Biography
In 2001 at the National Quartet Convention, The Kingsmen Quartet name was retired abruptly after it had been purchased by Charles Burke. Ray Dean Reese reorganized the remaining Kingsmen members and toured for two years billed as the "Carolina Boys Quartet". The group had to get its own sound equipment, bus, etc. During their first near 10 months as the CBQ, the Southern Gospel music industry's top magazine Singing News (then owned by Maurice Templeton and Jerry Kirksey; since 2005, owned by Salem Communications) totally ignored the group. After the release of their album and the subsequent success of the song "God Sits on High", the group could not be ignored. "The Carolina Boys", despite carrying a lineage that featured over 40 years of quartet singing, were honored with the "Horizon Award" by the readers of the Singing News the following year (legally, with the new name and owner in Reese, the group could be declared "new").
During this time, they had a hit song ”God Sits On High,” featuring tenor singer Jerry Martin. Nick Succi had replaced the departing Andrew Ishee at piano at Reese's "new" group, and Tim Surrett returned the following year replacing Parker Jonathon. Jerry Martin left to join the Dove Brothers Quartet and was replaced by Derrick Boyd, who was later replaced by Jeremy Peace. It is interesting to note they had 2 number one hits within a year under 2 different names, The Kingsmen Quartet & The Carolina Boys Quartet. The songs were Joy's Gonna Come In The Morning & God Sits On High.
Reese and his Carolina Entertainment, Inc, organization was able in 2004 to acquire the Kingsmen Quartet name back from Burke, and promptly changed his group's name back to the Kingsmen Quartet.
Despite getting the Kingsmen name back, Ray still owned The Carolina Boys name and domain carolinaboys.com, for newer fans who didn't know them as The Kingsmen.
In 2009, a group called The Total Praise Quartet acquired The Carolina Boys name, with full support from Ray Dean Reese. The Total Praise Quartet made some recordings in the mid 2000's for Morningstar Records, which included some Kingsmen and Cathedral songs that few groups ever covered.
Based in the Upstate of South Carolina, The Carolina Boys Quartet is a band of Christian brothers who hold high the mission of sharing the love of Jesus Christ with a lost and dying world. From the highest tenor note to the lowest bass note and everything in between the Carolina Boys Quartet is sure to grab your attention while allowing the words of the songs to grab at your heart. These men have shared the stage with such names as Janet Paschal, Ivan Parker, The Crist Family, Greater Vision, The Florida Boys, The Kingsmen, Tim Lovelace, and countless others. You will surely agree that their spirit bears witness of the genuine love and compassion for this calling of ministry.
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