During the month of June (which has been designated Black Music Month) we have looked at many of the record labels that deliver the music in the quartet gospel genre. It has been an interesting look back at some of the labels that were prominent players in the Golden Era of Gospel Music to those of today.

It is fitting that we closed the month with a look at MCG Records. James Bullard is the ‘man in charge’ at MCG. He is surrounded with some of the best personnel in this genre – musical genius, Jerry Peters; Producer George Dean; and the guy who really has an eye for quartet gospel talent, Glenn Stevenson.

MCG (Majestic Communication Group) is the home of the current reigning Number One Quartet Gospel Group In The World, Lee Williams & The Spiritual QC’s. From the late 90’s through today, no other quartet gospel group has been able to match the positive impact that Lee and the guys have had on this genre. MCG was obviously instrumental in charting the course taken by the Lee and The Spiritual QC’s since the release in 1998 of Love Will Go All The Way.

MCG has also released quartet gospel projects on Doc McKenzie and the Hi-Lites, The Racy Brothers, Slim and the Supreme Angels, The Alabama Spirituals, Blest By Four, and The Gospel Legends. The Dixie Hummingbirds’ Still. . . Keeping It Real – The Last Man Standing CD was released by MCG.

With any of the releases from MCG you can be assured of 1) top notch production – They do not cut corners. From the song selections, to venue selection, to the artwork, MCG delivers. 2) The projects will minister to the listener. MCG focuses on the “GOSPEL” in gospel music. Just listen to (or look at) the testimony of the fans of MCG’s artists – what you will find is that the music is really winning souls. And, 3) MCG promotes their artists. While many labels rely almost exclusively on the artist to promote their project, MCG puts resources in to promoting their artists and this genre.

With young quartet gospel groups like Blest By Four and The Gospel Legends, MCG is well position to be the leading record label in this genre for at least the next two decades.

Our first exposure to Church Door Records was actually with the release of a sermon by Rev. Jasper Williams. That was in the mid 1970’s. It was not long thereafter that we heard The Five Singing Sons of North, South Carolina. The Sons initial releases with Church Door were through the name The Sensational Five Singing Sons.

It was those early releases that drew our attention to Church Door Records. We discovered that Church Door also had released on The Related Six, The Southern Harmoneers, The Spiritual Aires, The Daytonians, as well as The Favorite Aires.

Many of the groups may not be household names. However, that by no means diminishes the greatest of the music they released through Church Door Records. In deed, some of the groups from Church Door are still around today. Every so often we’ll get a new release from a group like The Related Six.

The label was headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia. It was eventually taken over by AIR (Atlanta International Records) Gospel.

Another powerhouse label for quartet gospel during the 60’s and 70’s was H. O. B. Records. H. O. B. Records was formed in 1959, in Detroit, Michigan. The owner of the label was Carmen Murphy, who, by the way was a beautician. The acronym H.O.B. actually stands for House Of Beauty.

The early line up of quartet gospel artists on the label was virtually a ‘whose-who’ of gospel music during that era. The list included, The Blind Boys of Alabama, The Swan Silvertones, The Dixie Hummingbirds, The Caravans, The Angelic Gospel Singers, The Blind Boys of Mississippi, The Harris Family, Shirley Caesar, The Harmonizing Four, and The Clefs of Calvary.

H. O. B. is another label that has released some of the most memorable gospel music by some of the legends of this genre. H. O. B. early recordings have become sought after collectibles for serious fans of this genre. Now, you can find many of H. O. B. early recordings on CD issued by Calvin Records.