.

The Perrys

Hands down, it was one of the best gospel concerts I've ever attended. You can read the full recap of the concert here. It was the perfect mix of singing and testimonies with them intertwined where it all just fit together. Each group member picked a song that they felt led to sing after their testimony.

Each testimony was a little different. For some it was their salvation experience while for others it was more about how God had used their difficult circumstances to work a far greater plan.

Tracy mentioned at the concert that they only do these type of testimony concerts twice a year. I feel very blessed that I was able to be at one of them!

There's not a particular moment from the concert that really stands out, but it was the night as a whole that really made an impact. Each song and each testimony made it one of the standout concerts of the year.

The countdown continues next week with #1!!

Top Moment of 2012 #3

I remember last year reading a statement from TaRanda Greene about not being able to attend National Quartet Convention in 2011. I wasn't sure whether or not when she would be making an appearance this year or not, until Kim Hopper called her on stage for the top moment #3 of the year.

Kim Hopper took the stage with Kim Collingsworth playing for her to preview a showcase NQC was having the next day. I got pretty excited when after Kim finished singing the first verse, she called TaRanda to the stage to join her.

Kim Hopper, TaRanda Greene and Kim Collingsworth's performance of "There Is a Fountain" at NQC was definitely what people were talking about the next morning. When you think about the top sopranos of the genre, Kim Hopper and TaRanda Greene are definitely among the top of the list. With their power vocals combined with Kim Collingsworth's strong alto harmonies, it made for a chills- worthy performance. 

It was sweet to see the two sisters-in-law sing together and to mark TaRanda's return to NQC. That alone would have made the performance significant, but it was the dynamic vocal combination of the three women that made it rank at #3 on my top moments of 2012 list!

Look for #2 tomorrow!!

Merry Christmas!!

Merry Christmas to everyone! Hope you all are having a wonderful Christmas holiday with your family and friends!!

Here's my favorite version of my favorite Christmas song. I don't think anyone sings it better! Enjoy!