The Statesmen Quartet was assembled in 1948 by the pianist and Baptist minister Hovie Lister. The group was extremely popular through the 1950s and 1960s, becoming the first gospel quartet to get endorsement deals and make television commercials. The most notable members were lead singer Rosie Rozell (who joined the group in 1958) and bass James Wetherington (an original member). Elvis Presley was a great admirer of The Statesmen, often saying that he had been inspired and influenced the their Tupelo concerts, which he attended as a child. Elvis later declined to sing rock n' roll numbers when he shared a bill with The Statesmen.
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