Four guys who like gospel music and each other will release their first CD at a charity fundraiser Sunday.
By BRIDGET HALL GRUMET
Published September 18, 2004
DADE CITY - Allen Altman has an unmistakeable voice: a sharp Southern drawl with flat, intentional vowels, spun with a rapid-fire cadence and some downhome charm.
Anyone who followed the Penny for Pasco recognizes Altman as the lead voice of the citizens group that pushed for the sales tax increase. In his spare time, however, Altman lends his trademark vocals to another group: the First Four Quartet.
Altman formed the group three years ago with some friends from First Baptist Church of Dade City, on a why-don't-we-try-this kind of whim. The foursome offers gospel harmonies at various events, and Sunday the group will release its debut CD at a benefit for the Cornerstone Center for Women, a nonprofit pregnancy care center supported by Dade City churches.
"We never, even in our wildest dreams, dreamed it would progress to this point," said Altman, 46, manager of the Farm Bureau Insurance office in Dade City.
It helped to have George Shelton Jr. leading the way. The musical veteran of the group, Shelton, 50, sang in his first trio at age 12 and has made several appearances at the Grand Ole Gospel Opry in Nashville.
He knew plenty of old gospel songs and got new soundtracks made. The more the group sang at events, the more people asked: "Do you have a CD?"
Shelton knew how to arrange that, too, having recorded nearly 20 albums with various groups over the years.
The best thing about the First Four Quartet is, "I'm doing it with some guys I like," said Shelton, the parts manager at a Leesburg Cadillac dealership.
The group also includes Steve Wright, minister of pastoral care and seniors at First Baptist Church of Dade City; and Jim Sartain, a development consultant who previously served as vice president of Eckerd Youth Alternatives, a foundation for troubled youths.
Wright, 53, has 25 years of music ministry experience. Sartain, like Altman, entered the quartet as a musical novice.
"It took us two months to learn our first song," said Sartain, 41. "The intricate harmonies of Southern Gospel Quartet music were challenging primarily for me and for Allen."
But they're getting the hang of it. Altman now sings the solo part in some of the group's most requested songs, including Send the Light, the title track of the CD.
Not that he has any plans to quit his day job.
"Do we intend to start traveling and make something big out of this? The answer is no," Altman said. "We'll just continue to sing and have fun and hopefully bring a little joy into people's lives."
IF YOU GO
The First Four Quartet will perform at 6 p.m. Sunday at First Baptist Church of Dade City, 37511 Church Ave. Admission is free, although donations will be accepted for the Cornerstone Center for Women. CDs will be available for $15, with some proceeds also going to the pregnancy center.
