Once more with the Liberty Quartet

I guess I'd better hurry up and finally post this...some very nice people have been waiting at least two days for me to do so!

This past Sunday, I was still basking in the reflections of spending three days amidst some of the best music and artists creating it that I could experience, when my always restless mind got to thinking.

"Surely some of those people are still around here", I thought. "Why don't I check out one of them tonight wherever they might be while they're still here?" After all, southern gospel artists aren't constantly singing everywhere they're able to out here as they are in the Southeast!

But where could that be? Fortunately, our radio show aired that morning, and as is our custom, we mentioned to all our listeners where these artists would be that day...so I could plan. Everyone else was out in places like Modesto or Bakersfield, close enough to drive to in a day, but since I only had the evening to spend, they were too far to go to to be able to get home in time to get a good night's sleep(I had to work the next morning, after all!). So who would I see, and where would I go?

Fortunately, the Liberty Quartet(one of my favorite groups from the event)was singing at a church service at the Riverdale Assembly of God church, just a half hour from work. And it was a 6 PM evening church service, so I'd have plenty of time to get there(I get off at 4P on Sundays normally). So that was that...Riverdale Assembly, here I come!

Besides, when I left the Save Mart Center Saturday night and said goodbye to Liberty manager and bass singer Royce Mitchell, I breezily told him "See you next year!" to which he responded, "I hope it won't be that long!" What a great way to surprise Royce as well as satisfy my appetite further for great gospel singing!

Little did even I know what I was in for!

Once inside the Riverdale Assembly of God church, I knew I was in a special place.

For openers, in the temporary facility they were using while their brand new sanctuary is being built, there were fans EVERYWHERE...on the ceiling, on the walls, you name it. It made me think of those old country churches you hear sung about so often in gospel songs.

For another, each seat was fully equipped with old fashioned "redback" hymnals! I have been so used to seeing lyrics of P&W songs being shown on church walls of late, and hymnals tossed aside in favor of them, that I could not help but feel as though I were in some sort of "retro" dream, and I had landed in a church that still did things the way I liked them done! For if it's true that you can tell a lot about a person by his book or record collection(something I've long maintained), then you can tell a lot about a church by its music!

And boy, would I find THAT out Sunday night!

When the service opened, it started with special music...led by church staffer, musician and regular gospel blog reader Jim E. Davis, who has TWO groups(his family group and the Riverboys, a local male group)and is an accomplished gospel songwriter, his best known song to national gospel fans the excellent "Preach The Word", made popular by Gold City on a recent project of theirs.

Jim is quite a piano player, too...and he led the church BAND(yes, they had one)...a guitar, a bass, and a horn section as well...in spirited song...not only did his family group sing, but so did the Riverboys, and their Ambassador Youth Choir, the very same choir that came out on stage Thursday night at the GWSGFF to back up the Hoppers on "Jerusalem"!

They are a touring choir that is GOOD...almost every singer I saw from that church is of professional caliber and could have sung at the GWSGFF! I have heard a lot about churches like that, but I had never been in one like this! And EVERYONE...young and old...knew all the words to all the songs being sung...and was singing along...and didn't need any books or director to lead them! I could tell by looking at the guys in the Liberty Quartet that they, too were in awe of this incredibly musical church!

One aside about this choir...when I entered the church, one of them greeted me. His name is Jordan, and I've known of him since he was a kid. Many years ago when I hosted a call-in sports talk show following Fresno State sports broadcasts on KMJ, Jordan, though a mere youngster, would call in and talk to me. He remains a loyal KMJ listener(and still a fan of talk shows), and it's as though he has grown up before my ears! I am so proud of Jordan for what he's become in these years, serving and honoring the Lord and his family...and I was proud to see him up there singing in that talented choir.

When it finally came time for Liberty to sing, they quickly fit right in. This was the first time I had seen them in a full concert situation, and their program is expertly divided into sections, a traditional quartet portion, a partriotic section, a section where original and current sounding songs are sung, and a section that is designed to move the audience into a spirit of worship(this WAS a church service, after all!). And all of those sections were sprinkled with moments of reflection and humor. Liberty really DOES know how to relate to an audience, as well as how to sing all types of gospel songs. And MC Royce Mitchell allows each member of the group to have significant time on the mike, addressing the audience and introducing songs.

But the outstanding facet of this service to me was, when the quartet got into that part of the concert that encouraged worship, when the pastor of the church joined in and began conducting a prayer service within the main one, the Liberty Quartet, while still on the church stage providing musical backdrop, faded into the background while the pastor led the prayer portion. It was John 3:30 being carried out into real life...and it was extremely moving. The Liberty Quartet had been quite entertaining, and had captured the hearts of the congregation...but they knew why they were there, and assumed their proper place at the proper time.

When the pastor had finished his prayer "sub"service, the Liberty Quartet concluded the service with a pair of requests that put an exclamation point on the end of a great evening of singing...and church! I could tell the quartet was genuinely moved by the service, and the feeling was mutual among the worshippers.

Heck, the Liberty Quartet is genuine, period! They are the real deal, and once again showed me why that I liken them so to the old Couriers, who they resemble not only musically but in their countenance as well. I once again had quality fellowship with them, and I am very glad to call them friends as well as great modern gospel music artists.

But the Riverdale Assembly of God church was as big a "star" that evening as was Liberty. I was greeted warmly by many members of the congregation, some of whom knew me from here, and even more who knew me for many years due to me being a local radio personality. It was a wonderful feeling. I have never seen a more "musical" church in my life, and I may never again.

I have a feeling that I'll be back at that church again for more great music. And I KNOW I'll be around for more great eveings of singing and fellowship with the Liberty Quartet, true ministers of music and the top gospel group in the Western part of the United States(at least IMHO, anyway!).

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