Before I move on, let me say that I was, and I'm still, a huge Cathedrals fan. I'll also point out that Glen Payne was one of my heroes and favorite persons.

And, I'll also say that it amazes - but doesn't surprise - me when the Cathedrals remain a leading stick by which all other Southern Gospel music is measured by.

After all, it was ten years ago. 'Course, the Statesmen and a few others are at the top of the goal list as well.

No one loves Southern Gospel history more than I do. And I'm honored - even humbled - that I've been able to live through a sizable sector of it. I respect it. I treasure it and I want to make sure that no one ever forgets it.

But there is one thing we can't ignore: We can't live in the past. Yesterday has come and gone.

We can learn from our past. We can appreciate our past. We can honor our past.

But we can't live it again.

If we try to live in the past, we're short-changing our future as the groups of the day will seemingly never manage to "measure up." There is a strong pool of talent in today's Southern Gospel music, so why not embrace it and support it? There are plenty of hard-working men and women who are worthy of standing behind as they shepherd Southern Gospel music into the next generation.

No, there won't be another Cathedrals. We won't find another Statesmen, another Speer Family, another bunch of Goodmans.

And that's OK—we don't need copycat groups. We need artists who are unique as their predecessors.

I'm assuming you realize that we'll never have another Greater Vision, Booth Brothers, Dixie Echoes, Hoppers, Karen Peck & New River, Dixie Melody Boys, Ivan Parker and so on. Take advantage of what is before us now. Enjoy those artists (and dozens of others) now. Buy their concert tickets, CDs and DVDS. These are the groups of now.

And they're taking us into tomorrow.