The Fairfield Four • Music and Conversation • 2025
Live Music
•
1h 13m
Levert Allison, Larrice Byrd, Bobbye Sherrell, Joe Thompson, and George Woods—current or recently retired members of a cappella group the Fairfield Four— sit down for an interview and perform in support of the Museum’s exhibit “Night Train to Nashville: Music City Rhythm & Blues Revisited.” This program was moderated by Jerry Zolten—an author, educator, and two-time producer for the group—and was recorded on August 2, 2025.
During the program, the Fairfield Four discuss their time growing up singing in church and playing R&B music, as well as their experiences recording as solo artists. They speak about their rehearsal process and demonstrate how they blend different vocal parts together. An impromptu performance of “Amazing Grace” illustrates the power of a cappella music. Additionally, the group reflects on their legacy, where their music will go from here, and the importance of their faith. They wrap up the program with live performances of “Have I Given Anything Today,” “There Must Be a City,” and “Standing in the Safety Zone.”
Nashville’s vibrant, pioneering Black gospel and R&B scene played an important role in building the city’s reputation as one of the world’s leading music centers. The Fairfield Four, founded in Nashville more than one hundred years ago, has been instrumental in preserving and revitalizing one of the oldest styles of traditional gospel singing. They were named National Endowment for the Arts National Heritage Fellows in 1989, received the Tennessee Lifetime Achievement Award in 1994, were inducted into the Gospel Music Hall of Fame in 1999, and have won three Grammys.
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