New Dimensions – Terry Blackwood

June 14 2018

We Knew We Had Something Special

Derek SimonisTerry Blackwood Blog blog 35, Gary McSpadden, Jake Hess, New Dimensions, Roger Wiles, Terry Blackwood, Terry Blackwood History, The Imperials

I graduated from the University of Memphis in May of 1967 without a clue of what I would do. My first job was selling shoes in downtown Memphis. I was awful; I lasted two months. You learn very quickly what you’re NOT good at and at that point. If you don’t really enjoy the work, you quit, because it’s much better than getting fired! Then I got the call from the Imperials and they asked me if I was interested. I said yes, I was. They asked me to come to Nashville to sing with them. I did that. It must have gone well as they called me back and offered me the job. It took me a while to decide, as I knew it would change my life forever. I was comfortable at home with family and this would be a whole new world for me. I didn’t realize just how different it would be. After praying about it and dwelling on it I decided it was God’s will for me. I moved my meager belongings to Nashville where Roger Wiles and I decided to settle down together in an apartment on Harding Road. The rent was cheap, but the place was adequate. Roger was from California, where he had sung with his father in a group out there. I came from Memphis, where I had sung with my father. We immediately knew we had something special.

The Imperials were working on a new LP and the songs were already selected. All Roger and I had to do was jump in and sing the parts. That first record became New Dimensions. It was an instant success with the fans and radio. However, the promoters didn’t appreciate not seeing Jake Hess and Gary McSpadden. After all, the group was called Jake Hess and the Imperials. Now, we were just the Imperials. We lost about 50 dates the first year. Even though we had a great sound, there was a time we almost gave up. We got just enough work to pay the bills. We never gave up. Finally, calls started coming in for the new contemporary group with the cute blond lead singer! Ok, I made that part up.

February 8 2018

The Real Reason For Singing

Derek SimonisTerry Blackwood Blog Blog 18, Gary McSpadden, Jake Hess, New Dimensions, Roger Wiles, Terry Blackwood, The Impossible Dream

I have returned home after a long three-week tour of Europe and there’s a mountain of catching up to do. Life is hectic and full of demands that never end. There’s pressure to meet deadlines and to be all that we can be so that no one will be disappointed in us. In truth, there’s only one whom I need to please. My Father in heaven watches everything I do and He hears everything I say. My greatest concern is that I don’t disappoint Him and that I never deny Him before the people to whom I sing. To be consistent and faithful in our walk with Christ is more valuable than achieving money and fame. By the way, if you are thinking of getting into the gospel music field because you’ve seen some guys on stage and you’d like to be there too, you had better reconsider. Make sure you have a calling from God on your life and the people to whom you sing affirm that, and He will make a way for you. If you consider it for any other reason, you will be disappointed and frustrated. I’ve seen many singers who don’t understand why the people they sing to don’t appreciate their talent. That’s a recipe for failure. Get your eyes off yourself and onto the real reason you should be singing; to glorify the God who made you and present that gift to your audience as an offering of praise and thanks to the Father who gave it to you…

The very first album we did with the new group in 1967 we named New Dimensions. Some of the songs had been sung by Jake Hess and Gary McSpadden with the group on stage, but never recorded, so we just put our vocals on tape. We added a few new songs that introduced both Roger and me, and we came out with a very good product that sold quite well. We included songs like The Impossible Dream, On The Other Side, Exodus, and tunes that you wouldn’t typically associate with southern gospel music. New Dimensions is available on my website at http://terryblackwood.com/store/. Our baritone was Roger Wiles who joined the group when I did in 1967. Roger had a big baritone voice with a lot of power when he sang. The blend with this group was amazing. My lead voice was big but thin when I got into a higher range and Roger’s voice was a bit lower and just as big all the way up. The sound of the four of us was amazing!