Cathedral Quartet

The Cathedrals formed in 1963 as a trio consisting of the California Weatherford Quartet lead singer Glen Payne, tenor Bobby Clark, and baritone Danny Koker. Initially a house group of Rex Humbard's Cathedral of Tomorrow, they called themselves the Cathedral Trio.[4] The group became a quartet with the addition of Blue Ridge Quartet bass singer George Younce in 1964. They decided to become a full-time touring group in 1969, leaving the Cathedral of Tomorrow. Koker and Clark left the group to pursue other interests, and were replaced by tenor Mack Taunton and baritone-pianist George Amon Webster. The group signed with Canaan Records; Canaan producer Marvin Norcross worked with them and Florida Boys lead singer Les Beasley to help the group gain exposure. Norcross gave them performance time on the nationally-syndicated television Gospel Singing Jubilee. With Canaan, the group experimented with different styles of dress and performance to find their identity.[5]

Gospel singer Bill Gaither invited the group to perform at his annual Praise Gathering in Indianapolis, and they received more requests for appearances.[6] Gaither collaborated with Younce and Payne to produce their future albums for Word Records. The group began incorporating Younce and Payne's comedy routines, and added Roy Tremble as a tenor. Tremble, Webster, and pianist Lorne Matthews left the group and started their own trio in 1979. Their first replacement, Kirk Talley of the Hoppers, was a tenor; Steve Lee was added to sing baritone and play piano. Shortly before 1980, the group hired Roger Bennett as their pianist after hearing him play for their opening act. Lee left the group, and former member Roger Horne filled in briefly before bass guitarist and Kingsmen baritone Mark Trammell joined the group. They left Canaan (Word), and signed with Riversong (Benson).

Kirk Talley left the group in the fall of 1983 to form the Talleys with his brother, Roger, and sister-in-law, Debra. Danny Funderburk of the Singing Americans was chosen to replace him in December of that year. This lineup remained in place for several years, until Roger Bennett left to help found Journey Records. Bennett was replaced by young, classically-trained pianist and vocalist Gerald Wolfe. With Wolfe at the piano and singing, the group contributed to Symphony of Praise a 1987 album with the London Philharmonic Orchestra. The album included "This Ole House", "Champion Of Love", "I Can See The Hand" (written by Steven Curtis Chapman), and "I've Just Started Living". During this period, the group added Trammell's bass guitar and a synthesizer to its quartet vocals.

In February 1990, Funderburk left to help form the quartet Perfect Heart. The Cathedrals hired tenor Kurt Young to replace him, but Young left the quartet after two months. Young was replaced by Ernie Haase, a young tenor from Indiana. Later that year, Trammell left to form Greater Vision with Gerald Wolfe. Scott Fowler, former lead singer of the Sound, became the quartet's baritone and bass guitarist; this was the final version of the Cathedrals. The full group (including present and former members) recorded a concert, The Cathedral Quartet: A Reunion, in 1995.

Bill Gaither and the Gaither Vocal Band recorded Homecoming, a tribute to Southern gospel music, during the early 1990s. Gaither enlisted George Younce and Glen Payne for the album (which inspired the Gaither Homecoming videos), and the Cathedral Quartet was included on later videos in the series. In addition to touring and appearing in the Gaither Homecoming videos, the group appeared three times on NBC's Today show during the decade.

Younce and Payne's health began to decline; Younce had kidney failure and heart disease by 1999, and Payne was diagnosed with liver cancer. They decided to disband the group after a farewell tour, as the group's health permitted. The Gaithers and the Cathedrals recorded a live Cathedrals Farewell Celebration video on May 18, 1999, on which they were joined by the Statler Brothers, the Oak Ridge Boys, Sandi Patty, Guy Penrod, and the Gaither Vocal Band.

In 2000, former Cathedrals Scott Fowler and Roger Bennett formed the Southern gospel group Legacy Five; Fowler was the lead singer and bass guitarist, and Bennett was the group's emcee and pianist. Haase continued a solo career he had begun and, with Gaither's help, formed The Old Friends Quartet with Younce, Jake Hess, Wesley Pritchard, and Gold City alumnus Garry Jones on piano. They recorded two albums and a concert video for the Gaither Homecoming series, but Younce and Hess's poor health brought an end to the Old Friends two years later. In 2003, Haase and Garry Jones formed the Signature Sound Quartet. After Jones and Haase developed artistic differences, Jones left. The Signature Sound became associated with Gaither and his Homecoming tour, and changed its name to Ernie Haase & Signature Sound.

After leaving the Cathedrals, Mark Trammell was the original baritone of Greater Vision before leaving to join Gold City. Gerald Wolfe sings lead with Greater Vision, and Danny Funderburk has recorded solo and has been in several groups since leaving Perfect Heart. Kirk Talley had a solo career from the Talleys breakup to December 2012, when he developed vocal problems. On April 11, 2005, George Younce died,[7] Ernie Haase & Signature Sound released A Tribute to the Cathedral Quartet in 2010, a nominee for Southern Gospel Album of the Year at the 42nd GMA Dove Awards.[8]

• George Amon Webster: bass guitar (1974–79)
• Steve Lee: bass guitar (1979–80)
• Kirk Talley: bass guitar (1979–83)
• Victor Clay: rhythm guitar (occasional appearances from 1964)
• Roger Bennett: rhythm guitar (1985)
• Robbie Willis: drums (occasionally)

• 1990: Cimbing Higher and Higher
• 1993: High and Lifted Up (Canaan)
• 1995: A Reunion (K-Tel Distribution)
• 2001: Greater (Cathedral; reissue of 1982 album)

• 1998: 20 Gospel Classics (Landmark)
• 2000: Convention Classics (Diamante)
• 2000: Signature Songs, Vol. 1 (Homeland)
• 2001: Cherish That Name (Cathedral)
• 2002: Signature Songs, Vol. 2 (Homeland)
• 2002: Years Gone By, Vol 1 (Homeland)
• 2002: The Best of the Cathedrals (Canaan)
• 2003: Live in Concert: Live With the Cathedral Quartet (Cathedral)[9]