Black American Gospel Music Series, The Harmonizing Four
name: label: Collection Collector
content: Maltsby, Portia
label: Collection Creator
content: Smithsonian Institution. Program in African American Culture
setName: label: See more items in
content: Program in African American Culture Collection
label: See more items in
content: Program in African American Culture Collection / Series 1: Program Files
unitdate: label: Date
content: 1981 April 12
container: label: Container
content: Box 10, Folder 10
dataSource: label: Archival Repository
content: Archives Center, National Museum of American History
objectType: label: Type
content: Archival materials
scopecontent: label: Scope and Contents
content: Concert held Sunday April 12, 1981 at Baird Auditorium, National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution. It paid tribute to the Harmonizing Four, an all-male gospel group from Richmond, Virginia, who have been singing together for more than fifty years. The group began singing together on October 27, 1927. The original quartet members were Joseph Williams, Thomas Johnson, Jr., Lawrence Hatchett, and Lawrence Longhorn (the latter two now deceased). The Harmonizing Four began as an informal a cappella group who sang spirituals, hymns, and classic gospel songs. Every member is a leader and soloist and they do all of their own arranging. The present group includes two original members. The Harmonizing Four documented here are Joseph Williams (lead, baritone, manager, and spokesman) Thomas Johnson, Jr. (lead, second tenor) Lonnie Smith Sr. (lead, first tenor) Thomas Ellis Johnson (bass) Rick Monroe (guitarist) From notes on the artists, program nNotes by Dr. Bernice Johnson Reagon. See program notes for additional information about the Harmonizing Four and the Black American Gospel Music Series. The Division of Performing Arts presented the concert as part of the Black American Gospel Music Series. The series and program were organized by Dr. Bernice Johnson Reagon, director, Program in Black American Culture (later known as the Program in African American Culture). Program number AC408.11.