Concert/CD Review: But for the Cross (The LeFevre Quartet)
The first southern gospel concert I ever attended was on May 13, 1989, when my mom paid for me to see the Gold City Quartet. They were my favorite quartet at the time, and I thought Heaven could not be better. The group at that time consisted of Tim Riley, Mike LeFevre, Ivan Parker, Brian Free, and Garry Jones. Twenty-Five years later, on May 15, 2014, I got to see The LeFevre Quartet, owned by former Gold City baritone, Mike LeFevre. I have seen the quartet a few times at the National Quartet Convention but this was my first time to see a full concert of theirs. It was reminiscent of the Gold City concert I attended long ago: good harmony, great songs, some humor, but everything centered around God and giving Him the glory.
They started the concert with Brandon Barry singing, Plan of Salvation.
Next was a new song to me: Standing on the Daily Promises.
I never tire of hearing Mike LeFevre sing, When I Get Carried Away. He gave another excellent performance this evening.
Mike then introduced pianist Michael Lott, at which point they went into an instrumental version of Just a Closer Walk With Thee.
Brandon was featured again on I’ll Let You Lead Me. Then Mike introduced him to those of us who were seeing him for the first time. After that, Brandon sang, Let ‘Em Find Me Guilty. I had never heard this song before either but it is a very powerful song.
Jordan LeFevre sang, Come and See. “Miracles are still alive today. It’s not the lack of God’s power; it’s the lack of our faith.” Then they sang the old quartet song, There’s a Rainbow.
After Thomas Nalley was introduced he sang, I Know a Man Who Can. That song was followed by a toe tapper Brandon Barry wrote entitled, Saved by the Blood. They ended the first portion of the concert with Jesus Saves.
Unfortunately I lost my notes for the last half but they took requests, singing at least a chorus of each song that was requested. One highlight for me was when they sang I Love to Call His Name, an old Rex Nelon song.
My favorite song of the evening was Put it Right There. The first verse talks about a young man who tells his dad about his drug addiction. The father tells the son to, “Put it right there. We’re in this together. I’ll help you through this” (my paraphrase). The second verse talks about Jesus dying on the cross and possibly telling the soldier to “put it (the nail) right there,” as He paid the price for our sins.
After that, Mike gave a really good message about the importance of surrender. They closed with the perfect song, I Surrender All, as they encouraged those who needed to surrender to come to the altar.
Other songs on the latest CD by The LeFevre Quartet include: But for the Cross, I’m So Saved, The Wedding Song, We Are the Church, The Blessed Hope, and Someday Soon.
This CD was released in 2012 but Mike told me they are working on three CDs which will be coming out yet in 2014. They have a table CD which will be releasing soon, and then later this year, they will release a Christmas CD and a CD of all new songs. I can’t wait to hear them.
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