Q & A with Gary Wilson

Do you have a nickname?

Many of my close friends call me G.  In high school, many of my football coaches and teammates called me Dallas because I have always been a fan of the Dallas Cowboys.

If you were going to start a quartet and could pick anyone, whom would you choose?

Boy, you’re trying to get me in trouble from the very beginning, aren’t you? There are many great singers in Gospel music, but if I had to pick, these would be my choices.

Bass:  Tim Riley 

Baritone: Mark Trammell

Lead:  Ivan Parker

Tenor: Danny Funderburk

Who would be your pianist?

Jeff Stice

OK, suppose you decided to transform your quartet into a mixed Group.  Who would you choose?

I’d say goodbye to Mark and Danny and add;

Alto:  Kelly Nelon

Soprano:  Karen Peck

I know you travel a lot between Nashville and your hometown in North Carolina.  How many hours does that trip take by car?

10 hours, on a good day.  It’s a 1200 mile round trip and one thing is for sure…it doesn’t get any shorter!

How do you pass the time?  Do you listen to the radio, CD’s?

Actually, I enjoy peace and quiet much of the time.  I have always enjoyed driving and have used that time to think things through.  Some of my best ideas have come during my “windshield” time.  Yes, I listen to the radio.  I will hit the scan button and let it go from station to station searching for songs.  I also like hearing how different stations handle their format, from their slogans to their jingles and liners.  I’ll take new Gospel compilation CD’s with me to preview as I travel, and I always carry my comedy collection.  I really enjoy old comedy radio programs and there is none better than Amos N’ Andy!  These shows are just as hilarious today as they were in the 40’s and 50’s, and it’s clean humor, quite a contrast from what we have today.     

What type of car do you drive?

Mustang

What is your dream car?

BMW Convertible

What type of music do you like?

My musical taste varies, but I like to hear singers who truly have a talent to sing.  I’m not swayed by the popularity of an artist.  I hear some singers and wonder how they ever got a record deal and furthermore, why anyone would ever buy anything they recorded?  I listen for songs as opposed to artists.  What I mean is that some people will buy anything recorded by a certain artist, no matter what.  I will not do that.    I don’t like “twang” either.  I would rather hear fingernails on a chalkboard instead 

Do you like any other types of Christian music?

Inspo.

Inspo?

Sorry. That’s industry speak for Inspirational Christian music.

Do you have a favorite Inspirational group?

Point Of Grace

How about a favorite Inspirational song?

Jesus Will Still Be There – Point Of Grace

How do you relieve stress?

I have always loved sports, so I try to stay active.  I spend a lot of time at the park, and jog often at the Brentwood High School track.  Their track has that rubberized asphalt surface, which feels real good to my “feets”!  I also keep a small inventory of  sporting goods store in the trunk of my car…just in case.    But, to answer your question more specifically, nothing relieves stress better for me than spending time at the batting cage.  There is nothing quite like knocking the heck out of a baseball. Unfortunately, many times my stress level outnumbers my number of tokens!

If you could have lunch with anyone, who would it be?

My Dad

I read where your favorite meal is steak.  Do you prefer a good meal or junk food?

A good meal, definitely!   I don’t eat junk food very often and rarely eat dessert.  I’m a meat and potatoes man.  Throw in a good salad and I’m a happy boy!

What is your favorite meal?

I’d begin with an apartment salad….cubed steak, rice & gravy and butterbeans.

An apartment salad?

Yes.  Most people call it a house salad, but since I live in an apartment, I call it an apartment salad. It makes sense to me!

You have won a few awards during your Gospel music radio career.  How does that makes you feel?

I have played sports all of my life and consider myself to be a very competitive person, so it is always nice to win an award.  But, that is something over which I have zero control.  If it happens, it happens.  If not, that’s OK too!

Tell us about your favorite award?

My favorite award, given by an organization, occurred in 1998.  During the annual Homecoming event at my alma mater, Mount Olive College, I was inducted into the Mount Olive College Hall Of Fame for my broadcasting accomplishments in Southern Gospel music.  It was quite a surprise then, and still is to this day.  Every once in a while, I’ll think to myself. “I’m a Hall of Famer”?  Too much

I did not know that about you?  Did you notify the industry about it?

Yes.  A press release was sent to the various news outlets, but it didn’t receive a great deal of coverage.  I’ve always joked that some people in this industry could stub their big toe and get tons of press coverage while others could rescue babies from a burning building and it would never be reported. Times are changing though.  We now have more Southern Gospel media outlets than ever before and that’s great for our industry.

Why do you think the coverage was so sparse?

I don’t know the answer to that question.  I thought it was quite an honor to be inducted into the Hall Of Fame of my college for accomplishments in Southern Gospel radio.  That sort of thing doesn’t happen every day. 

Your earlier answer, my favorite award given by an organization,  leads to me to believe that there is another award for which you are most proud.  Is this true?

Yes, my favorite award came one Fall afternoon several years ago while standing in the driveway of my parent’s home in North Carolina.  My Dad and I had just finished doing some yard work and we were talking about my life and radio career.  My family has watched my radio career grow from the very beginning and can testify that a radio career in Southern Gospel music can be a very rough ride.  My Dad stopped what he was doing and said words that I will never forget as long as I live.  He said, Son, it has been hard for you, but you have stuck with it and fought it like a tiger.  I’m proud of you”!  Now, you must understand that I respect my Dad more than anyone I’ve ever known.  Those words coming from him meant the world to me…and still do!  What award given by an organization could possibly top that?

Do you think you will ever win another radio award in Southern Gospel music?

I’m pretty sure there are some awards that I don’t have a snowball’s chance in a microwave of ever winning or even receiving a nomination. I’m too outspoken about issues that I feel we need to address in this industry.  I’m sure my comments have ruffled a few feathers.  Once again, if awards come my way, that’s fine.  If not, that’s OK too.  Awards are nice, but they are not the reason I’m involved in Southern Gospel music.

Would you care to elaborate on the changes that you feel need to be made in this industry?

Don’t get me started!  Besides, I don’t think we have enough time for my complete answer! Let me answer your question this way.  I believe Southern Gospel music is a great tool to point people to Jesus Christ!  There are many good, hard working, dedicated people who strive to make our industry reach its full potential.  I believe there is room for everyone  who is willing to work to promote Christ through Southern Gospel music!  I believe everyone in our industry counts!  Competition is a good thing, but there are some who consider the word competition to be obscene!  The mentality some people project is “how dare someone try to compete with us!”  “Don’t they realize who we are?”  It’s so juvenile!   Get over yourself!  I mean, what kind of industry would we be if we only had one record company, one artist, one talent agency, one publication, or one recording studio?   I think the playing field should be level for everyone!  Unfortunately, there are cliques and waaaaaaaaaay too much politics in this industry!   We are supposed to be on the same team, working toward the same goal!  If we can ever get everyone to realize that and work together, the potential of our industry is unlimited!  I’ll leave it at that.

OK, let’s change the subject.

Good idea

On your Favorites page, your two favorite movies have a similar theme.  Why?

Yes, these movies do have a similar theme.  Overcoming adversity!  I like a lot of different movies, but I really enjoy movies where people do what people tell them they can’t do.  Hoosiers is about a fictional small town Indiana high school basketball team that wins the state championship, having to get past many obstacles along the way.  Some of these obstacles center around having to play larger high schools from larger cities.  But, the toughest obstacles come from dealing with the personal battles within each individual on the team.  Rudy is true story about a small kid who dreams of playing football at Notre Dame.  Nobody, not even members of his family, think he has a chance of ever achieving this goal.  But, you know what?  He does!  He finally gets to play on the final play in the final game of his senior year.  He even makes the final tackle of the season.  His teammates are so overjoyed about this that they swoop him up on their shoulders and carry him off the field.  That was in 1976 and to this day, no other Notre Dame football player has been carried off the field by his teammates.  Man, what a movie!  What a great story!

What does that say about you?

What does it say about me?  I like people who go after their dreams, regardless of what anyone else says about it!  I have a lot of the I’ll show you attitude.  I’m a very competitive person and when people tell me I can’t do something, it motivates me to accomplish it, proving them wrong in the process. 

In closing, how would you want people in the industry to remember you?

Remember me? Do you know something I don’t? Seriously, I would like for people to say that I worked to make this industry better, more professional; that I tried to improve the overall quality of Southern Gospel radio, and that I produced a program that in itself was a good ambassador for Southern Gospel music.  The goal is pointing people to Christ.  If one of my programs ever did that, what more could I ask?