Artist description Since 1949, The Melody Boys Quartet of Little Rock, AR has presented the Gospel through song. Close, tight-knit harmony has been the benchmark of The Melody Boys Quartet. Today the group continues in the style passed down from Herschel Foshee and Smilin' Joe Roper. They present it with Excellence and Tradition.

Music Style Southern Gospel

Similar Artists Statesmen of the 1960s - Southern Gospel

Artist History Fifty continuous years of anything these days is a long time. A fifty year career in music is even more remarkable, but that's exactly what The Melody Boys Quartet did in 1999...celebrated fifty yearsin gospel music.The Melody Boys Quartet of Little Rock, Arkansas, actually evolved from one of the many Stamps-Baxter Quartets that traveled the country in the 1940's. Then, in 1949, a series of events led to several changes; A managerial change to the late great Smilin' Joe Roper, a name change to the Melody Boys Quartet, and a young bass singer, Gerald Williams, joined the group at the age of 16.This group of Melody Boys literally owned the radio airwaves, performingthree "live" radio shows daily and performing nightly concerts. Manywho attend their concerts today remember coming in at the noon mealand listening to Smilin' Joe Roper and the Melody Boys Quartet starttheir program with "Give The World A Smile".Television came along and it was a natural progression for the MelodyBoys Quartet to become the first gospel group in the state of Arkansasto have a daily television program. Their notoriety continued to growthrough this medium of reaching the public.Rich in history, the Melody Boys Quartet were one of the charter groupsto perform at the first National Quartet Convention in 1957 and they still perform there each year. Another first, the Melody Boys Quartet wasthe first gospel group to record the classic song "Peace In The Valley".Over the years there have been many variations of the Melody Boys Quartet, but they have always remained true to their roots of quartetharmony and family entertainment.The present Melody Boys Quartet have a sound like no other gospel group today. They continue to sing the songs fans love to hear...the standards in traditional quartet harmony, but updated and presented in a program that pleases audiences from the very young to the very young at heart.Who makes up the Melody Boys Quartet today? Fifty years later, veteran Gerald Williams still sings bass for this timeless quartet., and he is doing it better than ever. Gerald spent a few years on the road with the famous Plainsmen Quartet and with the late Rosie Roselle and the Searchers, but most of his fifty years have found him right here with the Melody Boys Quartet. Mike Franklin, first tenor, and Jonathan Sawrie, lead vocalist and pianist, have been with the quartet since 1986. Jeremy Raines, baritone, joined the group in 1998. This foursome tours nationally and consistently keep songs on the national charts of gospel music.

Group Members Mike Franklin (First Tenor), Jonathan Sawrie (Lead/Pianist), Jeremy Rains (Baritone), and Gerald Williams (Bass)

Location Little Rock, AR - USA

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