Carolina Quartet Forms

[David Bruce Murray]

Introducing the Carolina Quartet . . .

Long-time friends Scott Whitener and Chris Roberts have announced the
formation of the Carolina Quartet (www.carolinaquartet.com), beginning a new
chapter in their 10-plus-years musical collaboration that began with the
Melody Masters Quartet in the mid-1990s and continued with MMQ Reunion
concerts through 2005. The quartet will perform concerts on a limited
schedule throughout the year, featuring appearances at churches,
denominational and civic events, banquets, and private functions.



Regarding the name change, Chris states, "The name is a clear reflection of
who we are and who our main audience will be. We are 'Carolinians,' and our
primary audience will be listeners throughout North and South Carolina."
Scott adds, "There was a Carolina Quartet established in the greater
Asheville, NC area decades ago. With the Kingsmen Quartet (formerly the
Carolina Boys) clearly re-established and doing so well, we felt it was time
to re-establish the Carolina Quartet as a regional group." While the vast
majority of the quartet's appearances will be in the Carolinas, they will
not limit their touring geographically and plan to make limited appearances
in other southeastern states.



As with the MMQ, the sound of the CQ will continue to be defined by the
outstanding and recognizable lead voice of Scott Whitener, Minister of Music
and Administration at Ragan Wesleyan Church in Gastonia, NC. Singing tenor
will be Chris Roberts, Associate Pastor of Music at the 3,000-member Mud
Creek Baptist Church (www.mudcreekchurch.org) in Hendersonville, NC, where
he serves with prominent Southern Baptist leader and Senior Pastor Dr. Greg
Mathis. Joining Scott and Chris will be the familiar voice of baritone and
Chesnee, SC resident Roger Burnett, who sang with the Melody Masters from
the early 1990s. Making his debut with gospel music audiences will be bass
singer Lamar Levi of Tuxedo, NC, whose smooth and rich bass voice provides
the foundation of the CQ sound. David Bruce Murray, Minister of Music at
Corinth Baptist Church in Ellenboro, NC, will also be making limited
appearances with the Carolina Quartet. David has performed with regional
level groups since the mid-1980s and is already an established name with
Southern Gospel fans as the author of Murray's Encyclopedia Of Southern
Gospel Music (www.musicscribe.com).



The CQ plans to release a project of southern and country gospel classics in
the fall of 2006. A complete list of the Carolina Quartet's limited touring
schedule, product information, bios, and additional information will be
available soon at www.carolinaquartet.com.

[David Stuart]

They should have just sticked with the Melody Masters name, this one is
too similar to Carolina Boys , even tho, the CB's are now the Kingsmen
again , still, it may be confusing.

[David Ching]

Post by David Stuart
They should have just sticked with the Melody Masters name, this one is
too similar to Carolina Boys , even tho, the CB's are now the Kingsmen
again , still, it may be confusing.

Not to mention "Carolina Quartet" sounds a little generic and unimaginitive.
Congrats on your new gig, DBM! Wish you much success. Are you still
performing with Southern Sound(s)? (I forgot if your quartet has the 's' or
not).

-- David

[David Bruce Murray]

Post by David Ching
Not to mention "Carolina Quartet" sounds a little generic and
unimaginitive. Congrats on your new gig, DBM! Wish you much success. Are
you still performing with Southern Sound(s)? (I forgot if your quartet
has the 's' or not).

Yes, I'll be playing with both groups: the local Southern Sounds Quartet
(with the "s") and the newly formed regional Carolina Quartet.

There may be a few CQ appearances that I won't make due to scheduling
conflicts with my church job. By and large, though, I plan to play for both
groups, since both will only do a few appearances each month.

My first dates with the group will be in Cynthiana and Paris, Kentucky on
July 19-20, so I guess it's obvious we aren't going to totally limit our
appearances to the Carolinas.

[Ruth]

Congratulations, David! If yall ever tour south Texas I will be in the
audience.

[David Bruce Murray]

Post by David Stuart
They should have just sticked with the Melody Masters name, this one is
too similar to Carolina Boys , even tho, the CB's are now the Kingsmen
again , still, it may be confusing.

David,
Thanks for the feedback. Although three of the former MMQ members are
carrying over, they felt it was time to put a fresh face on the group that
more accurately reflects our regional status.

MMQ was a full-time group that appeared for a number of years in states
ranging from Texas to Kentucky as well as Canada almost every week of the
year. In contrast, CQ is a part-time group that will confine most of our
appearances to North and South Carolina...probably two to four dates per
month on average. We're still going to present a fully professional program
as MMQ did, though. That goal has not changed.

I don't think very many people will get us confused with the Carolina Boys.
Not only are we leaving off the "boys" part of the name, keep in mind that
CB fans were very devoted for those two years and followed their path back
to becoming the Kingsmen very closely.