After 40 years with the group, Armond Morales has announced his retirement from GMA Hall of Fame inductee The Imperials. Morales was the only remaining original member of the group, which has been responsible for crossing genre boarders within Gospel Music for almost half a century. Morales’ plans are to move to Hawaii and sing with the Classic Voices, a group made up of retired Imperials members, on limited dates.
Replacing Morales on the bass part is Ian Owens. Owens hails from Jackson, Mississippi and is 23 years old. Owens has been singing since childhood, yet made a name for himself as the bass singer for Cumberland Quartet, based out of Branson, Missouri. Owens spent two years with Cumberland Quartet, the in-house Gospel group at Silver Dollar City. Owens was nominated for Horizon Individual in the 2002 Singing News Fan Awards. Owens is also the son of Butch Owens, bass singer for the newly revamped Stamps Quartet.
“I am extremely honored to be able to sing with the Imperials. I know that, as a bass singer, filling the shoes of Armond Morales is a huge responsibility,” says Owens. “However, I also realize that this is God’s will for my life.”
Ian resides in Gallatin, Tennessee with his newly wed wife, Megan.
The Imperials have had a 40 year legacy within Gospel Music. With roots in Southern Gospel, The Imperials made a name for themselves and quickly became the biggest group in Gospel Music. Transcending genre boundaries and experimenting with new sounds, The Imperials earned themselves a devout following in both Southern Gospel and Contemporary Christian circles. Recently inducted into the Gospel Music Association Hall of Fame, the group has been awarded numerous Dove Awards throughout their illustrious career.
