The Palmetto State Quartet was a professional

Southern Gospel Southern gospel music is a genre of Christian music. Its name comes from its origins in the southeastern United States. Its lyrics are written to express either personal or a communal faith regarding biblical teachings and Christian life, as ...

quartet In music, a quartet or quartette (, , , , ) is an ensemble of four singers or instrumental performers; or a musical composition for four voices and instruments. Classical String quartet In classical music, one of the most common combinations o ...

that originated in

Greenville, South Carolina Greenville (; locally ) is a city in and the seat of Greenville County, South Carolina, United States. With a population of 70,720 at the 2020 census, it is the sixth-largest city in the state. Greenville is located approximately halfway be ...

, in the mid-1940s. In 1988 they received at a Singing News Fan Awards ceremony the Marvin Norcross Award for contributions to Southern Gospel over their career. Their song "Knock, Knock, Knock" was dubbed "number one radio single" by ''

Singing News Singing is the act of creating musical sounds with the voice. A person who sings is called a singer, artist or vocalist (in jazz and/or popular music). Singers perform music (arias, recitatives, songs, etc.) that can be sung with or without ...

'' magazine in 2004.

Personnel History

TENOR
Leon Sutherland (1948–1949)
Clarence Owens (1949–1960)
Claude Hunter (1960–1963)
Jerry Hovis (1963–1970)
Claude Hunter (1970–1985)
Eddie Broome (1985–1993)
Brion Carter (1993–2002)
John Rulapaugh (2002–2006)
Wesley Smith (2006–2008, 2011))
Jeremy Calloway (2008–2009)
Robert Fulton (2009–2011)
Jeremy Easley (2011-2013)
LEAD
Woodrow Pittman (1948–1954)
Jack Pittman (1954-1960?) (at some point Pittman & Bagwell switched parts)
Jack Bagwell (1960–1968)
Harold Schronce (1968–70)
Jack Bagwell (1970-1997)
Kerry Beatty (1997–2009)
Paul Lancaster (2009-2013)
David Staton (2013) BARITONE
Malone Thomason (1948–1952)
Jack Bagwell (1952-1960?) (at some point Pittman & Bagwell switched parts)
Jack Pittman (1960–1967)
Laverne Tripp (1967–68)
Jerome Bush (1968–69)
Milton Sigmon (1969–70)
Jack Pittman (1970–1997)
Tony Peace (1997–2004)
Rick Fair (2004–2008)
Brian Beatty (2008–2009)
David Darst (2009–2012)
David Staton (2012-2013)
DaRon Maughon (2013) BASS
Paul Burroughs (1948–1955)
Ellison Jenkins (1955–1961)
Ken Turner (1961–1968)
Joe Divine (1968-1969)
Chuck Bright (1969-1970)
Cliff King (1970–1976)
Jerry Trotter (1976–1979)
Joel Duncan (1979–1994)
Harold Gilley (1994–1997)
Jeff Pearles (1997–2003)
Jason Brooks (2003)
Aaron McCune (2003–2006)
Burman Porter (2006–2008)
Larry Strickland (2008–2013)
Mike Allen (2013)

PIANO
Milton Bishop (1948–1949)
Jamie Dill (1949–1968)
Charles Abee (1968–1969)
Carroll Melvin (1970) Jamie Dill (1970–1987)
David McAbee (1987–1989)

Hovie Lister Hovie Franklin Lister (September 17, 1926 – December 28, 2001) was an American gospel musician, Baptist Minister, and politician. Lister was best known for his time as the front man of the Statesmen Quartet, perhaps the most well known and reno ...

(1989–1991)
Woody Beatty (1991–1999)
Jerry Kelso (1999–2001)
Andrew Ishee (2001–2006)
Bryan Elliott (2006–2008)
KC Martin (2008–2009)

Mark Carman Mark Lewyn Carman (born September 3, 1960) is an American music producer, singer, songwriter, and social activist. Career Music Carman is known primarily for his role as the musical arranger and co-producer of the Grammy nominated album by cou ...

(2009–2010)
Mark Willett (2010–2010)
KC Martin (2010-2013)
VARIOUS
Charles Waller (1983–1997, Manager/Promoter)
Eddie Broome (1984–1985, Bass Guitar/Vocals)
Louie Sprouse (1986, Bass Guitar)
J.J. Jennings (1987, Bass Guitar)
Woody Beatty (1990–1991, Keyboards)
Michael W. Carman (2008-2011, Road Manager) {{DEFAULTSORT:Palmetto State Quartet American gospel musical groups Gospel quartets Musical groups established in the 1940s Musical groups from South Carolina Southern gospel performers