You don't hear singing like this much anymore, they were fantastic !!!

I always enjoy watching these archived clips of Doy Ott singing, along with the rest of the Statesmen Quartet. I admire his relaxed manner and his sincere, apparent enthusiasm while singing his parts: He also reminds me a lot of the old character actor Simon Oakland.😀

Doy Ott was the greatest of all Baritone singers. It is heart breaking to think that he died of an aneurysm and was in a coma for the last four years of his life.

The blond guy with mustache is Sherril Nielsen, backvocal of Elvis Presley, 1973/77.

True "Southern Gospel"

Chief is the best always has and will be.

First time I saw this, thanks for sharing.

Wow, don't think i ever saw this clip before, wonderful.

The Ott Family lived only a few miles from me in Sandy Springs,GA. I would see their bus parked on the street in front of their house ,the group would all be there waiting,getting ready to leave for other small towns and places through out the south. I went to school with Doy Ott's daughter Delores,a real pretty little girl. I have no idea where she is today but someone told me sold real estate in Atlanta. I don't live there anymore so I have lost track of many people. The Statesmen were "Rock stars" in GA,they all lived in the area.I never told Delores how muched I envied her for having a father that sang with the Statesman.

Chief had SUCH a presense.

this ole Christian sailor loves this song

Loved Doy Ott

Yes, Cadillac is correct. Baritone Doy Ott took the lead on this song. Ive always loved Doys smooth mellow voice.

The quartets lead singer in this recording was Gary Timbs. He was keyboardist (organ and piano) with the quartet at times and lead singer for a short time in the early-mid 1970s.

I thought so as well. Sad to see and think how sick he probably was here and didn't know it. Even not at 100% Chief was incredible!!

Yep, he was the quintessential quartet man. As I listen to this again, I noticed now low he goes on the "Tell Me" I don't think I've ever heard him as low. I could be mistaken though.

At this stage in their careers, one of the things that would have greatly aided their performance would have been to abandon the two mike set-up and put a microphone in each members hand. I know that would have been "un-Statesman-esque" but it would have allowed their vocals to have been carried so much better, especailly the Big Chief's. But any version of the Statesmen with Hovie, Doy and Chief were better than 99% of the quartets out there!

@lonemapper I noticed that as well. This has to be not long before he passed away.

I know quite well who Doy Ott is. He is the BARITONE. If Chief had the lead on this song would you say he is the lead singer for the group? The guy standing next to Sherrill Nielson. The guy standing where Jake would have stood when he sang in the group. The LEAD singer, not the person singing the solo.

Yes, but on this song Doy is singing lead if i'm not mistaken.

The singer is Doy Ott. ChIef died in '73 from a heart-attack, probably his health was bad around this time.

Doy Ott was the best baritone in SGM, followed by Cecil Blackwood, Ed Hill and Mark Lowry.

@sbkrantz 1986

Or "second tenor"

Doy Ott is the baritone.

I love JD, and he was the undisputed lowest bass singer. But…can you image JD standing 3 feet away from the mic and projecting?! Yes, JD was the lowest, but, ‘The Big Chief’ was the best!

Who is the leadsinger here? Chief does not look well nor sound like his magnificent self. Must have been sick.