SouthernGospelBlog.com

From time to time, there are interesting discussions about the testimonies of Southern Gospel performers who share from the stage that they had recently been saved. Singers such as Mark Trammell, Brian Free, Tim Riley, David Hill, and Mike LeFevre have all shared as part of their testimonies from the stage about how they were saved after already singing in a Southern Gospel Quartet.

This got me to thinking. Which Southern Gospel groups require that their members be born-again Christians?

Undoubtedly there are unsaved singers in Southern Gospel groups today. Don’t post any names in the comments; those comments will be immediately removed. But feel free to post the names of groups you know require that their members have made a public profession of faith.

Greater Vision has posted three pages of NQC photos. In his acceptance speech for the trio’s website of the year award, Gerald Wolfe said that Greater Vision might not have the flashiest website out there, but that fans love seeing lots of photos. Unlike many groups, which only post photos of the group on stage, GV has family shots and casual photos in addition to the concert pictures. While the Mark Trammell Trio and the Booth Brothers also have some pictures up, it’s no wonder why Greater Vision won website of the year, despite having the hardest website of the three to navigate. (I have to scroll down past the large main photo every time I want to visit a page.)

For some reason, after checking perhaps twenty artist websites, these three trios were the only groups with NQC photos posted.

There has been some discussion on the Singing News message board concerning who owns various Southern Gospel groups. Somebody was thought to own a certain group, when in fact the owner had hired him to manage it.

I thought that a little research could save a lot of confusion, so with that in mind I searched business filings for about thirty groups. Here is a list of various corporations and limited liability corporations, their dates of formation, and their registered agents.

Tennessee
Legacy Five, Inc.
Date of Formation: 01/07/2000
Registered Agent: George M. Johnson, Brentwood, TN

Legacy Five Leasing, L.L.C.
Date of Formation 10/24/2002
Registered Agent: Scott Fowler, Franklin, TN

Triumphant Quartet, Inc.
Date of Formation: 10/23/2002
Registered Agent: Eric Bennett, Sevierville, TN

Blackwood Brothers Quartet, Inc. (Also Blackwood Brothers, Inc.)
Date of Formation: 06/22/1987
Registered Agent: James Blackwood, Jr., Memphis, TN

Palmetto State Quartet, LLC
Date of Formation: 11/09/2004
Registered Agent: Kerry Beatty, Franklin, TN

Monument Quartet, LLC
Date of Formation: 05/07/2005
Registered Agent: Marshall Pugh, Brentwood, TN

Greater Vision Music Ministries, Inc.
Date of Formation: 04/28/1993
Registered Agent: Gerald Wolfe, Morristown, TN

The Isaacs
Date of Formation: 01/29/2004
Registered Agent:THE ISAACS, LLC , Nashville, TN

Kingdom Heirs
Date of Formation: 07/23/1990
Registered Agent: Kreis French

The McKameys, Inc.
Date of Formation: 05/18/1989
Registered Agent: Reuben Bean

Stamps Quartet, Inc.
Date of Formation: 11/01/1962
Registered Agent: Shirley Enoch

Talley Trio, Inc.
Date of Formation: 06/29/2000
Registered Agent: Roger Talley

Ohio
Signature Sound Quartet, Inc.
Date of Formation: December 20, 2002
Registered Agent: Ernie Haase, Stow, Ohio

Alabama
Gold City Quartet, Inc.
Date of Registration: 01-14-1986
Registered Agent: Tim Riley
Names of Inc.: Gary McQuire, Tim Riley, Gary Jones, Ivan Parker, Brian Free

Mark Trammell Minstries, Inc.
Date of Inc.: 08-21-2002
Registered Agent: Mark Trammell, Southside, AL
Names of Inc.: Mark Trammell

Indiana
Gaither Vocal Band
Bill Gaither has at least 12 corporations to his name

Florida
Dixie Echoes
Date formed: 09/25/1984
Officer/Director: Randy D. Shelnut

The Florida Boys, Inc.
Date formed: 03/03/1997
Registered Agent: Donald A. Roark
Officer/Director: Lester G. Beasley (President), Derrell M. Stewart, and Glennan H. Allred

Georgia
Brian Free, Inc.
Date formed: 12/22/1993
Brian Free, CEO; Pamela Free, CFO and Secretary

The Nelons, Inc.
Date formed: 5/30/1995; date dissolved 7/5/1998
Kelly Nelon Thompson, CEO; Jerry L. Thompson, CFO

North Carolina
Dove Brothers Quartet, LLC
Date formed: 12/31/1998
Registered Agent: David McCray Dove
Duration: NOV 2028
(Hopefully the date of duration is eventually revised!)
Carolina Entertainment, Inc.
Date formed: 9/25/2001
Registered Agent: Ray D. Reese

The Inspirations, Inc.
Date formed: 6/11/1971
Registered Agent: Martin A. Cook
President: Martin Cook. Vice-President: Archie Watkins. Secretary-Treasurer: Mike Holcomb.

The Anchormen, Inc.
Date formed: 2/18/1994
Registered Agent: Ray Bullard

Hopper Brothers & Connie, Inc.
Date formed: 2/3/1972
Registered Agent: Claude D. Hopper

I additionally searched for but did not find corporation filings for the Chuck Wagon Gang (TN), the Perrys (TN), the Toney Brothers (TN), the Ball Brothers (GA), Poet Voices (GA), and the Dixie Melody Boys (NC).