Everyone who knows me knows that I've been known to tinker with a bus or two. In fact, I've owned two, sold one and I'm trying to sell the other one. While I'm by no means an expert, a lot of people still call me when they have bus questions (a case of the blind leading the blind?).
At concerts, there are a lot of fans who'll come up to the table and start talking buses - and they'll point out in the parking lot and ask which bus belongs to who. And then comes the question of which bus brand is better than the others.
Not long ago, someone asked me if could someday print an article about what groups owned what brand buses. While I was saving that for a future Singing News article - and since it's Monday and I'm not awake enough yet to come up with something better to write about - I'll give you a brief breakdown of artist/bus brand. (I'll still publish the article, though).
Before I begin, let me encourage you to take part in the SGMA's annual Bus Extravaganza held during the National Quartet Convention in Louisville, KY. For a very low donation (only $10.00), you can tour the buses of many of your favorite Southern Gospel personalities. (For more information, visit www.sgma.org).
But for now...
There are three basic brands of buses: Silver Eagle, MCI or Prevost. While there are several different models within these brands, most everyone (who is in a bus) on the road today is using one of these three types. Here are the first 50 artists I could think of so, let's break 'em down by brand...
Silver Eagle
3 For 1
Beene Family
Booth Brothers
Combs, Michael
Dixie Echoes
Dixie Melody Boys
Dove Brothers
Florida Boys
Gospel Enforcers
Inspirations
Jody Brown Indian Family
Journeymen Quartet
Lesters
Mark Trammell Trio
Naomi & The Segos
Old Time Gospel Hour Quartet
Palmetto State Quartet
Ruppes
Signature Sound Quartet
Singing Echoes
Stamps Quartet
Steeles
Wilburns
Whisnants
MCI
Anchormen
Chuck Wagon Gang
Kingsmen
Lewis Family
Parker, Ivan
Parsons, Squire
Perrys
Talley Trio
Prevost
Down East Boys
Freemans
Gold City
Greater Vision
Greenes
Hayes Family
Hoppers
Hoskins Family
Isaacs
Jeff & Sheri Easter
Karen Peck & New River
Legacy Five
McKameys
Nelons
Pfeifers
Primitive Quartet
Singing Cookes
Toney Brothers
As you well know, there are tons and tons of buses out there. Groups are buying them everyday - and working on them everyday (if you've ever owned a bus, you know what I mean). However, there is a new creature lurking on the horizon. It's called a Kingsley. Basically, it's cross between a heavy duty truck (like a Kenworth, etc) and a heavy duty bus. There are two of them in Southern Gospel Music right now - the one owned by Brian Free & Assurance and the one I'm sending the bank love offerings for. Four other Southern Gospel personalities are looking at the Kingsley possibility for their next purchase. I'll let you know how that turns out.
