The Power of Southern Gospel

This is Robbie Dilmore from The Christian Car Guy and Kingdom Pursuit, where we hear how God takes your passion and uses it to build a kingdom. Your chosen Truth Network Podcast is starting in just a few seconds. Enjoy it and share it. But most of all, thank you for listening and for choosing the Truth Podcast Network. Have you ever been to a knee-slapping, big-smiling, joy-of-the-Lord-filled Southern Gospel celebration? Because if you haven't, you've really missed out. Rodney Baucom, you've hosted a bunch of these things, my friend.

Tell everybody, this is real stuff, isn't it? You left out toe-tapping. I grew up enjoying what I call gospel music. As a kid, my mom and dad, they sang in a little group, a little trio.

They were just weekend warriors. They traveled around. I, at an early age, was exposed to the Happy Goodmans, your statesman quartet, Gold City cathedrals. I developed a real love for that variety of music. Over the years, I listened to different things. Even in high school, Stu, when my fellow classmates were listening to Journey, ACDC, and REO Speedwagon, I was listening to Southern Gospel music. You've heard of the genre, likely. Maybe you haven't. Maybe we need to do a show called What Is Southern Gospel Music and educate some people. But I know everyone's heard of Bill Gaither. I know we can start dropping some names, and people have heard of these. Literally, he's become an establishment.

He's become a real brand. But you're in an awkward spot today because you're usually interviewing people on your national shows, on your hosting. As you're doing a morning host, you've been all over the world, all over the country, the Life FM, some great place doing morning shows. But I'm interviewing you because I want people to know who is Rodney Baucom, the golden voice of Southern Gospel. You're at the quartet convention. You're at Pigeon Forge. You're at all these big gospel scenes, gospel cruises, things like that.

So I guess, how would you answer that question, who is Rodney Baucom? Well, I've been in radio for too many years probably, but I love it. That's what God's called me to do, so that's what I continue to do. But man, I've been involved with Joy FM based out of Winston-Salem, North Carolina. I've been involved with Sirius XM's Enlightened channel over the years. I've been and am still involved with a group that's out of South Carolina but in about 10 different states called the Life FM, still do that. And recently just developed a closer relationship with Singing News Radio, which gospel music fans will recognize the name of the magazine, Singing News Magazine, but they also have a radio network. So I do a weekly syndicated countdown for them, and I'm getting ready in the next month or so to begin a regular Monday through Friday airshift with them at Singing News Radio.

Fantastic. So you're on the air, you're interviewing folks, you're writing, you're producing. But the essence, what is it about Southern gospel music? It really is fascinating, and there's people, of course every kind of music has its critic, and it has its downside, it has people that are skeptical. But what is it about that music that when you start hearing people sing Victory in Jesus, you start hearing these songs, you start hearing the cathedrals, the kingsmen, you start hearing modern groups, the hoppers, so many families.

What is it about that Rodney that just gets the adrenaline going? Well, I think, and let me address the criticism, I think the big criticism of Southern gospel music is that it's a music format for old Christians, and I don't agree with that at all. I think the more contemporary Southern gospel that's out there is a variety that teenagers would enjoy listening to as well. And you've tried to bridge that gap, in fact, haven't you?

You've tried to bring the old new together. We have, but it is a harmony-based music. I mean, there are some soloists in Southern gospel, but the majority and traditionally the biggest acts in gospel music have been those that are quartets, that four-part harmony, your lead, your baritone, your tenor, and your bass singer. And that high guy. Yeah. My daughters love hearing that high guy. Yeah, we call tenor singers slaw, sings like a woman.

I like that. You know, it's just fun to listen to. And I think there is an entertainment factor in it, but there's also a lot of people that are really ministered to by Southern gospel music.

The message is always very clear to understand. And so, you know, sometimes I have difficulty keeping up with some of today's music lyrically, but Southern gospel is a little different. It's a little more, I think, easier paced so that you can enjoy what the message is. So you have, so people listen, and I tell you what, it's really, one thing that encouraged me about it is, like Bill Gaither, and all of the artists you mentioned earlier, there's a self-deprecating humor that's a genuine humor. It's like, we're not taking ourselves too seriously. Like, so often as believers we get stiff. And the unsaved world looks at us like, oh no, I'll never be like that. They think heaven is a little angel, you know, we're going to be sitting on our cloud with angels playing little harps forever. But there's a real genuine humor and fun that's woven into these groups, and there's a lot of smile, there's a lot of tears.

There's a lot of pain. Rodney, talk about that, how this connects people to God. That's the endgame, isn't it? Well, I think every gospel group out there wants to minister. I think they want to find, okay, what is God's calling for me, and they want to fulfill that. And I think they all recognize, too, Stu, that we are all imperfect. I don't care who you are, I don't care what class you were born into, everybody has a difficulty, everybody has problems, nobody's perfect, everybody's going through something. And even beyond that, we know that all have fallen short of perfection, and that we're all going to make mistakes in life. So I think, you know, for the gospel music performer, singer, minister, whatever you want to call them, label them, they all know that they are striving to do God's will for their lives and to reach people, to minister to people, and to save people for the kingdom of God. You know, I think gospel music, southern gospel music has often been accused also of preaching to the choir, and there is a lot of that that goes on.

We want to encourage the saints, but I would just challenge the non-believer to listen for a month of nothing but gospel music, and I guarantee you it would change your life. Wow. So you're hearing the voice of Rodney Baucom, one of my favorite DJs, one of my favorite hosts, one of my favorite people. You want my autographs, Stu? Come on!

Well, I might work for that later, but I'll tell you what. This guy has woken up a lot of folks over the years with his morning show. Wherever they throw you on him, you've done every airshift there's imaginable, right? I have, yeah. He's interviewed all these great hosts and these great, you know, the happy Goodmans. He's interviewed a lot of folks who are in heaven now, right?

A lot of them, yeah. Those guys, you know, old Glenn and George were the cathedrals. True. There's some singing going on up in heaven with them.

But Rodney was there. You've been in quartets. I mean, they usually throw you on the bass part, right? Bass baritone.

Yeah, I'm not as low as I used to be, but I used to be a pretty good low bass. So this is what, I'm going to randomly pull this up. Let's see how this works. Oh, no. This is what you might hear if you listen to Rodney in the mornings on the Life FM.

He wakes people up. It's really awesome. If I'm ever having a rough day, Rodney, this is my go-to right here. Let's see if I can get it to work. I don't know if I can get it to work. Let's see.

I'm trying here now. Okay, this is called my morning launch. Good morning and welcome to Monday. A new day is underway with wonderful potential outcomes. I don't know what this day will hold, but I do know that you can face it with optimism and a positive outlook. Why do we sometimes expect the worst?

Why do we expect the best? Have high expectations for this day. Roll out of that bed with a joyous anticipation. Put some pep in your step and a smile on your face.

You are one of those fortunate persons to be participating in this wonderful day called Monday. You have the breath of life in your lungs and a great hope in your beating heart. You have been made more than a conqueror, so don't let the world beat you down. It's time to live life abundantly. Alright, so that's a little bit of it.

Rodney Baucom, unbelievable. So encouraging, man. It goes on and on, but every morning you say welcome to whatever that day is. But thank you for what you're doing, man, to bring people to Christ using music and using gifts and using the voice and encouraging folks every day. I mean, there's a whole tough side.

We talked about that some, too. But it's awesome to be able to invite people to come to know the Savior, isn't it? He is why we do what we do, and I am so thankful to Him that He called me so many years ago to be an ambassador for Him. So you've kind of named some of my awards and accolades today, but you know what?

I'm nothing without Christ, and all the glory belongs to Jesus. Well, I love how our mutual friend, Ray Flynn, who really we've kind of been hanging out with him for years. You know, you longer than me, but Ray always, when he does these concerts, and you're a part of all this, you guys are always inviting people to get saved, and I love it. At the end of a great gospel concert, lots of great lights and sound and entertainment, lots of products being sold, but there's a line of people walking forward down that aisle to give their life to Jesus. Yeah, that's what it's all about. That's what it's about, and I want to thank you for doing that and for being a part of that and for remembering that we're not just entertaining.

This isn't industry, it's ministry. So we'll see people in heaven because of that crazy Southern gospel music that now more young folks are coming back to. So we're grateful to Rodney Baucom, and we're so honored to interview you on this special broadcast podcast. We'll get it out there to everyone, and be sure you share this with people and look this guy up. This guy's a rising star, and you'll be encouraged if you do. God bless you, Rodney. Thank you, Stu. Appreciate your time.