Laying Up Treasures

Ask Southern Gospel music fans about spiritual groups and chances are the Primitive Quartet will soon come up in the conversation.

Reagan and Larry Riddle and Norman Wilson have been singing old-time mountain gospel for quite a few years now. And you might as well expect it – go hear The Primitives and you’ll also hear some shouting. Folks get excited.

The Primitives have come a long way since the Riddles and Wilson and his brother, Furman, starting singing together during a weekend fishing trip to Fontana Lake. But they’ve still got that signature sound.

It’s all over the place on the group’s latest project, “Laying Up Treasures” (Mountain Heritage Records). The minute the first notes are hit on the opening track, “They Shall Walk with me in White,” you start getting happy. By the time the Primitives belt out a unique vocal arrangement of “O, Happy Day,” you’re really getting with it.

Other standouts include Reagan’s “Laying Up Treasures” and the Bible story song “Thomas.” One reason I love Southern Gospel music, at least the good ol’ stuff, is that you usually get a story or two straight out of the Good Book.

And when the CD ends with Reagan’s “Our Sweet Lord Is Coming Back Soon,” you can almost see that Eastern sky split wide open.

OK, I’m getting carried away here, but that’s just the way it is with these boys from North Carolina. They’ll be at the old Claiborne County High School in Tazewell on Saturday, July 8, at 7 p.m., with the bluegrass gospel group New Road.

If you go, be ready for some shoutin’!

For more info on The Primitive Quartet, visit www.primitivequartet.com. “Laying Up Treasures” is available at Evangel Book Store in Fountain City and wherever Southern Gospel music is sold.