How about some Liberty to kick off the 4th of July holiday?

The folks at Hot Lake Springs are doing just that with an outdoor concert Sunday at 6 p.m. featuring one of the West’s most entertaining singing groups the Liberty Quartet.

Concert-goers are asked to bring lawn chairs or blankets to sit on. If the weather is bad, the concert will be moved indoors. Although there is no set ticket price, folks should be prepared to donate in support of the ministry during a free-will offering.

Liberty, a traditional Southern Gospel quartet, is a professional group based on the West Coast with a full-time concert schedule.

Members of the Liberty Quartet are Royce Mitchell, bass; Dan Gilbert, lead; Doran Ritchey, baritone and piano; and Keith Waggoner, tenor.

The group averages 50,000 to 70,000 miles a year ministering in approximately 200 performances for church services, large conventions including the Great Western Quartet Convention and the Gospel Music Fan Festival in Canada, nursing homes, prisons and other ministries. Liberty goes wherever the Lord directs.

The group has had the opportunity to share the platform with groups such as Legacy Five, Greater Vision, Gaither Vocal Band, Poet Voices, Dixie Melody Boys, Florida Boys, Palmetto State Quartet and many others.

Whether or not you are a fan of Southern Gospel music, you will certainly enjoy the enthusiasm these men exhibit while serving and singing unto the Lord. Their ministry bridges all generations, bringing enjoyment to traditional venues as well as contemporary.

Who are the Liberty Quartet?

Royce Mitchell is one of the original, founding members of Liberty. The first Southern gospel quartet he sang with was “The Gospel Four” at the age of 13. He has a bachelor’s and master’s degree in music.

God called Royce to 15 years of full-time church music ministry, and it was while serving as a music minister in Boise that he, with three laymen from the church, organized “Liberty.”

In 1996 God led the quartet to pursue a traveling concert ministry that would require Royce to leave church ministry so he could devote his time to what is now Liberty Ministries, Inc. Royce and his wife, Tammy, have three children: Jeremiah, Jenna and Julianne.

Doran Ritchey became a member of Liberty in March of 2004. He attended Bible college in Pennsylvania where he graduated with a piano major and a vocal minor. After teaching music for three years and directing the touring choir at the college, Doran and his wife, Diane, felt led by God to accept a youth/music ministry position at Grace Bible Church in Nampa in August 2000. Doran met Liberty at his church in October 2003 when he played the piano for them for a concert.

When the full-time position of baritone/pianist opened up, the Ritcheys realized God was leading them in this direction for ministry. Doran and Diane live in Nampa with daughter Courtney and son Doran Taylor.

Dan Gilbert answered the call to ministry with the Liberty Quartet in December of 2003, which he considers the ultimate Christmas gift.

Raised in church, he gave his talents to God at age 12 while attending summer camp. Singing next to Mom and Dad in church, he developed a love for music with a Southern influence Mom and Dad being from Georgia.

Prior to joining Liberty, Dan was a member of various singing groups with the most recent being seven years spent with Faithful Men.

Dan and his wife, Donna, have two boys, Justin and Jordan.

Keith Waggoner was born and raised in Indiana. He graduated from God’s Bible School and College in Cincinnati, Ohio, in 1999 with a bachelor’s degree in church music and stayed to serves as the school orchestra’s assistant director. He then served as as the minister of music at Immanuel Church of the Nazarene in Highland Heights, Ky.

But in the summer of 2004, Keith, his wife Lori, and their son, Trey, answered a call to serve at Grace Bible Church in Nampa, where Keith ministered as pastor of youth and worship. Keith has always been an avid fan and promoter of Southern gospel music, so when he was offered the position of tenor with Liberty Quartet, he realized that God was truly giving him the desires of his heart.

Keith and Lori live in Nampa with Trey and their daughter, Kassady.