Tell a little bit about the group, The Quicks and share information on each member.

The Quicks were formed in 1999 at Eglin Air Force Base, Florida. Tim and I had been singing since 1989 with a local group we had formed with friends at our church while stationed there.  During this time, several people predicted a family group, but we just didn’t see it.  (Of course our girls were very small at that time – Rachel was just turning three and Rebecca was only two months old the first time we sang.  It never crossed my mind they would grow up!  How dare they!)  We saw singers and band members come and go, finally leaving just Tim and myself in the spring of ’99.  Tim had sung bass all that time, so the task of bringing him up to the lead (which was his natural range anyway) was the first order of business.  It was at that time that Rebecca, just before her 10th birthday, told us she wanted to sing with us.  Turns out, the little stinker knew all the harmony parts to every song we did!  Rachel, who was about to turn thirteen, got on board to make the quartet complete!

Head of The Quicks is “Dad,” Tim Quick.  He has a very energetic personality and a wonderful sense of humor.  Translation – he’s ADHD!  It is that same energy that helped to see our family’s first radio single, “He Can Move the Water” - featuring Tim - make the Singing News Chart in 2005. He proudly served in the United States Air Force, retiring as a Technical Sergeant after 20 years. (six months and twenty-eight days…)  As retirement approached, Tim began to realize that God had called him into the music ministry. He stood up one Wednesday night at our church and made that announcement – taking me and the girls before the church for prayer.  It was not long after that when Tim was diagnosed with Alpha-One Antitrypsin Deficiency, a genetic lung disease.  Yes, Tim is on medication – that explains a few things…  When Tim finished his stint in the Air Force in 2002, he “loaded up the truck and moved to Tennessee.” 

My name is Sally – I’m “Mom” and I sing alto for The Quicks.  I love Southern Gospel Music and have for as long as I can remember!  I got my first guitar when I was four years old, and in no time was “eat up” with music!  I remember being at a Gospel singing before I had even started grade school  - how I felt the Lord in the songs those people sang - and knew right then that’s what I wanted to do!  Unfortunately I didn’t get to “grow up” on Gospel music – I DID get to see the Gospel Jubilee some, and then we had two albums, The Monarchs and a local group called The Harmonettes - that was enough to keep me plugged in!  I got an electric guitar for my thirteenth birthday – that marked the start of my songwriting.  I like to write Gospel music, read Christian books, and listen to good preaching!  (That’s one good way to get the ironing done!)

Tim and I have been married for 21 years now, almost 22 – I should get some kind of award for that!  Together we have worked to raise Rachel and Rebecca in a loving Christian home.  I have found that it is one thing to let children co-exist with you, but something totally different to actually “raise” them!  I like being a wife and mom – it has always been enough for me and the most important call on my life.

Rachel leans more to a progressive gospel sound, but has the versatility to sing the old convention songs.  She attends Middle Tennessee State University where she is majoring in Elementary Education.  A chip off the old block, Rachel has begun to play the guitar just like her Mom.  She faithfully participates in the youth praise band on Wednesday nights at our home church – River of Life in Smyrna, Tennessee.  She is a teenage girl with a car and a cell phone – our prayer life as parents has really developed!

Rebecca is one of the biggest Southern Gospel Music fans you will ever meet!  By the time she began to sing organized music in elementary school, Rebecca could already hear and sing harmony.  Rebecca has received much recognition and many awards for her vocal ability, including selection for All-State Chorus in Florida and Tennessee. In addition to being a talented vocalist, she is proving to be a talented musician like her Mom by learning to play the guitar as well as the mandolin. Rebecca must have gotten Tim’s sense of humor - because he sure doesn’t have it!

What's next up to bat for your group?  In other words, what do you see in the immediate future for your ministry? 

Rachel and Rebecca say “Another charting song!” 

As for me, a new album is next on the docket - I began writing for our next album the first of this year.  It began with a song I was fortunate to co-write with Daryl Williams called “Either Way it Goes,” inspired by Tim’s dad, Paul Quick. 

We hope to get a live video completed in the next few months as well. 

We will also be arranging our schedule to be a part of the new TV program, “Gospel Music at the River” any chance we get!  Our pastor, Bro. Johnny Minick, is the driving force behind this show, and we were thrilled to be able to be on the pilot! 

Sally is a big songwriter, explain to the fans how you get your inspiration and motivation.  What is your favorite song that you have written? 

Chris, you should never say a woman is a “big” ANYTHING!  (But I’ll cut you some slack in this case…)  I get inspiration from just about anywhere!  (Even you, Chris!)  Sermon notes, conversations with family and friends, daydreaming - my mind wanders a lot…

Seriously, I pray regularly that God will give me the Word He wants people to hear – He has a lot to say to this generation!  There is motivation to write anytime I can get the house to myself - or driving in the van when “Mom’s Taxi” is not in service! 
My favorite song - hmmm… I’m really fond of “Now I Know” and “It’s a Sure Thing” off our latest CD, but I would have to say “The Uniform” still gets to me the most.  It was a personal gift from me to Tim when he retired from the Air Force.

Tell us about your worst and best concert experiences lately.  Something the fan will love to know about you!

 I guess the worst concert experience was something that didn’t exactly happen while we were singing.  We were on our way to meet Rebecca at MTSU, where she had just returned from a weekend in Atlanta with her choir.  We had to get to a church across town to set up and we were searching the front of every building on campus to find her.  All of a sudden I hear, “STOP!”  I looked up just in time to see one of those really wide speed bumps in the road!  I was doing about 45 miles an hour and that van and trailer looked just like a slinky going over that bump!   I eventually had to get a new hitch – but the guy gave me a huge discount because we were retired military!  There’s your silver lining…   Or I could just tell about the time Tim was introducing me and called me his “concubine” instead of his “companion.”

There have been so many great times, but I guess one of the best concert experiences was when we were singing a weekend in Glasgow, Kentucky. Tim’s parents are from there, and this was the first time all of their relatives in that area would hear us.  One of Tim’s cousins, Paul, was there with his wife, teenage son, and daughter at the church on Saturday night.  The two children came forward and were saved at that service.  The next morning, Tim’s cousin and son returned to help us set up and then stayed for the singing.  As the invitation was given, Paul did not even bother to come down the aisle – he jumped OVER the rail and hit the altar like nothing we had ever seen!  That was the most special time for us in sixteen years of ministry! 

What are the long term plans for your group.  What's the future hold for your group? 

We have been preparing for years to go into full-time ministry.  God doesn’t always send people out the minute He calls them.  We obviously needed some time in the desert – I think we are still there, too.  Ha Ha  I keep telling Tim if he will just straighten up and fly right…

Our goal is to continue to grow over the next year and a half then cross over into full-time ministry as soon as Rebecca graduates in May of 2007.  She is getting everything lined up so she can still go to college and travel as well – you know, they have college online – Tim has been successful with that for some time now.  Rachel will only have one more year at MTSU by that time!  We want to keep writing and recording songs that affect people’s lives – we want a lifetime of leading others into the presence of an Almighty God who can meet EVERY need!  Then we plan to keep growing some more.

What is God teaching you lately?   

He comes first.  That’s what He teaches me on a regular basis. 

Be In One Accord.  This creates an atmosphere for God to move.  The one hundred and twenty were gathered together in one accord and THEN the power of God showed up!  We have witnessed the power of God in our home as well as our group when we are in one mind and one accord. 

Be Willing to be Transparent.  I’ve always been bashful and the Lord has brought me a long way out of that over the years.  I used to ask God why He would call me to do something so out in the open.  I would prefer to just be at home with my family watching old movies and eating hot wings!  Transparency is what people NEED and what people in ministry NEED TO BE!  It’ll make you want to live right! 

This family has seen its share of life!  We have faced many of the same difficulties so many others have faced, and then some!  We have seen our share of struggles in our finances, our marriage - and the battle of raising children according to the Word of God has been a full-time ministry in itself!  We have seen our share of sickness with not only Tim, but other family members as well.  We have survived so much – and are still surviving every day!  We haven’t gotten THROUGH it all yet! 

Tim – Mine has been a continuing process.  He’s teaching me to slow down and think things through.  To guard my thoughts and my mouth – that I’m not always right.  Sometimes I blurt things out without thinking or understanding the outcome of what I say. 

Sally – YES!  I believe Tim is really hearing from God!

Rachel – Acts 1:7 – God has a time for everything – don’t try to take care of things yourself.  Don’t rush things – leave them in God’s hands. 

Rebecca – “Be Patient.”  With everything – like meeting the right kind of guy, getting through high school, and preparing for college.  I want to sing so badly, I really think I could leave school and start traveling right now!  But I know my education is very important and I need to finish. 

The Quicks
P.O. Box 581
Smyrna, TN 37167
Phone:  615-459-5119
www.thequicksonline.com

Also be sure to check out the Quicks Monthly Articles here at Southern Gospel News as well.