Recent personnel changes in gospel music have become a hot topic both on the email talk list and the message boards. The following historical account of this quartet shows us that personnel changes are not new to current gospel groups. This quartet had more than forty members during its storied career, not including members that had more than one tenure with the group!
The name "Homeland Harmony Quartet" was first used in connection with a singing group in 1935 when Otis McCoy, Doyle Blackwood, Fred C. Maples, and B.C. Robinson organized the quartet. They were originally formed as a part of the Church of God Bible Training School ministry. The group had a major reorganization effort at the end of World War II. The new group was organized in 1943, and for a few months the personnel consisted of Eva Mae LeFevre, Otis McCoy, James McCoy, and B.C. Robinson. When Urias LeFevre returned from the military service, Eva Mae rejoined him in the LeFevre Trio and Connor Hall became the tenor for the Homeland Harmony Quartet . . . a title he would retain until his death in 1992.
 circa 1943 Connor Hall, Otis McCoy, James McCoy, Big Jim Waits Hovie Lister |
Connor had strong ties to the Church of God. He acquired the name "Homeland Harmony" from the Tennessee Music and Printing Co. and moved the group to Atlanta, Ga. Soon after Hall joined the group, he enlisted the services of a young teenager, Hovie Lister, to play the piano and hired another future member of the gospel music Hall of Fame: bass singer Big Jim Waits. Soon thereafter, lead singer Otis McCoy left the Homeland Harmony Quartet in Atlanta and returned to the Tennessee Music and Printing Company in Cleveland, Tennessee.
 circa 1950 Connor Hall, Paul Stringfellow, James McCoy, Jim Waits Wally Varner |
In 1947, Hall and McCoy were joined by Lee Roy Abernathy, Shorty Bradford, and A.D.Soward to form one of their finest quartet aggregations. This group created a great deal of controversy when they recorded Lee Roy’s new song, "Everybody’s Gonna Have a Wonderful Time Up There". The quartet released the song on White Church Records, and it became a great hit for them. It soon became known as "The Gospel Boogie", much to the dismay of many conservative religious leaders who often booked the quartet for singing conventions and worship services. The song was soon to become of the biggest sellers in gospel music history. Soon, many versions of the song were being released. Nearly ten years later, Pat Boone recorded a version of the song that charted quite well on the Billboard charts.
 circa 1956 Connor Hall, Rex Nelon, James McCoy, Jack Clark Jim Cole |
The Homeland Harmony Quartet was a model quartet for training young singers. Excellent musical skills were a necessity for joining this quartet. Most of their arrangements were written out on paper, leaving nothing to chance. The Homeland Harmony Quartet had daily radio programs on several major stations in the South such as WAGA and WGST on which they performed their latest recordings in addition to sight singing from the latest song books. They were tremendous musicians, all having attended many years of singing schools and singing conventions.
 circa 1953 Wally Varner, James McCoy, Connor Hall, Wayne Groce, Johnny Atkinson |
The Homeland Harmony performed until the late 1950's when they retired as a full time group. Uncle Sam had claimed several of the younger members, James McCoy was experiencing some health concerns, so Connor Hall disbanded the group and went to work behind the scenes in the gospel music field.
The
Homeland Harmony Quartet was responsible for several "firsts" in gospel
music. |
 circa 1951 Connor Hall, Bob Shaw, Doy Ott, James McCoy, Jim Waits |
Connor Hall had a natural clear tenor voice. His ear for music was superb. In 1961, Hall entered a long, productive career as Music Editor of the Tennessee Music and Printing Company-one of the most important publishers and preservers of shape-note materials in the South. He was also the president of Sing Music Company. He was the first choice for the tenor position in the Masters V, even though he was quite a bit older than the other members. Proper singing kept Mr. Hall’s voice strong and clear even as his age approached the mid-70's.
The Homeland Harmony Quartet was responsible for several "firsts" in gospel music. They were the first gospel quartet to be featured on a radio network of fifty-five stations. They were also the first quartet to appear on television as they were on the South’s first telecast on WAGA-TV in Atlanta, Georgia. The quartet in conjunction with Lee Roy Abernathy, were the first gospel group to produce sheet music. They were also cosponsors, with the Rangers Quartet of the world’s first all-night gospel concert held in Atlanta, Ga.
There are eight former members of the Homeland Harmony Quartet in the Southern Gospel Music Association Hall of Fame, and several other former members that are quite deserving of induction. Eight former members have received the Living Legend Award at the Grand Ole Gospel Reunion. Seven former members have been inducted in the Gospel Music Piano Roll of Honor. That is a wonderful legacy for an outstanding group from the past.
It was my pleasure to hear Mr. Hall sing "The Love of God" not long before his death. His voice was crystal clear, and it was obvious he had experienced the love of God that he sang about so wonderfully.
The Homeland Harmony Quartet was a model of quartet perfection due to their continual desire to improve their craft. They left a wonderful legacy for other quartets to follow.
Author: .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
Written: 04/01/2003
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Category: SG History 101
Comments: 19
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Thanks for my continuing education. My knowledge of our pioneers is lacking, and each time you present our legends in print makes me only appreciate them more. The research is evident and appreciated. Thanks again
John - another excellent article. Thanks for providing us with this glimpse of another of the great groups from the past.
This is a most entertaining read. You might have saved a little space by listing only those singers of that period who did NOT sing or play with the Homeland Harmony. Ha. It must have been difficult to track down the many changes.
Well John you are one true HISTORIAN and i'm proud to know you as my friend. The Homeland Quartet was one of my favorite groups those years and in fact we are singing one of their songs now! "He'll Wash You Whiter Than Snow" Conner could really do the job on that one!
Excellent job as always, John! I really appreciate the hard work you do in putting these "lessons" together. Thanks for enlightening this younger generation and helping us get a glimpse into the past.
Dear John :
John, you are a treasure. This is great stuff. Highest quality you could ask for.
J.C.,If you haven't written a book,you should!!I know that it would be a GREAT read!!
Just discovered this site!!! Read all the history articles posted. Wonderful. I didn't think anyone even remembered the Plainsmen QT!!! You should write a book. As a side note, an update on Jay Simmons who sang bass with the Prophets, Plainsmen, and Harvesters. He is alive and lives in Mt. Airy, N.C. He has numerous health problems and no longer sings. He is still serving the Lord and is a fine example of how God changes lives. He has been mostly forgotten. Its a shame, I think.
Mark,
Mark, Glenn and Bobby
I am 70 now and listened to the Original Homeland Harmony quartet on the radio as a child. they had true harmony and were so much better than these hillbilly gospel of today.
Enjoyed all of the comments about Gospal Music. I was raised on it. Knew a number of the old timers, for example, Doy Ott in the 1930's playing for Otis Echols and the Stamps Baxter Melody Boys on WHAS Louisville, KY and Jim Waits with the John Daniel Quartet from WSM Nashville.
My Dad, Wayne Groce sang lead with Homeland Harmony in 1953. He is alive and well in Summerville GA. He met Mary, his wife at a singing in Gadsden AL while with the quartet.
i heard the homeland quartet in Charleston WV say about 19554-55 and I enjoyed their plain approach instead of the high tenor screaming at the end as most quartets did. I especially enjoy "Let God be Your Keeper" and I still have the original Bibletone record. The quality is not too hot, but Ive played it a lot. Im gonna let God be my keeper to the end.see ya roy
Thanks A Lot for putting that information on james and Otis MCcoy on this site. I dont get to read a whole lot about my uncle otis and uncle james since they passed away so many years ago. It means a lot to me. Its good to here about the old pioneers. Although I dont here a bunch aboout my grandpaw their brother Otto MCcoy. I geuss he just didnt go as far as they did. Thanks again.
Thank you for the write-up! J.L. Steele was my great-uncle. He lived next door to his sister Mattie (my grandmother) for many years on 5th Avenue in Chatanooga. I remember sitting many times at 'Uncle J's' house and singing gospel music with he and his son, Sonny. It was from these encounters I learned to love, play and sing the Southern Gospel 'flavour' even when singing the old hymns we sang in church. I remember meeting many notables from the music industry such as J.D. Sumner, Archie Campbell, Mr. Conner, Mr. Bill and Mr. Fred. So many wonderful childhood memories were made in that house on 5th Avenue.
I grew up listening to gospel music ... with me Grandpa being a McBrayer and me Grandma being a Vaughan I guess that was a given ... maybe some are familiar with the old McBrayer Quartets in Georgia and Texas ... and most of the Vaughans.
How great to read about my great grandfather "Big Jim" Waits. Anyone reading or commenting that shares the same interest in his life and recordings is welcome to contact me.
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