By Harry Rice
Collection Overview
Title: Cash Gospel Quartet Collection
Predominant Dates:1959-1961
Extent: 3.0 MS boxes
Arrangement: The collection is arranged in series as follows: Series 1: Original Reel-to-Reel Audio Recordings and CD Listening Copies; Series 2: Biographical Material and Photographs; Series 3: Song Books and Lists
Date Acquired: 08/31/2007
Abstract
This collection documents the radio performing career of the Cash Quartet from Rockcastle County, Kentucky during the 1950-1960s. The collection consists of radio program sound recordings, written program song lists, published song books, photographs, and printed personal appearance programs.
The Cash Quartet was formed by Walter Cash (1929- ) around 1956 in the Ottawa community of southern Rockcastle County, Kentucky. Other members were his wife Reba (1937- ); sister, Joanne (1936- ); and R.H. Hamm (1919-1986). They were all members of the Ottawa Baptist church—currently the Ottawa Missionary Baptist Church. They were one of the many amateur gospel groups that were an integral part of Kentucky’s local music culture and thriving gospel scene during the twentieth century who were not interested in commercial recording.
They began performing over Renfro Valley’s WRVK shortly after it went on the air in 1957 as part of a program called the Sinclair Sunday Serenade sponsored by the local Sinclair Oil distributor. They were heard regularly on WRVK through the late-1960s. They also performed occasionally on John Lair’s Renfro Valley Gatherin’ that was carried by Louisville’s WHAS and other stations. They also sang frequently at local and regional monthly sings and singing conventions in Kentucky, especially those in Pulaski and Laurel Counties, and continued such work after they stopped radio performing.
Scope and Contents of the Materials
This collection documents the radio performing career of the Cash Quartet from Rockcastle County, Kentucky during the 1950-1960s. The collection consists of radio program and interview sound recordings, an interview transcript, written program song lists, published song books, photographs, and printed personal appearance programs.
Follow links in the Series 1 list to listen to the program recordings.
Administrative Information
Access Restrictions:
Records can be accessed through the Reading Room, Berea College Special Collections and Archives, Hutchins Library, Berea College. Listen to the recordings by following the links in the Collection box list.
Use Restrictions:
There are no restrictions on the collection other than federal copyright regulations.
Acquisition Source:
The collection was given to Berea College by Audrey Hamm and the surviving quartet members august 31, 2007. There are no restrictions on the collection other than federal copyright regulations.
Preferred Citation:
[Item Identification], Cash Gospel Quartet Collection, Berea College Special Collections & Archives, Berea, Ky.
Box and Folder Listing
- Series 1: Original Reel-To-Reel Audio Recordings and CD Listening Copies
- Box 1
- Item 1: CQ-OR-001
Cash Quartet - Sinclair Gospel Singers - Sept. 4 [1959]. Sixteen songs - Non Radio.
Listen
- Item 2: CQ-OR-002
Sinclair Gospel Serenade - WRVK- featuring The Rhythmettes and the Teenage Gospelettes - 7/5/59.
Listen
- Item 3: CQ-OR-003
Cash Quartet - Fourteen Songs - Non Radio [1960].
Listen
- Item 4: CQ-OR-004
Cash Quartet - Eleven Songs - Non Radio [n.d.].
Listen
- Item 5: CQ-OR-006
Sinclair Gospel Serenade - WRVK - "Cody and Parr Gospel Singers" [n.d.].
Listen
- Item 6: CQ-OR-007
Track 2 - WRVK "Farm Report" with James Coomer, 7.5 ips [n.d.].
Listen
- Item 7: CQ-OR-009
Sinclair Gospel Serenade - WRVK - Cash Quartet [n.d.].
Listen
- Item 8: CQ-OR-010
Sinclair Gospel Singers - Cash Quartet - WRVK - 7/2/61.
Listen
- Item 9: SC-CD-072-001
INTERVIEW of Cash Quartet members (Walter and Reba Cash, Joanne Cash Brown, Audrey Ham [wife of the late quartet member R.H. Ham] recorded by Kevin Kehrberg w/ Kevin Craig present at the Cash home in Rockcastle County, KY, 7/8/2007, RE: Appalachian Music Fellowship project on southern gospel quartet singing at Renfro Valley.
Listen To Interview Read Transcript
- Box 2: CD Listenitng Copies
- Item 1: CQ-OR-001
- Cash Quartet - Sinclair Gospel Singers - Sept. 4 [1959]. Sixteen songs - Non Radio.
- Item 2: CQ-OR-002
- Sinclair Gospel Serenade -WRVK- featuring The Rhythmettes and the Teenage Gospelettes - 7/5/59
- Item 3: CQ-OR-003
- Cash Quartet - Fourteen Songs - Non Radio [1960]
- Item 4: CQ-OR-004
- Cash Quartet - Eleven Songs - Non Radio [n.d.]
- Item 5: CQ-OR-006
- Sinclair Gospel Serenade - WRVK - "Cody and Parr Gospel Singers" [n.d.]
- Item 6: CQ-OR-007-T2
- Track 2 - WRVK "Farm Report" with James Coomer, 7.5 ips [n.d.]
- Item 7: CQ-OR-009
- Sinclair Gospel Serenade - WRVK - Cash Quartet [n.d.]
- Item 8: CQ-OR-010
- Sinclair Gospel Singers - Cash Quartet - WRVK - 7/2/61
- Series 2: Biographical Material and Photographs
- Box 3
- Folder 1
- Oral History Interview Transcript SC-CD-072-001
- Folder 2
- Personal Appearance Programs
- Folder 3
- Photographs
- Series 3: Song Books and Lists
- Box 3
- Folder 4
- Cash Quartet Favorite Songs
- Folder 5
- Loose Leaf Song Book
- Folder 6
- Loose Leaf Song Book
- Folder 7
- Radio Program Song Lists