Ernie Haase & Signature Sound

Ernie Haase & Signature Sound
EH&SS in Concert in Rotterdam (2009)
Background information
Genres	Christian
Years active	2002 (2002) - Present

Ernie Haase & Signature Sound is a Southern Gospel vocal quartet founded in 2002 by Ernie Haase, former Cathedral Quartet tenor, and Garry Jones, former Gold City pianist.

Musical career

The Cathedral Quartet announced their farewell tour in 1999. Lead singer Glen Payne died on October 15, 1999 before the end of the tour. Upon request of Glen Payne, the remaining members finished the tour with pianist Roger Bennett performing Payne's vocals. Following the tour Bennett and baritone Scott Fowler formed Legacy Five while Ernie Haase continued his solo career.

After a time former Cathedrals bass George Younce and the legendary Jake Hess along with Bill Gaither formed the Old Friends Quartet with Ernie Haase Wesley Pritchard and Garry Jones. The Old Friends Quartet disbanded after about two years on the road, as Younce's ill health prevented them from doing much traveling.

Haase along with Jones, still had a love for quartet singing and wished to create a quartet that was 21st Century in image and attitude, but traditional in sound, emulating the great Southern Gospel groups of the 20th Century, including the legendary Statesmen Quartet, the Stamps Quartet, the Blackwood Brothers and of course, the Cathedral Quartet. Haase and Jones gathered three other young men (lead singer Shane Dunlap, baritone Doug Anderson, and bass singer Tim Duncan) with similar love and respect for Gospel music, and the Signature Sound Quartet was born. Jones and Haase dissolved their business relationship after the first year and Roy Webb was chosen as pianist.

From the group's inception their name was heard everywhere, and when audiences saw the fun and energy that the group gave at their concerts, they responded enthusiastically, rocketing the Signature Sound Quartet to instant stardom. With the fame came some controversy, as some Gospel music lovers objected to the "outlandish" look of the group, which included short ties and oddly-colored suits. Still later, the group began styling their hair in "modern" stand-up spiked style, which further added to their controversy. The fan reaction, however, was far more positive than negative, and trade magazines began referring to them as "the next Statesmen", implying that the mold-breaking style they created brought to mind the similarly outside-the-box thinking of the classic group.

In 2004, the group changed its name to Ernie Haase and Signature Sound, reportedly in order to avoid confusion with other similarly-titled regional groups. They signed with the Gaither Music Group and became regular performers with the Gaither Homecoming tours and videos. Like-minded legendary singer/producer Bill Gaither eventually began scheduling a second series of concerts with only Signature Sound and the Gaither Vocal Band appearing together. Due in part to the popularity of these concerts, the two groups decided to record a single album together, which came out in October 2007.

In May 2007, pianist Roy Webb came off the road to be with his dad, who was dying of cancer. On May 29, 2007, it was announced that Webb had resigned from the group. Later, it was announced that Gordon Mote would be the group's piano player during their Get Away Jordan summer tour. Producer and Songwriter Wayne Haun is serving as their pianist for the 2008 Summer tour.

In October 2007, the group released a DVD/CD project entitled Together, which was recorded with the Gaither Vocal Band. It was hinted on the DVD that future collaborations are upcoming.

The groups next project is entitled, "Dream On". This was released in late October 2008 and was filmed in Chicago, at the Navy Ballroom Pier. In October 2009 a new Christmas album was released, "Every light that shines at Christmas ".

The group has won two GMA Dove Awards in 2008 (both for Get Away, Jordan) and one in 2009 for their song Reason Enough.

In January 2009, Ernie Haase announced a The Cathedrals tribute tour. The CD and DVD are due out in 2010.

The group is currently composed of Ernie Haase, Ryan Seaton, Doug Anderson and Tim Duncan.

Members

• Ernie Haase: Tenor & Founder (2002-Present)
• Garry Jones: Pianist & Co-founder (2002-03)
• Shane Dunlap: Lead (2002-03)
• Doug Anderson: Baritone (2002-Present)
• Tim Duncan: Bass (2002-Present)
• George Younce: Co-owner and Guest Singer (2003-2005)*
• Roy Webb: Pianist (2003-2007)
• Wesley Pritchard: Lead (2003)**
• Ryan Seaton: Lead (2003-Present)
• Gordon Mote: Pianist (2007 summer tour)
• Wayne Haun: Pianist (2008-present)
• David Griffith: Bassist (2009-present)
• Greg Ritchie: Drummer (2009-present)

**Honorary member who filled in as the lead singer while the group searched for a fulltime lead

*Haase's wife, Lisa, is the daughter of Younce. Joined Haase as Co-Owner in 2005 and from the group's formation until his death, appeared occasionally with the group as a special guest singer; appeared on group's first project performing a solo "This is Heaven to Me" with the group as back-up.

Discography

• Stand by Me (2002)
• Building a Bridge (2003)
• Glory to His Name (2003)
• The Ground is Level (2004)
• Great Love (2004)
• Christmas with Ernie Haase & Signature Sound (2004)
• Stand by Me: Live (2005)
• Self Titled (2005)
• Get Away, Jordan (2007)
• Together (2007)
• "Influenced"(2008) - Table Project, only available at Concerts.
• Dream On (2008)
• Every light that shines at Christmas (2009)

Albums in bold denote those recorded with the Gaither Vocal Band.

External links

• Ernie Haase & Signature Sound Official Website

References