TAYLORTOWN QUARTET, BY FRED ALLEN

HERE IS A STORY BY MY BROTHER, FRED, THAT I NEVER EXPECTED ANYONE TO WRITE, BUT, IT IS TRUE.....I LOVED EVERY MINUTE OF SINGING WITH MY DEAREST FRIENDS.....

THE TAYLORTOWN QUARTET

by Fred M. Allen

Could they be the youngest quartet to sing four-part harmony in the whole, wide world? Very likely, but since I cannot prove it, I’ll gladly introduce you to the youngest quartet I have ever known, because they were all members of my home church in my early years, Union Church of Taylortown, Texas, located in southeast Lamar County.

Not only could they sing like angels, they were so young that none of them could drive a car to go to their singing engagements which covered quite a large area of the county. When they began singing together, their ages were, Kay and Duane 9, Rita 10, Terry and the pianist, Martha, 12. Yes Martha and Duane (In his 54th year as lead singer with the Oak Ridge Boys) were (and still are) my wonderful sister and brother; and Kay and Terry are distant cousins.

The Taylortown Quartet sang regularly in their home church as well as in other churches in the county. In talking with Duane recently, he shared with me that, during that time, our family did not own a car but a pickup. Our daddy made a bench to fit just behind the cab of the pickup so they all were sitting close together on that bench in the open air to keep their commitment to sing that day. When it rained they all squeezed under a tarp to keep dry. Kiddingly, I compared that to the bus the Oaks use to travel these days! Duane laughed.

Terry’s voice changed early and he was able to sing the bass like an older teenager. He has been leading the music in his home church near Paris for many years. Rita sang soprano, Kay sang alto and Duane sang tenor. Their favorite song was “At Calvary.” I recall that, when I was music director at East Paris Baptist Church, I invited them to come to share their music with our church, and they were very well received. In fact our folks there could hardly believe that the four children could actually sing four-part harmony at such a young age. 

When discussing the Taylortown Quartet with my sister, Martha, the pianist, she confided that, since she was not a trained pianist, the quartet was somewhat limited in the songs they sang because she could not play some of them; but she did her best. I was away in college when they were so popular in the area so I did not get to hear them except that one time; but I was so impressed with them and their singing that I hereby declare that they were by far the best YOUNG quartet I have ever heard. I wish there was a recording of their singing. 

Rita became a public school teacher and coach, and has retired. She now lives in Colorado. Kay sang in her church choir for years and I’m sure she has been a blessing to many with her beautiful alto voice. Kay became a public school teacher and is now retired. She lives in Lamar county. And, words cannot express how happy I am to see how God continues to use Brother Duane and the Oaks to be a blessing to so many people. Having heard their recent show in Arlington, TX, I am amazed at how strong their voices continue to be as they belt out “Elvira” and “Amazing Grace.” Thank you, Union Church and Taylortown Community for encouraging those five young’uns to be the best they could be – for God’s glory; and thanks be to God.