Original members included brother Joe Maxon, Russell Parker, Edward Jones, and Winston Phillips.

Maxon had sung, along with siblings Joseph and Lucille, in the Heaven Bound Quartet under the guidance of aunt Alberta French Johnson, a member of the Southern Harps.

[4] The Southern Harps were an esteemed and popular female quartet that for a time included Bessie Griffin, later a well-known solo gospel performer.

The Zion Harmonizers toured the state and learned the techniques of gospel performance as the opening act for the Southern Harps.

[6] The Harmonizers sang quartet gospel music, and to this day rely considerably on their background of old-time a cappella style and the use of four-part harmonies.

[8] The two men discovered their mutual interest in gospel singing, and Maxon asked Washington to join the Zion Harmonizers.

"[10] The Harmonizers continued to recruit new singers as members left when called to preach[4] or were drafted into military service.

[5] Sherman Washington's younger brother Nolan (August 15, 1931 - May 19, 1997)[11] returned to New Orleans in 1946, after singing in gospel groups while living in Chicago, and joined The Zion Harmonizers.

Carbo remembered the members of the Zion City Harmonizers when he and brother Chick came aboard as being Joe Maxon, Nolan Washington, Winston Phillips, Matthew West, and Oliver Howard, with Henry Wicks on piano.

Nolan Washington provided any shouting the group needed, Carbo said, in the tradition of the Five Blind Boys of Mississippi's Archie Brownlee, at that time living in New Orleans.

[21] In 1956 Sherman Washington began broadcasting a gospel music radio program on WMRY New Orleans, later moving to WYLD, that lasted for over 45 years.

The personnel on the session were Lewis Johnson (high tenor), Nolan Washington and Charles Taylor (tenors), Joseph Maxon (baritone), and John Hawkins (bass); with Howard Carroll (guitar)[23] The two sides of the disc were "Working The Road" and "In The End", both songs written by members of the Dixie Hummingbirds.

[24] "God Will Take Care Of You" backed with "I Can Hear My Savior Calling" featured Joseph Maxon (tenor), Sherman Washington (baritone),[23] Richard Jones (lead), Howard Bowie, and Lewis Johnson.

When the festival moved to the Fair Grounds in 1972 Sherman Washington was asked by Jazz Fest producer/director Quint Davis to organize a Gospel Tent.

[28] The group today performs a variety of gospel music styles, including a capella spirituals and traditional hymns, as well as R&B- inspired church rockers.

[5] Their performances at the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival have led to tours in Canada,[10] Switzerland, the Netherlands, Italy, and Austria,[13] Belgium, Germany, France, and Portugal.