Dave's Top Eight

1. Jerry Reed...Revisited by Darrell Toney (reviewed 6/07) (5 Stars)
2. Sounds Like Sunday by Janet Paschal (reviewed 5/07) (5 Stars)
3. True To The Call by Kingdom Heirs (reviewed 3/07) (4 1/2 Stars)
4. Revival by Gold City (reviewed 10/06) (4 1/2 Stars)
5. Get Away Jordan by Ernie Haase & Signature Sound (reviewed 2/07) (4 1/2 Stars)
6. Breakin' Chains by Three Bridges (reviewed 5/07) (4 1/2 Stars)
7. Big Sky by The Isaacs (reviewed 4/07)
8. Skywriting by Mercy's Well (reviewed 7/07)

Click title to purchase at CBD.com...click artist name to read Dave's Review. A CD will automatically fall out of the Top Eight after twelve months if no CD surpasses it before then.

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September 9, 2005

Florida Boys Biography

Florida Boys
(circa 1948-present)
J. G. Whitfield formed the Gospel Melody Quartet following WWII with Roy Howard, Guy Dodd, Edward Singletary, and “Tiny” Merrell. Howard passed away in 1951 following a radio performance. By 1952, Glen Allred had replaced Dodd in the group to sing baritone and play guitar. Les Beasley came on board to sing lead the following year.

Inspired by Wally Fowler’s introduction of the group as “those boys from Florida,” Whitfield changed the group name to the Florida Boys in 1954. Derrell Stewart joined the group in 1956 to play piano. Whitfield left the road in 1958 after the death of his first wife and a subsequent re-marriage. At that time, Beasley assumed the management responsibilities for the group.

Under Beasley’s leadership and with the continued support of their founder, Mr. Whitfield, the Florida Boys embraced modern technology to enhance their fame. In 1961, Whitfield began producing a black and white television program with the Florida Boys called The Gospel Song Shop. A few years later, the Florida Boys were called on by Showbiz, Inc. to anchor the Gospel Singing Jubilee, with Les Beasley co-producing and Whitfield selling ads. In addition to the Florida Boys, the Jubilee featured a cast of groups including the Lefevres, Couriers, Happy Goodmans, and the Dixie Echoes. The show was ultimately syndicated into 90 markets and ran for more than a decade.

The success of the Florida Boys on television secured them a spot on the Canaan record label, a division of publishing giant, Word, Inc. After recording on Canaan for 20 years, they moved to Homeland and when that label went out of business, to Cathedral.

In 2000, Les Beasley “fired himself” from singing lead, though he continued to travel with the group as the emcee and bass player. He hired Josh Garner to sing lead in his place. Celebrating 50 years together in 2006, Allred, Beasley and Stewart have toured together longer than any other full-time gospel music threesome.

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posted by David Bruce Murray @ 10:47:00 AM


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