A Georgia-based gospel quartet with joy to spare will soon bring their uplifting four-part harmonies to Ellijay.
The LeFevre Quartet will perform at the George Link Jr. Gilmer Arts Playhouse Friday, Nov. 12. Showtime is 7 p.m.
Led by baritone vocalist Mike LeFevre, the quartet is the latest chapter in the LeFevre family’s extensive gospel music heritage.
That history dates back to 1921 when Mike’s uncles, Alphus and Urias, and aunt, Maude, started the original singing LeFevre Trio. Joined by alternating family members and other musicians, Alphus and Urias performed together until the 1970s.
“(The quartet) is a separate entity, but there’s still that family heritage,” Mike said.
Various members of the family, including Mike and cousin, Mylon LeFevre, continued to perform and record gospel and faith-based music following the original trio’s retirement.
The family gospel singing tradition turns 100 this year, Mike noted.
“In one form or another, some sort of LeFevre family members have been on the road at some point for the past 100 years,” he said.
Having a ball delivering the gospel
The LeFevre Quartet was started by Mike in 2005, after the singer enjoyed time with such gospel groups as Gold City Quartet and The Singing Americans.
The quartet’s tenor singer, Jay Parrack, and pianist, Bryan Elliot, also performed for a time with Gold City, while bass vocalist Will Lane formerly sang with North Carolina gospel group The Anchormen, Mike noted.
“All the guys in our group are veterans of gospel music,” he said. “God has put together a good group of guys and very talented gentlemen. I’m thankful to be able to travel with them.”
Lead singer Jordan LeFevre, Mike’s son, is the third generation to sing in a gospel group bearing the family name.
“Jordan was 12 or 13 when he started with us,” Mike said. “He was our equipment carrier and our drummer. As things evolved, he started running sound and drove the bus. Several years ago, we made a lead singer change and I asked him to step up. He was reluctant at first, but I’m glad he did it. He’s turned into a very good singer and does a great job.”
Live and on record, the LeFevre Quartet combines elements of both contemporary and traditional gospel music, all delivered with their powerful four-part harmony singing.
“That’s the traditional part to what we do,” said Mike. “It’s more progressive than it would’ve been in the ‘50s, ‘60s or ‘70s, but we still do some music that’s reminiscent of that era to give people some feeling of what it was like. Some call it southern (gospel), and some call it contemporary. It just depends on the listener.”
The group’s single, “The 99,” recently hit #1 on the Singing News and SGN Scoops radio charts. It was the fourth #1 song in the past three years for the LeFevre Quartet, Mike noted. Their latest album, “My Jesus,” was released last month on New Day Records.
“‘My Jesus,’ is a CCM (contemporary Christian music) song, but we put our own take on it. We work in different circles than CCM artists, so it’s not like we’ll run into one of them and be singing one of their songs. Most of our material is original material that (modern songwriters) have written,” Mike said.
The quartet’s live shows often feature personal stories and interaction with the audience. Mike said the group simply enjoys what they do and likes to share that enjoyment with those who come to see them sing.
“We have a ball, and we’re able to deliver the gospel. We try to interact with people and, if they interact with us, we’ll talk with them from the stage. I don’t like to say ‘fan.’ I like to say it’s very friend-driven,” he said. “If there’s an intermission, all of our guys will be at the table then and following the concert so we get to meet and talk to everybody.”
Along with his vibrant tenor singing, Parrick — whose father, Johnny, sang with gospel’s The Kingsmen — has been known to provide a comedic element to the proceedings.
“What’s funny about that is he’s just being himself. I tell people he’s gifted with the joy. He’s a fun, happy person who has the joy of salvation,” Mike said. “It’s OK for everybody to laugh and have a good time, and we like to laugh and have a good time with them. That’s part of the nature of what we do.”
A Georgia institution
The LeFevre name has long been synonymous with the original family singers’ Georgia residency, which began in the 1930s.
Following their retirement, Alphus (or “Alf”) and Urias LeFevre stayed in the Atlanta area, where the LeFevre Sound recording studio operated for several years. The LeFevre Quartet is based in Flowery Branch.
Mike said he started out singing with his uncle Alf in a later group, The Alf LeFevre Singers. He learned a lot during that time and is glad the family name remains associated with gospel music.
“He was an amazing musician and an amazing person, one of the most honest and true gentlemen I’ve ever met,” said Mike of his uncle.
The quartet is glad to be performing more onstage in 2021 than last year, when live music options were greatly limited, Mike shared.
Their itinerary typically includes churches, theaters, festivals, fairs and venues like the Silver Dollar City theme park in Branson, Mo. After stopping in Ellijay, the group will head to show dates in South Carolina, Tennessee, Louisiana and Texas.
“We welcome everybody. We want everybody to hear what we’ve got to say and sing,” Mike said. “We hope that, after people have seen us, they will have had an experience, not just a singing or a concert.”
Tickets for the playhouse show can be purchased online at GilmerArts.com, by calling 706-635-5605 or at the venue’s box office.