The RAGTIME quartet was the first chapter quartet from the Northern Gateway Chorus to win LOL District awards, winning the District Novice quartet championship in its first district competition (1977), capturing second place and finishing only a handful of points away from winning the contest itself as well. A popular quartet in the Midwest, RAGTIME appeared on/headlined chapter shows in Wisconsin, Minnesota, Michigan, Iowa and North Dakota. The quartet achieved quarter-finalist rank at International Quartet Contests in Cincinnati, OH (1978) and Minneapolis, MN (1979).

Original personnel consisted of Jack Edgerton (tenor)—information technology administrator for the Sentry Insurance company, Bob Dillon (lead)—Direct marketing specialist at Sentry, Mike Porrey (baritone—metal fabricator for Steel King, Inc., and David Peplinski (bass)—Bookstore manager at UW-Stevens Point.