New Way Quartet

Our First Appearance on Nationwide Radio!

Dr. Wally — Thu, 26 Aug 2010 21:51:07 +0000

I am happy to inform our friends and fans that New Way Quartet is the featured group in the new artist spotlight segment of “This Week in Gospel Music” a national weekly radio program hosted by Mickey Bell and aired in 30 states and 2 foreign countries!

Mickey interviewd me for several minutes then plays “I’m So Saved”. It was a nice experience. I have enclosed a link for you to listen to it if you desire, and a link to the homepage of “This Week in Gospel Music”.

Enjoy!! Here’s the link for just the segment http://thisweekingospelmusic.sermon.net/da/2480866/play

Here the link to twgm http://www.thisweekingospelmusic.com/

Until later.

Dr. Wally

New Way Quartet

Who’s In Control?

Dr. Wally — Fri, 20 Aug 2010 21:07:36 +0000

Summer sunset over the Arkansas river

I suppose I could have titled this post “When The Sun of My Life Goes Down” after an old gospel quartet song written by the late J.D. Sumner many years ago. Instead, I chose the above title because of a post I recently saw on Facebook by my son Kenny Liles that said, “I like to watch sunsets because it reminds me of WHO is in control!” This struck a chord with my heart! I have always enjoyed sunsets. I have used a picture of a recent sunset on a summer day in Arkansas from my deck on the bluff overlooking the Arkansas River. When one thinks about “control” in this life, it depends greatly on some or all of the following things….our age, our job, our financial position, our politics, our standing in the community, our spiritual awareness andour relationship with the Almighty God and Creator of this experience that we call LIFE.

We think we can control most things that happen to us and to some extent we can, but really all we can control is our response to what is ordained for us to experience. I know that some can and would argue with this statement, yet as I have said in jest many times, “we all believe in our own delusions”. So if one disagrees with my premise that we can only control how we respond to all the myriad experiences of life, then perhaps you can tell me how by my hard work or strong positive mental belief that I can make these beautiful yet fleeting moments of sunsets last a little longer! I would certainly appreciate it!

I know we can take advantage of the things that man has invented such as HD digital videos or even fantastic still photos or paintings of a gorgeous sunset, but in our life….time only goes in one direction….FORWARD!

So, as you my friends move in your sphere of existence, don’t forget WHO is ultimately in CONTROL. I have discovered that if one makes true and honest peace with one’s Creator, then one is truly following the Biblical admonition of “working out your own salvation with prayer….”

Enjoy a wonderful sunset…. remember “WHO’s in CONTROL”.

OUR NEW BIO…

Dr. Wally — Thu, 12 Aug 2010 18:44:29 +0000

I thought you might like to read our new bio that we posted on the website last week….

But now by dying to what once bound us, we have been released from the law so that we serve in the New Way of the spirit and not in the old way of the written code.
Romans 7:6 (NIV)

From the seventh chapter of Romans comes the namesake for Arkansas’s New Way Quartet.

When it comes to their sound, perhaps noted Southern Gospel songwriter Dianne Wilkinson says it best. “New Way Quartet— woo hoo! My, my, my!”

With their third CD, So Saved, these four men deliver on the promise seen on the stage of the National Quartet Convention, proving themselves worthy of their top five finish in the 2009 talent competition.

Steeped in the tradition of landmark groups like the Oak Ridge Boys, the Kingsmen and the Cathedrals, Dr. Wally Liles set out nearly ten years ago to create an outlet for a style of music he finds inescapable.

“I’ve been a big Southern Gospel fan all my life, from the time I was a kid listening to the Blackwood Brothers and the Statesmen. I studied classical music all my young adult life but I still couldn’t get away from my love of Southern Gospel.”

An optometrist by day, Dr. Liles spends his weekends sharing his vision with the three men with whom he shares the stage: Jeff Hindmarsh (lead), Brian Rushing (tenor), and Gary Kindy, Jr. (baritone).

The bass vocalist confesses to a collection of records that number nearly five hundred, one that informs the group’s song selection, even on the new CD. “Inside of Me” is a 35-year-old Dixie Echoes song from the Dale Shelnut era, and “Something New” is a Michael English composition from his days with the Singing Americans in the eighties.

“I love the harmony, I love the message and I love the interaction, both between the group on stage and of course, with the people out in the audience too.” So far, the Hoppers, Greenes, the Lefevre Quartet, Mercy’s Mark, and the Melody Boys are the first on a growing list of top groups with whom New Way has shared the stage.

Produced by Dove Award winner Kevin Ward, So Saved is New Way’s first foray in introducing new material, and they’ve done it with the help of some of Southern Gospel’s most stellar writers: Wilkinson (“So Saved”), Marty Funderburk (“I’ve Not Seen A Mountain” & “I Am the Way”), and Ward himself (“Faith Talkin’”).

Dianne Wilkinson is downright exuberant when it comes to New Way’s take on her song, the title track “So Saved.”

“What a fabulous cut this is! I knew it was going to be a killer from the first line on. Love the groove of the track and the young man singing the lead is just wearing it out! I’m sure the whole CD is great but honestly I just keep playing mine over and over! This cut just blew ole Di away!”

If high praise from the lady who wrote Cathedrals hits like “Boundless Love” and “We Shall See Jesus” is any indication, this quartet is following in the footsteps of their heroes, forging a New Way, and leading their own excited group of fans and followers.

People Are People…

Dr. Wally — Fri, 06 Aug 2010 22:59:34 +0000

Especially in group settings, sometimes I tend to think of the audience as a single entity. It seems to be

easier on my brain this way! The audience usually consists of several hundred individuals, but I always refer to them as a good crowd, a happy crowd, a responsive or non-responsive crowd. I certainly know better, but it is the way that I deal with this situation.

The people in the crowd are of different ages, genders, backgrounds, as well as, different states of health.

There are various attitudes, morals, spiritual conditions, economic and political persuasions. Some people feel well while others are sick and still others are in between.

So if I know all these things about the general congregation, the question becomes….how am I supposed

to handle this encounter? There is no absolute or correct answer. However, I know how I like to be

treated when I attend various concerts.

I want to be respected and talked to in a non-threatening manner. I want to be encouraged, entertained, and to gain something from the experience that will lift my spirit. I want to be reminded that Jesus is the answer, that He loves me, and His grace is sufficient for me in all my areas of life. I want the music and harmonies to be excellent and the presentation to be professional and worthwhile. So, if this is how I want to be treated when I’m in an audience, this is how I strive to treat people when NEW WAY QUARTET is singing and ministering from the stage.

I want to always remember that people are really people and to always treat them as such!

Until next time,

Dr. Wally Liles

Where Did You Get That Song???

Dr. Wally — Tue, 27 Jul 2010 17:47:56 +0000

As promised, here is one more “Where did you get that song?” story. One day when I was on the “search” for songs for the new project for NEW WAY QUARTET and in the studio with producer Kevin Ward, he played a song for me to consider. It was a different style as sung by a mixed trio that he had recorded earlier to be used for a demo and the title was “Faith Talkin”. It was an up tempo arrangement with excellent words and a great message.

Immediately I liked it, but I was concerned about how it would sound with a male quartet. After listening to it many times in the next month, I finally asked Kevin who had written it. He told me that he was the songwriter. Wow! No doubt this helped finalize my decision that NEW WAY QUARTET should record this song. With some help from our producer/arranger, our vocal coach Dr. Wally Liles III, some awesome musicians, and special thanks for the phenomenal piano work of Jason Webb, we were very pleased with the finished product.

This exciting groovey, upbeat tempo arrangement of “Faith Talkin” is the favorite song of my 4 year old grandson, Conner. He can sing or “scream” all the words from memory and he has fun doing it! And….

Grandad loves it that he enjoys southern gospel quartet music!

Until next time, keep listening and singing!

Dr. Wally Liles

THE SEARCH —- Finding New Songs To Record

Dr. Wally — Wed, 14 Jul 2010 03:31:01 +0000

In the first blog recently, I promised to let you know the process to search and find new gospel songs to record. NEW WAY QUARTET had never sung an original southern gospel song until “I’m So Saved” on our newly released CD titled SO SAVED. At first, the impending process was a concern and then quickly became a time-consuming project.

I began writing or calling all my friends who are song writers and asking if they would pitch new materials for our next recording. All of them said yes….some followed through while others did not. Then I wrote to Daywind Music Company’s Rick Shelton who sent a CD with 10 songs for us to preview. As a small, part-time group, we received songs that had been written in the past 4 years, but at least they were from excellent top-of-the-line writers.

I will tell you about our title cut “I’m So Saved”. This song was pitched to us by Daywind. It was written by Dianne Wilkinson, a widely-recognized and well-respected writer of southern gospel music. I have never met her; however, I have listened to her great songs for more than 30 years as they were sung by my favorite groups. The demo was a bit too country in its flavor, but I really liked the words, the tune, and the awesome message.

When I played the demo for Kevin, we agreed about its potential for NEW WAY QUARTET. With his excellent input, the groove and vibe came together as we did the tracks with some of Nashville’s finest studio musicians. After the vocals were finished, we listened to the arrangement and all the fellows wanted this song to be our title song and the CD to be named SO SAVED.

I sent a copy of the CD to Dianne. Here is a quote from her gracious reply:

“My My My My!!!! What a FABULOUS cut this is on “I’m So Saved”!!! I knew it was going to be a killer from the first line ON. LOVE the groove and the track, and that young man singing lead is just wearing it OUT!! ….kudos and bravo to the NEW WAY QUARTET. I LOVE it!”

This made us feel really good !!!

I thought you might enjoy a little story about finding and recording a new gospel song.

HAPPY LISTENING!

Are We “Happy” Yet?…

Dr. Wally — Thu, 08 Jul 2010 02:39:07 +0000

I believe happiness is a decision! I have spent several years on this earth in a wonderful country, a great region, a rural environment, and with evangelical church involvement. I have personally examined and treated approximately 3,000 patients a year for 35 years. I think this life experience has given me a basis for this conclusion. HAPPINESS is a DECISION!

I can’t and don’t want to write a definitive paper on this subject. However, I want to share some thoughts that give credence to my hypothesis. What makes a person happy? This popular question gets asked rather frequently. People often answer…. more money, more time off, attend more events, indulge in life-threatening activities, partake of mind-altering substances, and various other things. All of these do bring some exhilaration, laughter, and pleasure. Do these really make one happy? I think not.

So, what makes us truly happy? Without using the dictionary, let me define happiness as I see and understand it. To me, happiness is that state of mind that we have in the face of all our blessings, trials, or misfortunes that causes peace and contentment, regardless of our location on the “road of life”. If this is the case, then achieving happiness comes from finding the source of our peace. The Bible speaks of the peace that passes all understanding. I find that the decision to know God and let Him become the greater part of our life is the way to happiness. I believe that taking our “measure of faith”, even if it is as small as a mustard seed, growing it larger into a strong, tall tree is the most successful, easiest way to make the decision to choose happiness. So in my way of thinking, if one wants to be happy, then one should make the decision to be happy, follow that path, and experience true HAPPINESS!

Our Life as “Part Timers”

Dr. Wally — Tue, 29 Jun 2010 16:59:40 +0000

There are some interesting concepts and mind games that we experience regularly. Please understand that we are not ‘special’, but we do have different life paths when compared to those who are full time in the southern gospel industry.

NEW WAY QUARTET has a health care professional, a small business owner, an independent landman, and a transportation specialist for senior citizens. We live in different towns/cities in Arkansas except for one who lives and works in another state 700 miles away. We have to practice and schedule our singing events very carefully.

So, the above information begs several questions. WHY DO WE DO IT? To answer this, we must address these issues. The members of NEW WAY QUARTET believe that we can sing well enough to make it worthwhile. We feel that there is a need to preserve this type of four-part harmony as a singing style. We know that we use it as a ministry to believers as well as non-believers. Finally, we really appreciate the opportunity to stand on stage to sing and to experience the interaction with the audience as together we worship God.

IS IT WORTH IT? This is where rationalization comes strongly into play. It is not worth it financially! On the other hand, neither is golfing, hunting, fishing, boating, or RVing financially rewarding! So….we hope that the offerings and CD sales will cover the expenses of recording and having products to sell, keep adequate sound equipment, and cover some traveling expenses for the van, cargo trailer, food, and sometimes hotels. Also, the time involved being away from our families is another concern with which we have to come to grips.

After saying all of these things, we believe that what we do is fun, worthwhile, and meaningful! To experience the joy of making music with the fellows in the group, to meet and have a worship time with the

audiences where we sing….folks, it’s great! So until or if circumstances change, NEW WAY QUARTET will be out there singing on some weekends, keeping their ‘day jobs’ during the week, and having a great and exciting time! HooRay for the PART-TIMERS !!!!!!!!!!!!

New Way Quartet enters the blogosphere!

Dr. Wally — Thu, 17 Jun 2010 15:46:56 +0000

After many weeks of effort on the part of our producer and coach Kevin Ward, I am taking baby steps into this portion of the high tech world. I don’t think what I have to say is so important that it deserves the blogging venue; however, I do believe that this will allow me and the other members of NEW WAY QUARTET to connect in a more and hopefully better way with our friends and fans.

I will use this blog site to keep you updated about the group’s activities. I trust that it will develop into a mechanism to have conversations with you who desire to know us, even when we are not singing on stage. I will have to take it slowly for many reasons, not least among them the fact that I never learned to type……..LOL!

I am thrilled to announce that NEW WAY QUARTET has a new CD which was released in May titled SO SAVED. It was recorded at KiloWat Studios near Nashville, TN, with producer Kevin Ward. SO SAVED is taken from the title song “I’m So Saved” written by Dianne Wilkinson. There are nine more songs by many great writers and all the fellows are having a blast singing them in our appearances. The STORE part of this website should be up and running soon so that snippets of each song can be heard and the CD can be purchased.

In future posts, I plan to write about the process and effort expended in choosing the songs we selected for this project. Another interesting topic might be how to balance working full-time jobs while singing part-time on some weekends. Also, I will share some opinions about the performance-versus-the ministry of a gospel singing group.

My goal is to use this technology as I am learning it, even with making mistakes along the process which is inevitable….that’s how life is!

Thanks for your interest,

Wally Liles

Check out New Way live on stage

admin — Sun, 25 Apr 2010 00:19:20 +0000

This is a video that a friend of ours recorded for us and uploaded it to YouTube. Thanks to Charlie Gluuhead for doing this.

God Bless you all