Vicksburg Quartet (1963-1996)

History

The Vicksburg Quartet hailed from West Central Pennsylvania for more than three decades. The young man who started it all was Steve Aungst, who played the trumpet in a large brass ensemble directed by Melvin Van Orman when he was in junior high school and part of senior high school. Steve then played the piano for a trumpet trio/quartet and subsequently made the transformation to a vocal quartet. They started out singing at Vicksburg Grace Brethren Church,which was Steve's home church and his uncle, Dean I. Walter was the pastor. The first pastor to ever book the Vicksburg Quartet outside of their home church was David McCaulley pastored the same country church in Hollidaysburg, PA for more than fifty eight years. After they began traveling to outside churches, they recorded their first album in 1966. By this time, Steve and the four vocal members of the quartet were all in different colleges so their dates were limited. When Steve graduated from Grace College in Winona Lake, IN in 1968 he took a teaching job in his home area in PA and began traveling to churches and high school auditoriums the year round.

In 1969, two men joined the Vicksburgs who would place second and third to Steve in length of service: Jake Snyder and tenor Larry Stump. Jake started out doing background instrumentals for about the first month then he moved into the baritone position. He would eventually be moved up to lead singer as well as Master of Ceremonies for the group. Jake left in 1978 to form a new mixed male-female gospel group he called the Morning Light but he subsequently returned to the Vicksburg Quartet in 1981. He stayed active until 1990-91 when he changed professions from being a high school chorus director to a principal and could not travel full-time during the summers. He kept his foot in the door by filling in for singers who were absent, background instrumental playing and running sound until the group finally disbanded. He owned and operated North Recording Studio where the Vicksburgs recorded for the last fifteen years of their existence as well as many other groups and soloists. Jake lost a long battle with cancer on August 15, 2016. Larry Stump sang tenor longer than all the other tenor singers in the group combined (for fourteen years).

During their three-decade tenure, the Vicksburg Quartet recorded their first two albums at the Vicksburg Grace Brethren Church before what would be followed by many years of recording at different studios. They recorded two live in concert albums: Live on Stage in early 1973 at a local junior high school and Captured Live at the 1977 Keystone Country Festival at Lakemont Park in Altoona, PA. In 1987 they did a live video at the Keystone Festival and in 1994 a video at Old Bedford Village in Bedford, PA.

From 1985-1990 the Vicksburgs not only had three school teachers in the group, but three high school chorus directors: Steve, Jake and Dick Bower. Dick stayed in the group for a little over seven years but decided to retire from the road.

After about ten years of doing 250 dates a year, the Vickburgs cut back on their travel schedule and started recording exclusively at Jake's studio. During the 1990s, with a group of all college age young men, Steve decided rather than continue training new members to disband the group in December 1996. Although they no longer travel and do concerts, Steve continued to host the Pennsylvania State Singing Convention in Martinsburg, PA in which the Vicksburgs held annually every August 1976 until their 40th and final sing in August 2015 which was operated similar to the National Quartet Convention. Until 2009, they hosted gospel sings in Landisdale, PA and Koenobbels Amusement Park in Elysburg, PA. The Martinsburg, PA State Singing Convention finally came to an end the second Thursday through Sunday of August 2015 with the 40th annual sing. Steve and Jake were the two men who had been there working the convention all 40 years. Jake Snyder passed away on August 15, 2016 after two decades battling throat cancer off again and on again.

Disography

(Incomplete)

1966 Songtime At The Old Country Church: If I Could Help Somebody; It's Different Now; Peace In The Valley; I Asked The Lord; The Old Country Church; There Is No Greater Love; We're Marching To Zion; Amazing Grace; Rock Of Ages; Medley: I Wouldn't Take Nothing For My Journey Now/He Touched Me. (Joy Diehl, Jim White, Bob Walls, J.T. Miller, Steve Aungst).

1967 God Is Alive: Heaven Came Down; Without Him; My Heart Is Reserved For My Lord; Jesus Use Me; God Is Alive; Power In The Blood; Wonderful, So Marvelous, Yet True; Vietnam Medley; Two more songs - Title Unknown. (Joy Diehl, Rich Lynn, Jim White, J.T. Miller, Steve Aungst, Steve Ritchey, Dave McGarvey).

1968 His Name Is Wonderful: Somebody Touched Me; His Name Is Wonderful; When The Roll Is Called Up Yonder; Heavenly Love; The Last Mile Of The Way; Trouble In The Amen Corner(Recitation: Story of Brother Ira); What A Day That Will Be; Move Up A Little Closer; How Long Has It Been?; I Am Not Worthy; No One Ever Cared So Much For Me. (Boyd Shaw, Rich Lynn, Dale Showalter, Frank Edmundson, Steve Aungst, Steve Ritchey, Sherwood Claar).

1969 Feelin' Fine (WFB Productions/718): Feelin' Fine; Walk With Me; Lord, Build Me A Cabin; Medley; The Old Fashioned Meeting; Wings Of A Dove; Jesus Is Coming Soon; Dear Jesus, Abide With Me; I've Been Born Again; Old Doc Brown (Recitation); Just A Little Talk With Jesus. (Larry Stump, Boyd Shaw, Jake Snyder, Frank Edmundson, Steve Aungst).

1969 The Vicksburg Quartet Sings Gospel (WFB Productions/726): How Great Thou Art; Then The Answer Came; He Touched Me; The Old Rugged Cross; Maybe It’s You Maybe It’s Me; The Old Rugged Cross Made The Difference; His Eye Is On The Sparrow; Come Unto Me; Had It Not Been; When We All Get To Heaven; The Giver Of Life; Brighten The Corner (Larry Stump, Boyd Shaw, Jake Snyder, Frank Edmundson, Steve Aungst).

1970 Sweeter Gets The Journey: Sweeter Gets The Journey; Jesus Understands; I'd Have No Hope; Day Of Victory(Recitation); After All; Thank God I Am Free; Something Within; He Paid The Debt; In The Upper Room; Song Ringing In My Heart; The Night Before Easter; Homesick For Heaven. (Larry Stump, Boyd Shaw, Jake Snyder, Frank Edmundson, Steve Aungst).

1971 The King Is Coming (WFB Productions/836): Put Your Hand In The Hand; The Joy Of Knowing Jesus; The Night Before Easter; Clair De Lune; The King Is Coming; Happiness; The Holy City; Who Am I?; The Lord's Prayer; The Old Rugged Cross (Larry Stump, Jim Ford, Jake Snyder, Steve Aungst).

1972 In The Garden (Mark V Records): New World Coming; Sheltered In The Arms Of God; I Know; Fill My Cup, Lord; In The Garden; Since Jesus Passed By; Now I Have Everything; Until Then; Rise And Shine, Yesterday. (Larry Stump, Jim Ford, Jake Snyder, Steve Aungst).

1972 God Is Love (Mark V Records): Try A Little Kindness; Oh Glory Hallelujah; For God So Loved; The Eastern Gate; That Day Is Almost Here; The Little Boy From The Carpenter's Shop; Why Should I Worry Or Fret; Pity The Man; If That Isn't Love; Jesus Took Care Of It All.(Larry Stump, Jim Ford, Jake Snyder, Steve Aungst, Mark Snyder).

1973 Live On Stage (Custom Records/30413): Rise & Shine; The Longer I Serve Him; If I Can Just Hold Out; It Is No Secret; I Want To Be Singing; A Thing Called Love; Through It All; He'll Soon Be Here; The Lighthouse; Redemption Draweth Nigh (Larry Stump, Jake Snyder, Wayne Medasia, Steve Aungst, Mark Snyder, Terry Vaughn).

1973 The Vicksburg In Nashville: How Great Thou Art; Turn Around; He Touched Me; Jesus Walked All The Way; If It Keeps Getting Better; I'll Have A New Life; I Should Have Been Crucified; The Coming Of The Lord; He Did It All For Me; Green Green Grass Of Home. (Larry Stump, Jake Snyder, Wayne Medasia, Steve Aungst, Mark Snyder, Terry Vaughn).

1974 This Ole House: This Ole House; Tears Are A Language; Getting Ready Today; Why Me Lord; The Old Country Church; It's Worth It All; I Believe In Music; Because He Lives; Crying In The Chapel; Patriotic Medley. (Larry Stump, Jake Snyder, Wayne Medasia, Steve Aungst, Mark Snyder).

1975 Touring That City (Baldwin Records): Touring That City; The Lighthouse; I Want To Be Singing; He Looked Beyond My Faults; When I Wake Up To Sleep No More; King Jesus; House Of Gold; Get Thee Behind Me, Satan; Room At The Cross; The Baptism Of Jesse Taylor. (Larry Stump, Jake Snyder, Wayne Medasia, Steve Aungst, Mark Snyder, Paul Moyer).

1976 Movin' On: Devil, Get Out Of My Way; Hallelujah Square; Wings Of A Dove; Beyond The Sunset; Gospel Road; One Day At A Time; The Laughing Song; There Is A Great Day A Comin'; Supper Time; I Found Peace In The Old Rugged Cross (Larry Stump, Jake Snyder, Mark Snyder, Steve Aungst, Paul Moyer).

1976 An Historical Decade Of Gospel Music: (comp.)

1976 You'll Never Walk Alone: You'll Never Walk Alone; I'm In Love With Jesus; It Is No Secret; Life's Railway To Heaven; Sons Of The Motherland; Jesus Got Ahold O' My Life; Apple Tree Song; Fightin' Side Of Me; I Just Feel Like Something Good Is About To Happen; The Old Gospel Ship (Larry Stump, Jake Snyder, Mark Snyder, Steve Aungst, Paul Moyer, Richard Wineland).

1977 XVIII (Kings Place Records): I'd Rather Be An Old Time Christian; Please Search The Book; Jesus Knows Who I Am; Come On Down; You Can't Be A Beacon; Rhythm Guitar; Jesus Pilots My Ship; Daddy Sang Bass; Just A Closer Walk With Thee. (Larry Stump, Jake Snyder, Mark Snyder, Steve Aungst, Paul Moyer, Richard Wineland).

1977 Track No. 19: Jesus I Heard You Had A Big House; Just A Little Talk With Jesus; The King Is Coming; I Never Believed The Bible; The Old Rugged Cross; Amazing Grace; I'll Fly Away; Learning To Lean; Medley: Help/Put Your Hand In The Hand/Oh Happy Day/My Sweet Lord/I Believe In Jesus. (Larry Stump, Jake Snyder, Mark Snyder, Steve Aungst, Paul Moyer, Richard Wineland).

1977 The Vicksburgs Captured Live: You Can't Be A Beacon; A Great Day A Coming; The Old Gospel Ship; If It Keeps Getting Better; Medley: Help/Put Your Hand In The Hand/Oh Happy Day/My Sweet Lord/I Believe In Jesus; Jesus Got A Hold Of My Life; Beyond The Sunset; Jesus Pilots My Ship; I'm In Love With Jesus; Devil Get Out Of My Way (Larry Stump, Jake Snyder, Mark Snyder, Steve Aungst, Paul Moyer, Richard Wineland).

1978 Old Time Family Gospel Band: Old Time Family Gospel Band; Mr D J; Love Lifted Me; What A Difference You Made In My Life; Orange Blossom Special; Me And Jesus; I Saw The Light; What A Time We'll Have Over Here; That's Just Like Jesus; Steel Guitar Rag (Larry Stump, Jake Snyder, Mark Snyder, Steve Aungst, Paul Moyer, Richard Wineland).

1978 Best Of The Vicksburgs Volume One (comp.)
1979 Stop And Smell The Roses (Baldwin Records): (Larry Stump, Richard Wineland, Mark Snyder, Steve Aungst, Paul Moyer, Cy Houst).
1980 A New Breed Of Cowboy (Baldwin Records): (Larry Stump, Richard Wineland, Mark Snyder, Steve Aungst, Buddy Wilt, Cy Houst).
1982 Gospel And Country Classics (North Records): (Larry Stump, Jake Snyder, Bill Worley, Steve Aungst, John McKnight, Wayne Kensinger).
1983 Now...Better Than Ever (North Records): (Larry Stump, Jake Snyder, Bill Worley, Steve Aungst, Calvin Smith, Wayne Kensinger).
1983 America's Favorite Hymns (comp. + 1 new cut)
1984 Solo Performance (North Records): (Gregg Brandt, Jake Snyder, Bill Worley, Steve Aungst, Calvin Smith, Wayne Kensinger). (
1985 God Bless The USA (North Records): (Gregg Brandt, Jake Snyder, Dick Bower, Steve Aungst, Calvin Smith, Wayne Kensinger, Richard Wineland)
1986 Give Me One More Chance (North Records): (Keith Eicher, Jake Snyder, Dick Bower, Steve Aungst, Calvin Smith, Wayne Kensinger, Richard Wineland).
1988 25th Anniversary (North Records): (Keith Eicher, Jake Snyder, Dick Bower, Steve Aungst, Gregg Brandt).
1988 Three Chords And A Cloud Of Smoke (North Records): (Keith Eicher, Jake Snyder, Dick Bower, Steve Aungst, Gregg Brandt, Calvin Smith).
1989 The Common Man (North Records): (Keith Eicher, Jake Snyder, Dick Bower, Steve Aungst, Gregg Brandt, Wayne Kensinger, Steve Kimmel, Steve Kaley).
1990 Christmas With The Vicksburg Quartet (North Records)
1991 An American Family (North Records): (Keith Eicher, Jake Snyder, Dick Bower, Steve Aungst, Matt Huff, Gregg Brandt, Wayne Kensinger, Larry Fray, Steve Kaley, Dave Detterline).
1992 Down Home (North Records): (Keith Eicher, Dick Bower, Matt Huff, Larry Fray, Steve Aungst, Steve Kaley)
1993 30th Anniversary (comp.)
1994 Walk On Faith(North Records): (Larry Fray, Allan Wolfe, Matt Huff, Mike Weaver, Steve Aungst, Calvin Smith)
1995 Full Access (North Records): (Larry Fray, Allan Wolfe, Mike Weaver, Steve Aungst, Calvin Smith.)
1996 Classics (comp.).