End of the GRIN

I owe you all a debt of gratitude for trying out our Internet Radio station called the “GRIN”. I have enjoyed presenting great Gospel Classics over these last two months. From the very beginning it was a grand experiment in what I could do for as little expense as possible with a new kind of radio.

I’ve got from it a new perspective on what it takes to run a 24 hour business as the one and only employee. Unless you count my alter ego, Jim O’Neal. I have a similar feeling as I did back in ‘93 when I left WBKI. (see below) However, this time I leave much more fulfilled. I am elated to see what God has in store for me as a blogger and podcaster as I continue onward and upward for Him.

The GRIN is a wonderful idea that will live again in another form. It just can not continue it in its present configuration. You see, the service that hosted the station was free in exchange for ads they placed on the radio page (which were OK for the most part.) The issue I had with them is that it was prone to crashing very often. Sometimes the problem would be on this end was an old computer with limited RAM using free (cheap) software and other times the fault would lie with the service. The software I was stuck with was designed for amateur broadcasters with limited experience in media. The GRIN had absolute zero budget to make improvements in a more professional direction so daily operations were a challenge. Not being independently wealthy I have to bring the GRIN to an end, for now. I will continue with the Gospel Rewind Podcast playable here on the blog. Until next time, may the Good News of the Gospel go with you.

WBKI Studio Tour

Let's go back to 1993 and my final day at WBKI AM in Bremen, Georgia.

The GRIN Vision

Hello my friends. Today I’d like to request a few moments of your time to express my intentions for the Gospel Rewind Internet Network radio station. First it is to become a fully functioning radio station that you will be able to hear via the World Wide Web from you computer from your cell phone and in your car via WiFi technologies now in development. Music programming hosted by actual human beings who select their songs and share knowledge of the vast Classic Gospel catalog of songs rich in heritage much like the disk jockeys of old. Modern consolidated radio has pretty much killed the uniqueness of the individual experience. I wish to add news and talk to the station that interests our Rewinders.

Second, GRIN lacks the necessary equipment to get such programming to market. I’m itching to become a full fledged DJ again but am challenged by the stunning non-existence of adequate gear vital to a professional presentation. Right now when I do a live show I’m forced to assemble pre-recorded elements with live voice over. This is extremely time consuming. One hour of a show usually takes two hours or more to produce by these methods.

Third, I am very excited to go out to various churches to record great singing for the GRIN. These presentations will be featured soon. I can’t announce it now, but I believe we’ll be reuniting a Gospel singing group famous in the Southeast with a live show exclusive on the Gospel Rewind.

Forth, I want the GRIN to be unique. You won’t hear radio as usual on my Internet radio that’s for sure. Gospel Classics unheard for a generation. Live shows. Who knows what else.

Pray for us. I believe we have seen only a small portion of what is in store. Who knows, maybe the Lord will lay it on someone’s heart to finance this Gospel ministry before long so I can realize its potential. Thanks for listening. May the Good News of the Gospel go with you.

The Digital Revolution

I have got to admit, back in the dark ages, when I first started in radio, today’s digital technology was not even a dream. Yes, I was into the latest electronics, but I never envisioned how far technology would progress.

At the time I was impressed by the ability of an AM radio signal to reach across several states. How a single needle could provide two distinct channels of audio on a record player. How a ribbon of rust could reproduce sound through a tape recorder. All these mysteries I came to understand and master, somewhat.

Now it is possible to store hundreds, if not thousands of songs on a postage stamp sized device with audio quality almost as good as a Compact Disc. I do not believe even the top scientists of my day knew this was possible. The iPod and other generic MP3 players are a marvel that science fiction never predicted. I never saw Judy Jetson use an iPod Shuffle or a cell phone for that matter. Predicting the future has always been tricky. It makes me wonder what will my grand children see?

The downside to all this MP3 mess is that some audio quality is lost. The old technology may have been cumbersome but it sounded better with the right equipment properly adjusted. I also miss the larger format(s) ability to provide a physical product I could hold in my hands and view its liner notes and album art. Many kids today have no idea what it is like to shop in a real record store; they just have downloaded music files on their hard drives. I see the enlightened of my generation have the best of both worlds, our superior music with today’s convenience technology to go along with it.

The focus of our new Internet only Gospel Rewind radio station is to provide listeners of all generations exposure to some great Gospel music classics with today’s technology that delivers good digital audio quality to the masses that AM or FM will never reach.

Future of the GRIN

Is there much future in the past? I feel that I’ve done a poor job in explaining what exactly the GRIN is. My original intention for the Internet only Classic Gospel radio station was to play the older gospel songs that I grew up listening to that is concentrated in a time period in Gospel from about the 1960’s through the early 1990’s. Hence the “Rewind” in our name. This is  core of the popular Gospel catalog that is hardly ever heard on radio but is foundational for all popular styles of Gospel today. In fact, without Gospel mainstream Pop, Rock and Blues would not exist at all. That is another story.

 

GRIN is upbeat in our live shows we present and the music supports our bright tone. We are all about the Classics in a modern setting. A new perspective on some great music for sure. I feel we need to tighten our playlists to reflect our mission. We’re not just Southern Gospel. We play the classics from all forms of Gospel as long as the tunes are classics. I might play André Crouch followed by the Kingsmen then into the Imperials. But, it all flows. These songs are inspired by God and mix well because the message is the same. Do I play the Rez Band or Petra? Not the harder stuff but if a song by either of these groups is suitable for the GRIN then yep, it gets “airtime”. Think of viewing the Dove Awards in the 1980’s. All styles were represented as this kind of show was very appealing to my wide taste. That’s the GRIN. Not many new tunes are played for obvious reasons. We do make exceptions and have featured new music occasionally. We continue to improve the GRIN and will expand as the Lord leads. Please keep us in your prayers. Tune us in at http://gospelrewind.listen2myradio.com

We’ll see you and until then may the Good News of the Gospel go with you.