The Niles Star

Southern gospel quartet the Florida Boys to perform in Niles Sunday

The gospel quartet Florida Boys will perform Sunday at Michiana Christian Embassy in Niles. (Photo submitted)

By AARON MUELLER

Niles Daily Star

One of Charlie Waller’s fondest memories of his childhood was seeing one of his favorite musical acts perform live.

The Florida Boys, a southern gospel quartet that performed from 1947 until 2007 and recorded more than 100 albums, were legends of gospel music, and the 16-year-old Waller was pinching himself when he met them after their show.

“I had seen them on TV. They were just stars to me,” Waller said. “It’s like a kid today going to see Michael Jackson or something like that. To see them in person I was just in awe.”

Now more than 45 years later, Waller, a Mississippi native, is a member of the revamped Florida Boys group, which he brought together after three of the group’s original members Les Beasley, Glen Allred and Derrell Stewart called it quits after decades of performing traditional Southern Gospel music throughout the country.

Waller (lead vocals), Buddy Burton (baritone), Chip Cooper (bass) and Eddie Broome (tenor) now make up the Florida Boys, and they will bring their four-part harmonies to Michiana Christian Embassy in Niles at 6 p.m Sunday.

The new members are well-established in the industry. Burton is a member of the Gospel Music Hall of Fame, Waller is in the Southern Gospel Music Association Hall of Fame and Eddie Broome is in the South Carolina Gospel Music Hall of Fame.

When the original Florida Boys retired, Waller was working as a promoter for the Southern Gospel Music Association, an organization he still works for, and he began talking with Les Beasley, the manager of the Florida Boys, to try to revive the quartet.

Waller suggested they bring together some young singers to carry on the name, but  Beasley balked at the idea and suggested Waller continue on the group.

“I hated to see the name die, because we have lost a lot of icons in the industry,” Waller said.

The new Florida Boys group has continued the tradition by performing hits of the original group throughout the country. They also have released a CD called “On a Journey” and appear on the Daystar television network.

Original Florida Boys members even perform with them on occasion.

“It’s just an honor to be carrying on their legacy,” Waller said, “because those guys really paved the way and helped bring gospel music to the forefront.”

Although the Florida Boys’ music has a strong Christian message, Waller said don’t expect any sermons.

“It’s inspirational music, but it’s entertaining,” he said. “The message is in the song. We don’t preach in our concerts.”

Those who attend the concert Sunday can expect to hear original Florida Boys hits, like “Standing on the Solid Rock,” “Lead Me to the Altar” and “When He was on the Cross,” which was No. 1 on the gospel music charts in 1984.