Progressive Four

The Progressive Four were a Washington, D.C. spiritual group, whose roots go back to the late 1920s. The original group recorded four sides for Columbia in April 1930. According to Harmon Bethea, the original Progressive Four were Doug Sommers (baritone), Johnny Allen (bass), Wilburt Griffin (lead baritone) (brother of Jimmy Griffin (7) & Buddy Griffin (4)), and Hartwell Mouton (tenor). After World War II, there were six members of the Progressive Four: Lindsay Wilson (tenor), Hartwell Mouton (tenor), Wilburt Griffin (baritone), Oliver Armstead (bass), Tom Singletary (guitar), and the newly-added Harmon Bethea (tenor, baritone, bass).