Few groups did more, for longer, in developing Christian music than the legendary BLACKWOOD BROTHERS QUARTET. Paul Davis talks to Southern gospel legend James Blackwood.

Prior to the tragedy the Statesmen and the Blackwood Brothers had formed a mutually supportive team-pact. In a desperate attempt to help fill the void created by the crash, 'Big Chief Weatherington, the Statesmen bass, stepped in and Doyle Blackwood sang baritone for two weeks. It gave sufficient time to allow the two acts to re-group as their welcome vacation period was imminently upon them. During this period James asked Cecil Blackwood, RW's younger brother, to sing baritone. JD Sumner, singing with the Sunshine Boys, was invited to sing bass. The re-formed Quartet returned to give their first emotion-packed performance in Clanton, Alabama on 5th August 1954.

The funeral was held at Ellis Auditorium, Memphis on 2nd July 1954. It seemed as if the whole town wanted to pay its respects! It was the largest funeral Memphis has witnessed. It is estimated that there were more than 5,000 mourners. Tearful eulogies in song came from the Statesmen Quartet and the Speer Family. In the weeping congregation, although separated from the whites, were a number of black people. It is to the BBs credit that their crossover music had cut across racial lines during what was a sensitive time of strictly enforced segregation. The funeral procession stretched out for about five miles.

The BB's varied repertoire was culled from many quarters, with a number of songs from the black gospel circuit. Despite repressive human rights legislation in the South, black gospel music was generally well received in the white marketplace. James, contemplating the issue, says, "That has always been a puzzle to me. I never understood the reason why black gospel was well received by the whites and yet, generally speaking white gospel was not well received by the blacks."

In 1955 the re-organised group were paraded before the nation via a concert in Montgomery, Alabama. Then it was back for a second appearance on the Arthur Godfrey show. Singing Kay Starr's song "The Good Book", they won the competition against stiff opposition. A unique achievement, they had the distinction of being the only gospel group to achieve a clear-cut win twice!

In the same year (one year after the plane disaster) Sumner made the revolutionary suggestion to customise a big bus for concert travel. They bought themselves a 1947 Arrowcoach from Continental Trailways and had it customised to their own design. This set a precedent that thousands of acts in show business were to follow.

In 1956 the ever-enterprising Blackwoods went on to organize the first National Quartet Convention in Memphis, which went on to become an annual event. The National Quartet Convention continues to this day.
Shortly after the founding of the Gospel Music Association, Sumner, who by then was managing the Stamps Quartet for the Blackwood Brothers' organization, began singing bass for the Stamps Quartet. 'Big' John Hall then joined the BBs from the Stamps Quartet. The astute swap had far reaching effects on the career of the Stamps. Revitalized, the Stamps appeared for six years on stage with Elvis Presley, and as backing singers on many of his million-selling recordings.

"Elvis' background had clearly been deeply influenced by the Blackwood Brothers. His home church as a young boy was the First Assembly Of God in Memphis, the same church the Blackwood Brothers attended at that time. It is still my home church. Elvis regularly attended the Sunday school where a fellow classmate was Cecil Blackwood. It seems likely that our Quartet was probably his first specific influence that the growing Elvis had with any professional performers!"

In his impressionable youth he "idolized" the Blackwood Brothers. As a teenager, Cecil Blackwood had organised a church quartet called the Songfellows that included his pastor's son, Jim Hamill. Keen to perform, Elvis, a shy kid, had a day job driving a pick-up truck but his longing was to sing. He attended a stiff audition for the group. Jim Hamill concluded that Elvis could sing lead but would have trouble singing team harmony. Thus the Songfellows turned him down! Later, however, Elvis was asked to join several other leading quartets. These included the Songfellows after Cecil left to replace RW in the Blackwood Brothers Quartet. Elvis revered and highly cherished the gospel quartet scene. He seriously aspired on several occasions to join a major professional gospel group. This love of Christian quartet music never left him. Throughout his immensely successful career, Elvis used gospel quartets as backing singers for recording and stage work. Christian groups that worked with him included the Imperials (with Terry Blackwood, son of Doyle Blackwood as lead vocalist), JD Sumner and the Stamps Quartet, the Jordanaires and the Sweet Inspirations.

Since 1967 the Blackwood Brothers and James Blackwood have won a host of gospel music awards including several Grammys and Dove Awards. James won eight Grammys with the Quartet and a ninth with the Masters Five. They notched up 49 singles on their original White Church label from 1946 to 1951. This was followed by about 50 albums on the Skylite label plus many albums for RCA and countless others for lesser-known labels.

It is remarkable to observe how many Blackwood family members of succeeding generations have been actively involved in the gospel music and the entertainment industry. Clan members have eked out a living in these apparently divergent activities.

A museum is dedicated to the BBs in the State Capital in Jackson, Mississippi. Plans are also underway to erect a permanent memorial in honour of the Quartet at the Pyramid, the largest auditorium in Memphis. A Grammy Hall Of Fame is to be placed in the Pyramid. A special section is to be dedicated to the Blackwood Brothers.

The collapse of the half century of supremacy of the Blackwood Brothers was inevitable. Factors that contributed to their demise as leaders in the field varied, not least of which was the fickleness of public taste.

The advent of the greater influence of syndicated television precipitated a re-focus of priorities for gospel groups. Costs of television production were considerable, and the Blackwood Brothers had the financial capability but they were adversely affected by the advent of newer less-expensive groups. The range of choice arising from the proliferation of Christian groups in the '60s and '70s increased the competition.

"From the early 50s, we sang some of our material to a rock n roll beat that was most revolutionary for the day! I guess it was too early a revolution for many denominations to readily accept"