Where Gospel and Bluegrass Meet, That's Where You'll Find Doyle Lawson

Intelligener Journal
Published: December 8, 2005
By JOHN DUFFY,Correspondent

Much has been written about the divide between church and secular music in the South in the first half of the twentieth century, and depending on the source, it was either an unbridgeable chasm or a difference nobody bothered much about. For Doyle Lawson, who will be performing at Lancaster Mennonite School Saturday, the two streams have always been inseparable.

From one, he took an unimpeachable sense of harmony and vocal diction, from the other the riffs and runs of an instrumental virtuoso. Lawson put these skills to good use, beginning his professional career on the road with the likes of J.D. Crowe, the Country Gentlemen, Jimmy Martin in the 1960s, and The Bluegrass Album Band in the 1970s. He grew up in Kentucky attending the Missionary Baptist Church, where musical instruments were not allowed; all music was purely vocal.

"It was the harmonies I took to at first, and then of course the songs themselves. I still feel the same way about them: They feed my hungry soul." He formed Quicksilver in 1979, and has released a steady stream of highly touted albums, mostly on the acoustic-leaning Sugar Hill label. The current lineup of Quicksilver includes original banjoist Terry Baucom, Jamie Dailey on guitar, Barry Scott on bass, and the young fiddle phenom Jesse Stockman. In addition to his early exposure to church music, Lawson's father also sang in an a capella gospel quartet for many years, but young Doyle and the rest of the family enjoyed listening to the country stars of the day on the Grand Ole Opry.

"It really didn't bother my family too much," Lawson recalls. Growing up on a farm, Lawson's spare moments were dedicated to learning the mandolin. "I'd play any chance I could get, both spiritual and country music, and they never said a cross word about it," Lawson remembers. "It may have been that way in some families, but not for me." Throughout the history of jazz, blues, and country music, there can be found numerous instances where popular singers recorded gospel songs, even sermons (sometimes under different names). Even Elvis tried to bridge the gap between rock and roll and gospel.

But today, the polarity remains, especially in Lawson's audience. By and large, the devout fans of his gospel work do not attend the secular bluegrass festivals he plays, nor do they purchase his non-spiritual CDs in great numbers. "And I don't judge them or fault them for that," Lawson declares. "They're following their convictions." (To please these fans, Sugar Hill put together a compilation of gospel tunes they missed out on that had been released on Lawson's secular albums over the years. )

His current album, "You Gotta Dig a Little Deeper," is an all-secular collection and his first for Rounder Records. He's already hard at work on a follow-up, spending a few days a week in the studio when not on the road. The latest disc features traditional-sounding bluegrass gems like "Girl From West Virginia," and "When I'm Knee Deep In Bluegrass," sparkling new arrangements of country tunes by Jim Reeves ("Four Walls") and Porter Wagoner ("What Ain't To Be, Just Might Happen").

Originals from Dailey, Scott and a rare instrumental from Lawson himself called "Rosine" show that significant songwriting skills exist in the group as well. Even though it's not gospel, the album has much to say about commitment, perseverance, and the passage of time. Heck, even the cover, a pair of calloused and dusty hands resting on a shovel grip displaying a conspicuous wedding band, speaks volumes. At 61, Lawson has learned a thing or two about music, business, faith, and love. To make any of them work, sometimes you have to find a hidden reservoir of patience and compassion ... dig a little deeper.

And thankfully there are enough fans that, like Lawson himself, can find satisfaction in a good song, no matter if it is sung in praise and thanks to God or about the trials of love, the longing for home, or simply to dance. "Most of my secular songs would work on a gospel collection anyway. There really isn't a great difference. I try to always pick songs that have something to say, songs that can have an impact."