Primitive Quartet Archives - Bluegrass Today

2016 Southern Ohio Indoor Music Festival

MC Blake Williams brought The Wayfarers, a southeast Ohio band, on stage to kick off the March edition of the Southern Ohio Indoor Music Festival, aka SOIMF. Host band, Joe Mullins and the Radio Ramblers, took the stage next. The band featured several selections from its new gospel project, Sacred Memories.

Nothin’ Fancy then brought their high energy show to the Roberts Center stage, followed by Art Stevenson and High Water from Wisconsin. The Primitive Quartet, a SOIMF favorite, once again delighted the audience with their Gospel singing. Balsam Range closed out the Friday show.

Saturday was opened by America’s Got Talent alum Mountain Faith. Art Stevenson returned on Saturday for a second set of music and Joe Mullins also brought the host band back for a second day. The Dry Branch Fire Squad provided sets of old time music and the musings of band leader, Ron Thomason. The legendary Paul Williams made a rare appearance since his retirement. Paul provided an excellent set of bluegrass Gospel music with Paul’s son Richie providing part of the vocal trio along with Joe Mullins.

Doyle Lawson brought Quicksilver to the stage and provided the audience with a top shelf performance. The festival was closed out with a joint performance by Doyle and Paul. They were joined by Joe Mullins, Jason Barie, Eli Johnston, and Josh Swift. The audience did not want them to stop, even after nearly an hour and a half show.

The fall edition of SOIMF will be November 11 and 12.

Norman Wilson passes

Norman Wilson, mandolinist and tenor vocalist with Primitive Quartet, died yesterday while hunting with friends in North Carolina. It is presumed that he had a heart attack, and he died in the woods. He was 70 years old.

On October 15 at roughly 2:30 p.m., Norman was with a group of friends hunting bear in Graham County. The group had treed a bear, and were discussing who would shoot it. Wilson told the group that he wanted the shot to go to his pastor, Chad Edwards, as he had never shot a bear before. According to those at the scene, no sooner had he uttered those words, he fell over dead.

The Primitive Quartet has been popular at festivals and church events for their bluegrass Gospel music, and Norman had many friends among bluegrass artists and fans who mourn his passing.

Funeral arrangements have not yet been finalized, nor any possible adjustments to the Quartet’s touring schedule.

R.I.P., Normal Wilson.

Friday at Palatka 2014

The Stevens Family opened day 2 of the 2014 Palatka Bluegrass Festival.

They were followed by the Goldwing Express and the Primitive Quartet.

The show rounded out with the Gibson Brothers, the Seldom Scene, and the Dry Branch Fire Squad.

Saturday will feature Cody Schuler and Pine Mountain Railroad, The Dry Branch Fire Squad, The Little Roy and Lizzy Show, Marty Raybon and Full Circle, Rhonda Vincent and the Rage, and capped off by the legendary Gene Watson.

Furman Wilson passes

Furman Roger Wilson, a founding member of the Primitive Quartet, passed away on Tuesday morning, July 2, at the age of 71.

The Primitive Quartet was originally founded in 1973 by two sets of brothers—Furman and Norman Wilson, and Larry and Reagan Riddle.

The Wilson brothers, originally from Franklin, Macon County, North Carolina, learned to sing shape notes from their father, who was a minister for 57 years. The boys sang at home and in church.

The Primitive Quartet was formed when the two sets of brothers took a guitar and mandolin with them on a fishing trip, and spent the evening singing around their camp fire. They soon realized that they had good four-part harmony. From there they started singing Gospel music at their home church and other local churches, using the name the Riddle-Wilson Quartet.

In 1978 the Primitive Quartet, as they were now called in honor of the old-time Gospel singing that inspired them, went on the road as full-time musicians.

Furman Wilson was a vocalist on the quartet’s earliest recordings.

He left the group late in the 1970s when he was called to the ministry.