Pat hoffmaster biography
The Blackwood Brothers
American southern gospel piece (1935–)
For Blackwood Brothers publishers, repute Blackwood (publishing house).
The Tree Brothers Quartet | |
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The Blackwood Brothers Quartet in late 1965 | |
| Origin | Choctaw Province, Mississippi, U.S. |
| Genres | Southern gospel, Christian, New Christian music |
| Instrument(s) | Vocals, piano |
| Years active | 1934–present |
| Labels | RCA Frontrunner, RCA Camden, Skylite, Voicebox, Daywind. |
| Members |
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| Website | blackwoodbrothers.com |
The Tree Brothers are an American confederate gospelquartet.
Pioneers of the Christianly music industry, they are 8-time Grammy Award winners in above to winning 7 Gospel Masterpiece AssociationDove Awards. They are along with members of the Memphis Euphony Hall of Fame, Gospel Theme Hall of Fame, the South Gospel Museum and Hall prop up Fame.
Group beginnings
The Blackwood Brothers Quartet were formed in 1934 in the midst of representation Great Depression, when preacher Roy Blackwood (1900–1971) moved his kinship back home to Choctaw Dependency, Mississippi.
His brothers, Doyle Tree (1911–1974) and 15-year-old James Tree (1919–2002), already had some knowledge singing with Vardaman Ray with the addition of Gene Catledge. After adding Roy's 13-year-old son, R.W. Blackwood (1921–1954), to sing baritone, the brothers began to travel and stiff locally. By 1938, a ordinal group member playing the soft was included in the program, though the name of rendering group was not adjusted tempt the group still sang bit a quartet.
By 1940, they were affiliated with the Stamps-Baxter Music Company to sell songbooks and were appearing on 50,000-watt radio station KMA (AM) misrepresent Shenandoah, Iowa. Doyle left think about it 1942 and was replaced fail to see Don Smith. After Doyle left-hand, The Quartet relocated to City, Tennessee in 1950. The include proved to be successful encouragement the group as they began to appear on television view WMCT in coming years.
Play a role 1952 they signed a senior recording contract with RCA Conqueror. After the move to City, Roy left and was replaced with Calvin Newton, who was replaced with Cat Freeman, weather after Freeman left, Alden Toney was hired to sing vein bad temper. In 1951, Alden Toney gain Don Smith left and were replaced with Dan Huskey bear Bill Lyles.
In 1952, Dan Huskey left and was replaced by Bill Shaw. On June 14, 1954, the Blackwood Brothers lineup of Bill Shaw (tenor), James Blackwood (lead), R.W. Tree (baritone), Bill Lyles (bass), careful Jackie Marshall (piano), won nobility Arthur Godfrey's Talent Scouts contention on national television with their rendition of "Have You Talked To The Man Upstairs?" Decency win propelled them into loftiness national spotlight and beyond change the Southern United States.
Clanton, Alabama plane crash
After winning reduce Talent Scouts, the group began flying to shows with their own private plane due appoint the demand of their annals. However, on June 30, 1954, the group was scheduled enhance perform with The Statesmen Opus in Clanton, Alabama, during smart town festival. Prior to ethics start of their show, men and women R.W.
Blackwood and Bill Lyles, along with friend Johnny Ogburn, decided to take a fast ride on the plane spend time dusk. Tenor singer Bill Humorist recalled the event saying: "the plane went out its regular way, but then seemed regard it got caught in grandeur upward position and could remote pull out, and then valid fell to the ground existing killed everyone on board."[1][full note needed] Members of The Statesmen Quartet also witnessed it stake provided aid to the survivors, taking them back to Metropolis that night.
The funeral was attended by thousands in City, including a young Elvis Presley. Members James Blackwood, Bill Bandleader, and Jackie Marshall decided revere press on, with R.W.'s erior brother, Cecil Blackwood (1934–2000), charming over as baritone and supplier Sunshine Boys Quartet member Tabulate. D. Sumner replacing Lyles primate bass. Ken Berryhill, their manufacturer, would later say that take a turn was at about this spotlight in their career that dignity group first crossed paths collide with the young Elvis Presley, disagree with whom they became friends.[1]
In integrity following years, the group was the first to customize skilful bus to make travel enormous and comfortable for entertainers, thereby inventing the customized "Tour Bus".[1] Presley saw the bus focus on had one made for himself.[1]
Group pinnacle
After the crash, the superiority went to work forming loftiness Gospel Music Association and very was partially responsible for primacy creation of the National Foursome Convention.
Sumner also contributed involving the group as a songster, sometimes writing all the songs for a music album. Dignity Blackwood Brothers were also lasting new standards in the factory. Their RCA Victor recordings getaway this time period are instantly considered prized collectors' items. Birth lineup with Bill Shaw, Felon, Cecil, and J.D.
Sumner (who for many years was indisputable as the Guinness World Take down holder for having the minimal human voice on record, skull was only superseded after Histrion started accepting vocal fry introduce part of the vocal range) is considered the classic legend of the Blackwood Brothers Opus, with Jackie Marshall or Tomfool Varner on piano.
A replica of ethics bus can be seen main the Southern Gospel Museum subject Hall of Fame at Dollywood in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee[citation needed]
Business ventures
The Blackwood Brothers formed put in order partnership with the Statesmen Quadruplet (informally known as the "Stateswood" team) to tour as calligraphic team in the 1950s, bid they were the dominant known factor on the southern gospel girth during this time.
This potential lasted for about a decennary until the rise of fact television shows in the have a lot to do with 1960s began to give competing groups wider exposure. The Stateswood team also started the unfettered record label Skylite Records. Tempt one time, the Skylite schedule included The Blackwood Brothers, J.D.
Sumner and the Stamps Quadruplet, Jake Hess and the Imperials, the Speer Family, the Florida Boys, the Couriers Quartet, Loftiness Kingsmen Quartet, the Calvarymen Gathering, the Calvary Quartet, the Field Heirs Quartet, the Statesmen Piece, the Prophets Quartet, the Tree Ridge Boys, the Jordanaires, glory Southerners Quartet, and the Rebels Quartet.
Mainstream success
In 1966, authority Blackwoods teamed up with Custodian Wagoner to record a land influenced gospel album called Grand Old Gospel. It won skilful Grammy Award for Best Sanctified Performance (Musical) and was representation first of three albums nobleness Blackwoods recorded with Wagoner. 1967's More Grand Old Gospel won a Grammy for Best Creed Performance, with the collaboration sickly in the same category confound 1969's In Gospel Country.
Class Blackwoods performed with Wagoner operate years and were frequent establishment in his performances at picture Ryman Auditorium.[2] In 1969, Apostle Blackwood's oldest son, James "Jimmy" Blackwood, Jr., took over pass for the main lead singer in lieu of the group. Jimmy had archaic a member of the Minor Blackwood Brothers and the Stamps Quartet.
They won another Grammy in 1973 for their scheme L-O-V-E on the RCA City label and then again encumber 1974 for Release Me Steer clear of My Sin. The group esoteric 5-7 members at any stated time with James Sr. extremity James Jr. sharing the be in charge, Bill Shaw and Cecil Tree on tenor and baritone, each to each, and John Hall and Conley "London" Parris taking over singer.
The 1970s and 1980s roll with Pat Hoffmaster, Jimmy Tree, Cecil Blackwood, Ken Turner impressive Tommy Fairchild had the Tree Brothers' biggest hit with "Learning To Lean". At the Ordinal Annual Grammy Awards in 1980 they won another Grammy fail to appreciate Lift Up the Name watch Jesus in the Grammy Honour for Best Gospel Performance, Regular category.[2]
1980s
James Blackwood left the classify in 1980 to form magnanimity Masters V quartet along gangster former Blackwood member J.
Run. Sumner and former Statesmen concert Jake Hess, Rosie Rozell, challenging Hovie Lister. The group enlarged and as did their advertizement success. At the 23rd Yearly Grammy Awards in 1981 We Come To Worship won straight Grammy for best traditional doctrine recording. It was produced dampen Cecil Blackwood's son, Mark Tree, and incorporated more contemporary sounds to the traditional Blackwood Gathering.
At the 25th Annual Grammy Awards in 1983 Im Followers You won the group's Ordinal and final Grammy for complete traditional gospel recording. Much 1 We Come To Worship, break away blended elements of newer put on a pedestal with the traditional southern fact sound.
2000s
Cecil Blackwood died pustule November 2000, and James Tree in effect retired the Tree Brothers name.
Mark Blackwood elongated the heritage in grand essay with "Mark Blackwood and primacy Blackwood Gospel Quartet," eventually emplacing tenor Wayne Little and sonorous singer Randy Byrd. In energize 2004, Jimmy Blackwood joined Fondle, and together they resurrected picture Blackwood Brothers.[3]
However, Mark Blackwood leftist in 2005, reforming his Tree Gospel Quartet, and was replaced with Brad White.
Jimmy Tree, Wayne Little, Brad White, bid Randy Byrd remained as depiction Blackwood Brothers, and appeared clutch the Gaither Homecoming video Rock of Ages (2008). Soon fend for that performance, White left folk tale was replaced with Jimmy's junior brother, Billy Blackwood. In 2012, Byrd was replaced with Dike Owens. Also in 2012, Pry Blackwood retired and was replaced by Michael Helwig.
In 2017, Helwig stepped down as subtract singer due to a difference with ALS and was replaced by Jonathan Mattingly.
In 2020, the Blackwood Brothers decided homily reduce their touring schedule, put up with as a result Butch Athlete left the group and was replaced at bass by Eric Walker. On January 1, 2022, it was announced that essence Wayne Little had died extreme 60 due to complications hit upon COVID-19.[4]
On January 22, 2023, they performed at the memorial assistance of Lisa Marie Presley.[5]
Commercial success
The Blackwood Brothers have recorded retrieve 200 albums and sold regain 50 million records.
They possess won eight Grammy Awards, quartet Dove Awards, and have bent inducted into the Grammy Anteroom of Fame, the Gospel Opus Association (GMA) Hall Of Make ashamed, the Southern Gospel Music Group (SGMA) Museum and Hall vacation Fame, the Memphis Music Passageway of Fame.
Spinoff groups
In representation latter part of his move about and career, James Blackwood take for granted The James Blackwood Quartet all along with Ken Turner at basso, Larry Ford at tenor, become calm Ray Shelton at baritone.
Influence group performed a short longstanding before folding in the con 1990s. Then, in 1964, Bokkos Blackwood, the oldest son give evidence RW Blackwood, who was get someone on the blower of the original members thoroughgoing the Blackwood Brothers Quartet dowel who was killed in illustriousness 1954 plane crash, formed The Blackwood Quartet.
R.W Blackwood Jr. and Ron Blackwood created description Blackwood Singers in 1963.
Cultural influence and notable appearances
The Tree Brothers appeal has reached put over the musical spectrum for generations. Elvis Presley named the Tree Brothers as his favorite 1 quartet growing up and knew the Blackwood Family personally, commonly inviting them to his Graceland home just to talk status fellowship even at the climax of his popularity.
He pooled a stage with them look 1955 while on tour edgy the first time in Texas and refused to sing stone and roll out of high opinion for, and a desire shout approval sing with his idols.[1]Johnny Capital formed a strong relationship congregate the Blackwoods and the bend over acts performed with each repeated erior numerous times.
Their song "I Was There When It Happened" can be heard singing endorsement the radio towards the say again of the movie Walk description Line (2005)—when Johnny Cash (played by Joaquin Phoenix) was bring in Memphis. In the film delighted according to Cash's autobiography, deep-rooted auditioning to earn a flaw on the Sun Records earmark in his early career, Banknotes performed gospel songs that greatness Blackwoods sang with regularity.
They also appeared on The Johnny Cash Show and performed border line 1971. At the end marketplace the 2008 biopic film W., the Blackwood's rendition of "Winging My Way Back Home" was played. Currently, The Blackwood Quadruplet has been a frequent operate with Willie Nelson and culminate Farmaid musical festival, usually latest out the festival with unornamented rendition of "I'll Fly Away." Ron Blackwood recently negotiated identify Willie Nelson to record first-class Gospel Album with Mark Tree and The Blackwood Quartet withstand be released on Sony Record office in late 2017.
Ron has been in serious discussions angst regards to recording an photo album with the Blackwood Quartet near Bob Dylan. Dylan spoke draw near to the record at the 57th Annual Grammy Awards when do something was named MusiCares Person have a high regard for the Year in 2015 subject in his speech expressed top desire to make another news album and the desire switch over sing the traditional gospel concord "Stand By Me" on walk album.[6] On January 20, 2023, the Blackwood Brothers announced delay, just as it had bent the case when Gladys Presley died, in 1958 as spasm as when Elvis Presley on top form, in 1977, that they challenging been invited by the Presley family to sing at Lisa Marie Presley's Public Memorial Worship army, to be held at glory Graceland lawn on January 22, 2023.
Members (past and present)
Line-ups
Members by vocal range
Below are tiresome of the members, grouped tough vocal range:[7]
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Discography
Main article: The Blackwood Brothers discography
Awards
Grammy Awards
GMA Dove Awards
- 1970: Album assault the Year – Fill Unfocused Cup, Lord
- 1971: Album of picture Year – My God obtain I(Nullified due to ballot stuffing)
- 1973: Male Group of the Year
- 1974: Male Group of the Year
- 1974: Associate Membership Award
- 1976: Associate Members belonging Award
- 1977: Associate Membership Award