1. Gold City names Chris Cooper as their new tenor.
Gadsden, AL – Gold City announced today that their new tenor will be Chris Cooper. Chris, a native of Tuscaloosa, Ala., has been involved in Gospel Music for the past 12 years, singing with numerous groups.
Chris’ first date with Gold City will be July 1st at Tusculum Hills Baptist Church in Nashville, Tennessee.
“I’ve been praying for a change in my life,” stated Chris. “I had given no thought of going back on the road — little did I know that my dream job was on the way! I am extremely excited about this opportunity.”
Chris and his wife, Kristin, have been married for four years. They have two children, Kylie, 3, and Kaden, 2.
“We had a lot of great singers apply for this job,” said group manager Daniel Riley. “It was a really tough decision but in the end I felt like Chris was best equipped vocally, and after much prayer, it was clear that he was the man for this position. He has a very unique voice and I believe people will like the sound.” (SOURCE)
Chris is no stranger to SG music, having stints with N’Harmony, Safe Harbor & The Melodyaires.? I’m looking forward to hearing how he blends with Gold City.? N’Harmony sure had a great sound with him in their lineup.
2. The Mike LeFevre Quartet changes their name to The Priority Quartet
Atlanta, GA — In a bold move, the LeFevre Quartet announced their decision to retire the family name with the recent passing of matriarch Eva Mae LeFevre. The group will be known as “Priority”.
A partnership, forged barely four years ago, established a sound and set in motion a number of unprecedented milestones. Within months of forming, fans voted them Horizon Group of the Year at the 2006 Singing News Fan Awards because of what they heard and saw in them. The following year came Breakthrough Artist of the Year Award. Next came television appearances on Dr. Charles Stanley’s popular In Touch program, a 2009 Dove Award nomination and recordings along the way that simply raised the bar for an entire genre.
This move comes in response to a request by some LeFevre family members to discontinue the name when Eva Mae was no longer able to travel. In a statement, Priority (Stacy Bragg, Gus Gaches, Mike LeFevre, and David Staton) said:
“We were able to honor a name that had such an influence on gospel music in America. On nearly every recording we’ve done, we re-recorded a classic LeFevre tune as a sort of tribute.”
Recognizing that now is the time for them to impact this generation of gospel music fans and the twenty-first century church, the group hopes to solidly establish their identity as “Priority”. The name is a reflection of who they are, what they’re about, why they do what they do, where they’re headed, and how they’ve gotten this far.
“Life is about relationships and priorities. God has blessed so much, and certainly not because we’ve done anything to deserve or earn His favor. So we want our relationships to take priority—with Him, our families, our churches, and each other.”
There are no personnel changes and no changes in musical style, just a new name. The group will still travel with a live band consisting of Jordan LeFevre and Trey Ivey. Audiences will continue to hear the trademark harmony and talented musicians. (SOURCE)
Honestly, I don’t really understand this move whatsoever.? I mean, the group is based on Mike LeFevre‘s name, status, history, etc.,? so is the expense of changing your name and having to create your identity again really honoring the name?? I can understand wanting to honor the LeFevre name, but wouldn’t the name be more honored if it were to continue in gospel music instead of retiring it?? Whatever the case, the name change is happening, so if you were/are a fan of Mike LeFevre’s quartet, get used to calling them by a different name.
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