Palmetto State Quartet returns to Kalispell for concert on Thursday, Oct. 13
September 29, 2011KALISPELL – A revamped Palmetto State Quartet, absent from theMontanascene for several years, returns to Kalispell for a7 p.m.gospel music concert on Thursday, Oct. 13, atChristianCenter,255 Summit Ridge Dr.
“With nearly a complete change of singers, reflecting a change in ownership, we’re going to see and hear a Palmetto group that’s almost completely new to us,” said Dean Conklin, president of the sponsoring Montana Gospel Music Association. “Tenor Wesley Smith will be the only familiar face – he was singing with Palmetto the last time they visited theFlatheadValley.”
On Palmetto’s many earlier visits to Kalispell, Kerry Beatty was the lead singer and owner of the quartet. He retired in 2009 and sold the group to Larry Strickland, a bass singer who had been part of J.D. Sumner and the Stamps Quartet before leaving the group to manage the business affairs of his wife, singer Naomi Judd.
Palmetto’s roots go back to the days of 1946. The group has a long history of excellent musicians – pianists like Jamie Dill who was a co-founder of the group as well as former Statesman Hovie Lister, Andrew Ishee and Brian Elliott.
Smith’s predecessors in the high tenor position include Brion Carter and John Rulapaugh. Palmetto’s better-known baritone singers include Tony Peace, while Strickland’s predecessors at bass include Jeff Pearles, Aaron McCune and Burman Porter.
Along with Smith and Strickland, the current group includes lead singer Paul Lancaster and baritone David Darst, both of whom have several years’ experience in gospel music.
The local group opening the concert is Spare Parts, a trio including Dale and Joy Gregory, and Joy’s sister Martha Oursland.
As is the usual practice for Montana Gospel Music Association-sponsored concerts, no tickets are required for admission to the concert. However, an offering will be received in place of tickets.
This event is the final concert of MGMA’s 2011 season.
