gospel
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Photo courtesy of artist
The Sons of Promise are an exciting group of young, anointed singers breathing new life into the storied quartet gospel tradition of their native Philadelphia. Their sound mixes traditional gospel harmonies and explosive lead vocals with a hard-driving rhythm section and a timeless commitment to their faith, topped with a high-energy showmanship. Audiences in Richmond are sure to feel the power, faith, and passion the Sons of Promise bring to each performance.
The gospel quartet style has its roots in the African American spiritual traditions of the American South. Enslaved Africans combined English hymns with West African rhythms and vocal traditions to create a musical form that expressed both Christian devotion and the desire for freedom. After the massive international popularity of the Fisk Jubilee Singers starting in the early 1870s, many quartets came to be known as “jubilee quartets.” In the mid-20th century pioneering quartets like the Dixie Hummingbirds and Sensational Nightingales helped make Philadelphia a key stop on the gospel highway, where Black sacred music luminaries like Marion Williams and Sister Rosetta Tharpe were also based.
Hailing from a family active in Philadelphia gospel going back six decades, Brothers William Scott III and James Scott formed Sons of Promise 13 years ago when in their early 20s. Despite their young age, the two were already veterans of the quartet circuit. As young children they had sung with their parents, aunts, uncles, cousins, and grandmother in Sensational Travelers, a group founded by the Scott family and continuously active since 1960. Their father had also been a member of the Blue Gates of Harmony since 1980. The Sons or Promise are strongly carrying a three-generations legacy, deeply rooted in Philadelphia’s gospel sound.
After years of singing at churches and gospel programs in the Mid-Atlantic, the Sons of Promise have recently started touring further into the South. Their repertoire is a mix of rearranged gospel classics as well as originals like their signature song, “Stumbling, Falling,” which is about staying devout during times of turmoil. The group has appeared alongside legendary quartets like the Highway QCs and the Pilgrim Jubilees. Popular traditional gospel videographer Petey Green says of the Sons, “These brothers can just flat out sing, but most of all they love the Lord.”
Today the group is composed of eight members whose ages range from 19 to 35. Like the Scott brothers, most of them are pastors, ministers, or preachers when they are not singing, and represent a wide variety of denominations. Their role in continuing the Philadelphia tradition has become especially important in recent years as many of the city’s quartet singers have passed away or retired. James is now the pastor of Faith Canaan Baptist Church, which was founded by his father, Bishop William Scott Jr., who passed away last year. James is likewise committed to keeping the family legacy of quartet singing going. “That’s what he loved, so that’s what we are going to continue to do. We will keep it going,” says James.