“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will direct your path” (Pro. 3; 5,6). This verse describes the desire of Whole Heart Quartet whether we are singing to one person at a nursing home, or to 2,500 in a concert. We want to seek the Lord’s will and to serve Him with our whole heart. The group was formed in 1999 at Walnut Ridge Baptist Church in Mansfield, Texas. The church was preparing for an Easter production and needed a male quartet in one of the scenes, so God “directed our paths” and brought us together. In God’s plan, there are no coincidences, and it became readily apparent that He had a purpose in mind for us. We have been doing our best to honor Him and to fulfill that purpose since then.
Three of the four original members are still with the group. Dee Vaughn continues to bring audiences out of their seats with his powerful tenor voice and his passionate delivery. Phil Sharp sings the lead part with a clear, dynamic, genuinely worshipful approach. Virgle Fredrick sings bass and anchors the group with his keen ear and years of experience in the Gospel music industry. Phil Spencer dazzles audiences with skills at the piano, as well as with his rich baritone/lead voice.
We continue to be amazed with the way God has blessed our music and has enriched our lives. He is using Whole Heart to touch lives and to point the way to Christ in audiences throughout Texas and Oklahoma. It has been our privilege to sing at numerous functions, including the Gideon’s International convention in Dallas on three separate occasions. In May 2008, God opened the door for Whole Heart to travel to Russia to spread the Gospel in music. We answered His call, with some reluctance, unsure how God could possibly use us. We should have known that language and cultural differences are no obstacles at all for God! We were able to sing in a variety of venues, including a public middle school, a Music Conservatory, and a Linguistics Institute, as well as several churches. We found every audience to be receptive to our songs, seemingly eager to learn more about the message of our music. Through interpreters, we tried to convey the joy we find in serving God, and felt encouraged that God would somehow complete the work He had in mind. In the church services, we found the people to be very warm, and although they were not demonstrative in their worship style, we could sense their love for God. There were several defing moments on our trip in which God seemed to confirm His purpose for sending us there. Ask us about some of the highlights when you see us - we would be glad to share some favorite memories."
"We are also pleased to announce that we have recently changed our status to a Non-Profit Corporation, therefore, should you desire, you can make a tax deductible contribution to our ministry."
Regardless of the size of your church or organization, we would love for you to contact us to discuss your plans. You will find us to be enthusiastic in presenting the Gospel of Jesus Christ in music, as we seek to serve Him with our Whole Heart.
Three of the four original members are still with the group. Dee Vaughn continues to bring audiences out of their seats with his powerful tenor voice and his passionate delivery. Phil Sharp sings the lead part with a clear, dynamic, genuinely worshipful approach. Virgle Fredrick sings bass and anchors the group with his keen ear and years of experience in the Gospel music industry. Phil Spencer dazzles audiences with skills at the piano, as well as with his rich baritone/lead voice.
We continue to be amazed with the way God has blessed our music and has enriched our lives. He is using Whole Heart to touch lives and to point the way to Christ in audiences throughout Texas and Oklahoma. It has been our privilege to sing at numerous functions, including the Gideon’s International convention in Dallas on three separate occasions. In May 2008, God opened the door for Whole Heart to travel to Russia to spread the Gospel in music. We answered His call, with some reluctance, unsure how God could possibly use us. We should have known that language and cultural differences are no obstacles at all for God! We were able to sing in a variety of venues, including a public middle school, a Music Conservatory, and a Linguistics Institute, as well as several churches. We found every audience to be receptive to our songs, seemingly eager to learn more about the message of our music. Through interpreters, we tried to convey the joy we find in serving God, and felt encouraged that God would somehow complete the work He had in mind. In the church services, we found the people to be very warm, and although they were not demonstrative in their worship style, we could sense their love for God. There were several defing moments on our trip in which God seemed to confirm His purpose for sending us there. Ask us about some of the highlights when you see us - we would be glad to share some favorite memories."
"We are also pleased to announce that we have recently changed our status to a Non-Profit Corporation, therefore, should you desire, you can make a tax deductible contribution to our ministry."
Regardless of the size of your church or organization, we would love for you to contact us to discuss your plans. You will find us to be enthusiastic in presenting the Gospel of Jesus Christ in music, as we seek to serve Him with our Whole Heart.
Phil Spencer
When Whole Heart began its search to find a replacement for our existing vacancy, we knew Phil Spencer had a wonderfully rich baritone/lead voice. We also knew he had the kind of “heart” we were looking for. However, we were thrilled to find he also is an outstanding piano player which adds a dimension of versatility that has surpassed our expectations. Raised in the Baptist church, Phil accepted Jesus as his Savior at the age of 7. He is blessed with a rich family history in gospel music, and grew up listening to his mother sing the great hymns of faith, both in choirs and as a soloist. His mother and his uncle also played piano, and he learned to play by listening and watching them. Phil answered the call of God shortly after graduating from high school in 1982, when he accepted his first job as minister of music at a church in Duncanville, Texas. In 1987, he accepted the position as minister of music at Worth Baptist Church in Fort Worth, Texas, where he faithfully served for 15 years. God led Phil and his family to join Walnut Ridge Baptist in 2002, where he is currently active in the music and drama ministries. Phil is a lifelong resident of Arlington, Texas. He is married to Jennifer, and has three daughters and two stepsons.
Virgle Fredrick
Virgle Fredrick is also one of the original members of Whole Heart, and, as the guys like to remind him, is the senior statesman of the group. He was born and raised in Missouri until his job brought him to Texas in 1991. Virgle fondly recalls gathering around the family piano as a child to sing the great old hymns of faith with his mother and brother. That is when he learned to sing the harmony parts. His family never missed the Southern Gospel concerts that came to town. He joined his first quartet at the age of 16, and has continued to sing in local quartets since. Virgle was very active in sports through high school and college, earning All American honors in basketball at both these levels. He has been happily married to wife Marty for 29 years, and the couple has two daughters. Marty is Director of the Drama Ministry at Walnut Ridge Baptist Church, and also has a performing arts studio in Mansfield, Texas.
Dee Vaughn
Dee Vaughn began singing in church when he was 10 years old, and, unlike Phil Sharp, Dee is still waiting for his voice to change!! Seriously, God has blessed Dee with a dynamic and powerful tenor voice that is literally one in a million. Audiences night after night are spellbound as he sings such favorites as “I Bowed on My Knees”, and “Oh, What a Saviour”. Yet Dee always maintains a refreshingly humble attitude, and gives God all the glory for the gift he has been given. Dee comes from a musical family and says his dad and uncle taught him to sing “by letter” – open your mouth and “let-er” fly! Dee joined his first quartet, the Psalms, as a young man, and traveled with them for about 6 years. It was during these years that he began taking voice lessons from Glenn Wilson, a Professor of Music at Cook County College. Dee credits Professor Wilson with helping him develop his raw talent into a more polished sound. He then sang with Southern Promise for 2 years, followed by a 4 year stint with the Gatemen. Dee joined the Whole Heart Quartet as an original member in 1999. He is married to LeeAnn, and they have one daughter, Krystal, who has completed her Masters degree in Musical Performance.
Phil Sharp
Phil Sharp has been singing the lead part with his clear, smooth sound since the group was formed in 1999. His sincerity and genuine heart for the Lord always shine through in his songs. Phil began singing as a youngster in school and church youth choirs. Then, when his voice began to change, he assumed the “uncontrolled noises” that were coming out of his mouth were permanent, so he stopped singing for many years. That all changed when, at the age of 28, the new music director at his church convinced him to give it another try. He and his wife joined the choir and found they enjoyed the experience. It was at that time Phil felt God’s call to sing for His glory, and he has been following that call ever since. Phil also credits his father with encouraging him to use his talents for the Lord. Phil has been married to his high school sweetheart Diane for over 30 years. They have a son and a daughter, and are now proud grandparents. If you have a couple of hours to spare, ask Phil about his grandkids!
