SPOTLIGHT INTERVIEW WITH RANDY BYRD OF MARK TRAMMELL QUARTET
SOUTHERN GOSPEL SPOTLIGHT PRESENTS
AN INTERVIEW WITH RANDY BYRD OF THE MARK TRAMMELL QUARTET
Randy Byrd's exceptional bass voice has graced several groups in his career including the legendary Blackwood Brothers Quartet, The LeFevre Quartet, and The Anchormen. Now, his booming bass can be heard with the Mark Trammell Quartet as of 2014. Byrd brings not only his great voice to the group, but also his love for the Lord, and his sense of humor!! Byrd graciously agreed to this interview when I contacted him on Facebook.
To Randy: Thanks so much for taking time out of your busy schedule and for showing interest in this blog!!
So without further ado: here is the interview!!
J. Gilmore: Hello Mr. Byrd! So, how did you get your start in Southern Gospel music?
R. Byrd: The Blackwood Gospel quartet was on tour in Iowa close to where I lived. They announced that Ken Turner was retiring and they were looking for a bass singer. Someone who knew me from a local quartet gave them my info. Three weeks later I moved to Tennessee! J. Gilmore: That’s incredible!! The Blackwood Brothers are legends!! Who are your musical influences?
R. Byrd: George Younce was my hero. I tried my best to learn from him but many others as well. Rex and Ray Dean.... Ed O’Neal...
J. Gilmore: George and Rex were incredibly talented and great men of God!! The same applies to Ray Dean and Ed! They are still going strong!! Who is your favorite bass singer? Singer in general (Gospel or secular)?
R. Byrd: My favorite bass is George. He and Duane Allen are two of my favorite singers in Gospel. I love many genres of music so it's hard to pick a favorite but some are Luther Vandros, Clint Black, Little Big Town, Most of the 70's bands.... I just love good singing
J. Gilmore: Agreed!! I love most genres, but most important is good singing. Who are your favorite groups? Past or present
R. Byrd: My favorite qt was the Cathedrals with Mark, Danny and Gerald...
J. Gilmore: Classic lineup!! Love the Cathedrals!! What is the lowest bass note you can hit?
R. Byrd: God didn't make me real low like most of my heroes. I've recorded an A flat but B flat is much more comfortable....
J. Gilmore: You have a great bass voice! A great bass doesn’t have to hit crazy low notes! What was your tenure with the Blackwood Brothers like?
R. Byrd: The Blackwood Gospel Qt brought Jimmy on board from his solo ministry along with Brad White, who had played for James. We brought the Blackwood Brothers name out of retirement and I'm proud of my time there. They treated me like family and made me a partner in the group. I will always cherish my time there. J. Gilmore: That’s great! How did you come in contact with the Mark Trammell Quartet?
R. Byrd: I had met Mark thru my time with the Blackwoods. He was always very gracious but to be honest I wasn't sure he knew who I was! :) I was in total shock when he asked me to fill in.
J. Gilmore: Wow! That must have been an amazing feeling! What has been the best part of traveling with Mark and the guys?
R. Byrd: This may seem odd but the best part for me has been seeing that they really are who they appear to be. Great bunch of guys who have made me feel at home. But I will tell you that taking care of old people and babysitting kids is a rough job!!! :)
J. Gilmore: Haha!! Sounds like fun!! What is your favorite song to sing?
R. Byrd: For me personally I love singing Thanks to Calvary but the best part is getting to sing with the guys on any of our big ballads. Mark singing Loving the Lamb, Too much to Gain, It's almost over, the King is coming...doesn't get any better than that. J. Gilmore: Great songs!! You sing it well!! What is your favorite Scripture verse?
R. Byrd: My life's verse is Titus 1:2.... Great promise of God. J. Gilmore: Agreed! What is something that people might not know about you?
R. Byrd: Most people might not know I was named Outstanding Airman of the yr in 1991 at the national level for the U S Air Force, very proud of that. J. Gilmore: Thank you for your service!! What is the most memorable experience you’ve had in your years of singing Gospel music?
R. Byrd: It's hard to narrow it to one but getting featured on More About Jesus on a Gaither video was overwhelming...but getting asked to be a part of MTQ was beyond a dream come true.
J. Gilmore: Great! What can fans expect from the Mark Trammell Quartet this year? Any upcoming projects?
R. Byrd: Fans can expect us to continue to try to improve and put out quality music that changes lives. Nick and Mark are picking songs for a new project now so I'm very excited for that. J. Gilmore: Awesome! Any advice for aspiring Gospel artists?
R. Byrd: Best advice I can give is concentrate on singing good not on range. You will never never never NEVER become a great singer if all u think about is how high or low you can sing. Concentrate of singing the message of the song from your heart.
J. Gilmore: Great advice!! Thanks for your time!