Horace Mauldin possessed a strong tenor voice. His wife Joan was a good stride pianist with a strong, rhythmic hand on the treble end of the keyboard. Their oldest son Steve was gifted with a precise voice and an innate sense of harmony. They were performing at the annual Church of God prayer conventional at Greenville’s Tremont Church of God when Harold Huffman saw them. Huffman was a parishioner at Tremont, as well as one the founders of Mark V Studios. The Mauldin Family soon became one of the first groups to record at Mark V Studios.
The Mauldin Family went on to record six albums together at Mark V. Capitalizing on the popularity of the group among Church of God members, Horace founded Melody records and brought many C.O.G. groups into the studio to cut records. The relationship was a long and fruitful one for the Mauldin’s and for Mark V. When the studio expanded, they even tapped Horace’s construction firm to build their new facilities on Michael Drive.
Both of Horace and Joan’s sons, Steve and Russell, became studio musicians at Mark V through their teens and college years as music students at Furman University. Steve played bass and Russell was a drummer. Both musicians credit the Mark V staff as valuable tutors in their musical development. Specifically, Steve gives a debt of gratitude to Otis Forrest, and Russel to Buster Phillips. Both Mauldin boys went on to illustrious careers in the studios of Nashville.