This message from Mark in New Mexico arrived in the enLighten34 mailbox just a few days ago … and it needed to be shared (edited for clarity and length):
I want to tell you that this is absolutely the greatest radio station I have ever heard!! Not just Christian station, I mean any station.
I truly do not know why I wasn’t even aware of all of this great music before now. Perhaps it is because I lived in California for so many years. My wife feels the same way; we literally have this radio station on all day!! I believe that if more people knew of all of this absolutely wonderful music that it would become as popular with the masses as it is with me (and maybe I could hear some in church).
I really can’t say enough wonderful things. The music and arrangements are high quality. The messages are great, happy, uplifting. It’s easy to listen to for hours. Thank all of you for your ministry and hard work. I am telling interested friends and family about your station.
After reading, Marlin felt a need to probe a little further … and received this response:
To answer your question … I had heard of “Southern Gospel” and I even knew of famous folks like the Gaithers. While on the Internet, I’d look for Christian music under the “Christian stations” and I even found some music that was called “Southern Gospel” but they kept going through the same songs about every hour and a half. Many of those songs were by country singers, such as Randy Travis.
Bottom line, my idea, based on what I heard was that Southern Gospel was some hymns and other songs sung by traditional country and bluegrass artists and maybe a few groups like the Gaithers. I had no idea that there was this treasure of artists and groups with such amazing talent and songs, lyrics, and arrangements of such wonderful quality, and I do mean “no idea.” And this is coming from someone who loves country music.
For the last 21 years I had lived in San Jose, California. There was a Christian radio station that we would try to listen to for a few hours to find out if there was one new good song out there by someone. And that’s how my wife and I and others would buy music, an album for one good song that was easy on the ears with good lyrics.
I always found it interesting that what would get a contemporary group on the chart and sell an album was that “one good song.” The music we have heard on enLighten, in case you can’t tell, is like no other I have been exposed to, so now I actually know what “Southern Gospel” is after 50 years.
Lastly, I know there is probably more people than not who are just like us: they have heard of Southern Gospel, but have never really heard Southern Gospel. I know that my friends and family are as ignorant as I was about this genre of music.
Marlin comments … while enLighten34 is far and away the most-listened-to Southern Gospel radio station anywhere, there still are thousands upon thousands of persons who love this genre of music who are not aware of its availability throughout North America. In fact, as evidenced by E-mails which arrive with some regularity – in spite of all the publicity satellite radio has received over the past six years and the advertising that XM has done – there are many folks who are not even aware of XM Radio. They are learning about it by accident, usually following the purchase of an automobile, and then happen upon enLighten34. And, as Mark notes … it’s likely that there are numerous others who have never heard real Southern Gospel … and, if they did, they’d enjoy it.
Word-of-mouth can be a powerful force. We know that many of you have told others about enLighten34 and that “Southern Gospel music can be heard anywhere in North America 24/7 without commercials,” and continue to do so … your on-going help in telling others, in “enlightening” them about what awaits them via XM Radio is very much needed and appreciated.
Our #1 desire is for everyone who loves this music to be able to hear and enjoy it … and we continue to work to refine our programming so as to maximize that enjoyment. Throughout my 50 years in broadcasting, my personal goal has always been to bring happiness and joy to the hearts of as many persons as possible, regardless of the musical genre I was programming. Secondly, the more we have listening, the more we’re able to be a force in support of those who labor in the Southern Gospel music industry.
Won’t you please help spread the news about XM and enLighten34? If you’d like some cards to hand out, E-mail your name and address to us and we’ll send some right out. Thank you!
Marlin
