The Reason I Sing!

Jim, Chad, Bruce, and Steve. Two brothers (Jim and Chad), their cousin (Bruce), and the preacher's kid ~ the only one left. That was the first quartet I sang in. We were barely older than toddlers at the time. Back in the late 60's / early 70's in a little Southwest Georgia town of Colquitt. The one thing I remember about that is singing that old hymn, The Old Account Was Settled and all four of us singing the BASS part so we could say 'Hallelujah' in the chorus! My love for music truly started as a very small child. Then there was Billy and George. They were brothers in the next church my dad pastored in Hazelhurst, GA. Yep, we sang together and I remember going to the local radio station and singing back then, too. I suppose that's what gave me a love for radio work to go along with singing Southern Gospel Music. It took me a while to figure out how those quartets made it to all those radio stations like they did! (Incidentally, I did get it figured out in time to play lots of 45s and 33s on the radio before modern technology took over!) My dad, sister, and I used to sing a lot as a trio, too. It was not uncommon at all to gather around our piano and sing when I was growing up. When my sister was visiting with us earlier this month, we reminisced a little bit about those days. I remember before that voice changing thing hit me, I'd sing Johnny Cook's part on Looking For A City ~ and I'd sing it higher than my sister could! Oh, then the voice change. Talk about nasty for a young teenaged boy! Whew! By my junior year in high school, I was able to sing in the Glennville High School quartet. I sang baritone that year and we did OK. It wasn't great, but we did OK. Our bass singer (Felles) graduated after that year, and the other three of us (Jimmy, Greg, and me) were rising seniors. We had another senior (Scott) join us, and I sang bass in the high school quartet my senior year. We won our region and went on to place fourth in the State of Georgia High School Literary Competition. We were excited! There have been other quartets and groups I've been able to sing with through the years. Whether in college, in 'scrap-iron' quartets, or with other family groups, music has ALWAYS played a huge role in my life. Now to be able to sing with Trust Quartet though, has been a dream come true. I've been singing as long as I can remember. It is a passion of mine and I'm grateful God has allowed me to do that. I've learned many lessons and continue to learn. I've met many people and I'm still amazed at the people I meet traveling to various places to sing. Whatever God has given you the ability and the passion to do, be encouraged to do it 'heartily as to the Lord!' He's the reason I sing! And yes, there's a song in there somewhere!