Southbound Train
Released on Southbound Train (1926)
Covered by
(8 artists)
- Aliases
-
Alabama Four
The Birmingham Jubilee Singers
Birmingham Quartet
The Birmingham Quartet
The Mobile Four
- Years active
- since 1926
- Country
- United States
- Comments
-
Gospel quartet from Birmingham, Alabama, assembled by Charles Bridges. Bridges sang lead, accompanied by Leo "Lot" Key, tenor, Dave Ausbrooks, baritone, and Ed Sherrill.
The group became Alabama's first professional quartet when in 1926 they were discovered by a Columbia Records talent scout, and travelled from Jefferson County to record in Atlanta. They achieved nationwide popularity through their live radio broadcasts over WAPI, WVRC and WJLD.
Becoming one of Columbia's most prolific black vocal groups, they played vaudeville stages in New York and Chicago with the likes of Ethel Waters. They played a mix of both gospel songs and secular material, performing on gospel and vaudeville stages alike.
The group disbanded in the 1930s when Dave Ausbrooks died. Their complete recorded works were reissued on two compact discs in 1995 by the Document Records label.
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