It’s not every day that you chance upon a man who can sing an Elvis song in German. But sometimes you do chance upon the most interesting people when you travel.
We just got back from the Memphis Quartet Show. Some of you know that my husband, Darrell, has been singing Southern Gospel music for many years. (By the way, this isn’t Darrell. You have to keep reading to find out who is singing in the video.) Darrell first started singing bass with a quartet called the Melotones over forty years ago and has been singing with various groups ever since. Currently, he is back singing with the Patriots. If any of you are interested in hearing how he sounds with the group you can check out some of the songs on the Patriot Quartet website.
Darrell loves that all male quartet sound with the four-part harmony. I’m more into words than music, but a good tune to some great words can get my toe tapping. Many of the groups wisely add some fun to their concerts with a little comedy mixed in with the songs. The Booth Brothers are great at that. They are a trio, not a quartet, but they have so many fans that those in charge of Memphis Qt Show invited them to grab a bass singer from another singing group got an afternoon show. Their show was great with the perfect mix of laughs and spirit moving songs.
So, we had four days of uplifting and encouraging music. The Southern Gospel sound varies from upbeat like “Looking for a City” to spirit driven songs like “Beulah Land.” Memphis was full of gospel music fans and it was easy to strike up a conversation with whomever you might end up sitting beside at the concerts or standing beside as you waited for the elevator in the hotel or on the trolley running around town.
One day, as Darrell and I were waiting for a van to pick us up for a sight-seeing tour of Memphis, a couple came out of the hotel to wait for the same van. And isn’t it a small world? We had met them before when they heard the Patriots sing at Renfro Valley. We didn’t recognize them and they didn’t recognize us, but when I mentioned the Patriots, Sharon remembered hearing the quartet sing and about “that woman who writes books.” Well, that was me. So, while Darrell retreated to the air-conditioning inside, Fred, Sharon and I stayed outside waiting for the van and talking about this and that. They said they were gong to visit Graceland because they were Elvis fans. Then Fred, who taught high school German, told me he could sing Elvis songs in German and proceeded to demonstrate that. So I asked if I could video him. The video is a few lines of “You Ain’t Nothing but Hound Dog.” I think. I obviously don’t know German, but it’s one of those Hound Dog songs. LOL. The last line he says, “Thank you very much” the way Elvis sometimes did. Fred, who is retired now, said he used to substitute teaching German and he’d keep the kids interested by singing Elvis in German. He kept me interested for sure. Thanks, Fred. For more information about Fred and Sharon and their ministry and performing check out their website.
So, don’t you love chance meetings? So glad I struck up a conversation with them. Else I would have never heard a German Elvis impersonation.
Oh, and thank you very much for reading.
P.S. Murder at the Courthouse is $1.99 Amazon Kindle for a limited time. Always double check the price if you want to be sure of getting the sale price.
Comments 8
I am so glad Darrell is singing again. I like gospel music. It sounds like you had a wonderful trip! Only you would meet a German Elvis! LOL
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You just never know what might happen in Memphis, Roberta. I’ll have to give you one of Darrell’s CDS the next time I see you.
I, too, enjoy male gospel quartets. We have a friend, Pierce Blankenship, whose brother sang and may still sing with the Booth Brothers. Several years ago they were in Ocean Sorings, MS, at FBC and they invited Pierce to sing base with them. Our gospel radio station shut down some years back. I certainly do miss them!!! I’ve always wanted to go to Memphis to attend the convention. Pierce and his wife used to go every year. Thank you for sharing this experience.
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I really enjoy the Booth Brothers, Karen, but I’m the world’s worst at remembering the singers’ names. So not sure who is singing with them right now. I liked the Convention, but it seemed like a really long drive for us going down there, but then we did get in the middle of a terrible storm where you could barely see where you were going because it was raining so hard. So that might have made the trip seem longer. The National Quartet Convention has moved to Pigeon Forge from Louisville. We went every year in Louisville but haven’t followed them to Pigeon Forge. Some people like it there and some don’t. They changed the line-up to include soloists and speakers and that wasn’t what my husband preferred hearing. He likes that quartet sound.
What a small world! My husband and I have been sending notes to a shut-in member of church. Her daughter has been contacting us to thank us for the notes. We finally met the daughter and her husband in person yesterday and now, we have a great new friendship. God works in wonderful ways to give us His blessings of friends.
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He does indeed, Melissa. Sending notes to those unable to attend church any longer is such a great thing to do. I also do that for some of those in our church. Some of the people look forward to receiving that cheery note in the mail. I’m glad to hear you gained some new friends through your note writing ministry.
Great story Ann!!
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Thank you very much, Marihelen. 🙂 Did you hear my Elvis impersonation in those words? I do appreciate you checking out my posts here each and every time. It’s always fun to see comments to let me know who has dropped by. I thought I was doing Emily’s story last night, but then I reread her note to me and she wants me to publish it next Sunday on her aunt’s birthday.