I spent a long weekend with my college buddies this past summer in a small town right next door to Blue Ridge, GA. I don't think that's the Blue Ridge that this band is referring to in their name. They're likely referencing the entire mountain range. But that's what I thought of when I saw the name on this one. That and the fact that they say 'Another', which leads me to believe there might be another Christmas record by them to find. In the meantime, you can download and listen to
The Blue Ridge Quartet-
Another Christmas With The Blue Ridge Quartet (Mark IV LP 1118, Stereo). I think I picked this one up because of that stock image of a wreath on the cover. I believe I've shared several albums with a very similar image, but I can't think of the name of a single one right now so I can't link to any of them. Maybe it will come to me later.
1. The Christmas Story (Recitation)
2. O Little Town Of Bethlehem
3. The First Noel
4. Hark The Herald Angels Sing
5. We Three Kings
6. I'll Be Home For Christmas
7. All I Want For Christmas Is You
8. Christmas Island (Instrumental)
9. Toy Train
10. O Come All Ye Faithful
MEGA
They were a well-known quartet from the Carolinas who made a ton of records, including (you are correct) an earlier Christmas LP.
ReplyDeleteTheir suits are an unusual color - what is that, dark orange? Only in the 70s.
They may be closer to red than my poor white-balance skills would indicate. :(
DeleteI looked at it with the white tone corrected and it's still dark orange. I may be a traditionalist but suits should not be dark orange.
DeleteAt least it helps us to date the record. :)
DeleteAm I the only one who sees five people on the cover?
ReplyDeleteThis version of the group was the Blue Ridge Quartet and Cubie.
Delete(Sorry - you have to have a long memory and considerable useless knowledge of old soul groups to get that reference.)
That seems tp be a common problem with gospel quartet. I suspect the guy who appears to be seated is the accompanist.
DeleteCubie?
Yeah, there was a soul group called the Five Stairsteps in the 60s. They added another member and the group became the Five Stairsteps and Cubie. One of the strange group names for sure.
DeleteThanks for posting this one, Ernie. I'm not up on my BRQ History, I'll have to go back and reference their Through The Years two-album set to check, but maybe that's Kenny Gates, their long-time Pianist, seated. He was from Lincolnton, NC, not too far from where some of my extended family was/is from. This group was based (for most of their time) out of Spartinburg, SC and was a great farm club for a lot of mostly singers and a few musicians. Merry Christmas, love and praying for y'all.
DeleteRomans 11:33-36 KJB
Josh
Church Podcast: https://www.sermonaudio.com/pleasantviewky
Personal Podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/back-to-the-old-paths--4074743
TIBPF Podcast: https://www.tibpf.sermon.net
I knew it was an accompanist! :)
DeleteNow I know about Cubie! Never heard of him before.
DeleteYeah, Ernie, Kenny Gates was definitely that. The group was formed in February of 1946, in Dallas, TX, then moved to Raleigh, NC for a short while and finally settled in Spartenburg (still don't know how to spell it), SC and were there 'til their demise. The moves to NC and SC, were because of performing on local radio stations in the respective towns, as most of the groups, both sacred and secular, did in those days, with the BRQ looks like to me anyway, continuing the trend a lot later than most. Thanks again, love and praying for y'all.
DeleteRomans 11:33-36 KJB
Josh
Church Podcast: https://www.sermonaudio.com/pleasantviewky
Personal Podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/back-to-the-old-paths--4074743
TIBPF Podcast: https://www.tibpf.sermon.net
Spartanburg, I think. My dad grew up just across the NC line.
DeleteYeah, you've probably spelled it right. Just checked, ding ding ding. WOW, they released over a hundred albums and don't reckon that's counting the singles, 78s, 45s and possible EPs.
Deletehttps://www.spartanburgmusictrail.com/music-makers/blue-ridge-quartet
Merry Christmas, love and praying for y'all.
Romans 11:33-36 KJB
Josh
Church Podcast: https://www.sermonaudio.com/pleasantviewky
Personal Podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/back-to-the-old-paths--4074743
TIBPF Podcast: https://www.tibpf.sermon.net
I kinda feel like putting out that much music dilutes your brand. But they probably went through dozens of personnel changes and almost as many label changes, so how else are you going to keep current?
DeleteUnderstand you there, Ernie, but don't think it diluted their brand, nor their longevity. They did go through the singers, but they did have a couple anchors and the group did diversify into publishing, etc. Thanks again and merry Christmas, love and praying for y'all.
DeleteRomans 11:33-36 KJB
Josh
Church Podcast: https://www.sermonaudio.com/pleasantviewky
Personal Podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/back-to-the-old-paths--4074743
TIBPF Podcast: https://www.tibpf.sermon.net
This is going to be a good one! I didn't know they put out Christmas music. This group had been together since the '40's and had several long-term members, like the bass singer, Burl Streval, who is seated next to LaVerne Tripp on the far right of the cover, the latter of whom passed away in November of 2024. Got to see him and most of his family in concert in the late-'80's and early-'90's. Two years ago, I found quite a few of their Canaan Records albums from the Tripp era on the cheap and picked them up, filling a secret void in my Tripp vinyl collection. Will most certainly be checking this one out. Thanks so much.
ReplyDeleteThanks for all the info. I never know what I'm sharing. :)
DeleteYou are welcome.
ReplyDeleteThis is wonderful, I have a lot of their Gospel albums, but can't remember if I have their Christmas album yet.
ReplyDeleteWhen I want information on Southern Gospel groups... their history, discography, etc... I look at sghistory.com
Here is The Blue Ridge Quartet's page link
https://sghistory.com/index.php?n=B.BlueRidgeQuartet
They appear to have more than one!
DeleteAnd when I want to know if an Artist and or a Group was or is popular, I check Second Hand Songs dot com
DeleteHere's their link :)
https://secondhandsongs.com/artist/123120
Yes, Ernie. I just noticed that also :) When I looked at their discography again :)
DeleteBut, by looking at secondhandsongs.com... their Christmas albums were not considered as popular.
DeleteChristmas albums are rarely very popular.
Delete