Liberty Quartet | Group & Individual Bios

Liberty Quartet was founded in October of 1995 out of a local church in Boise, Idaho. Royce Mitchell was the choir director and the other three members were in the choir. In 1997, Liberty began traveling full-time. Liberty is celebrating God's faithfulness and over two decades of ministry. To view the "Liberty Quartet: Through the Years" timeline, click here.

Liberty is a Gospel group based in the West with a full-time concert schedule. The members of Liberty are Royce Mitchell, bass; Paul W. Ellis, lead; Will Arasmith, baritone; Doran Ritchey, piano/baritone; and Peyton Olive, tenor. Liberty travels many miles each year, ministering in performances for church services, nursing homes, prisons, and other ministries. They also sing at large conventions including Southwest Gospel Music Festival, Great Western Fan Festival, and the Gospel Music Fan Festival in Canada (see all upcoming events here).

OUR MISSION STATEMENT:
Liberty Quartet exists to provide a music ministry that impacts our culture for Christ. We strive to expand this ministry while scripturally maintaining integrity, excellence, and family.

The guys cherish the opportunity to connect with people and make new friends wherever they go. They have had the opportunity to share the platform with groups such as Gaither Vocal Band, Legacy Five, Greater Vision, the Booth Brothers, the Hoppers, the Isaacs, the Collingsworth Family, and many others. While featuring everything from high-energy performances to moments of contemplation, Liberty always leads the congregation in an incredible concert of worship. Their ministry bridges all generations, bringing enjoyment to traditional and contemporary venues.

Royce Bio

ROYCE MITCHELL

Royce Mitchell is one of the original founding members of Liberty. The first Southern Gospel quartet he sang with was The Gospel Four at the age of 13. He has completed his BA and Masters degree in music. While teaching in the public schools for five years, he used the weekends and summers to sing with New Creation, a Gospel quartet. Royce served in full-time church music ministry for over 13 years. It was while serving as a music minister in Boise that Royce, with three laymen from the church, organized Liberty. In 1996, God led the quartet to pursue a traveling ministry. This allowed Royce to devote himself to what is now known as Liberty Ministries. He says: “What a blessing to be a part of the ministry of singing the Gospel!” Royce’s wife, Tammy, is a retired elementary school teacher and has given loving support to all the ministries they have been involved in. In 2023, they will celebrate 40 years of marriage. Royce and Tammy have three grandchildren and three children: Jeremiah, Julianne (Nick) Colangelo, and Jenna (Zack) McCullock.

Paul Bio

PAUL W. ELLIS

Paul W. Ellis re-joined Liberty in February of 2014 having already sung with them from 2002-2006. Music has always been a big part of Paul’s life beginning in those early years as a pastor’s kid sitting next to his mom as she sang alto. Traveling and singing started in his teen years with mixed groups called Impact Teams in Nebraska. This continued in college, as he sang in mixed groups and his first quartet, The Collegiate Quartet. Following college, Paul served in ministry as both a youth pastor and music minister for 15 years. It was the strong undeniable call of God that brought him to Boise, ID where after a year of preaching and singing in a solo ministry he was introduced to Liberty. Since 2002, Paul has sung every part in the quartet except the one he envies the most, bass. He currently sings lead. He and his wife, Kimberli, have three children: Emily (Josh) Godfrey, Connor, and Grace. Paul’s promise from God as it pertains to Liberty is from Psalm 37:4, where it says, “Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart.”

Will Bio

WILL ARASMITH

Liberty's baritone singer, Will Arasmith, is steeped in gospel music tradition, as he was raised in a musical family with his parents in a mixed group called The Lighthouse Quartet. Growing up, Will was involved with marching and symphonic band and sang in high school choir and musicals. He sang bass in college and graduated from Washburn University with a Bachelor’s in Music Education with an emphasis in percussion in 2009. Will is also experienced in writing and arranging music and has numerous pieces written or arranged for drumline, percussion, small and large ensembles. Prior to Liberty Quartet, Will sang with a local southern gospel group in Kansas. Will and his wife, Audra, were married in September 2019. Will’s goal is to minister to people about the gospel through his lifelong passion of music. One of his favorite passages is from Psalm 100, which states, “Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the Earth...For the Lord is good; His steadfast love endures forever, and His faithfulness to all generations.”

DORAN RITCHEY

Doran Ritchey re-rejoined Liberty in January 2022 after his first stint from 2004-2009. Doran is the pianist, as well as a talented songwriter and baritone singer. Before originally joining Liberty, Doran attended Bible College in Pennsylvania where he graduated with a piano major and a vocal minor. In 2009, Doran sang what he thought was his last concert with Liberty and began to focus on his young, growing family. Doran was involved in church ministry positions for 12 years before returning to Liberty Quartet. He and his wife, Diane, have two children: Courtney (Kaleb) Harper and Taylor.

PEYTON OLIVE

Liberty’s tenor singer, Peyton Olive, joined the group and relocated to Boise in January 2024. Peyton, originally from Macclenny, Florida, developed an interest and has maintained a strong passion for gospel music since accepting Christ at a church camp in his early teens. After graduation from high school, Peyton spent two years at Pensacola Christian College where he traveled in singing groups. He has most recently been singing with One Accord, based in Muscle Shoals, Alabama.