under the alias iKE. With Malvey singing the second tenor part and playing guitar, Eichenberger made the bass his primary instrument while Calderon took over the baritone part. In January 2015, Brian Eichenberger left to tour with the Beach Boys, after spending 18 years with the Four Freshmen. He contacted Phil Mattson, the director of the School for Music Vocations, who recommended Tommy Boynton, then an adjunct professor at his alma mater. Boynton took over the lead voice and played bass. Former member Bill Comstock died on November 22, 2016, at the age of 92. In end 2016, Curtis Calderon left the group to spend more time with his growing family. They began searching for a replacement, which ended up being Jon Gaines. Ferreira then sent Gaines charts of the Four Freshmen's most popular tunes, six at a time, so that he could learn the third vocal part. This was followed by a week of rehearsals with the other three musicians until he was comfortable enough to go on the road. Longtime member Autie Goodman died in his sleep on December 20, 2018, at the age of 93. On February 21 and 22, 2020, the Four Freshmen played two sets at the Dirty Dog Jazz Cafe in Michigan, with Minneapolis-based jazz trumpeter Jake Baldwin in place of Jon Gaines, causing fans to start questioning if Gaines had left the group. In response, the group posted on their social media on April 9, confirming Gaines's departure and Baldwin's entry as an official member. Baldwin had previously studied alongside Boynton at the New England Conservatory of Music, and was recommended to Ferreira to replace the departing Gaines, who left to tend to his family. Former member Ray Brown died of complications related to COVID-19 on November 11, 2020, at the age of 81. Stein Malvey left in November 2020 to pursue other musical ventures, after spending seven years in the group. Tommy Boynton moved to guitar and second part vocals, while bringing in Ryan Howe, a fellow faculty member and graduate of the School for Music Vocations, to sing lead and play bass. This new lineup made its debut in Largo, Florida on November 15. Style According to The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians: The group represented a modernizing force in the sphere of close harmony quartets in American popular music, moving away from the barbershop style to introduce elements