Down Memory Lane

One of the most rewarding part of being a fan of the Couriers is that over their long career, they made different types of gospel albums musically so, depending on what you wanted to hear at a given moment, they would have something in their catalog for you.

For example, whenever I wanted to hear straight gospel quartet singing, I could pull out "The Love Of God"(Hymntone 3085)...if I wanted the style that that had morphed into by the mid 1960s, I could listen to "The Sensational Sounding Couriers Quartet"(Canaan 9608)...and if I wanted creative novelty styled gospel , there was "We Gotta Sing"(Warner Bros. 1547)...and if I wanted exuberant pop-styled gospel at its' best, there was(and always is)their famous classic "Nothing But...The Gospel Truth"(Warner Bros. 1514).

And if want classy, high church styled quartet singing, there is their final quartet album, 1966's "Down Memory Lane"(Hymntone 7142)...perhaps as elegant and classy an album as a gospel quartet ever recorded. With the combination of the piano artistry of Bryan Jones(used earlier by the group on their marvelous "Dedicated To The Hymns" album[Hymntone 3082])and the organ of Harry Rowland, the accompaniment sounds as much like that of a church service than on any gospel(or "sacred")album I've ever heard. It creates such a mood of dignity I can only listen to it when I'm suitably attired for church! I daresay I've never encountered a more dignified gospel quartet album!

The album was recorded during a transitional phase for the group...when their direction was turning away from the gospel "business", so to speak, to a more mission and ministry orientation which they would fully embrace within two years. Nonetheless, the vocal lineup of tenor Duane Nicholson, lead Neil Enloe, baritone Phil Enloe(Neil's brother), and bass Dave Kyllonen was one of their finest lineups in the Couriers' long history. And on this album, their dynamics and blend throughout complete the beautiful, dignified atmosphere the songs and backing seek to convey.

The title song, "Down Memory Lane" features a memorable recitation by Kyllonen(notice his reference to "chugholes")and beautiful harmony from the group...and "Ivory Palaces" features fine two-part harmony between Nicholson and Phil Enloe(one of the most underrated singers in gospel history)...and Neil Enloe's arrangement is so lovely, the Blackwood Brothers would copy it a year later when they recorded the song(and why not? Their pianist at the time, Dave Weston, was an alum of the very Bible College the Couriers went to), The Blackwoods were also moving into a "churchy" phase musically at that time...so the move made sense for them.

Then comes "How Tedious And Tasteless The Hours", a lovely old hymn given a suitably dignified rendering by the quartet. Even the following song, the relatively uptempo "Camping In Canaan's Land", is given a dignified rendering, thanks to Jones' classy piano and Phil Enloe's reading of the lyrics.

Next comes a classy arrangement of Fanny Crosby's "He Hideth My Soul". which Tommy Fairchild(always a big Couriers fan)would adapt for the Blackwoods in the 1970s. "The Ark Was Coming Up The Road" energetically concludes the album's first half.

Jones' brilliant piano technique is best illustrated on "What A Glad Day When Jesus Found Me"(which kicks off Side 2). Then comes perhaps the most beautiful song on the entire album. "Don't Turn Him Away"(NOT the LD Young song they'd done two years prior)is a heartfelt plea to come to Jesus, and Nicholson's brilliant tenor voice really brings out the power in the lyrics.

The group then gives us a quick verse of the hymn "My Redeemer", then does a suitably energetic version of "We'll Work 'Til Jesus Comes". the Couriers close this album with a wonderful rendering of "Cleanse Me" followed by a most diginified version of "Hallelujah, What A Savior".

This album is so dignified and reverent I can't even bring myself to carry on conversation with anyone while it is playing(you don't talk in church, after all!). If you like church-type music sung by a quartet, you can't get it better than on the Couriers' "Down Memory Lane", a true classic.

The alnum was a bittersweet release for me, because after the album, Phil Enloe chose to leave the group. He would return some 17 years later, but the remainder of the group opted to carry on without a replacement, marking the end of the Couriers Quartet..but as simply the Couriers, the trio would go on to their biggest commercial and ministerial success in the 1970s. So it was good for the group...but I never stopped missing the Couriers Quartet....nor did many of their longtime fans, who like me, learned to appreciate the trio for what it was and became.

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