The Best Lineup that Never Was: Cathedrals
I have hesitated at the thought of producing a list of the best Cathedrals lineup that never was. The Cathedrals had so many distinct and unique sounds over the years that it would be hard to pin down one lineup and say that these singers could reproduce any Cathedrals sound. This especially holds true at the tenor slot.
- Tenor: John Rulapaugh. His vocal intonation is especially comparable to Roy Tremble’s, from the 1970s lineups. He could also sing most of the Talley and Haase repertoire.
- Lead: Rodney Griffin. Griffin can sing a Glen Payne-style lower lead at least as good as any other singer on the road.
- Baritone: Doug Anderson. Though his voice doesn’t sound quite like any previous Cathedrals baritone, I have often wondered what the Cathedrals would have sounded like with Anderson should Scott Fowler have left to form Legacy Five before the Cathedrals retired.
- Bass: Christian Davis. George Younce has deeply influenced so many bass singers that it is challenging to name just one. David Hester, Jeff Pearles, Tim Duncan, and Christian Davis were the four that I most seriously considered. I ended up settling on Davis due to his demonstrated ability in performing several of Younce’s signature songs on his (Davis’s) recent solo project, Make it Real.
- Piano: Stewart Varnado. The Cathedrals relied heavily on the piano and used few soundtracks in their programs. Less than ten years later, hardly any groups on the road do this anymore, so while numerous Southern Gospel pianists no doubt could carry a program without soundtracks, I selected Varnado because he has demonstrated that he can, and does every night.
This closes out the series. I’m glad I did it, and I gather some of you are glad I’m done. Whether or not that is true, I’ve enjoyed making it.
