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The Gospel truth: Quartets endure, uplift

Southern gospel quartets continue to flourish, surviving segregation and members’ deaths.

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Aug. 18, 2012

Joe James, singer with the Voices of Clouds, a gospel quartet, mingles with the crowd during a performance at Mount Calvary Baptist Church in Lanham. Long before African Americans worshiped in multimillion-dollar sanctuaries or owned recording studios, gospel quartets barnstormed across Dixie singing about the Lord and serving hope to a generation of blacks oppressed by segregation. At the same time, these singing groups suffered the sting of racism.

Tracy A. Woodward / The Washington Post

Vera Burrous is helped by her friend Mary Nesby, right, as she is overcome with the Gospel during a musical performance by the Sensational Nightingales at Mount Calvary Baptist Church in Lanham. 'Quartet music has a sound of its own. It has that driving beat. It is a sound that was generated from the South,' said Winston Chaney, the morning host on WYCB (1340 AM) and the emcee at the church’s concert.

Aug. 18, 2012

Vera Burrous is helped by her friend Mary Nesby, right, as she is overcome with the Gospel during a musical performance by the Sensational Nightingales at Mount Calvary Baptist Church in Lanham. "Quartet music has a sound of its own. It has that driving beat. It is a sound that was generated from the South," said Winston Chaney, the morning host on WYCB (1340 AM) and the emcee at the church’s concert.

Tracy A. Woodward / The Washington Post

Audience members react to the singing of the Mighty Clouds of Joy at Mount Calvary Baptist Church in Lanham. For many in the original generation of quartet singers, retirement is a foreign word. 'This is what I will be doing until the day I leave this world,' said Joe Ligon, 75, the lead singer and last original member of the Mighty Clouds of Joy.

Aug. 18, 2012

Audience members react to the singing of the Mighty Clouds of Joy at Mount Calvary Baptist Church in Lanham. For many in the original generation of quartet singers, retirement is a foreign word. "This is what I will be doing until the day I leave this world," said Joe Ligon, 75, the lead singer and last original member of the Mighty Clouds of Joy.

Tracy A. Woodward / The Washington Post

A large crowd listens to gospel groups during a concert at Mount Calvary Baptist Church in Lanham.

Aug. 18, 2012

A large crowd listens to gospel groups during a concert at Mount Calvary Baptist Church in Lanham.

Tracy A. Woodward / The Washington Post

From left, Sean Thompson, Apostle Randy Walker, Donald Burrill and Jermaine Mickey, members of the gospel group Apostle Randy Walker and Appointed Time, just finished their performance at a concert at Mount Calvary Baptist Church in Lanham.

Aug. 18, 2012

From left, Sean Thompson, Apostle Randy Walker, Donald Burrill and Jermaine Mickey, members of the gospel group Apostle Randy Walker and Appointed Time, just finished their performance at a concert at Mount Calvary Baptist Church in Lanham.

Tracy A. Woodward / The Washington Post

Joe Herndon, bass singer for the Temptations, waves to the crowd at Mount Calvary Baptist Church in Lanham. Gospel quartets, with their emphasis on vocals and later vocals with light instrumentation, served as a training ground for many secular musical groups such as the Temptations. Famed singer Sam Cooke started out as the lead singer of the Soul Stirrers, a gospel quartet out of Chicago.

Aug. 18, 2012

Joe Herndon, bass singer for the Temptations, waves to the crowd at Mount Calvary Baptist Church in Lanham. Gospel quartets, with their emphasis on vocals and later vocals with light instrumentation, served as a training ground for many secular musical groups such as the Temptations. Famed singer Sam Cooke started out as the lead singer of the Soul Stirrers, a gospel quartet out of Chicago.

Tracy A. Woodward / The Washington Post

Guitarist-singer Jo Jo Wallace, right, and other members of the Sensational Nightingales entertain the audience at Mount Calvary Baptist Church in Lanham.

Aug. 18, 2012

Guitarist-singer Jo Jo Wallace, right, and other members of the Sensational Nightingales entertain the audience at Mount Calvary Baptist Church in Lanham.

Tracy A. Woodward / The Washington Post

Huey Williams sings with the Jackson Southeraires at Mount Calvary Baptist Church in Lanham.

Aug. 18, 2012

Huey Williams sings with the Jackson Southeraires at Mount Calvary Baptist Church in Lanham.

Tracy A. Woodward / The Washington Post

A gospel group makes the crowd move at Mount Calvary Baptist Church in Lanham.

Aug. 18, 2012

A gospel group makes the crowd move at Mount Calvary Baptist Church in Lanham.

Tracy A. Woodward / The Washington Post

Gloria V. Johnson dances in the aisle with others at the gospel concert at Mount Calvary Baptist Church in Lanham.

Aug. 18, 2012

Gloria V. Johnson dances in the aisle with others at the gospel concert at Mount Calvary Baptist Church in Lanham.

Tracy A. Woodward / THE WASHINGTON POST

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