Elmer Childress

Biography

Elmer Childress was the pianist for the Home State Quartet in Little Rock. He left the Home State to join the All American Quartet in 1948. He left in late 1949 to join Don Smith's Gospelaires Quartet in Fresno, California. He returned to the All American Quartet in 1950 and stayed until near the end of 1951. He joined the Stamps Quartet in Dallas, Texas. He left the Stamps Quartet to join a version of the Melody Masters Quartet in Princeton, Indiana. He then joined the Rangers Quartet in California and was with them in Wichita, Kansas until they broke up. Elmer took up broadcasting and worked at KARD TV in Wichita from 1956-1981 in many capacities including weather reporting. He also had a weekly live singing show for over 20 years which included the Elmer Childress Family singing group. He moved to Madison, Wisconsin and became Weather Director for the NBC affiliate until he retired in 1998. He also performed with the Southland Quartet.