The Harmoneers were one of the most prominent Southern gospel music quartets in the nation. Founded in 1940 , the Harmoneers moved from Knoxville, TN., to Decatur, Ga., because of Atlanta’s prominence in the gospel music world. The early days of the Harmoneers, unlike some of the groups that tour today, was quite an adventure.
The group worked out of radio station WEAS, which is now WGUN. The group recorded often and was the first gospel group to be signed to the powerful RCA Victor record label. They appeared on the NBC and CBS radio networks and won the Eddy Arnold Talent Show. For many years, the quartet had a Sunday morning TV show in Atlanta.
The Harmoneers performed monthly at the old Ryman Auditorium in Nashville, which was hallowed ground in the world of country-western music but quite an achievement for an old southern gospel group from Atlanta, GA. After the death of Fred C. Maples, an original member of the group, the group featured Bob Crews who sang lead vocals, Charles Key on the piano, Wallace “Happy” Edwards (first tenor), Seals “Low Note” Hilton (bass) and Jimmy Hall (baritone).
According to Bob Crews, before his death, “We were determined to go from coast to coast. We enjoyed it and had a good time . You put five guys in an automobile with all of their luggage, their suits, sound system, and our recordings and the car was full. We didn’t have air conditioning in the car, either. Remember, this was the late 1940’s” Crews believed that the Harmoneers reached just about every state in the Union. He remembers, fondly, riding up and down the California coast and trips to Detroit. But, perhaps the fondest memories of all were the performances at the Ryman in Nashville.
“We did our own booking because there was no booking agents”, said Crews. “But, I think we helped get it started, I’d like to think we did. I just love it, the old Southern Gospel. I just enjoy getting up on stage in front of an audience. It just gets the adrenalin going.”
