Golden Gate Quartet

The Golden Gate Quartet was a pioneering Virginia gospel quartet of the 1930s and '40s. Calling their innovative approach to sacred hymns "jubilee" singing, the group, propelled by Willie Johnson and William Langford, enjoyed massive acceptance far outside the church. Their smooth Mills Brothers-influenced harmonies made them naturals for crossover success, and they began recording for Victor in 1937. National radio broadcasts and an appearance on John Hammond's 1938 Spirituals to Swing concert at Carnegie Hall made them coast-to-coast favorites. By 1941 they were recording for Columbia, and movie appearances were frequent: Star Spangled Rhythm, Hollywood Canteen, and Hit Parade of 1943, to name a few. Some experiments with R&B material didn't pan out during the late '40s, and Johnson defected to the Jubilaires in 1948. The group emigrated to France in 1959, and led by veteran bass singer Orlando Wilson, the Golden Gate Quartet's vocal blend remained as powerful as ever.