1968. Two years later, original member Hal Kratzsch died of cancer on October 18, 1970. 1970s and 1980s The lineup of Barbour, Flanigan, Albers and Comstock continued for 13 years, until the end of 1972 when Comstock decided to take time off touring to care for his ailing wife Sue. Ray Brown, a fan of the Four Freshmen since 12 who offered himself as a replacement during a show in Florida, made his debut in March 1973, marking the first time keyboards are featured instead of the guitar. This lineup released the album Mount Freshmore in 1977. In 1977, Ross Barbour retired to go into the real estate business in California, after spending 29 years with the Freshmen. At the same time, Ray Brown also departed, choosing to step away from the road and spend more time with his growing family. Replacing them were Autie Goodman, who had spent 11 years with the Modernaires, and Dennis Grillo, a jazz composer and arranger who worked with numerous bands. Goodman sang the second part and played saxophone and drums, while Grillo sang the third part and played trumpet and flugelhorn. As such, they could carry their own set of horns, an arrangement that lasted until the 1990s. Ken Albers retired from the group in February 1982. As a result, Dennis Grillo temporarily took over the fourth part, while Mike Beisner, a student under the Stan Kenton Band Clinics, was brought in to sing the third part, as well as to play trumpet, flugelhorn and keyboards. With Grillo leaving a month later to become a professor at the Berklee College of Music, Rod Henley, who led the Hotlanta Jazz Singers and has played together with former Freshman Ray Brown in the Fancy Colors, became his replacement, while playing trumpet, trombone, flugelhorn and keyboards. Henley had previously been offered as a replacement for Comstock as early as 1972 at Brown's recommendation, though Brown was selected instead. In 1986, they released the album Fresh!, featuring a more modern arrangement as well as covers of 1970s and 1980s hits. Rod Henley left the Four Freshmen in 1986, his place taken over by Dave Jennings and then Newton Graber. Despite returning briefly in 1987, he soon departed for a second time, and Seattle-based high school teacher Kirk Marcy was recruited as the group's bass singer in September that year. In 1988, they made an appearance on Mother's