February 2002 ~ Featuring Eric Phillips
Since I have started writing this article for the US Gospel News, I have featured my favorite lead, baritone, and bass singer. This month I want to share a little about one of my favorite tenor singers. The young man that I want to tell everyone about has only been traveling full time since June of 2001, but I feel that he will be around for a good while. He may be new to Southern Gospel Music, but I'm confident that as soon as you hear him, you will become a fan. The young man that I want to introduce to you is Eric Phillips, tenor vocalist of the Melody Masters Quartet.

I first met Eric in August of 2001, at the Gospel Music Television taping in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee. My friends, Phillip Hughes and Wayne Berry, both of the Melody Masters, introduced me to Eric. The following month, I saw the guys at the National Quartet Convention, in Louisville, Kentucky, but it wasn't until December 2001 at the Singing News Ski Retreat that I got to know Eric and become good friends with him.

Eric Dean Phillips was born on July 5, 1979. His parents are Marsha Browning and Ernie Phillips. He has two sisters, April and Stacey, and one stepbrother, Jeremiah. Eric lives in Asheville, North Carolina, and is a member of Trinity Baptist Church in Asheville. He was saved in 1986 at his home after a family devotion, led by his dad. He started singing in church at age sixteen. Prior to traveling full-time, he sang with two part-time groups in South Carolina, called En Favor and Riverbank.

When asked how he got the job with the Melody Masters, Eric stated that Phillip Hughes, lead vocalist of the Melody Masters, heard of him through the part-time group that Eric was with. When they began looking for a tenor singer, Phillip mentioned Eric's name to Scott Whitener, baritone vocalist and owner of the Melody Masters. Eric went for an audition and has been traveling with them ever since. On the road, his jobs include driving the bus and working the product table.

Before Eric became involved in Southern Gospel Music, he was a police officer. He still enjoys going on patrol and working with the Asheville Police Department as a reserve officer. Besides police work, he enjoys driving his Z-28 Camaro. His collections include old Kingsmen albums and law enforcement related items such as model police cars, badges, police hats, etc.

Eric said that he always wanted to sing at the National Quartet Convention, and this past September that dream came true for him. He had the honor of sharing a stage with many of his favorites. While at NQC, he had his picture made with many of his favorite tenor singers. His favorite groups are the Gaither Vocal Band and Gold City Quartet. His first radio release with the Melody Masters entitled "Rolled Away", features Eric and is doing quite well as it is in the Top 80 charts. Eric wishes to thank all of the fans and radio stations for playing the song and supporting the Melody Masters.

Eric's biggest influence is his dad, Ernie Phillips. I'm sure that everyone reading this article remembers "Little" Ernie Phillips, tenor vocalist of the Mighty Kingsmen Quartet from 1977-1984. Even though Ernie was traveling full-time with the Kingsmen when Eric was a child, Eric says that his dad was always there for him and was a great father and Christian influence. He says that his family is very supportive of his singing Southern Gospel Music, and his dad is no doubt proud of Eric following in his fathers footsteps.

Eric is thankful for the talent that God gave him and the love of Southern Gospel Music. He had always wanted to be involved in law enforcement, and had planned his career there, but God called him into singing and gave him the opportunity to use his gift to spread the Gospel to others.

You can find out more about the Melody Masters Quartet at their website: www.themelodymasters.com. I urge you to go see the Melody Masters in concert soon and give a listen to their tenor singer, Eric Phillips. He truly has a great talent and is one of my favorite tenor singers. It is obvious that people are going to compare his singing to that of his dad, but I feel that he holds his own! He has his own sound, and can sing with the best of them. In a few years, when asked to name some of the all-time great tenors, you will see Eric Phillips right up there with "Little" Ernie Phillips and other legendary names in Gospel Music.