Often being described as gospel music's answer to Boyz II Men, the Wardlaw Brothers are five siblings who use the natural blend of their voices to create a sound that mixes smooth soul and vocal jazz with classic gospel while filled with the power of the Lord's message. Born and raised in Lyons, Georgia, the Wardlaw Brothers are the sons of Rev. Carl Wardlaw Jr., who spent more than 15 years as the pastor at Vidalia, Georgia's First African Baptist Church. While the pastor himself was no singer, he was a fan of classic gospel groups such as the The Jackson Southernaires, The Mighty Clouds of Joy, The Williams Brothers, and The Winans, and he and his wife taught their children the valuable role of music in worship. After a period of music ministry at a church in the state of Washington, the family returned to Georgia. Soon after, Rev. Wardlaw would receive the call and become a pastor and The Wardlaw Brothers would continue in church music ministry. The group's sound, inspired by Boyz II Men and the jazz-influenced gospel vocal group Take 6, began to take shape, with four of the brothers -- Carl Anthony "Tony" Wardlaw, Martin Luther "Lute" Wardlaw, Carl "Carlo" Wardlaw III, and Rodney Allen "Baby Boy" Wardlaw -- trading off on lead vocals and harmonies, with Cornelius "Jamie" Wardlaw providing the supportive bass vocals.