The Melody Boys Quartet "Exit 63" Tour Comes to Salem Baptist Church

Members of "The Melody Boys Quartet," singing at Salem Baptist Church, California, Saturday, April 21, as part of the "Exit 63" Tour; from left, are Mike Franklin, Chris Walton, Jason Tapley and Gerald Williams.
Members of "The Melody Boys Quartet," singing at Salem Baptist Church, California, Saturday, April 21, as part of the "Exit 63" Tour; from left, are Mike Franklin, Chris Walton, Jason Tapley and Gerald Williams.

The Melody Boys Quartet, a southern gospel group based out of Little Rock, Ark., performed at Salem Baptist Church, California, Saturday, April 21, as part of their "Exit 63" Tour. Roy Barnard, pastor at Salem Baptist Church, said the group has been doing a tour of Mid-Missouri and offered to perform at the church for only a love offering.

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Distinctive mah-jongg bracelets are among the finds at Private Collections in Capital Park.

"It is exciting," Barnard said, "anytime we can have a group of men that is committed and has been involved in ministry all across the United States. This is one of the great things you find in ministry is you see people willing to minister to anyone. We are a small church but that was not a question. They wanted to know if they could sing and minister."

The group is made up of four singers Chris Walton, Jason Tapley, Mike Franklin and Gerald Williams. Williams has ministered in southern gospel quartets for 63 years, 59 of those with The Melody Boys Quartet.

For more of this story check out the April 25 issue of the California Democrat.