The Gospel Mariners 7619Gospel Mariner's Quartet
CP-1118 - He Knows Just What I Need (sacred)
CP-1119 - My God Is Real (sacred)
Dayton, Ohio - 1956
In 1950 at Dayton , Ohio , the Reverend Loren Kolb had an idea that there should be a Gospel television program in this south-western Ohio area. He tried several different formats until the program GOOD SHIP ZION evolved and was accepted for public service programming by station WHIO-TV. “Captain” Kolb found a Gospel Quartet from Dayton and named them the Gospel Mariners. The program, presented as though it originated on board a ship, consisted of three or four songs by the quartet and a short message by “Captain” Kolb. The GOOD SHIP ZION program ran live at noon every Sunday and was one of the longest sustaining programs in the country. 
The Mariner's Quartet (pictured) and The Gospel Mariners who sang on the records pictured, were two different groups. The Gospel Mariners were the original quartet, and they sang on the Good Ship Zion program when it first began. My father was the bass of the quartet when they started in the early 1950's, and he continued with them until the early to mid 60's. There were personnel changes and then the group wanted to become a full-time group, which would take them away from town on the weekends when the program needed to be broadcast live on Sunday mornings. So the "Mariner's Quartet" went full time and "The Gospel Mariners" stayed with the program.
ReplyDeleteMy dad, Ed McCartney, was the pianist for the Mariners Quartet and I grew up with everyone pictured on the album covers. I even appeared on The Good Ship Zion standing by the piano as my dad played. Lots of good memories of those times.
ReplyDelete@ abbyluther....... Uh, unless your first name is either Janice, Cynthia or Joe, your dad was NOT the original bass. The name of the original bass was Marvin Freed and he was MY dad.
ReplyDeleteThis is correct information. The original Gospel Mariner's Quartet began in the late 1940's as the Gospel Echoes and changed their name after joining with Captain Kolb forming the Good Ship Zion TV Program. Marvin Freed was indeed the original bass. I sang baritone with the group form early 1966 through mid 1968 during which time Marvin was still the bass. There was a group that left the TV show prior to 1965 who had another bass singer. That group changed their name the Mariners after a controversy over the duplicate names. Anonymous (Greg) is absolutely correct.
DeleteMy Dad's (Eddie McCartney) Obituary:
ReplyDeleteEddie E. McCartney, 81, of Marysville, formerly of Conover, died Tuesday, February 2, 2016 in Marysville at the home of his son.
He was born October 17, 1934 in Champaign, Illinois to the late Everett E. and Lois (Roberts) Douthit McCartney. On August 16, 1962 he married the former Mary June Smith and she died November 28, 2007.
Eddie was retired from sales, he had worked for N.F.I.B. for many years.
He and his wife attended Christian Life Center in Vandalia where he was active playing the piano and singing with the choir, and he also attended both the Marysville Grace Church and The Potter’s House in Columbus.
Eddie was a gifted pianist and baritone for the Monitors Quartet, Gospel Mariners, and the Campmeeting Singers. He spent many years on the road sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ to millions of people through his musical God-given gifts.
He is survived by a son, Scott (Michelle) McCartney, Marysville; two daughters, Christina Porter, Columbus; Teri (Greg) Trantanella, Tennessee; four grandchildren, Christian, Lily, Jamison and Caitlin; eight great-grandchildren and five great-great grandchildren; a brother, Ronnie (Sandy) McCartney, Mesa, Arizona.
Memorial services will be Saturday, February 6, 2016 at 12:00 PM at the Marysville Grace Church with Pastor Clancy Cruise officiating. Friends may call one hour prior to the service, beginning at 11:00 AM. The family is being assisted by Stofcheck-Ballinger Funeral Home, Richwood.
Memorial gifts may be made to Loving Care Hospice, P. O. Box 613, Marysville, OH 43040.
The dates are incorrect, as I was on the show with my dad between 1965-1968. The Mariners Quartet, originally the Gospel Mariners, originated in 1963. This group was on the long running television program, The Good Ship Zion on WHIO-TV, Dayton, Oh.
ReplyDeleteTeri, My name is Jim Murphy and I sang with The Gospel Mariners as baritone on Good Ship Zion Show on WHIO from February 1966 through June of 1968. The Mariners Quartet with Eddie McCartney had already left the show to to a traveling gig. Eddie actually filled in for Ralph Helmbold occasionally.
ReplyDeleteNewspaper release from Lima News, Oct 25th, 1958, page 2 states that the quartet had been singing for seven years for the Good Ship Zion.
ReplyDeleteAccording to the newspaper, the 1958 members were:
1st Tenor: Dennis Sullivan
2nd Tenor: Vernon Martin
Baritone: Robert Michael
Bass: Marin Freed
Piano: Ralph Helmbold
Who was in the group when The Gospel Waves joined the show?
ReplyDeleteThe Gospel Waves were three sisters, twins: Betty Bowles, Barbara Lawson, and their sister, Dana.
DeleteThat information seem accurate other than I believe the show first aired in 1950 sometime. The quartet was in existence in the area as the Gospel Echos from 1947 when Captain Kolb found them and asked them to change their name to join him on the show.
ReplyDeleteMy name is Keith Flack and I was the tenor for the Gospel Mariners in the 80’s. Ralph Helmbold played piano and sang bariton, Big Dave Stewart sang bass and Gary Crowley sung lead. We recorded the Grand Homecoming Album. Unfortunately, I lost my copy and am looking for one should anyone know where one is.
ReplyDeleteI was tenor for the Gospel Mariners in the 80’s. Ralph played piano and sung bariton, Dave Stewart sung bass and Gary Crowley sung lead. We recorded the Grand Homecoming album of which I am searching for a copy. Should anyone know whete I can get a copy it would be greatly appreciated.
ReplyDeleteIf you do come up with a copy of the album let me know. I’m pulling together a YouTube channel for the group so I would like to incorporate that album as well. If you don’t have a way to transcribe it, I can do it. I had forgotten the names of the guys of your era. Is Dave still with us?
ReplyDeleteIn the black & white group photo where they are smiling, the man on the left is bass singer Randal Clay. When I saw the Mariners in the 60s he was also the emcee and seemed to be running the group. The remained in those positions after they changed their name to the Camp Meeting Singers.
ReplyDeleteThis would have been prior to 1965. After 1964ish Randal Clay and the other members went full time on the road leaving the TV Show but still used the name Mariners for a while. When Randall left two of the original members, Marv Freed and Norm Smith added Dave Smith, Norms son and Dick Smith, Norms brother along with Ralph Helmbold on piano to provide music for the local show. I joined in early 1966 in replacement of Dave who was drafted. During 1965 they recorded the Rose of Sharon album. A while after I joined, Dick left the group and was replaced by Phil Bailey. When Norm and I left in mid 1968, Chuck Yount joined as tenor and Ralph doubled as baritone and piano.
ReplyDeleteI found a copy of an album titled After Calvary by Gospel Mariners, The back info cites Channel 7's Good Ship Zion and lists the band members as Chuck Yount, Phil Bailey, Ralph Helmbold and Dave Stewart. Album recorded and made by Rite Records Productions, Cincinnati. Any idea what year this was made?
ReplyDeleteThe album you found is from around 1970. It was made after I left the group in 1969. Ralph and Phil were in the group when I left. Norm Smith and I left at the same time.
ReplyDelete