If you go
› What: Paul Belcher Presents The Battle of Songs› Where: Memorial Auditorium, 399 McCallie Ave.› When: 6:30 p.m. Saturday, March 3› Admission: $25 and $20 plus fees, ages 12 and younger free› For more information: 800-745-3000
Karen Peck and New River (Facebook.com Photo)Promoter Paul Belcher was 17 when he booked his first gospel show in Detroit featuring The Hopper Brothers.
Over the four decades that have passed since, ticket prices have risen from $2 to $25. Auditorium rentals have jumped from $300 to as much as $12,000, while concerts declined from about 50 dates a year to maybe a dozen.
But that hasn’t deterred Belcher. He’s promoted gospel singings everywhere from Little Rock, Ark., to Louisiana; South Bend, Ind., to Wichita, Kan.; Fort Worth, Texas to right here in Tennessee.
His unflagging efforts to promote Southern Gospel music were recently recognized by the Southern Gospel Promoters Association when the organization named Belcher its Promoter of the Year.