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GREENSBORO — Wade Jenkins can remember the frenzy created by the Cone Mills Quartet on national TV nearly 58 years ago.

Greensboro was aglow with aspirations for these hometown boys who survived two auditions and gained an appearance on “The Ted Mack Original Amateur Hour” Aug. 28, 1951.

Jenkins, 90, the only surviving member of the quartet, doesn’t watch singing competitions such as “American Idol.” “It’s nothing like what we had with 'The Original Amateur Hour,’ ” Jenkins said.

Second tenor Jasper R. Jenkins, bass George Nance, first tenor Moir Ayers and Wade Jenkins, a baritone, were the talk of the town. They didn’t win the national competition, but they did win the hearts of Cone Mills employees and the rest of Greensboro.

Most of Greensboro had eyes on WFMY-TV and the NBC network that evening as the Cone Mills Quartet came on live from New York, strolling on stage in their denim jeans and plaid shirts.

Dennis James was the announcer for the show, and the famed Ted Mack was the host.

“We were asked what our company made, and we said, 'Towels,’ and that was right. But Cone also made the material that our dungarees and shirt were made out of — they made the material but not the clothes. So, we could not say Cone made our clothes,” Jenkins said.

“They used to honor different cities on the show, and Greensboro was picked, and Cone Mills wanted us to try out for the show and represent Greensboro,” Jenkins said. “People could vote for their favorites by writing in on postcards. They were passing out postcards all over the mills. I don’t remember us winning anything, but I think they did pay us union wages for singing.”

The Cone Mills Quartet first sang on the radio program on Aug. 23, 1951. That show was still hosted by Major Edward Bowes, the originator of “The Original Amateur Hour” in 1935.

The quartet had been singing together for about a year when its close harmony — “a most unusual blend” — made a big impression on the New York judges.

“Normally, we sang with a piano, but up there we sang a cappella,” Jenkins said. “Moir’s tenor was just phenomenal, and George had a beautiful bass voice.”

“I guess you would call it popular music — not barbershop, but we did some barbershop,” Jenkins said.

The group sang for another four or five years before quitting. The demands of their jobs at Cone Mills eventually separated the group.
“Something was said about us going on tour with Ted Mack around the country, but we couldn’t do that. All of us had jobs, and we had to come back home,” Jenkins said.

Jasper Jenkins passed away in 1995 at 81; Ayers died in 2002 at 87; and Nance died in 2005 at 90.

Jenkins has a small collection of newspaper clippings, glossy photos of the quartet and the 78 rpm vinyl recording of the New York radio broadcast to cherish.

His collection also includes the letter of instructions given to the quartet when they showed up for the TV program. Besides information about dressing rooms and how to dress, the performers were told that all of them would appear together at the end of the show and sing “There’s No Business Like Show Business.” Every performer was expected to memorize the song, Jenkins said.

Singing has been an important part of Jenkins’ life for 85 years, he said. One of 10 children, he and his siblings grew up in Proximity United Methodist Church and started singing as children, he said.

And he’s still singing in the Proximity Church choir. Jenkins’ voice is still strong and resonating — just like his memories.

Contact Bob Burchette at bburchette@triad.rr.com