The Elvis
Unlimited
museum will
host a
special
exhibit
remembering
gospel
legend, JD
Sumner on
December 14,
2008. It has
been ten
years since
JD Sumner
passed away
while
touring on
November 16,
1998. Now
for the
first time
ever, JD
will be
remembered
with a very
special
tribute.
The Elvis
Unlimited
Museum will
have an
exclusive
exhibit of
JD Sumner's
stage worn
wardrobe,
personal
items, and
many other
items from
the singer's
estate.
Tributes and
special
memories
will also be
exclusively
on display
at the
museum from
fellow
musicians
and friends
of JD
including
former
members of
The Stamps
Quartet, The
Jordanaires,
The TCB
Band, and
countless
others.
' I have
been a
gospel fan
all of my
life. And
without a
doubt, J.D.
is a true
legend. His
career spans
more than 50
years. I had
J.D. Sumner
and The
Stamps in
Denmark in
1997, for a
totally sold
out show. We
sold tickets
as far away
as France,
England,
Holland,
Belgium,
Germany,
Poland,
Switzerland,
Austria,
Italy,
Norway,
Sweden and
Finland.
There was a
never ending
interest.
The media
was there
and each and
every one
was just so
excited that
we had J.D.
over for one
of his
seldom shows
outside
U.S.A. I've
meet with
J.D. Sumner
a lot of
times in the
US, but it
was special
to have him,
one on one,
in Denmark.
J.D. asked
Patsy
Andersen at
Elvis
Presley
Enterprises
about 'this
kid' from
Denmark, is
he ok? Well,
he showed
up, didn't
he? Anyway,
in my
guestbook,
J.D. called
me his
friend and
I'll always
treasure
that. A
little over
a year
later, J.D.
passed away.
This
exhibition
is to honour
a gentleman,
a pioneer, a
legend and
most of all
a friend!"
says Henrik
Knudsen,
owner of the
Elvis
Unlimited
Museum.
John
Daniel
Sumner was
born on
November 19,
1924 and
passed away
on November
16, 1998. He
was born in
Lakeland,
Florida. JD
was inspired
to become a
bass singer
at the young
age of four
when he
heard Frank
Stamps
perform. He
is a World
War II
veteran.
After his
return from
the service,
he formed
the Sunny
South
Quartet.
Soon after,
he joined
the Sunshine
Boys. It was
then that he
made a name
for himself.
In 1954,
JD was asked
by James
Blackwood to
replace Bill
Lyles. R.W.
Blackwood
and Bill
Lyles died
in a plane
crash. JD
became
famous fast
with the
Blackwood
Brothers.
His
relationship
with James
Blackwood
also took
off. They
formed the
National
Quartet
Convention
together in
1956. Still
today, it is
the largest
gospel music
event. They
also formed
the Gospel
Music
Association
which
recognizes
achievements
made in
gospel music
through the
Dove Awards.
In 1963,
they
purchased
the Stamps
Quartet.
This was
quite an
accomplishment
for JD who
was inspired
by Frank
Stamps as a
boy. JD soon
left the
Blackwood
Brothers to
sing and
manage the
Stamps.
During this
time, he
decided that
each singer
in the
quartet
should have
a microphone
of their
own. The
group soon
became known
as JD Sumner
and the
Stamps.
In
November of
1971, JD and
the Stamps
began to
tour with
Elvis. The
group
remained
with Elvis
until his
last concert
on June
26th, 1977.
The Stamps
were also
featured on
most of
Elvis'
studio
recordings
between 1972
and 1977. In
the midst of
their
popularity
while
performing
with Elvis,
the Stamps
released
what is
probably
their most
critically
acclaimed
recording, a
double LP
titled Live
At Murray
State. The
singers
joining J.
D. Sumner on
that
recording
were Ed
Hill, Ed
Enoch, and
Bill Baize.
In 1980,
JD disbanded
the Stamps.
He joined
Jake Hess,
Hovie
Lister,
Rosie Rozell,
and James
Blackwood to
form the
Masters V.
The Guinness
Book Of
World
Records
recognized
Sumner's
1966 solo
recording of
the hymn
"Blessed
Assurance"
in 1983.
According to
Guinness,
the song
contained
the lowest
recorded
note ever
produced by
a human
voice, a
"double low"
C. The
recording
was
re-issued in
1984 as part
of Sumner's
solo project
Thank God
For Kids and
again in
1999
posthumously
on The Wait
Is Over.
After the
Masters V
disbanded in
1988, J. D.
Sumner
brought back
the Stamps
with former
member Ed
Hill, Jack
Toney, and
former
Masters V
tenor and
arranger
Steve
Warren. In
the early
1990s, the
Stamps were
active
participants
in the
Gaither
Homecoming
videos. They
also enjoyed
a great deal
of success
performing
at Elvis
Presley
tribute
events, both
domestically
and
overseas. In
addition to
Ed Hill, Ed
Enoch, Rick
Strickland,
Jerry Kelso
and CJ
Almgren were
members of
the group
during
Sumner's
final years.
J. D. Sumner
died in 1998
in Myrtle
Beach, South
Carolina. He
was on tour
at the time
of his
death. In
addition to
his other
accomplishments,
he wrote
more than
700 songs.
He has also
inspired
many
generations
of future
southern
gospel
singers,
including
the
up-and-coming
bass singer,
Garrett
Mathison.
"It's
really hard
to pick one
person out
of all the
people
working with
Elvis, and
say he or
she is your
favourite.
But on the
top of my
list is J.D.
Sumner. As
you all
know, I
worked with
them all
more or
less. And
they are all
very special
people to
me." says
Knudsen
Elvis was
a big fan of
J.D. Even
before Elvis
really
kicked off
his career,
the two met.
J.D. would
let Elvis in
backstage
because
Elvis had no
money for a
ticket. This
according to
Jack Soden,
CEO of
Graceland.
The last
record Elvis
ever
listened to
was a J.D.
Sumner and
The Stamps
record. They
had a
special bond
some how.
The
exhibition
is for one
day only.
Sunday
December
14th, 2008.
From 1:00 PM
to 5:00 PM.
After this,
it will be
securely
packed and
stored. And
then some
pieces will
be displayed
at Graceland
Randers
which opens
in 2010.
