The Fairfield Four, the most distinguished proponents of traditional African American a cappella gospel singing working today, were organized in 1921 by Reverend J.R. Carrethers, assistant pastor of the Fairfield Baptist Church in Nashville, Tennessee. Although the group is defined as a quartet, this does not refer to the number of singers, which varied over the time; the term refers to the fact that the group sang harmony in four parts: alto, tenor, baritone, and bass.

The Fairfield Four were among pioneers of African American gospel groups that used radio to reach broader audiences. Radio led to making records and, beginning in 1946, the Fairfield Four released sides on prominent record companies of the day. Extending themselves through the far reach of media, the Fairfield Four would influence both sacred and secular vocalists across the land, among them blues singer B.B. King. “Before I left my hometown of Indianola, Mississippi,” says King, “the Fairfield Four used to come on the radio every morning real early before we went to work. I became a great fan and, in fact, …(Sam) McCrary had a lot of influence on my singing over the years, and that’s the truth.”

In 1940s, The Fairfield Four underwent personal changes and later in 1960 they ceased touring. In 1980, they reunited and over the ensuing three decades, the group reached audiences across cultures and worldwide, their tours, recordings, and nationally televised appearances. The Fairfield Four, continuing to perform a cappella, have been singularly important in revitalizing and preserving the oldest style of traditional African American spiritual and gospel singing. Amazingly, the current line-up still maintains its ties to the earliest configuration of the Fairfield Four. Bass singer Isaac Freeman, in the group since the late 1940s, and Robert Hamlett were key figures in the Fairfield Four’s reemergence in the 1980s.

The group has performed with everyone from John Fogerty to Charlie Daniels, Steve Earle to Elvis Costello. Today, the Fairfield Four are best known from their appearance on the soundtrack and on screen in the Coen Brothers 2000 film, "O Brother Where Art Thou".

Among their many awards and nominations is the Grammy Award for the Best Traditional Gospel Recording which they won with their 1997 album "I Couldn't Hear Nobody Pray".