Chuck Wagon Gang
The original incarnation of the Chuck Wagon Gang was made up of four members of the Carter family — no relation to the Carter Family. They were Dad Carter (David Parker Carter), his son Jim (born Ernest), daughter Rose (born Rosa Lola), and his daughter Effie. Dad Carter was born in Kentucky, but was raised in Clay County, Texas. He was enrolled in a singing school there when he met Carrie Brooks, whom he married in 1909. They had eight children, and to support them, Carter worked for the Rock Island Railroad in 1927. At other times, he and the family also picked cotton. The original group was called the Carter Quartet, in which Dad sang tenor, Jim sang bass and played guitar, while Rose and Effie sang soprano and alto. They became popular and soon began earning $15 per week. The following year, the Carters moved to WBAP and billed themselves as the Chuck Wagon Gang; they sang a variety of secular and sometimes sacred songs. Their earliest recording session for ARC produced country singles, rather than gospel. As the years passed, they gradually became more gospel-oriented, and by the early ’40s had switched over completely. In 1942, they spent a few months at a Tulsa radio station.
McKamey Legacy
The group, McKamey Legacy is a family trio from Clinton, Tennessee that came to be after 39 years of full-time touring with the rest of their family, The McKameys.
After that group retired in 2019, and after much prayer, group members Connie Fortner (Ruben and Peg’s daughter), her husband, Roger Fortner and their son, Elijah Fortner felt the call from God to continue the legacy of their family and they began traveling and singing again in 2021 as McKamey Legacy. McKamey Legacy also received The Favorite New Artist Award in 2022 from the Singing News Fan Awards. Sharing the Gospel in song to a lost world and sharing the message of hope to discouraged Christians is their goal, following God in everything that they do and bringing Glory to God in all things done by them.
Reagan Riddle
Reagan Riddle, 2023 inductee to the Southern Gospel Hall of Fame, and former member of the acclaimed Primitive Quartet. Renowned for his soulful vocals and skilled banjo playing, Reagan contributed to the quartet’s harmonious sound. With a passion for traditional bluegrass and gospel music, Reagan’s musical journey was deeply intertwined with the Primitive Quartet’s longstanding success. His dedication to preserving and advancing the rich musical heritage of his home region has made him a respected figure in the world of gospel and bluegrass.
