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Fairfield Four
American gospel vocal group
The Fairfield Four is an American gospel group that has existed for over 100 years, starting as a trio in the Fairfield Baptist Church, Nashville, Tennessee, in 1921. They were designated as National Heritage Fellows in 1989 by the National Endowment for the Arts, which is the United States government's highest honor in the folk and traditional arts.
The group won the 1998 Grammy for Best Traditional Soul Gospel Album. As a quintet, they featured briefly in the 2000 movie O Brother, Where Art Thou?.
File card: Fairfield Four
members: Roscoe Robinson, George McCurn, Willmer M. Broadnax, Joe Henderson, Robert Hamlett, Isaac Freeman, Wilson Waters, James Hill
formed in: Nashville
labels: Warner Bros. Records
genres: a cappella
Facts from Wikidata and Discogs, free to use.
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History
The initial iteration of the group was under the direction of the church's assistant pastor, J. R. Carrethers, and consisted of his sons Rufus and Harold plus their neighbor John Battle. In 1925, the group became a quartet when Lattimer Green joined. During the 1930s, Green left the group and William Malone and Samuel McCrary joined, but they retained the name of Fairfield Four, although it had expanded its membership beyond a quartet. Following their initial radio broadcast on WSIX, the group gained recognition outside of Nashville.
American gospel group founded in the Fairfield Baptist Church, Nashville, Tennessee, in 1921. While typically performing as a quartet, they were founded as a trio and have also been a quintet.
Also known as Fairfield Four, The Fairfield Four Quartet, The Famous Fairfield Four, The Fairfield Five Singers.
John Battle (2) (lead tenor vocals, 1921-47)
Harold Caruthers (baritone vocals, bass vocals, piano, 1921-46)
Rufus Caruthers (bass vocals, baritone vocals, 1921-44, 1946-48)
Lattimer Green (tenor vocals, 1925-28)
James Dotson (tenor vocals, 1928-30)
William Malone (tenor vocals, 1930-35)
Nathaniel Irvin (tenor vocals, 1935-40)
Sam McCrary (2) (lead vocals, 1935-54, 1958-60, 1980-88)
George Gracie (tenor vocals, 1941-46)
Willie Frank Lewis (bass vocals, baritone vocals, 1944-53)
James Hill (2) (baritone vocals, 1946-49, 1980-2000)
Isaac Freeman (bass vocals, 1948-49, 1980-2012)
Preston York (tenor vocals, 1949-54)
Edward Thomas (9) (lead tenor vocals, 1949)
Willie Love (3) (lead tenor vocals, 1950-82)
Clarence "Baby" Brooks (baritone vocals, 1950-54)
George McCurn (bass vocals, 1950-54)
Willmer M. Broadnax (lead vocals, baritone vocals, 1953-54)
Thomas Huggins, Jr. (baritone voca
Also known as: Fairfield 4, Fairfield Four, The Fairfeld Four, The Fairfield Five Singers, The Famous Fairfield Four
From Discogs (free to use). Their entry