The Rangers Quartet (1935-1956; 1958)

History

During the Depression Era of the 1930's, Vernon Hyles, Arnold Hyles, George Hughes and Walter Leverett formed a quartet that soon became known as the Texas Rangers. Vernon sang lead and played the guitar. George Hughes was a fine tenor, and Walter Leverett was a very smooth baritone singer. The showcase of the group was "The World’s Lowest Basso Profundo" Arnold Hyles. Arnold’s voice was loud and rough. It made for a unique sounding quartet with a very heavy sound. The group drew large crowds and was soon commissioned as honorary Texas Rangers. They were also denoted as "Ambassadors of Good Will" for the state of Texas. After a few years of touring, the name was shortened to "The Rangers".

The Rangers were master showmen. As their reputation began to grow, they began traveling outside of Texas. In keeping with their master showmanship, they decided to ride bicycles from Texas to New York City to perform on "The Major Bowles Amateur Hour". The bicycle riding didn’t last long, as they began to perform in towns throughout the country. The trip to New York was soon forgotten, and the Rangers were drawing large crowds and making an excellent living doing what they loved . . . SINGING!

George Hughes left the group in 1938 and subsequently joined the Swanee River Boys. Denver Crumpler was hired to sing the tenor part, and the popularity of the group continued to grow. Denver took over the guitar playing and brought a clear Irish tenor voice to the group that became part of their trademark sound. Denver’s lyric tenor and Arnold Hyles’ bottomless bass were the anchors for one of the finest quartets in that era. Walter Leverett and Vernon Hyles were both excellent musicians with extraordinary ranges, and they complimented the outside parts quite nicely. The Rangers began to incorporate intricate harmonies and key changes in their music that many groups of that era could only dream about.

In the late 1930's, the Rangers moved from WHAS radio in Louisville, Kentucky to WBT radio in Charlotte, North Carolina. Shortly after moving to North Carolina, the Rangers decided to hire their first pianist: new SGMA Hall of Fame member Marion Snider. He brought excellent piano skills to the group and was a master showman himself.

Around this time, the Rangers were responsible for many innovations in the gospel singing field. They signed a recording contract with Decca records in 1939 and recorded a number of songs for both Decca and Okeh with only Denver’s guitar as accompaniment.

They were the first quartet to have a commercially sponsored gospel radio network program. The Rangers were also the first gospel quartet to become a full time group completely on their own. They did not supplement their income with side jobs or songbook sales. They were professional gospel music entertainers! Other groups soon followed the Rangers lead for the Rangers quickly found out that they could be more prosperous by associating themselves with radio stations that would allow them to book their own concerts and advertise their programs on the air. As was typical in that era, their programs featured a mixture of hymns, gospel, pop, and Western tunes.

The Rangers left Charlotte in 1944 and moved to radio station WWVA in Wheeling, West Virginia. Marion Snider had left the group earlier and was replaced by Charles Friar. Soon thereafter, WBT hired Larry Walker as staff pianist and he began playing for the Rangers. When they moved to Wheeling, Denver again pulled out the guitar and the Rangers added even more western and cowboy songs to their repritore. The Rangers made a short move to Richmond, Virginia where they procured the services of Lee Roy Abernathy as pianist. Lee Roy soon convinced them to move to Atlanta, Georgia. Professor Abernathy’s comments about the Rangers were this: "I decided to hunt the world’s finest quartet, and play the piano for them just to advertise my piano course by mail. I decided upon the Rangers who were singing on WRVA in Richmond, Virginia. I played with them for fifteen months before they fired me. . . "

While working in Atlanta, they recorded four songs for RCA Victor. WBT in Charlotte again asked the Rangers to rejoin their station, and in 1947, the Rangers again moved to Charlotte. Although Lee Roy says they "fired him" other accounts say that he didn’t want to leave the Atlanta area, so Hovie Lister left the Homeland Harmony Qt. to join the Rangers in Charlotte. During Hovie’s short tenure with the Rangers, they recorded four songs for Bullet Records, one being a solo by Hovie Lister. Hovie became the first member of the group to record a solo.

Hovie didn’t care for the Charlotte area either, so he soon moved back to Atlanta opening the seat on the piano bench to another future Statesman, Doy Ott. When Doy joined the Rangers, he was known as a pianist and not a vocalist. The Rangers then did a tour of duty at WIBW in Topeka, Kansas.

When Doy Ott left the quartet in May of 1949, David Reece, formerly with the Blue Ridge Quartet, became their pianist. On June 1, 1949, baritone Walter Leverett succumbed to a heart attack, and the Rangers were forced to make their first personnel change in vocalists in more than ten years. Erman Slater from Sand Mountain, Alabama became the new baritone. Slater had previously sung with the Harmoneers. The Rangers soon moved to WPTF in Raleigh, NC. That particular group began their own "Record of the Month" club which they distributed under their own "Rangers" label.

Tragedy again struck the Rangers in early 1951 when Arnold Hyles and Erman Slater were involved in an automobile accident and were hit by a drunk driver. Slater was killed instantly, and Hyles was severely injured. Arnold was out of action for many months, as the doctors gave him little hope for survival.

Although Vernon then considered disbanding the group, the hospital bills were mounting up. Jimmy Jones joined the group six days after the accident, and the Rangers continued as a four-man group with David Reece playing the piano and singing baritone. Jimmy did a very admirable job in filling the spot of one of the greatest bass singers in gospel music history. That particular group soon moved to Dallas, Texas to work for the Liberty Broadcasting System. The Rangers continued to thrive. At one time the Rangers were heard on more than 450 radio stations from coast to coast.

After a long period of recuperation, Arnold Hyles began making selected appearances with the quartet singing a few songs, but he wasn’t up to full time singing. For these performances, he would be in a wheelchair, for his injuries hadn’t fully healed. Arnold lived in constant pain for the remainder of his life.

Personnel changes were few and far between with the Rangers until 1953. Then, David Reece left the group and was replaced by Cecil Pollock. Glenn Sessions joined the group as a sixth member, filling in both at lead and baritone. Jimmy Jones moved to baritone when Arnold would return to the group, and switch back to bass when Arnold couldn’t make the dates. The last change in 1953 occurred at the same time when Jimmy Jones left to form the Deep South Quartet and Denver Crumpler left to join the Statesmen. Denver was replaced by Gene Moss, a great tenor from the Stamps-Baxter Quartet.

The Rangers decided to pursue a move to Hollywood. Cecil Pollock remained in Texas and was replaced by pianist Elmer Childress. Glenn Sessions soon moved back to Texas, and was replaced by Ralph Dailey. After a short time in California, the Rangers moved to Wichita, Kansas. Dailey remained in California, and Childress did double duty as pianist and baritone vocalist. The Rangers disbanded shortly thereafter in 1956.

In 1958, David Reece re-organized the Rangers Quartet for a short run. They transitioned into the Rangers Trio. In the years that followed, the group founded by Reece performed at times as a quartet. Reece eventually passed the rights to the Rangers name to Bill Nelson, whose son, Mike, now manages a part-time Rangers Quartet.

Discography

Singles

1939 (Decca Records/5735): I've Found A Hiding Place; You Got To Be Holy (Denver Crumpler, Vernon Hyles, Walter Leverette, Arnold Hyles) (re-issued on Decca-Reissues 46055.

1939 (Decca Records/5736): Holy Be Thy Great Hame; He Bore It All (Denver Crumpler, Vernon Hyles, Walter Leverette, Arnold Hyles) ("He Bore It All" was re-issued on Decca-Reissues 46331).

1939 (Decca Records/5749): Just A Little Talk With Jesus; I've Been Listening In On Heaven (Denver Crumpler, Vernon Hyles, Walter Leverette, Arnold Hyles).

1939 (Decca Records/5768): What Would You Give; I'm In The King's Highway (Denver Crumpler, Vernon Hyles, Walter Leverette, Arnold Hyles) (re-issued on Decca-Reissues 46056).

1939 (Decca Records/5781): In The Shadow Of The Cross; Through This World I Sadly Roam (Denver Crumpler, Vernon Hyles, Walter Leverette, Arnold Hyles).

1939 (Decca Records/5802): I Dreamed I Met Mother And Dad (re-issue); I Shall Go Home In The Morning (Denver Crumpler, Vernon Hyles, Walter Leverette, Arnold Hyles) ("I Shall Go Home In The Morning" was re-issued on Decca-Reissues 46331).

1941 (Conqueror Records/9877): Keep A Happy Heart; Let Jesus Convey You Home (Denver Crumpler, Vernon Hyles, Walter Leverette, Arnold Hyles). (Also released on Okeh Records/6445.)

1941 (Conqueror Records/9878): Goodbye Sin; The Glory Special (Denver Crumpler, Vernon Hyles, Walter Leverette, Arnold Hyles). ("Goodbye Sin" also released on Okeh Records/6513) with "I've Changed My Mind") ("The Glory Special" also released on Okeh Records/6578 with "If Heaven's Any Better").

1941 (Conqueror Records/9879): Mighty The Lord; Beyond The Clouds (Denver Crumpler, Vernon Hyles, Walter Leverette, Arnold Hyles). (Also released on Okeh Records/6569).

1941 (Conqueror Records/9880): Somebody Knows; Where He Leads Me (Denver Crumpler, Vernon Hyles, Walter Leverette, Arnold Hyles) ("Where He Leads Me" also released on Okeh Records.).

1941 (Conqueror Records/9881): If Heaven's Any Better; I Will Slip Away (Denver Crumpler, Vernon Hyles, Walter Leverette, Arnold Hyles) ("I Will Slip Away" also released on Okeh Records.).

1941 (Okeh Records/possibly unreleased): An Old Log Cabin For Sale; Somebody Knows (Denver Crumpler, Vernon Hyles, Walter Leverette, Arnold Hyles).

1946 (RCA Victor/20-2091): Lord I'm Ready Now To Go; Riding The Range For Jesus (Denver Crumpler, Vernon Hyles, Walter Leverette, Arnold Hyles, Lee Roy Abernathy).

1946 (RCA Victor/20-2213): Listen To The Bells; You Got To Get Right If You Would Win (Denver Crumpler, Vernon Hyles, Walter Leverette, Arnold Hyles, Lee Roy Abernathy).

1947 (Bullet Records/106}: Just A Little Talk With Jesus; Looking For A City (Denver Crumpler, Vernon Hyles, Walter Leverette, Arnold Hyles, Hovie Lister).

1947 (Bullet Records/109}: Down On My Knees; I Couldn't Begin To Tell You (Denver Crumpler, Vernon Hyles, Walter Leverette, Arnold Hyles, Hovie Lister).

19?? (Rangers Record Club/1001): Lead Me To That Rock; He Will Lead His Children Home (Denver Crumpler, Vernon Hyles, Erman Slater, Arnold Hyles, David Reese).

19?? (Rangers Record Club/1002): My Non Stop Flight To Glory?; Roll On Jordan (Denver Crumpler, Vernon Hyles, Erman Slater, Arnold Hyles, David Reese).

19?? (Rangers Record Club/1003): He'll Understand And Say Well Done; On The Jericho Road (Denver Crumpler, Vernon Hyles, Erman Slater, Arnold Hyles, David Reese).

19?? (Rangers Record Club/1004): Wanna Rest; Over The Moon (Denver Crumpler, Vernon Hyles, Erman Slater, Arnold Hyles, David Reese).

19?? (Rangers Record Club/1005): You Sho Do Need Him Now; Wait Till You See My Brand New Home (Denver Crumpler, Vernon Hyles, Erman Slater, Arnold Hyles, David Reese).

19?? (Rangers Record Club/1006): I've Got Heaven On My Mind; Old Fashioned Love (Denver Crumpler, Vernon Hyles, Erman Slater, Arnold Hyles, David Reese).

19?? (Rangers Record Club/1007): I'm Free Again; Looking For A City (Denver Crumpler, Vernon Hyles, Erman Slater, Arnold Hyles, David Reese).

19?? (Rangers Record Club/1008): Sing Brother Sing; Peace In The Valley (Denver Crumpler, Vernon Hyles, Erman Slater, Arnold Hyles, David Reese).

19?? (Rangers Record Club/1009): It Is No Secret; There Must Be A God (Denver Crumpler, Vernon Hyles, Erman Slater, Arnold Hyles, David Reese).

19?? (Rangers Record Club/1010): Led Out Of Bondage; When They Ring Those Golden Bells (Denver Crumpler, Vernon Hyles, Erman Slater, Arnold Hyles, David Reese).

19?? (Rangers Record Club/1011): My Journey To The Sky; Jesus Will Be Waiting For Me (Denver Crumpler, Vernon Hyles, Erman Slater, Arnold Hyles, David Reese).

19?? (Rangers Record Club/1012): The Old Time Faith Is What We Need; There Is A Song (Denver Crumpler, Vernon Hyles, Erman Slater, Arnold Hyles, David Reese).

19?? (Rangers Record Club/1013): I'm Bound For The Kingdom; Jesus Is A Way Maker (Denver Crumpler, Vernon Hyles, Erman Slater, Arnold Hyles, David Reese).

19?? (Rangers Record Club/1014): Talk About Jesus; Do You Know Him (Denver Crumpler, Vernon Hyles, Erman Slater, Arnold Hyles, David Reese).

19?? (Rangers Record Club/1015): My God Is Real; This Heart Of Mine (Denver Crumpler, Vernon Hyles, Erman Slater, Arnold Hyles, David Reese).

19?? (Rangers Record Club/1016): In My Father's House; I Just Telephone Upstairs (Denver Crumpler, Vernon Hyles, Erman Slater, Arnold Hyles, David Reese).

195? (International Records/1651): In My Father's House; I Just Telephone Upstairs (Denver Crumpler, Glen Sessions, Vernon Hyles, Arnold Hyles, Cecil Pollock).

195? (International Records/1651): He's The Lily Of The Valley; This Heart Of Mine (Denver Crumpler, Glen Sessions, Vernon Hyles, Arnold Hyles, Cecil Pollock).

195? (International Records/1655): My Lord And I; I Have A Desire (Denver Crumpler, Glen Sessions, Vernon Hyles, Arnold Hyles, Cecil Pollock).

195? (International Records/1657): You Sho Do Need Him Now; Rock Of Ages Hide Thou Me (Denver Crumpler, Glen Sessions, Vernon Hyles, Arnold Hyles, Cecil Pollock).

Albums

1963 In My Father's House (Sword And Shield Records/LPM-1313): In My Father's House; I Have A Desire; My God Is Real; This Heart Of Mine; Lead Me To The Rock; Old Fashioned Love In My Heart; Talk About Jesus; On The Jericho Road; He'll Understand And Say Well Done; It Is No Secret; Roll On Jordan; Non Stop Flight To Glory.

1963 Arnold Hyles And The Original Rangers Quartet (Sword And Shield Records/LPM-1314): Lonesome Road; Well Done, My Child; I Am A Pilgrim; Anchored In Love Divine; I've Got A Date To Meet An Angel; There Will Be Peace In The Valley For Me; My Journey To The Sky; I'm Free Again; Listen To The Bells; Rock Of Ages; Looking For A City; He's The Lily Of The Valley.