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The Vaughan Quartets
In 1910, James D. Vaughan put a quartet on the road to help sell his books. The first traveling quartet was composed of Charles Vaughan, who was the manager; Gorge W. Sebren, Joe M. Allen and Ira T. Foust. From this first quartet many others were added until by the middle 1920's there were 16 quartets traveling for the Vaughan Music Company into all parts of the country. The company sold more than a million song books annually during the peak of their popularity. Each year one of the Vaughan Quartets traveled to singing conventions, concerts, revivals and tent meetings from the Atlantic to the Pacific and from the Gulf of Mexico into Canada. They traveled in Model "T" Fords that had to be cranked and watered regularly. At each stop, they promoted sales of the newest Gospel song book. The quartet idea of four male voices singing gospel songs originated with James D. Vaughan. All of the other quartets singing today owe their existence to this idea.
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