Local audiences know western South Dakota has an impressive list of accomplished musicians, and the four men who make up The Black Hills Gospel Quartet would like to add themselves to that roster.

Although the group has a strong following in eastern South Dakota, regularly tours a nine-state region and has played with some of the best in the gospel singing business, local performances are fairly unusual, according to tenor Chuck Nelson of Sturgis, who also does most of the scheduling for the group.

"We sing very little in the Black Hills," Nelson said. "We get invited far away more than we do here."

On Sunday, Feb. 24, Rimrock Evangelical Free Church will help remedy that situation by hosting the group at a gospel concert at 6 p.m. at the church, about 8 miles west of Rapid City at 12200 W. Highway 44. Besides performing themselves, the quartet will lead the audience in singing favorite hymns.

Despite infrequent appearances in the local limelight, the quartet probably sets something of a record in terms of longevity - having spent 18 musical years together.

"It was an accident," Nelson said, recalling how the group started in the fall of 1989. Nelson and his wife stopped to talk with a neighbor while out walking one evening, and were invited for coffee. When they arrived, another couple was also there. "Before the night was over, we were standing around the piano trying to sing," Nelson said, "That's how we got started."

The group began as a trio, with Nelson singing tenor, T.J. Beckman as lead singer and piano accompanist and Ted Seaman singing baritone. An invitation to perform at a local church coffee house was their first public appearance. Three years later, the three decided they needed a fourth, and Leaun Peterson joined as their bass singer.

While their early efforts sound pretty humorous today, according to Nelson, the group's southern gospel sound has brought them increasing recognition through the years. One of the group's high points was opening for Ernie Hass and Signature Sound, considered the No. 1 gospel quartet in the country, at a Sioux Falls concert.

"We really felt proud that they contacted us," Nelson said. The group has recorded four CDs, which will be available at the Sunday concert.

Today, the group plays an average of 30 concerts a year. Besides Signature Sound, the group has shared the stage with such well-known groups as The Melody Boys, Legacy Quartet, Four Fold Quartet and The Carpenter Family, to name a few. They recently returned from a concert in North Dakota, and soon will be performing at Oahe Manor in Gettysburg for its Spring Fling hospital fundraiser.

The North Dakota event was a Valentine's Day banquet, which inspired a conversation about marriage among the four men. "Between the four of us, we have all been married for a total of 144 years," Nelson said. "We all have two children, a boy and a girl, and we are all grandparents now."

Those long-standing relationships also support the group's endeavors, according to Nelson. "It's been a good relationship between us four guys and our families."

The group enjoys meeting weekly to practice and work on new material, according to baritone Ted Seaman, who lives in Piedmont. "The guys like to get together. We sit and talk for an hour before we ever get around to singing. We're like brothers."

"We've sung at our kids' weddings and gone to some of our parents' funerals," Seaman added. "We have really experienced life together."

Just as important, Seaman says, is being able to bring their music to those who seldom have a chance to see a gospel performance. "The older generation appreciates it because this is music they grew up with. We are doing a real service to those people and doing something that is close to their heart."

In fact, building relationships has been important to The Black Hills Quartet throughout its 18 years together - with its overriding mission being to help people establish or renew their relationship with God by presenting the "Good News" of the Gospel of Jesus Christ through music.

"We view ourselves as a gospel ministry," Nelson said. "We've never charged for our singing, it's always freewill offerings or donations. God's been real good to us."

If you go

What: The Black Hills Gospel Quartet concert and singspiration

When: 6 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 24

Where: Rimrock Evangelical Free Church, 12200 W. Highway 44

Cost: Freewill offering; refreshments will be served.