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Covenant Four Quartet Members

 



John and Winnie Crew, founding members (1963)

John Crew and his wife Winnie (who celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary in 2004) provided the impetus that created the Quartet in 1963 and still holds it together. Winne not only accompanies the Quartet on the piano, but she does most of the arrangements and coordinates the concerts/tours.
   

John Crew, bass 

John's rumbling bass voice provides the foundation of the Quartet and Winnie is the Quartet's accompanist. John is a highly respected vascular surgeon in San Francisco where he pioneered an alternative technique for the treatment of blocked arteries and has been instrumental in developing new surgical equipment.  John and Winnie still attend the San Francisco Covenant Church, where the quartet began.

 

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Fred Porter, baritone 

Fred's Back!  Fred Porter, who sang 2nd Tenor for the Covenant Four for 23 years, rejoined the Quartet as its Baritone on June 12, 2004.  Fred spent a large part of his other life as a self-employed painting and decorating contractor.  This experience prepared him for a position as a construction project manager for projects across the Western United States and more recently as an estimator and project manager for a commercial painting firm.  Fred has sung in Christian groups since he was 17, and is really enjoying his second time around with the quartet.  Fred and his wife of 42 years, Savonna, live in Castro Valley and are life-long residents of the East Bay.  They have three sons and attend the Neighborhood Church (otherwise known as the Church of 3 Crosses) in Castro Valley.

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Bud Willadsen, first tenor 

Bud Willadsen is the new Covenant Four first tenor, with Elbert passing the mantel (in this case a white dinner jacket) at Quartet Christmas concert in 2006. God used Bud's excellent musicianship - particularly sight-reading  - and Elbert's flexibility and continued availability to keep the Quartet singing through the 4-month process. Bud and his wife Meg have been very active in the Neighborhood Church of Castro Valley's musical productions (Fred and Keith also sang with Bud there for a number of years), and more recently they have been attending the Church of the Valley, in San Ramon. Bud has also been singing with the 130 member Blackhawk Chorus.  Meg home schools their two children, and Bud now has his own business installing window treatments.  They live in San Ramon.

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Keith Sutton, second tenor 

Keith Sutton sings second tenor in the Quartet, replacing Fred when he "retired" in June 2000.  Keith designed and maintains the Quartet's website and takes the photographs that are used for the Quartet site, CD covers and for his paying job - Business Development Director for the East Bay Economic Development Alliance (EDA), which is hosted by Alameda County.  The EDA provides regional economic development services for the San Francisco East Bay (Alameda & Contra Costa Counties & 26 cities).  Keith grew up singing in choirs and solos and built a 60 acre horse farm in Eastern Oregon, but his life-long dream was to sing in group like the Quartet.  However, God used a "Jonah" experience to bring him to the Bay Area in 1991 and prepared him to join the Quartet.  Keith and his wife Diane live in Fairview near Hayward.  Keith has three sons and he and Diane attend the Valley Christian Center church in Dublin.

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Jack Martens, string bass

Jack Martens has accompanied the Quartet on string bass since 1975.  He recently retired after 36 years as an instrumental music teacher at the Ben Franklin Middle School in San Francisco where he received many commendations and his bands performed at many public concerts and civic functions. Jack's wife Cora was also a music teacher and they live in the East Bay community of Pleasant Hill.  Most recently they have been touring the USA in a large motor home.

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Elbert Enns, first tenor to vocal coach

Elbert Enns (first tenor to vocal coach) has been with the Quartet for 27 years ( 1986 - 2007 and 1969  - 1976). He has been a school teacher, a missionary, a businessman and a Certified Public Account, and has also been involved for many years in church music. Elbert and his wife Lorna are long-time residents of Castro Valley and Lorna has retired from a long career as a real estate broker in the area.  They attend Redwood Chapel Community Church in Castro Valley.  Elbert has been talking about retiring for awhile and both he and Lorna have finally decided to do so - grandchildren and Florida will be occupying much more of their time.  The Quartet's February 9, 2007 concert at Redwood Chapel was his last as the Covenant Four Quartet's first tenor. 

Elbert is still involved with the Quartet - he has very ably taken on the role of the Quartet's vocal coach.

   
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