Published: June 27, 2008 02:59 pm      

Eastside Baptist welcomes Forgiven Quartet

DUNCAN — Oklahoma’s own Forgiven Quartet will appear in a free concert at 1 p.m. Sunday in Eastside Baptist Church of Marlow.

Organized in Bartlesville in 1981, Forgiven has been traveling across middle America since then, spreading the good news of Jesus Christ through Southern gospel music.

Current members include tenor Mark Brooke, lead Mark Green, baritone Buddy Pitezel and bass Stanley Johnson.

Brooke is manager and founder of the group and is the only remaining original member. He also serves as master of ceremonies for the group. He and his wife, Debbie, live in Bartlesville, where they are members of First Baptist Church.

Johnson joined the group in December 2001. Before joining Forgiven, he sang in a number of gospel groups over the years and has traveled all over the Midwest. He and his wife, Pat, live in Enid and attend First Church of the Nazarene.

Pitezel joined the group in January of this year. He said he remembers being fascinated by the harmonies in gospel music as a little boy, and finds it equally fascinating today. He and his wife, Glenda, live in Tulsa and attend Eastland Assembly of God Church.

Green joined the group in January 2000. Although his primary part is lead, his vocal range allows him to sing tenor and/or baritone, as well. He is an accomplished praise and worship leader and has served in a number of interim music minister positions in New Mexico and Oklahoma over the years. He and his wife, Debbie, live in Owasso and attend Central Baptist Church.

Forgiven Quartet has appeared in concert with many of the top names in gospel music, including The Mark Trammell Trio, Legacy Five, The Cathedrals, JD Sumner and the Stamps, The Florida Boys, The Nelsons, The Lesters, The Brashears and several other groups.

In 2002, Forgiven was asked to be part of the South Texas Music Festival in Harlingen as the featured Southern gospel quartet for the event. Later that year, they were selected as grand champions in the group competition at The Branson Gospel Music Association’s “Showdown 2002” talent contest in Branson, Mo.

The men travel throughout an 11-state area, including Oklahoma, Kansas, Nebraska, Minnesota, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Texas, Missouri, Arkansas and Tennessee, giving more than 130 concerts each year.

The group has also released eight full-length gospel recordings over the past six years.

The church is at 720 E. Evans in Marlow.