The Wilmoth Quartet

1947-early 1980’s

The Wilmoth Quartet was “officially” organized in 1947 with the original members being Jere Wilmoth, Charlie Wilmoth, Dewey Wilmoth, and Ollie Wilmoth accompanied by Dawson Phy on guitar. The Quartet began performing on the newly formed local Radio Station WHUB and soon had their own show that was continuously broadcast each Sunday morning for many years with the same sponsor, the Wilmoth Insurance Agency, Cookeville, Tennessee, for the entire period.

The Quartet was well known throughout the Upper Cumberland and Middle Tennessee areas for its Church work and Singing Conventions. Many of these conventions were organized by prominent publishers of “shape note” song books and are still popular on both state and national levels. Members of the Quartet were promoters of Gospel Singings all of their lives.

Jere Wilmoth was the organizer and oldest continuous member of the Quartet. When they finally disbanded in the early 1980’s, the members were Raymond Anderson, Phyllis Wilmoth, Joe Ramsey, and Jere Wilmoth with Sharon Webb on piano and Ronnie Malone on the bass guitar. There was also a trio consisting of Carol Boles, Phyllis Wilmoth, and Sharon Webb. Others who performed for extended periods over the years include Marie Wilmoth on piano, Bill Wilmoth, Archie Gilliam, and Gaskill Warren.

The following additional names were provided by Phyllis Wilmoth: Other singers were Bill Ledbetter, Kenneth Bilbrey, Merrill Phy, Hubert Copeland, Morris Demps, Thurman Madewell, Tommy Moss, Kent Martin, and a Mr. Hickey; other musicians were Powell Phy, Harrell Phillips, Judy Martin, Mary Catherine Kirby, Roy Matheny, Frank Huddleston, Brenda Sherrill, Libby Maxwell, and Wayne Nabors. (*There may be names forgotten for which I apologize!)

The theme song for the Wilmoth Quartet was “Just a Little Talk with Jesus,” and a rendition of the theme song taken from their final album by the same name is provided below.

Just a Little Talk with Jesus

Early members of the quartet L-R:  Archie Gilliam, Bill Wilmoth, Dewey Wilmoth, Jere Wilmoth