Meet the quartet
Philip Batton was raised in a minister's home with a very musical family. His father pastored in several churches throughout the southwestern states as well as the northwest. His parents sang often for revivals and campmeetings. His father was a prolific songwriter and had several songs published and recorded, including one by the late cowboy singer, Rex Allen. Philip began singing publicly around 5 years of age with his seven siblings, carrying the harmony part. He has been singing tenor ever since.
In his adult life, he has sung for revivals and campmeetings around the country. While singing for a campmeeting in Alabama he realized God was calling him into music ministry, although he wasn't exactly sure where that might lead.
In 2005 he was invited to sing tenor for a group known as Joint Heirs. It was there he met Allard Smith, who was singing lead for the group and they began ministering together. In the spring of 2006, they began to feel God's leading in a new direction and together they formed Joyful Sound. God has been blessing their vocal ministry across the northwest.
Philip has one desire and that is to give glory to God through the sound of music and to let God work in his life and lead him and this group.
He is married to his wonderful wife, Susie, who is very supportive and backs him in this ministry endeavor. He has one son, Philip, age 13, who is growing like a weed. Philip and Susie reside in Caldwell, Idaho and attend Grace Bible Church in Nampa.
Allard (Al) Smith was born into a Christian home. His parents had come to know the Lord about six months before Al was born. His father and mother both became preachers and the entire family was always involved in some form of ministry. They lived in Minnesota, North Dakota and South Dakota.
As a young boy Al learned to play the guitar and piano. He started singing at eight years of age. By the time he was twelve he felt the call of God in his life and began preaching. During one summer he traveled with an evangelist, assisting with the music and they journeyed throughout South Dakota, Wyoming and Idaho.
A few years later he met Elaine Murphy and they fell in love and were married. They have been married for thirty nine years and have two married daughters. Al and Elaine have five grandsons. The youngest grandson is three years old, loves gospel music and sometimes performs at Joyful Sound concerts.
Al has been in business for over twenty years as an insurance and investment consultant. He and Elaine have worked in church ministry their entire married lives as Sunday School teachers, youth camp and retreat directors, home mission and church planting across the country, and as the State Director for his church. The Smiths served as pastors in Caldwell for fifteen years. Currently, he is the senior pastor at Foundations Community Bible Church in Meridian.
Together, Al Smith and Phil Batton felt led of the Lord to form the Joyful Sound Trio. The group has ministered throughout Idaho and the northwest for the past two years. They recently decided to expand the group to a quartet. In late 2007 the Joyful Sound Quartet was organized. Al has always dreamed of singing with a group but he never thought it would happen until God opened this door for him. Elaine runs the sound system and mixer board for the group.
Al's greatest desire is not for the group to be known for their great singing but to be known for singing in the Spirit. As he is fond of saying, "without the Lord's presence we are nothing." "We don't want to entertain, but we want our music to minister to people's needs and to lead them closer to the Lord."
Ron was born and raised in Nampa, ID. His father began taking him to southern gospel quartet concerts when he was about 10 years of age where he fell in love with this style of music. By the time he was 12 years old he was singing in his first quartet known as the Gospelaires where he sang the alto part. When his voice changed (along with the other boys in the group) he became the baritone. All through high school the quartet was known as the King's Messengers. They traveled in the northwest singing in churches and giving concerts.
In his first week at bible college Ron joined a quartet which became known as the Watchmen Quartet. They sang and traveled throughout the midwest singing for campmeetings, revivals and youth rallies in various churches. This group recorded two albums before dissolving to pursue other ministries.
For the past two years Ron had been praying about singing in another group. When Joyful Sound approached him about joining them as the baritone, Ron felt it was God's leading and eagerly accepted. He is happy to be ministering to folks once again through quartet music.
Ron has served as minister of music for three different churches. He is a private businessman in Nampa and is also involved in politics. He serves the citizens of Idaho as the State Treasurer. He was re-elected to a third term in 2006. In 2008, he received an honorary doctorate from Ohio Christian University.
He is married to his beautiful wife, Cheryl for 39 years. They have six wonderful children, all of whom are serving the Lord. If given the chance he will be glad to tell you about his five grandchildren. Ron and his family attend Grace Bible Church in Nampa, Idaho where he serves on the church board and is the church treasurer.
Pete Wilson was born in Weiser, Idaho and moved to Nampa at the age of six months.
He attended Nampa schools and graduated from Nampa High School. He attended college in Tennessee, then continued his advanced studies at Boise State University. He finished his graduate studies at Lee University in Tennessee.
Pete is a very talented musician, songwriter and vocalist. He began his professional gospel music career in 1974 with the Thrasher Brothers. In 1976 he continued in gospel music at the keyboard for the Tonesmen (a group owned by the famous Oak Ridge Boys while they were singing gospel music). He has also ministered with the Gospelaires and the Lee Singers.
Following his tenure with these groups, he pursued a solo career until he joined Joyful Sound. God has used his ministry extensively.
Pete is also a professional studio musician having worked for such renowned studios as Majestic Studios, Mark V Studio, and Forward in Faith Studio.
Pete is the bass singer and plays the piano for the Joyful Sound Quartet. His favorite pass-time, hobby, weakness (whatever you would call it) is fishing. He is an expert fly fisherman and has many, many stories to tell of his successes in this arena.
E-mail Allard
