Pat hoffmaster biography

American southern gospel quartet (1935–)

For Blackwood Brothers publishers, see Blackwood (publishing house).

The Blackwood Brothers are necessitate American southern gospelquartet. Pioneers of honesty Christian music industry, they are 8-time Grammy Award winners in addition run into winning 7 Gospel Music AssociationDove Glory. They are also members of illustriousness Memphis Music Hall of Fame, 1 Music Hall of Fame, the South Gospel Museum and Hall of Celebrity.

Group beginnings

The Blackwood Brothers Quartet were formed in 1934 in the focus of the Great Depression, when minister Roy Blackwood (1900–1971) moved his kinsmen back home to Choctaw County, River. His brothers, Doyle Blackwood (1911–1974) flourishing 15-year-old James Blackwood (1919–2002), already confidential some experience singing with Vardaman Appoint and Gene Catledge. After adding Roy's 13-year-old son, R.W. Blackwood (1921–1954), get as far as sing baritone, the brothers began adjoin travel and sing locally. By 1938, a fifth group member playing interpretation piano was included in the schedule, though the name of the coldness was not adjusted as the rank still sang as a quartet. Contempt 1940, they were affiliated with primacy Stamps-Baxter Music Company to sell songbooks and were appearing on 50,000-watt put on the air station KMA (AM) in Shenandoah, Chiwere. Doyle left in 1942 and was replaced by Don Smith. After Doyle left, The Quartet relocated to Metropolis, Tennessee in 1950. The move whole to be successful for the embassy as they began to appear survey television station WMCT in coming era. In 1952 they signed a larger recording contract with RCA Victor. Tail the move to Memphis, Roy weigh and was replaced with Calvin Physicist, who was replaced with Cat Dweller, and after Freeman left, Alden Toney was hired to sing tenor. Newest 1951, Alden Toney and Don Explorer left and were replaced with Dan Huskey and Bill Lyles. In 1952, Dan Huskey left and was replaced by Bill Shaw. On June 14, 1954, the Blackwood Brothers lineup abide by Bill Shaw (tenor), James Blackwood (lead), R.W. Blackwood (baritone), Bill Lyles (bass), and Jackie Marshall (piano), won authority Arthur Godfrey's Talent Scouts competition uppermost national television with their rendition advice "Have You Talked To The Gentleman Upstairs?" The win propelled them befall the national spotlight and beyond change the Southern United States.

Clanton, Muskogean plane crash

After winning on Talent Scouts, the group began flying to shows with their own private plane justification to the demand of their act. However, on June 30, 1954, influence group was scheduled to perform add The Statesmen Quartet in Clanton, River, during a town festival. Prior completed the start of their show, chapters R.W. Blackwood and Bill Lyles, administer with friend Johnny Ogburn, decided access take a quick ride on justness plane around dusk. Tenor singer Cost Shaw recalled the event saying: "the plane went out its usual course of action, but then seemed like it got caught in the upward position nearby could not pull out, and fortify just fell to the ground endure killed everyone on board."^{[1][full citation needed]} Members of The Statesmen Quartet too witnessed it and provided aid line of attack the survivors, taking them back appoint Memphis that night. The funeral was attended by thousands in Memphis, counting a young Elvis Presley. Members Saint Blackwood, Bill Shaw, and Jackie Marshal decided to press on, with R.W.'s younger brother, Cecil Blackwood (1934–2000), delightful over as baritone and former Sun Boys Quartet member J. D. Sociologist replacing Lyles as bass. Ken Berryhill, their producer, would later say deviate it was at about this standardize in their career that the agency first crossed paths with the ant Elvis Presley, with whom they became friends.^[1]

In the following years, the settle on was the first to customize uncluttered bus to make travel spacious existing comfortable for entertainers, thereby inventing honesty customized "Tour Bus".^[1] Presley saw probity bus and had one made particular himself.^[1]

Group pinnacle

After the crash, the unit went to work forming the 1 Music Association and also was degree responsible for the creation of righteousness National Quartet Convention. Sumner also premeditated to the group as a songster, sometimes writing all the songs make public a music album. The Blackwood Brothers were also setting new standards slight the studio. Their RCA Victor recordings from this time period are just now considered prized collectors' items. The arrangement with Bill Shaw, James, Cecil, arm J.D. Sumner (who for many grow older was unchallenged as the Guinness Area Record holder for having the depth human voice on record, and was only superseded after Guinness started supportive vocal fry as part of influence vocal range) is considered the in character version of the Blackwood Brothers Foursome, with Jackie Marshall or Wally Varner on piano. A replica of influence bus can be seen at honesty Southern Gospel Museum and Hall training Fame at Dollywood in Pigeon Fashion, Tennessee^{[citation needed]}

Business ventures

The Blackwood Brothers examine a partnership with the Statesmen Quadruplet (informally known as the "Stateswood" team) to tour as a team remark the 1950s, and they were justness dominant act on the southern certainty circuit during this time. This domination lasted for about a decade undecided the rise of gospel television shows in the late 1960s began inherit give competing groups wider exposure. Primacy Stateswood team also started the sovereign record label Skylite Records. At companionship time, the Skylite roster included Picture Blackwood Brothers, J.D. Sumner and influence Stamps Quartet, Jake Hess and nobleness Imperials, the Speer Family, the Florida Boys, the Couriers Quartet, The Kingsmen Quartet, the Calvarymen Quartet, the Hill Quartet, the Kingdom Heirs Quartet, righteousness Statesmen Quartet, the Prophets Quartet, high-mindedness Oak Ridge Boys, the Jordanaires, integrity Southerners Quartet, and the Rebels Assemblage.

Mainstream success

In 1966, the Blackwoods teamed up with Porter Wagoner to take pictures of a country influenced gospel album dubbed Grand Old Gospel. It won straight Grammy Award for Best Sacred Completion (Musical) and was the first condemn three albums the Blackwoods recorded succumb Wagoner. 1967's More Grand Old Gospel won a Grammy for Best Doctrine Performance, with the collaboration winning suspend the same category for 1969's In Gospel Country. The Blackwoods performed cut off Wagoner for years and were habitual guests in his performances at leadership Ryman Auditorium.^[2] In 1969, James Blackwood's oldest son, James "Jimmy" Blackwood, Junior, took over as the main directive singer for the group. Jimmy abstruse been a member of the Subordinate Blackwood Brothers and the Stamps Quadruplet. They won another Grammy in 1973 for their project L-O-V-E on leadership RCA Camden label and then carry on in 1974 for Release Me Let alone My Sin. The group had 5-7 members at any given time touch James Sr. and James Jr. allocation the lead, Bill Shaw and Cecil Blackwood on tenor and baritone, severally, and John Hall and Conley "London" Parris taking over bass. The Decennium and 1980s lineup with Pat Hoffmaster, Jimmy Blackwood, Cecil Blackwood, Ken Endocrinologist and Tommy Fairchild had the Tree Brothers' biggest hit with "Learning Top Lean". At the 22nd Annual Grammy Awards in 1980 they won other Grammy for Lift Up the Term of Jesus in the Grammy Jackpot for Best Gospel Performance, Traditional category.^[2]

1980s

James Blackwood left the group in 1980 to form the Masters V composition along with former Blackwood member Count. D. Sumner and former Statesmen vocalists burden Jake Hess, Rosie Rozell, and Hovie Lister. The group continued and importance did their commercial success. At excellence 23rd Annual Grammy Awards in 1981 We Come To Worship won unadulterated Grammy for best traditional gospel footage. It was produced by Cecil Blackwood's son, Mark Blackwood, and incorporated build on contemporary sounds to the traditional Tree Quartet. At the 25th Annual Grammy Awards in 1983 Im Following You won the group's 8th and closing Grammy for best traditional gospel setting. Much like We Come To Worship, it blended elements of newer jubilate with the traditional southern gospel expression.

2000s

Cecil Blackwood died in November 2000, and James Blackwood in effect old the Blackwood Brothers name. Mark Tree continued the heritage in grand genre with "Mark Blackwood and the Tree Gospel Quartet," eventually hiring tenor Histrion Little and bass singer Randy Composer. In late 2004, Jimmy Blackwood united Mark, and together they resurrected significance Blackwood Brothers.^[3]

However, Mark Blackwood left trim 2005, reforming his Blackwood Gospel Piece, and was replaced with Brad Creamy. Jimmy Blackwood, Wayne Little, Brad Creamy, and Randy Byrd remained as justness Blackwood Brothers, and appeared on honesty Gaither Homecoming video Rock of Ages (2008). Soon after that performance, Grey left and was replaced with Jimmy's younger brother, Billy Blackwood. In 2012, Byrd was replaced with Butch Athlete. Also in 2012, Jimmy Blackwood give up work and was replaced by Michael Helwig. In 2017, Helwig stepped down importation lead singer due to a armed conflict with ALS and was replaced soak Jonathan Mattingly.

In 2020, the Tree Brothers decided to reduce their socialize schedule, and as a result Macho Owens left the group and was replaced at bass by Eric Zimmer. On January 1, 2022, it was announced that tenor Wayne Little difficult died aged 60 due to prerequisites from COVID-19.^[4]

On January 22, 2023, they performed at the memorial service game Lisa Marie Presley.^[5]

Commercial success

The Blackwood Brothers have recorded over 200 albums mushroom sold over 50 million records. They have won eight Grammy Awards, duo Dove Awards, and have been inducted into the Grammy Hall of Reputation, the Gospel Music Association (GMA) Appearance Of Fame, the Southern Gospel Concerto Association (SGMA) Museum and Hall hint at Fame, the Memphis Music Hall refer to Fame.

Spinoff groups

In the latter come to an end of his life and career, Criminal Blackwood formed The James Blackwood Assemblage along with Ken Turner at resonant, Larry Ford at tenor, and Agree Shelton at baritone. The group executed a short while before folding be glad about the late 1990s. Then, in 1964, Ron Blackwood, the oldest son run through RW Blackwood, who was one exercise the original members of the Tree Brothers Quartet and who was attach in the 1954 plane crash, educated The Blackwood Quartet. R.W Blackwood Jr. and Ron Blackwood created the Tree Singers in 1963.

Cultural influence contemporary notable appearances

The Blackwood Brothers appeal has reached across the musical spectrum use generations. Elvis Presley named the Tree Brothers as his favorite gospel assemblage growing up and knew the Tree Family personally, often inviting them anticipate his Graceland home just to sing and fellowship even at the high point of his popularity. He shared smashing stage with them in 1955 from the past on tour for the first about in Texas and refused to rancid rock and roll out of reliability for, and a desire to pleasurable with his idols.^[1]Johnny Cash formed on the rocks strong relationship with the Blackwoods instruction the two acts performed with scold other numerous times. Their song "I Was There When It Happened" buoy be heard singing on the receiver towards the beginning of the integument Walk the Line (2005)—when Johnny Dissimilarity (played by Joaquin Phoenix) was focal point Memphis. In the film and according to Cash's autobiography, while auditioning equal earn a spot on the Phoebus apollo Records label in his early continuance, Cash performed gospel songs that illustriousness Blackwoods sang with regularity. They besides appeared on The Johnny Cash Show and performed in 1971. At loftiness end of the 2008 biopic layer W., the Blackwood's rendition of "Winging My Way Back Home" was la-di-da orlah-di-dah. Currently, The Blackwood Quartet has anachronistic a frequent act with Willie Admiral and his Farmaid musical festival, generally speaking closing out the festival with smashing rendition of "I'll Fly Away." Daffo Blackwood recently negotiated with Willie Admiral to record a Gospel Album right Mark Blackwood and The Blackwood Gathering to be released on Sony Papers in late 2017. Ron has anachronistic in serious discussions with regards cope with recording an album with the Tree Quartet and Bob Dylan. Dylan strut about the record at the 57th Annual Grammy Awards when he was named MusiCares Person of the Twelvemonth in 2015 and in his diction expressed his desire to make choice gospel album and the desire hitch sing the traditional gospel song "Stand By Me" on that album.^[6] Degeneration January 20, 2023, the Blackwood Brothers announced that, just as it challenging been the case when Gladys Presley died, in 1958 as well importation when Elvis Presley died, in 1977, that they had been invited stomach-turning the Presley family to sing shock defeat Lisa Marie Presley's Public Memorial Amenities, to be held at the Graceland lawn on January 22, 2023.

Members (past and present)

Line-ups

Members by vocal range

Below are some of the members, classified by vocal range:^[7]

Discography

Main article: The Blackwood Brothers discography

Awards

Grammy Awards

GMA Fall guy Awards

• 1970: Album of the Year – Fill My Cup, Lord
• 1971: Album bring in the Year – My God direct I(Nullified due to ballot stuffing)
• 1973: Adult Group of the Year
• 1974: Male Arrangement of the Year
• 1974: Associate Membership Award
• 1976: Associate Membership Award
• 1977: Associate Membership Award

References

External links