The Joymasters:
God and Love and Faith
By Robert York It happened 50 years ago at Sunnyside Church of God in Canton, Ga., when Bob and Ardelle Bailey, and Bobbie and Jerry Forrester, got together and started a quartet. Not having a name, Bob came up with the idea of calling the group the Joymasters. Bobby would sing bass, Ardelle would play the piano and sing alto, Bobbie would sing lead and Jerry would handle the baritone part. Mike, the son of the Bailey’s would play bass guitar. The five of them believed they were doing what God had called them to do.
after a family meeting, I was allowed to join the original Joymasters at the age of 16 and I played lead guitar. The vocals consisted of Bob and Ardell Bailey, Jerry and Bobbie Forrester. The band consisted of Mike Bailey on piano, Barry Forrester on bass, Billy Forrester on drums and yours truly, on lead guitar.
In the beginning, the travel was in a Chevy van. Jerry recalls, “Later we realized we needed a more suitable means to travel in, so it was time for a bus. We considered ourselves part time but we were singing four or five times a week in churches, revivals, brush arbors, tabernacles, and any other venue the Lord led us to.” The Joymasters recorded their first album, “Sweeter Gets the Journey,” in April 1970. Band leader, Matt Burgess, joined the group in 1977. He shares, “My father was appointed as pastor of Sunnyside Church of God, the Joymasters’ home church. Jerry Forrester asked my father if I could join the group, so,
“The original group was like traveling with family. Not one uncomfortable moment ever came around. Mike and Barry were establishing themselves in the workforce, Billy, (the comic relief), and I, were trying to finish high school, and I was looking forward to college. This was a fresh, new experience for me. I had dabbled
