| The Weatherfords | |
| Background: | group_or_band |
| Alias: | Weatherford Quartet Weatherford Trio |
| Origin: | Long Beach, California, U.S. Paoli, Oklahoma Since 1977 |
| Genre: | Christian, southern gospel |
| Years Active: | Early 1940s – present |
| Label: | RCA Victor, Heart Warming Skylite |
| Past Members: | Kenny Payne 1990–1994, 1995–1997 |
The Weatherfords (also Weatherford Quartet and Weatherford Trio) is an American southern gospel music vocal group.
The Weatherfords were formed by husband and wife Earl Weatherford and Lily Weatherford, who began singing together in the mid-1940s in Long Beach, California, after their marriage in 1944. Earl had founded the group prior to this as an all-male troupe, and Lily began filling in on the tenor parts in 1948, eventually becoming the group's most visible member.
The group sang on California radio stations (KFOX- KBGR-KBIG) in the 1940s, and was offered a full-time spot on radio station WOWO in Fort Wayne, Indiana, in 1949. In the 1950s, they recorded for RCA Victor. In 1959, The quartet's In The Garden album for RCA was produced by Chet Atkins, and also featured guitar work by Atkins. It was recorded in Nashville at RCAs Studio B. They also worked in collaboration with evangelist Rex Humbard between 1953 and 1963. The group's other key members at this time were Glen Payne, Armond Morales, and Henry Slaughter.[1]
The Weatherfords departed Akron, Ohio, for California in 1963, and the groups The Cathedrals and The Imperials were formed from members of the Weatherfords at this time as well.
Other notable members included Dallas Holm, whose time with the group was short due to his draft requirements during the Vietnam War; Jim Hammel, who went on to be a long-time member of the Kingmens Quartet; David Engles, who now owns and operates a radio network out of Tulsa, Oklahoma (KNYD); and Dave Roland (Dave & Sugar).
The Weatherfords were featured on Greystone Productions: The History Of Southern Gospel Music, that was featured on many PBS stations in the mid 1990s, as well as several of the early editions of the Gaither Homecoming Videos.
Earl Weatherford died in 1992. A few years later in 1999, Lily published an autobiography, With All My Heart. She performed with the Weatherfords and retired in June 2013. Earl and Lily Weatherford were inducted into the Southern Gospel Museum and Hall of Fame in 2000.[2]
Steve Weatherford And The Weatherfords are still touring nationally doing upwards of 250 concerts per year.[3]
It is believed the Weatherfords may hold the record for having the most members in a Gospel music group having had over 100 in a 70-year period.
Some members have included:
1976–present
lead 1948–1955
lead 19??–1956 The link is NOT to the James Hamill of the Kingsmen.
bass 19??–1956
tenor 1961
piano 1964–1966
lead 19??–1966
bass 19??–1973
piano 197?–197?
piano 1972–1974
bass 19??–1966
lead 1976–present
baritone 2007–2010
2010
1946 or 47??
Baritone 2000-2006?