MySpace a place for friends

MEN OF STANDARD

Surrounded

My mother was a very devout woman, and she called us together one day, Isaac recalls. She was very serious. She said, `I have a name for you all, and with this name there will be no compromise. You will have to stay focused, and be an example to others. You will be Men of Standard.

In one auspicious, almost simultaneous moment, the foursome took on the name that over the next decade would carry them to the top of the gospel charts. Men of Standard quickly developed a reputation they maintain to this day for seamlessly moving into and out of lead and background parts, creating a variety of vocal sounds and arrangements that few if any other groups can lay claim to.

The three grew up in entirely different parts of the countryIsaac in North Carolina, Lowell in Detroit, and Bryan a native of New Orleans. Isaac and Lowell first crossed paths in their late teens, under the auspices of gospel great, John P. Kee, who was working on putting together a male vocal group to perform with his choir. Though the group never quite made it to realization, the two young men formed a fast friendship, and cut their teeth in the business of music during the four years they spent with Kee.

Upon leaving John P. Kee, both took on routine day jobs for a while. After only two months, Isaac got a part in the road company performing several of popular gospel playwright Michael Matthews productions, where he met and became friends with Bryan. Shortly after a mutual friend in Dallas introduced Isaac to Michael, the last musical piece was in place.

Today Men of Standard, now three in number, with the amicable, 2005 departure of Michael Bacon celebrate their 10th year of making music together with their fifth and latest release, Surrounded. Weve just entered into a new season, says Bryan. We have a new producer, a new album and a new label. Its a fresh start. We now have a second wind, and it feels great! With the solid support of Sony Gospel/Sony Urban Music, and steered by the masters touch of red-hot producer Warryn Campbell (Kayne West, Missy Elliott, Mary Mary, Michelle Williams), Men of Standard are poised to move to an altogether new and infinitely higher plateau in their already formidable career.

"Our albums, and all our songs convey positive messages that there is a better way," Isaac concludes. "We are out here as messengers to show people that Jesus is real. Living right is real and crucial. When you see us in the malls, in our homes with our families, in our churches, we want people to see that we live the life style we sing about. We are faithful to our wives, take care of our kids, and take care of our homes. We are faithful to our local ministry, pay our tithes; we do community service work. And we do those things because we love people, and we love God. Its not just something youll see on stage or videos, or hear on a CD. Its the life we live."