title: Cathedral Quartet
text: The Cathedral Quartet, also known as the Cathedrals, was an American southern gospel quartet who performed from 1964 to December 1999. The group's final lineup consisted of Glen Payne (lead), George Younce (bass), Ernie Haase (tenor), Scott Fowler (baritone and bass guitar), and Roger Bennett (piano and rhythm guitar).
  
  History
  
  Formation and early years
  The Cathedrals formed in 1963 as a trio consisting of the California Weatherford Quartet lead singer Glen Payne, tenor Bobby Clark, and baritone Danny Koker. Initially a house group of Rex Humbard's Cathedral of Tomorrow, they called themselves the Cathedral Trio. The group became a quartet with the addition of Blue Ridge Quartet bass singer George Younce in 1964. They decided to become a full-time touring group in 1969, leaving the Cathedral of Tomorrow. Koker and Clark left the group to pursue other interests, and were replaced by tenor Mack Taunton and baritone-pianist George Amon Webster. The group signed with Canaan Records; Canaan producer Marvin Norcross worked with them and Florida Boys lead singer Les Beasley to help the group gain exposure. Norcross gave them performance time on the nationally syndicated television Gospel Singing Jubilee. With Canaan, the group experimented with different styles of dress and performance to find their identity.
  
  Rise to prominence
  Gospel singer Bill Gaither invited the group to perform at his annual Praise Gathering in Indianapolis, and they received more requests for appearances. Gaither collaborated with Younce and Payne to produce their future albums for Word Records. The group began incorporating Younce and Payne's comedy routines, and added Roy Tremble as a tenor. Tremble, Webster, and pianist Lorne Matthews left the group and started their own trio called "The Brothers" in 1979. Their first replacement, Kirk Talley of the Hoppers, was a tenor; Steve Lee was added to sing baritone and play piano. Shortly before 1980, the group hired Roger Bennett as their pianist after hearing him play for their opening act. Lee left the group, and former member Roger Horne filled in briefly before bass guitarist and Kingsmen baritone Mark Trammell joined the group. They left Canaan (Word), and signed with Riversong (Benson).
  
  1980s
  Talley left the group in the summer of 1983 to form the Talleys with his brother, Roger, and sister-in-law, Debra. Danny Funderburk of the Singing Americans was chosen to replace him in December of that year. This lineup remained in place for several years, until Bennett left to help found Journey Records. Bennett was replaced by young, classically trained pianist and vocalist Gerald Wolfe. With Wolfe at the piano and singing, the group contributed to Symphony of Praise a 1987 album with the London Philharmonic Orchestra. The album included "This Ole House", "Champion Of Love", "I Can See The Hand" (written by Steven Curtis Chapman), and "I've Just Started Living". During this period, the group added Trammell's bass guitar and a synthesizer to its quartet vocals.
  
  1990s: Gaither Homecoming years
  In February 1990, Funderburk left to help form the quartet Perfect Heart. The Cathedrals hired tenor Kurt Young to replace him, but Young left the quartet after two months. Young was replaced by Ernie Haase, a young tenor from Indiana. Later that year, Trammell left to form Greater Vision with Gerald Wolfe. Scott Fowler, former lead singer of the Sound, became the quartet's baritone and bass guitarist; this was the final version of the Cathedrals. The full group (including present and former members, except for Danny Koker, Roger Horne, Lorne Matthews, Bill Dykes, Jim Garstang, Steve Lee and Kurt Young) recorded a concert, The Cathedral Quartet: A Reunion, in 1995.
  
  Bill Gaither and the Gaither Vocal Band recorded Homecoming, a tribute to Southern gospel music, during the early 1990s. Gaither enlisted George Younce and Glen Payne for the album (which inspired the Gaither Homecoming videos), and the Cathedral Quartet was included on later videos in the series. In addition to touring and appearing in the Gaither Homecoming videos, the group appeared three times on NBC's Today show during the decade.
  
  Final years and farewell tour
  Younce and Payne's health began to decline; Younce had kidney failure and heart disease by 1999, and Payne was diagnosed with liver cancer. They decided to disband the group after a farewell tour, as the group's health permitted. The Gaithers and the Cathedrals recorded a live Cathedrals Farewell Celebration video on May 18, 1999, on which they were joined by The Statler Brothers, The Oak Ridge Boys, Sandi Patty, Guy Penrod, and the Gaither Vocal Band. The Cathedrals would make their final appearance at the National Quartet Convention without Payne. During a performance Payne called via telephone from his hospital bed, he sang the song I Won't Have to Cross Jordan Alone to which the audience gave him a standing ovation at the end. On October 15, 1999, Payne died from liver cancer at aged 72. After Payne's death, Bennett sung Payne's part until the group final concert on December 11, 1999, in Akron, Ohio.
  
  After the group
  In 2000, former members Fowler and Bennett formed the Southern gospel group Legacy Five; Fowler was the lead singer and bass guitarist, and Bennett was the group's emcee and pianist. Haase continued a solo career he had begun and, with Gaither's help, formed The Old Friends Quartet with Younce, Jake Hess, Wesley Pritchard, and Gold City alumnus Garry Jones on piano. They recorded two albums and a concert video for the Gaither Homecoming series, but Younce and Hess's poor health brought an end to the Old Friends two years later. In 2003, Haase and Garry Jones formed the Signature Sound Quartet. After Jones and Haase developed artistic differences, Jones left. Signature Sound Quartet became associated with Gaither and his Homecoming tour, and changed its name to Ernie Haase & Signature Sound.
  
  After leaving the Cathedrals, Trammell was the original baritone of Greater Vision before leaving to join Gold City. In 2002, Trammell formed his own quartet called Mark Trammell Quartet. Gerald Wolfe is emcee and piano player with Greater Vision and Danny Funderburk has recorded solo and has been in several groups since leaving Perfect Heart. Kirk Talley had a solo career from the Talleys breakup to December 2012, when he developed vocal problems. On April 11, 2005, George Younce died from kidney failure, aged 75. On March 17, 2007, Roger Bennett died aged 48 after battling 11 and a half year of leukemia. On February 17, 2008 original baritone Danny Koker died aged 74. In 2010, Ernie Haase & Signature Sound released A Tribute to the Cathedral Quartet DVD/album set and was nominated for Southern Gospel Album of the Year at the 42nd GMA Dove Awards.
  
  On September 28, 2013 Webster died aged 67 from cancer. In 2014, former members Haase, Fowler, Funderburk, Trammell and Wofle released the Cathedrals Family Reunion, a DVD/album set to commemorate the Cathedrals 35 years journey in stories and songs. On May 22, 2014 original tenor Bobby Clark died aged 78 from a stroke. On June 13, 2023 Roy Tremble died aged 76 from a brief illness.
  On September 28, 2023 Roger Horne died aged 77.
  
  Members
  
  Backing musicians
  George Amon Webster: bass guitar (1971, 1974–79)
  Steve Lee: bass guitar (1979–80)
  Kirk Talley: bass guitar (1979–83)
  Victor Clay: rhythm guitar (occasional appearances from 1964)
  Roger Bennett: rhythm guitar (1985)
  Robbie Willis: drums (occasionally)
  
  Timeline
  
  Cathedrals Family Reunion members
  
  Discography
  
  Albums 
   1963: Introducing the Cathedral Trio
   1963: When the Saints Go Marching In
   1964: Beyond the Sunset
   1965: Taller Than Trees
   1965: Presenting the Cathedral Quartet, Mariner’s Quartet, Gospel Harmony Boys
   1965: The Cathedral Quartet with Strings
   1966: The Cathedral Quartet with Brass
   1966: Greatest Gospel Hits
   1966: Land of the Bible
   1967: I Saw the Light
   1968: Family Album
   1968: Focus On Glen Payne
   1969: Jesus is Coming Soon
  1970: I’m Nearer Home
  1970: It’s Music Time
  1970: A Little Bit of Everything
  1971: Everything’s Alright
  1971: Somebody Loves Me
  1971: Right On
  1972: Welcome to Our World
  1973: Seniors in Session
  1973: Town and Country
  1973: The Last Sunday
  1974: Our Statue of Liberty
  1974: Live in Concert
  1975: Plain Ole Gospel
  1975: For Keeps
  1976: The Cathedral Quartet Sings Albert E. Brumley Classics
  1976: Easy on the Ears, Heavy on the Heart
  1977: Then and Now
  1978: One at a Time
  1978: The Cathedral Quartet Featuring Oh, What a Love
  1978: Sunshine And Roses
  1979: You Ain’t Heard Nothing Yet
  1979: Then I Found Jesus
  1979: Live With The Cathedral Quartet
  1979: Keep On Singing (2 Versions)
  1979: Smooth as Silk
  1980: Interwoven
  1980: Better Than Ever
  1980: Telling the World About His Love
  1981: Cherish That Name
  1981: Colors of His Love
  1982: Something Special
  1982: Greater
  1982: Oh Happy Day
  1983: Individually
  1983: Voices in Praise/A Cappella
  1983: Favorites Old and New
  1983: Live in Atlanta
  1983: Featuring George Younce
  1983: Featuring Glen Payne
  1984: Distinctively
  1984: The Prestigious Cathedral Quartet
  1985: An Old Convention Song
  1985: Especially For You
  1985: A Cathedral Christmas A Cappella
  1986: Master Builder
  1986: Travelin’ Live
  1987: Land Of Living
  1987: Symphony of Praise
  1988: Goin’ In Style
  1989: 25th Anniversary
  1990: Climbing Higher and Higher
  1991: The Best of Times
  1992: Camp Meeting (Live)
  1993: High and Lifted Up
  1997: Alive! Deep In The Heart Of Texas
  1998: Faithful
  1999: A Farewell Celebration
  1999: Live in Jacksonville
  2012: Moody Radio Presents... Live In Chicago (recorded live in 1996)
  2013: Cathedrals Family Reunion
  2014: Cathedrals Family Reunion: Past Members Reunite Live In Concert
  
  Compilations
  1998: 20 Gospel Classics (Landmark)
  2000: Southern Gospel Treasury Series (Word Entertainment)
  2000: Convention Classics (Diamante)
  2000: Signature Songs, Vol. 1 (Homeland)
  2001: Cherish That Name (Cathedral)
  2002: Signature Songs, Vol. 2 (Homeland)
  2002: Years Gone By, Vol 1 (Homeland)
  2002: The Best of the Cathedrals (Canaan)
  2003: Live in Concert: Live With the Cathedral Quartet (Cathedral)
  
  Appearances on the Gaither Homecoming videos
  1994: A Christmas Homecoming - "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen"
  1995: The Sweetest Song I Know - "An Old Convention Song"
  1996: Moments to Remember - "This Old House"
  1997: Feelin' At Home - "New Born Feeling"
  1997: This Is My Story - "Boundless Love"
  1998: Singing With The Saints - "Mexico"
  1999: Singin' In My Soul - "He Made A Change"
  2000: Good News - "Trying To Get A Glimpse"
  
  References
  
  External links
  Cathedrals History and Discography
  
  American Christian musical groups
  Gospel quartets
  Musical groups disestablished in 1999
  Musical groups established in 1964
  Musical groups from Ohio
  Southern gospel performers