Gold City

Last updated

Gold City
Also known asGold City Quartet
Origin Gadsden, Alabama, U.S.
Genres Southern gospel, contemporary christian
Years active1980–present
Labels
  • Heavy Weight Records
  • Nugget Records
  • Dawn Records
  • Heartwarming Records
  • Riversong Records
  • Crystal Records
  • Daywind Records
  • New Haven Records
  • Cathedral Records
Members
  • Chris Jenkins
  • Josh Feemster
  • Daniel Riley
  • Jeff Chapman
  • Terry Wooten
Past members
  • Bob Oliver
  • Jerry Ritchie
  • Ken Trussell
  • Dallas Gilliand
  • Harold McVey
  • Brian Free
  • Bill Crittendon
  • Benny Blackburn
  • Ivan Parker
  • Mike LeFevre
  • Steve Lacey
  • Jay Parrack
  • Mark Trammell
  • David Hill
  • Jonathan Wilburn
  • Steve Ladd
  • Bill Lawrence
  • Aaron McCune
  • Chris Cooper
  • Josh Cobb
  • Brent Mitchell
  • Dan Keeton
  • Robert Fulton
  • Graig West
  • Jerry Pelfrey
  • Chip Pullen
  • Thomas Nalley
  • Scott Brand
  • Cole Watson
  • Tim Riley
  • Chris West
|Bruce Taliaferro
Website goldcityministries.com

Gold City (formerly known as Gold City Quartet) is an American southern gospel quartet based in Gadsden, Alabama. Formed in 1980, the group was one of the most successful quartets through the 1980s and 1990s, charting ten number one hits in Singing News magazine and being host to many icons in the Christian music industry, including Brian Free, Ivan Parker, Mark Trammell, Mike LeFevre, and Tim Riley. [1]

Contents

History

1980s

The Alabama-based Christian group was renamed Gold City in Dahlonega, Georgia at midnight on New Year’s Day in 1980, composed of tenor Bob Oliver, lead Jerry Ritchie, baritone Ken Trussell, and bass Dallas Gilliland. Bass Tim Riley would replace Gilliland as the permanent bass singer in July of that same year. The group appeared on the main stage of the National Quartet Convention in October 1981. Pianist Garry Jones joined the group one month prior to the convention. In 1982, tenor Brian Free came on board and lead Ivan Parker joined in 1983. This group of men formed a consistent core that remained together until the end of 1993. Original owner Floyd Beck died in 1984, resulting in Tim Riley taking over ownership and the group's relocation to Gadsden, Alabama. Jeff Hullender joined the group in 1984 as the group's bass guitar player. Mike LeFevre joined in 1985 to sing the baritone part, replacing Jerry Ritchie.

1990s

Steve Lacey took over for LeFevre in 1992, and after the departure of Free, Jones, and Parker in 1993, Lacey switched to lead while Mark Trammell became baritone and Jay Parrack was named the new tenor. Lacey left to join the Kingdom Heirs the following year. David Hill became lead singer for a while; his departure led to the next consistent lineup for the group, which included Jonathan Wilburn singing lead, Mark Trammell singing baritone, and Jay Parrack as tenor with Riley at bass from 1996 until 2002. Over this period, the group developed a style that relied on heavy brass arrangements for their more driving songs.

2000s

Trammell left the group in 2002 to form his own Mark Trammell Trio. In 2004, the group saw the departure of Parrack at tenor in addition to the retirement of Tim Riley after 24 years. former Brian Free & Assurance bass singer Bill Lawrence replaced him as bass, while Riley's sons, drummer Doug and baritone Daniel, took over management of the group until Doug Riley died in an automobile accident in early 2006. By this point, the full Gold City band had been retired and replaced with accompanying tracks.

In March 2006, bass singer Bill Lawrence left the group. Tim filled in for several months while the search for a replacement was underway. Aaron McCune, who was bass singer with the Palmetto State Quartet at the time, joined Gold City in May 2006.

In February 2007, it was announced that the group had returned to The Beckie Simmons Agency (from The Harper Agency). Beckie Simmons, while at Century II and her own agency, has handled the quartet's bookings for the majority of its existence.

In March 2008, lead singer Jonathan Wilburn left the group. Bruce Taliaferro, a Gadsden native who had filled in for Wilburn and Daniel Riley in the past, stepped in to fill the empty position. Gold City released their first recording with Taliaferro in July 2008. Also, August 2008 saw the Band of Gold return to the scene on a limited basis. The band consisted of pianist Josh Simpson, drummer Kevin Albertson, bass guitarist Taylor Barnes, and lead guitarist Daniel Addison.

On April 28, 2009, tenor, Steve Ladd, announced that he would be leaving Gold City. [2] On June 17, 2009, it was announced that Chris Cooper would be filling the tenor position. It was announced in July 2009 that Josh Simpson would be leaving Gold City in August to go to college. His temporary replacement was Curtis Broadway who played on Band of Gold dates. Gold City Bus driver Jim Korn filled in on keys after the Band of Gold quit traveling with the group. It was announced on August 11. 2009 that Aaron McCune had departed Gold City and a replacement was being sought. [3]

Later in December, it was announced that Chris Cooper left Gold City and a replacement would be found by the end of Christmas break. [4] Over the Christmas break, it was announced that former Legacy Five tenor Josh Cobb would be joining the group, and former Ernie Haase & Signature Sound pianist Roy Webb would join as the pianist. It was also announced that Tim Riley would be committed to full-time traveling with Gold City. [5]

2010s to present

Later in 2010, Roy Webb opted to leave the group to fully pursue a solo career. Josh Simpson filled in on the piano while a new pianist was found. After the National Quartet Convention, it was announced that Perry's pianist, Bryan Elliott, would be filling the piano bench. Months later, tenor singer, Josh Cobb was released from the group for logistical reasons. On October 29, Brent Mitchell was announced as tenor, to start officially November 11, 2010. Bruce Taliaferro announced his resignation the next month on December 18, 2010. [6] Tim Riley would retire again in 2014 to be replaced by bass Chris West.

On January 28, 2020, Bruce Taliaferro announced his return to the group, after the resignation of lead singer Scott Brand. Bruce began singing with the group on February 21. [7] On January 11, 2022, Taliaferro announced his second resignation from the group, effective immediately until his replacement by Gadsden native Cole Watson. Watson and seven year tenor Thomas Nalley were released by the quartet nine months later. In the fall of 2022, Gold City announced the third return of Bruce Taliaferro. On the same night he was re-introduced, they also announced Former Kingsmen Quartet tenor Chris Jenkins as their new tenor singer. Chris West departed the group in January 2023 and Jeff Chapman of the Kingdom Heirs was announced to be their full-time bass singer starting on April 20 after filling in at multiple shows.[ citation needed ]

On August 15, 2023, Josh Feemster replaced Bruce as the lead singer for Gold City after he departed the group earlier that month. [8]

Members (past and present)

Line-ups

early 1980

(Under the Name "Gold City Quartet")

mid 1980late 1980–1981
  • Bob Oliver – tenor
  • Jerry Ritchie – lead
  • Ken Trussell – baritone
  • Dallas Gilliland – bass
  • Bob Oliver – tenor
  • Jerry Ritchie – lead
  • Ken Trussell – baritone
  • Harold McVey – bass
  • Bob Oliver – tenor
  • Jerry Ritchie – lead
  • Ken Trussell – baritone
  • Tim Riley – bass
1981–19821982–19831983
  • Bob Oliver – tenor
  • Jerry Ritchie – lead
  • Ken Trussell – baritone
  • Tim Riley – bass
  • Brian Free – tenor
  • Jerry Ritchie – lead
  • Ken Trussell – baritone
  • Tim Riley – bass
  • Brian Free – tenor
  • Bill Crittenton – lead
  • Jerry Ritchie – baritone
  • Tim Riley – bass
19831983–19841984–1986
  • Brian Free – tenor
  • Ivan Parker – lead
  • Jerry Ritchie – baritone
  • Tim Riley – bass
  • Benny Blackburn – tenor
  • Ivan Parker – lead
  • Jerry Ritchie – baritone
  • Tim Riley – bass
  • Brian Free – tenor
  • Ivan Parker – lead
  • Jerry Ritchie – baritone
  • Tim Riley – bass
1986–1992

(Now simply known as "Gold City")

1992–19931993–1994
  • Brian Free – tenor
  • Ivan Parker – lead
  • Mike LeFevre – baritone
  • Tim Riley – bass
  • Brian Free – tenor
  • Ivan Parker – lead
  • Steve Lacey – baritone
  • Tim Riley – bass
  • Jay Parrack – tenor
  • Steve Lacey – lead
  • Mark Trammell – baritone
  • Tim Riley – bass
1994–19961996–20022002–2004
  • Jay Parrack – tenor
  • David Hill – lead
  • Mark Trammell – baritone
  • Tim Riley – bass
  • Jay Parrack – tenor
  • Jonathan Wilburn – lead
  • Mark Trammell – baritone
  • Tim Riley – bass
  • Jay Parrack – tenor
  • Jonathan Wilburn – lead
  • Daniel Riley – baritone
  • Tim Riley – bass
2004–20052005–2006mid 2006
  • Steve Ladd – tenor
  • Jonathan Wilburn – lead
  • Daniel Riley – baritone
  • Tim Riley – bass
  • Steve Ladd – tenor
  • Jonathan Wilburn – lead
  • Daniel Riley – baritone
  • Bill Lawrence – bass
  • Steve Ladd – tenor
  • Jonathan Wilburn – lead
  • Daniel Riley – baritone
  • Tim Riley – bass
2006–20082008–2009mid 2009
  • Steve Ladd – tenor
  • Jonathan Wilburn – lead
  • Daniel Riley – baritone
  • Aaron McCune – bass
  • Steve Ladd – tenor
  • Bruce Taliaferro – lead
  • Daniel Riley – baritone
  • Aaron McCune – bass
  • Chris Cooper – tenor
  • Bruce Taliaferro – lead
  • Daniel Riley – baritone
  • Aaron McCune – bass
  • Curtis Broadway – piano
2009–20102010-2011mid 2011
  • Josh Cobb – tenor
  • Bruce Taliaferro – lead
  • Daniel Riley – baritone
  • Tim Riley – bass
  • Roy Webb – piano
  • Brent Mitchell – tenor
  • Bruce Taliaferro – lead
  • Daniel Riley – baritone
  • Tim Riley – bass
  • Bryan Elliott – piano
  • Brent Mitchell – tenor
  • Craig West – lead
  • Daniel Riley – baritone
  • Tim Riley – bass
  • Bryan Elliott – piano
2011-2013mid 20132013-2015
  • Dan Keeton – tenor
  • Craig West – lead
  • Daniel Riley – baritone
  • Tim Riley – bass
  • Bryan Elliott – piano
  • Dan Keeton – tenor
  • Jerry Pelfrey – lead
  • Daniel Riley – baritone
  • Tim Riley – bass
  • Bryan Elliott – piano
  • Robert Fulton – tenor
  • Jerry Pelfrey – lead
  • Daniel Riley – baritone
  • Tim Riley – bass
  • Bryan Elliott – piano
2015–20162016-20182018–2020
  • Robert Fulton – tenor
  • Chip Pullen – lead
  • Daniel Riley – baritone
  • Tim Riley – bass
  • Bryan Elliott – piano
  • Thomas Nalley – tenor
  • Chip Pullen – lead
  • Daniel Riley – baritone
  • Chris West – bass
  • Bryan Elliott – piano
  • Thomas Nalley – tenor
  • Scott Brand – lead
  • Daniel Riley – baritone
  • Chris West – bass
  • Bryan Elliott – piano
mid 20202020-20212021-2022
  • Thomas Nalley – tenor
  • Scott Brand – lead
  • Daniel Riley – baritone
  • Chris West – bass
  • G.W. Southard – piano
  • Thomas Nalley – tenor
  • Bruce Taliaferro – lead
  • Daniel Riley – baritone
  • Chris West – bass
  • G.W. Southard – piano
  • Thomas Nalley – tenor
  • Bruce Taliaferro – lead
  • Daniel Riley – baritone
  • Chris West – bass
  • Terry Wooten – piano
mid 20222022–20232023–present
  • Thomas Nalley – tenor
  • Cole Watson – lead
  • Daniel Riley – baritone
  • Chris West – bass
  • Terry Wooten – piano
  • Chris Jenkins – tenor
  • Bruce Taliaferro – lead
  • Daniel Riley – baritone
  • Chris West – bass
  • Terry Wooten – piano
  • Chris Jenkins – tenor
  • Josh Feemster – lead
  • Daniel Riley – baritone
  • Jeff Chapman – bass
  • Terry Wooten – piano

Musicians

Band of Gold

Piano

Drums

Bass

Lead Guitar

Sound Engineer

Discography

Compilations

Appearances on the Gaither Homecoming videos

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">George Younce</span> American singer

George Wilson Younce was a Southern gospel bass vocalist, known for performing with Southern gospel quartets, especially The Cathedral Quartet.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Blackwood Brothers</span> American southern gospel quartet (1935–)

The Blackwood Brothers are an American southern gospel quartet. Pioneers of the Christian music industry, they are 8-time Grammy Award winners in addition to winning 7 Gospel Music Association Dove Awards. They are also members of the Memphis Music Hall of Fame, Gospel Music Hall of Fame, the Southern Gospel Museum and Hall of Fame.

The Statesmen Quartet were an American southern gospel quartet founded in 1948 by Baptist Minister Hovie Lister. Along with the Blackwood Brothers, the Statesmen Quartet were considered the most successful and influential gospel quartet of the 1950s and 1960s and had a wide influence on artists during that time from the gospel, country, pop, and rock and roll genre. Along with hits spanning many decades, The Statesmen Quartet had many notable successes including being the first Gospel group to receive endorsement deals. Additionally, they made television commercials, appeared on numerous radio and TV shows, and were signed to RCA Victor before launching their own record label, Skylite Records, with The Blackwood Brothers.

The Cathedral Quartet, also known as the Cathedrals, was an American southern gospel quartet who performed from 1964 to December 1999. The group's final lineup consisted of Glen Payne (lead), George Younce (bass), Ernie Haase (tenor), Scott Fowler, and Roger Bennett.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ernie Haase & Signature Sound</span> 2002 Southern Gospel Quartet by Ernie Haase

Ernie Haase & Signature Sound is an American Southern Gospel quartet founded in 2002 by Ernie Haase, former Cathedral Quartet tenor and Garry Jones, former Gold City pianist. As of June 2024, the group consists of Ernie Haase (tenor), Doug Anderson (baritone), Dustin Doyle (lead), Christopher Taylor (bass) and Tyler Vestal (piano). The group has released 33 albums and 16 DVDs, many of which feature other Christian and Gospel artists.

Legacy Five is a Southern gospel quartet founded by former Cathedral Quartet members Roger Bennett and Scott Fowler in 1999, after the owners of the Cathedral Quartet, Glen Payne and George Younce, decided to retire in 1999.

The Kingdom Heirs Quartet is a Southern gospel quartet based at Dollywood in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee.

The Perrys are a Southern gospel quartet based in Hendersonville, Tennessee.

The Florida Boys were a male vocal quartet in Southern gospel music. The group was founded in 1947 by J. G. Whitfield. Originally named The Gospel Melody Quartet, the group was renamed in 1954. From the 1950s until 2007, the group was led by Les Beasley as lead/guitar, Glen Allred as baritone, and Derrell Stewart at piano, and featured many notable tenors and basses. In 1999, the Florida Boys were inducted into the Gospel Music Hall of Fame. The group, led by Charlie Waller in its later years, officially retired in 2016.

Greater Vision is an American Southern gospel music trio founded in 1990. It is one of Southern gospel's most popular trios and has been noted for their prolonged commercial and musical success spanning over three decades. As of 2017, the group is made up of Gerald Wolfe, Rodney Griffin, Chris Allman and Jon Epley. Over the last several years, this trio has consistently been named Southern gospel's top male trio, winning the Singing News Awards and have placed numerous top songs on the Southern Gospel Charts and Radio.

Squire Enos Parsons Jr., is a Southern Gospel singer and songwriter. He was born in Newton, West Virginia, to Squire and Maysel Parsons, and was introduced to music by his father, who was a choir director and deacon at Newton Baptist Church. Squire's father taught him to sing using shaped notes.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lorez Alexandria</span> American jazz singer

Lorez Alexandria was an American jazz singer, described as "one of the most gifted and underrated jazz singers of the twentieth century". She became established in the midwest before moving to Los Angeles in the mid-1960s. Jazz critics have compared her to Dinah Washington, Sarah Vaughan, Carmen McRae, and Ella Fitzgerald.

The Kingsmen Quartet is an American Southern gospel vocal quartet.

Ivan Ray Parker is an American Southern Gospel singer.

The Dixie Melody Boys were an American Southern Gospel quartet from Kinston, North Carolina formed in 1961 and retired in 2023. The group was known for giving many young Southern Gospel and Christian artists their start in the gospel music industry and their innovation in the Christian music field.

The Singing Americans were a Southern Gospel group based in Maiden, North Carolina. They are best known for being a stepping stone to popular singers, such as Mark Flaker Ivan Parker, Danny Funderburk, Clayton Inman, David Sutton, Michael English, Mark Fain, Taylor Barnes, and Jeff Easter. The group was popular throughout the 1980s and early 1990s.

The Blue Ridge Quartet was a Southern gospel music group founded in 1946.

Mark Trammell Quartet, previously Mark Trammell Trio, is a Southern gospel quartet, founded by Mark Trammell, who formerly sang with The Kingsmen, Gold City Quartet, The Cathedrals, and Greater Vision.

The Nelons, formerly the Rex Nelon Singers, were an American southern gospel group based in Atlanta, Georgia. Group members included Kelly Nelon Clark, her husband Jason Clark, and Kelly's daughters Amber Nelon Kistler and Autumn Nelon Streetman. The Nelons were inducted into the Gospel Music Association (GMA) Hall of Fame in 2016.

Tribute Quartet is an American southern gospel quartet based in Nashville, Tennessee. It was founded by Gary Casto and Josh Singletary in 2006.

References

  1. ↑ "Southern Gospel History - Gold City". www.sghistory.com.
  2. ↑ Staff. "Steve Ladd Resigns From Gold City - SingingNews.com". Singing News. Archived from the original on July 16, 2011. Retrieved December 22, 2009.
  3. ↑ Riley, Danny. "Gold City Seeking New Bass Singer - SingingNews.com". Singing News. Archived from the original on December 25, 2009. Retrieved December 22, 2009.
  4. ↑ Staff. "Gold City Announces Change - SingingNews.com". Singing News. Archived from the original on July 16, 2011. Retrieved December 22, 2009.
  5. ↑ Staff. "Gold City Announces Exciting Changes!!! - SingingNews.com". Singing News. Archived from the original on December 27, 2009. Retrieved December 22, 2009.
  6. ↑ Staff. "Gold City Announces New Tenor - SingingNews.com". Singing News. Archived from the original on November 2, 2010. Retrieved October 29, 2010.
  7. ↑ Staff (January 28, 2020). "Gold City Welcomes Back Lead Vocalist". Singing News Magazine. Retrieved January 31, 2020.
  8. ↑ "Facebook". www.facebook.com.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.