United States, Georgia, Fulton County, Atlanta, 33.749, -84.387981926/2001The Statesmen were a renowned gospel group formed in 1948 by Hovie Lister. Over the years the lineup of the group changed many times. Pictured is the last configuration of the performers. Seated left to right, Jack Toney (lead), Hovie Lister (pianist), and Wallace Nelms (tenor); standing left to right, Doug Young (bass) and Rick Fair (baritone).Photograph of the group The Statesmen, a renowned gospel group formed in 1948 by Hovie Lister. Over the years the lineup of the group changed many times. Pictured is the last configuration of the performers. Seated left to right, Jack Toney (lead), Hovie Lister (pianist), and Wallace Nelms (tenor); standing left to right, Doug Young (bass) and Rick Fair (baritone).A southern gospel music pioneer who paved the way for contemporary Christian music, Hovie Lister lived much of his life in or near Atlanta, Georgia. He devoted more than fifty years of his life to gospel music as a pianist, vocalist, emcee, and music publisher.image/jpeghttp://www.georgiaencyclopedia.org/articles/arts-culture/hovie-lister-1926-2001Forms part of: New Georgia Encyclopediahttp://rightsstatements.org/vocab/CNE/1.0/http://www.georgiaencyclopedia.org/articles/arts-culture/hovie-lister-1926-2001Forms part of: New Georgia EncyclopediaMusicians--Georgia--AtlantaGospel music--Georgia--AtlantaGospel singers--Georgia--AtlantaMusical groups--Georgia--AtlantaChristians--Georgia--AtlantaSingers--Georgia--AtlantaLister, Hovie, 1926-Young, Doug, 1939-Fair, RickNelms, WallaceToney, JackHovie Lister and the StatesmenStillImage