King's Heralds

The King's Heralds is a male gospel music quartet that began in 1927 and have recorded over 100 albums encompassing 30 languages. They are primarily known for their a cappella singing and close harmony.

History

The King's Heralds began in 1927 by four college students; brothers Lewis, Waldo and Wesley Crane and Ray Turner (1908-2008) in Keene, Texas who began singing gospel music, under the name Lone Star Four. They soon appeared with Pastor R. L. Benton on his radio program on KFPL from Waco, Texas.

In 1936, they were invited by H.M.S. Richards to join the Voice of Prophecy in California, and were renamed the King's Heralds after a radio naming contest. This association continued until 1982, when they became a self-supporting ministry.

The King's Heralds are also known by the name The Heralds, in Portuguese as the Arautos do Rei and in Spanish as Los Heraldos del Rey. Purported to be the oldest continuous gospel quartet in America, they have been singing for over 80 years.

Throughout the years they have performed in over 50 countries and continue to tour extensively. They were the first gospel music group from the West to tour The People’s Republic of China since 1949, singing for the "First Invitational Symposium on the Christian Church in China" sponsored by the US/China Education Foundation.

Long associated with the Seventh-day Adventist Voice of Prophecy radio broadcast, the Heralds are now promoted as trans-denominational and are regular guests on Praise The Lord on TBN and It Is Written.

Recordings

Most of their recordings have been released by Chapel Records.

• "I Just Can't Wait" (2008).
• "Encores." with Jeff Pearles
• "Hymn Sessions" (2009) - arranged by Russell Hospedales, released at the National Quartet Convention
• "Wake Up, Church!" (2011) - released at the National Quartet Convention
• "Time's Windin' Up" (2012)

Awards

• Recipient of twenty-three Silver Angel Awards for "Excellence in Media", including six for "Best Male Vocal Group", fourteen for "Best Album" and a "Best International Broadcast" award for their own radio program, "Sounds of Praise".
• "Gold" Angel Award for being the oldest continuous Gospel Quartet in America.

List of singers

Current singers

The quartet is currently composed of:

• Don Scroggs - 1st Tenor
• Russell Hospedales - Baritone
• Jared Otto - 2nd Tenor
• Jeff Pearles - Bass

Image of current members

Complete list of singers

Past and present singers listed alphabetically by first name, including years in the group:

• Ben Glanzer, First Tenor 1944-1948
• Bob Edwards, First Tenor 1948-1971
• Bob Johnson, First Tenor 1939-1941
• Bob Seamount, Second Tenor 1941-1947, 1949-1961
• Don Scroggs, First Tenor 1983–Present
• Elwyn Ardourel, First Tenor 1949-1949
• Frank Dietrich, First Tenor 1947-1947, Second Tenor 1948-1948
• George Casebeer, First Tenor 1941-
• Gerald Fuentes, Second Tenor, 2004
• Jack Veazey, Baritone 1962-1997
• Jeff Pearles, Bass 2005–Present
• Jerry Dill, Bass 1947-1948, Baritone 1948-1949, Bass 1949-1962
• Jerry Patton, Second Tenor 1967-2004
• Jim Ayars, Bass 1977-2004
• Jim McClintock, Bass 1962-1977
• Joe Melashenko, Bass 1948-1949
• Joel Borg, Second Tenor 2004–Present
• John Ramsey, First Tenor; 1971-1983
• John Thurber, Second Tenor 1961-1967
• Lewis Crane, 1927-1939
• Ralph Simpson, Second Tenor 1940-1941
• Ray Turner, Bass 1927-1947
• Richard Lang, Baritone 1947-1948
• Russell Hospedales, Baritone 2002–Present
• Steve Laing, Baritone 1997-2002
• Vernon Stuart, Second Tenor 1939-1940
• Waldo Crane, 1927-1939
• Wayne Hooper, Baritone 1944-1947, 1949-1962
• Wesley Crane, Baritone 1927-1943

Accompanists/Arrangers

• Irving Steinel, 1937-1942
• Al Avila, 1942-1950
• Beth Thurston, 1950-1953
• Brad Braley, 1953-1972
• Calvin Taylor, 1972-1977
• Jim Teel, 1977-1989
• John Grover Lewis, 1989-1995
• Russell Hospedales, 2002–Present

External links

• The King's Heralds official website
• Biographical information on members