The Statesmen Quartet

The Statesmen Quartet is a Southern Gospel quartet often known as Hovie Lister and the Statesmen Quartet. The Statesmen were arguably the most important and most talented group in the history of Southern Gospel music.

Early Years

Formed in 1948 in Atlanta, GA, by piano player Hovie Lister, a Baptist minister and ragtime-style piano player with a flair for showmanship, "Brother Hovie" envisioned the group as a hand-picked cream-of-the crop grouping. The initial group included lead singer Mosie Lister and bass Gordon Hill. Lister was the first to leave the group and would be replaced by Jake Hess from the Melody Masters. Hill would leave soon after and be replaced by Aycel Sword. After Sword came the famous Jim "Big Chief" Wetherington, also from the Melody Masters. Others during this time period included baritone Bervin Kendrick, and tenors Bobby Strickland and Cat Freeman.

Around 1952, Hovie's vision of "the perfect quartet" was realized when the lineup solidified with Denver Crumpler - tenor, Jake Hess - lead, Doy Ott - baritone, 'Big Chief' - bass, and Hovie Lister, piano and master emcee.

The Glory Years

In 1952, the Statesmen entered into a business partnership with The Blackwood Brothers Quartet. The "Stateswood" team would dominate Southern Gospel music for the next two decades.

The popular Cat Freeman, a native of Sand Mountain, GA, and brother of gospel legend Vestal Goodman, was the next to leave the group. He was replaced by the great Irish tenor Denver Crumpler. With this lineup, the Statesmen began recording for RCA Victor and began starring in the Nabisco Hour national TV show. Popular songs of this period include "Get Away Jordan" and "Happy Rhythm." As early as 1950, the Statesmen used the phrase "Rockin' and rollin'" in a song, and Hovie Lister's frantic boogie woogie piano, piano bench acrobatics, and hair shaken down in his eyes predated Jerry Lee Lewis' use of the same tricks by a good five years.

Elvis: The Statesmen Influence

The Statesmen also exerted a powerful influence on young Elvis Presley, who idolized and imitated Jake Hess' vocal stylings and Big Chief's leg shaking. In an interview with songwriter Bill Gaither, Hess remembered seeing young Elvis coming to Statesmen shows in Tupelo when Presley was only nine or ten. Hess said that the serious young Elvis would ask him, "How do you make a record?" or "How many suits you got?"

Tragedy and Triumphs

In 1957, Denver Crumpler died prematurely. Cat Freeman came back briefly, followed by lyric tenor Roland 'Rosie' Rozell, a soulful singer and former policeman from Oklahoma. The Rosie-Hess-Ott-Chief lineup recorded such classics as "Faith Unlocks The Door" and Rosie's signature tune "Oh What A Savior."

In 1963, Jake Hess left the Statesmen to form his own quartet, Jake Hess and The Imperials.

Hovie tapped young, debonnaire Jack Toney of the Dixie Echoes to replace the legendary Hess. Before long, Toney's movie idol looks and powerful voice helped the Statesmen to soldier on without missing a beat. Ironically, Jack Toney would replace Jake Hess on five different occasions in thee different decades with the Statesmen and the Masters V.

In 1974, bass singer "Big Chief" Wetherington died of a massive heart attack.

The Later Years

Later incarnations of the Statesmen would include tenors Sherrill 'Shaun' Nielson, Willie Wynn, and Johnny Cook; lead singers Roy McNeil and Jim Hill; baritones Chris Hess (Jake's son), Biney English and Rick Fair; and bass singers Ray Burdette and Bob Caldwell. Over the years, Jake Hess, Jack Toney, Doy Ott and Rosie Rozell would rejoin the Statesmen at various times, most notably a couple years after Chief's death when Lister brought back Rozell, Jake Hess, and Doy Ott as "The Statesmen" sans bass. A comical pairing of this classic Statesmen "trio" with longtime Blackwood Brothers/Stamps Quartet bass singer J.D. Sumner at the 1977 National Quartet Convention in Nashville was the birth of the Masters V Quartet, which would include, in its classic lineup, Rosie Rozell, James Blackwood, Jake Hess, J.D. Sumner, and Hovie Lister.