My church had the great pleasure of hosting the Mark Trammell Quartet this past Saturday, June 4th. It was not exactly normal circumstances for the group, as their bus’s transmission went out, rendering them with Mark’s personal vehicle pulling a U-Haul trailer. I’m sure the quartet was more weary than usual under the circumstances, but you never would have known it watching and listening to their performance. The crowd was about 250 strong, but was highly active and vocal during the service.
The quartet came armed with their brand new table project of Cathedrals classics, Treasures, and their new DVD. Half of the 14 songs performed were from the new CD, much to the delight of the old-fashioned-gospel-music-leaning crowd. As has been the case each of the three times I’ve seen the quartet recently, they opened with Dustin Sweatman on the keys and Trammell on bass, singing “Gentle Shepherd”. The pace was picked up dramatically with “Hallelujah, I’m Going Home”, followed by the Pat Barker signature “How Big Is God”. “Old Convention Song” and “Echoes from the Burning Bush” followed, keeping the VERY GOOD-LOOKING Barker busy (did I do that right, Pat?). Joel Wood was featured on “Hide Thou Me”, and turned in a flawless performance.
The energy in the church began to pick up at this point, as the quartet moved into “Wedding Music”. Between the first and second verses, Dustin moved off the piano, and the group sang with tracks the remainder of the evening. The quartet made an outstanding choice reviving “Bloodwashed Band”, and gave an energetic rendition. Sensing the Spirit in the room, Mark spent a good ten minutes giving his moving salvation testimony, mixed in with some old-fashioned preaching. At this point the “concert” had fully transformed into “church”. I, and I know the church agrees, appreciate the fact that a group of the Mark Trammell Quartet’s caliber is not afraid or ashamed to let the Holy Spirit pay a visit as He pleases. Mark’s emotional delivery of “Then I Met the Master” fit right in. After singing their recent single “Testimony”, the quartet absolutely knocked “Loving the Lamb” out of the park to close the first half.
The quartet sang for a good long while before the intermission and love offering, so they only sang three songs in the second “half”. “The Sweetest Song I Know” was followed by a wonderful Travelin’ Live-style rendition of “Boundless Love”. Mark once again made an expert call, closing the service with the timely powerhouse ballad “It’s Almost Over”.
It occurred to me as I listened to the quartet sing those Cathedral Quartet standards, that of all the examples of the Cathedrals legacy on the road today, the Mark Trammell Quartet is the strongest. I don’t necessarily mean they are the best singers or best performers (although I don’t think I would personally put anyone above them). I mean that they are the closest thing going right now to the neo-traditional quartet sound of the Cathedrals. Mark’s leadership, Pat Barker’s vocal similarity to George Younce, song selection, and musical style are all reasons for the apparent Cathedrals kinship. And that is a very, very good thing. The Mark Trammell Quartet carries the banner of traditional southern gospel music as well as anybody on the road today.
On a personal note, my fondest memories of the day will not be the concert itself, but the hours before the concert. I got the wonderful opportunity to have lunch with the quartet, and just “hang out” at the church during and after setting up. I got a chance to talk to my hero, Mark Trammell himself, about the direction of southern gospel music and the possibilities of Columbia, SC, as a gospel music destination. I got a chance to talk music with Pat, Dustin, and Joel, as fellow SG fans of a younger generation. I got a chance to bang on the piano and miss every other note while the quartet sang “Come On Home” during the sound check. They really treated me like just another one of the guys, even though I remain awestruck in their presence. They are truly humble Christian servants, and a total class act.
Don’t miss an opportunity to see the Mark Trammell Quartet if they come by your way. I can promise you a great night of gospel music with some great guys, and more importantly, some refreshing nourishment for your soul.
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