Jonathan Sawrie

Biography

Jonathan Sawrie was inspired to sing gospel music at the age of six when he saw a concert by the Venable Quartet. He played and sang with his parents in the Sawrie Family beginning at the age of seven.

Sawrie later sang in a trio called Homeward Bound. In 1986, the members of Homeward Bound encouraged Melody Boys bass singer, Gerald Williams, to come hear their trio sing. Williams obliged and after the concert, jokingly commented that they were good, but they needed a bass singer. Williams had disbanded the Melody Boys in December of 1986. After a meeting, Homeward Bound along with their band merged with Williams and adopted the Melody Boys name.

Sawrie sang lead for the Melody Boys Quartet from 1987-2002. For the first few years, Sawrie was attending college and Mike Franklin was in the Air Force, so the group sang on a part-time basis. They went full-time in 1996. Sawrie left in 2002, then returned in 2003 and sang with the Melody Boys again for about a year.

After his first departure from the Melody Boys in 2002, Sawrie wrote a humorous "open letter" about his departure with lines like: "No, I didn't get mad and quit 'cause I didn't get my way. I didn't get fired for stealing mic cords. I'm not going solo - ya'll don't think I'm that crazy do you? I did call Les Beasley and see if he wanted to start a duet ministry. He said he'd think about it."

After leaving the Melody Boys, Sawrie played piano and sang with the Blackwood Gospel Quartet with Mark Blackwood and Josh Garner. He has also been a regular fixture at the Grand Ole Gospel Reunion events. he also performed with the Plainsmen.

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