Blackwood Brothers with JD Sumner - Hide Me, Rock of Ages

[isaiahembert]

bless jd's heart, he had a growling voice in his l8r years, sometimes off pitch 2

[StacieAnn78]

Very smooth bass notes, J.D. Does it again.

[lovewalkconnection]

haha

[jeroenru1]

It is incredible.

[bigmrclean]

Man if the quality could only be better we could REALLY here them 2 old RCA Ribbon mics really sound out..You can't beat them.

[eri3576w]

they could sing a song on their death bed..it will still sound good!!

[ChangsUncle]

Timing, breathing, pitch control....JD could take a seemingly impossible passage and make it sound easy. One of a kind voice.

[Mr99632]

was whitey gleason the baritone for this group after RW Blackwood passed away?

[adkinsda]

@Mr99632

No, Cecil Blackwood (as in this video) replaced R.W.

[grammie0301]

@Mr99632

Please forgive my ignorance, but wasn't Whitey Gleason the piano player? I saw this group many times at Medinah Temple in Chicago at all nite singings promoted by Lloyd Orrell. That was the highlight of my Daddy's life, I'm sure. I believe Lloyd had a son named Larry who had his own group, The Orrells??? Not sure about this. Anyway, I throughly enjoyed this video. Thank you for posting it.

[adkinsda]

@grammie0301

Note that Whitey Gleason is listed in the information section.

[DavesNotHere56]

I wish they'd show groups like this on TV now days. Thanks for sharing.

[ashleysmusic665]

I Love It! Perfect! Great job all of you! Congrats!

[jalsante75]

See JD tell them to up the tempo @ 24 sec.? JD was a trip!!! LOVE him, and miss him very much!

[alaitain]

wow. i love older videos from the past and watch as they grow in age.

[miltmonkey]

Peerless J.D.Sumner is lowering the bar and raising the standard asking no quarter and giving no quarter as he remains the measuring stick for those aspiring to sing bass. Here ye,Here ye

[Bravilor]

To me it sounds like he's getting nervous and hitting the wrong note. He could do it much better anyway.

[rramos07]

That was a solid F1 and F#1 before the G1!! Great bass!!

[rramos07]

That was a solid F1 before the G1!! Great bass!!

[TheMarching110fan]

I remember back in the mid sixties watching a show with my parents called SInging Time In Dixie where I first introduced to this kind of music. I wonder if this is where this recording is from.

[bigmrclean]

Man, he could hit that note in his sleep.

[GalaticJoker]

great song and did he do a great job jd and richards the best

[bigmrclean]

Man you can't beat those old ribbon microphones soooo smooth sounding.

[heatlightenin]

I had the pleasure of seeing JD Sumner and the Stamps when I was a kid. They played at a local shopping mall, lol! Can you imagine that happening now? A religious group being brought to your local mall? The p.c. left would freak out! haha!

[jalsante75]

Sing this one Tim Storms!!!

[Gasocaster]

JD's ability to project at those low notes and still have tone is what sets him apart. others might get low, but to have solid tone, and volume was the rare Quality he was long on. This I learned at a very early age from Whitey. (a very good baritone)

[sheltv100]

Man! That was a gooood bass man. WOW!

[oSetimoLeao]

Muito Bom! Good!

[morriswilburn]

In 1983, the Guinness Book Of World Records recognized Sumner's 1966 solo recording of the hymn "Blessed Assurance" as containing lowest recorded note ever produced by a human voice.

[sheltv100]

@morriswilburn Unfortunately that record was defeated by the bass singer from the group Valor around 2000 following the death of JD.

[CallMePads]

Good bye the good old days :( I want it back mummy, I want it!!!!!

[Nashville35]

this is JD Sumner not London

[bigmrclean]

@Nashville35 What was he like to see in person? My dad seen him not long after Elvis died and they were doing a farewell tour of some kind and said he sang "Way down" and felt like the building was going to come down...lol

[raponte1955]

The only other bass singer that comes to my mind as good as London was "Blue" from the Temptations...

[jalsante75]

Here J.D. is schooling "young" London. He's just off the stage right there. if you notice the next song starts to play at the end... "Somebody loves me" ....watch who J.D. calls out to sing the ending notes with him?!!!???!!!?

[Nashville35]

This is in the key of C. JD goes under a low G and then sits on the G. I've got JD singing it 1st in B and telling James Blackwood to drop it to the key of "A" James says are you sure and JD replies "I'll hit it". May of 1959 FT. Worth, TX. JD goes to C# and back up to low "E" and holds it forever. JD was the man.

[lonemapper]

I have that same cut, I believe, and it is incredible! People who have never sung bass can't understand the breath control and pitch required to do this. Most that I talk to think it is some kind of trick. J.D. as an awesome talent on many levels.

[Ikebaga]

Where do you get that recording?

[gospelmusiclover48]

What recording is that from?

[vocalpercbass18]

i'd love to hear that. anyway i can get it from you to listen?

calebB

[bigmrclean]

@Nashville35 Yes sir...Couldn't have said it better myself. The range was unreal..he could sing lead if he wanted. I don't understand how he did it..he just kept on slidin down further and further and further...Man I'd give anything to be able to have a voice like that! I'd get a subwoofer and plug into it and listen to myself all day lol. His vocal chords must have been the size of a volkswagan

[bigmrclean]

@Nashville35 ...Yes sir.....couldn't have put it better myself. That Tim storms couldn't think as low as this guy could talk. Who know's how low he could have gotten if he would have bottomed out...I am not sure sure he ever got as low as he could.

[missleafar0]

what a blessing just to hear this song.praisethelord

[Nashville35]

You got it right MRJAMES.Singing Convention move. JD ain't never been nervous(or did'nt show it) in all the times I saw him from about 1958-until his last days on this earth with the Stamps. He was in control even though James was the "manager" of the Blackwoods. What a team!!!

[MrJames1611]

I know I've put at least 500 of the views on this video. Love 'em. Jd was trying to get the tempo up a little. that hand pump Jd did at :26 is classic Stamps Baxter School of Music tempo control. Jim Hamil also used the same technique many times.

[Nashville35]

Here's a comment on a post that was made a year ago. JD didn't growl. He was a real bass singer. And to the Bravilor who said he was nervous. JD was'nt nervous.LOL. Aggravated at something ....Maybe...

[janey85111]

thanks for posting this. love it

[neffers13]

Whitey Gleason was my 6th grade History teacher. And believe it or not, after he died (he died of cancer a few years back) I moved intto his house, which is where I live now.

[calinmarton]

Great quartet & great song.......thanks for posting....Lord bless you!!!!!!!!

[K9theDRUMMERhehe]

man, i can only sing down to the low g on the piano.. which is pretty low, but no where compared to JD. lol

[stovall1]

JD was the best all around bass singer ever. Great song and clip! Thanks for posting it, adkinsda.

[krinklebina]

DOes anyone out there remember Whitey GLeason playing a piano solo called "assurance march". I believe he recorded it on a blackwood brother album but I cannot remember which one. I've been hunting for the notes to that song. I can sort of do it by ear but I'd love the notes. or even the name of the album he plays it on. Can anyone help? Thanks.

[aezanc]

Love these oldies! Thanks for sharing.

[PAPASINO]

the bass man is funny

[BENNIEBONGO]

He sure as hell is, but also so low and good and cool!!!!

[EasyDuzzIt85]

can someone with a better ear than myself possibly tell me what note he slides down to there?

[elementalsephiroth]

I dont think it might be something like an F, though thats just my best guess

[emcryt]

JD ca go 2 octives lower than a piano

[trusteejon]

low f# the he slides back up g a b c

[K9theDRUMMERhehe]

what key is this in?

[trusteejon]

C Major

[K9theDRUMMERhehe]

thats wat i was thinking, i play it in that key,.

[sherryquilts]

Awesome!

[TOMASELTERRIBLE]

Very God!! Thanks you adkinsda

[militarychief]

Good bass singer but I never ever cared for the growls.

[dirtysummabishes]

sherry i've always been told i was related in some sort to the blackwood brothers as my grandmother was raised by who they called maw maw blackwood anyways as always beautiful music.

[Bravilor]

JD seemed a little nervous in this bass part. I don't think this showcases him very well... it's hard to discern what note he is singing. He did better in "Wayfaring Stranger" if you want to watch early JD stuff. Although this is some years earlier than that clip.

[fpoasec]

Poor baritone Cecil having to share his mic with bass JD! No wonder he was only in the background as long as JD was in the quartet.

[Stacey3030]

Great Gospel...

Beats CCM anytime.

[sherryquilts]

Awesome. We are (unfortunately) getting ready to have a sale of my parents things and among them are many gospel groups on vinyl...Blackwood Brothers are among them.

[Aukapella]

To me there's only one definite rendition of this classic...and that's the one i just seen and heard!! JD was the best growler of em all!

Auke (Aukapella).

[preussenclan]

you are not right man ... im 16 and i love it maaaan ... cause i´m also bass singer ^^ so i love to hear and lern from such big legend as j.d. .... SING IT BOYYYS ^^

[gudjonv91]

coooool i found another that is like me i love gospel and im also a bass singer although im not a believer

[Staceyeb3030]

Believer as in belief in God?

[gudjonv91]

true

[rparker0]

Neither do I. J.D.rules!

[carolinabgrass]

SING IT BOYS! My favorite part. He didnt need them! Long live J.D.!

[chowman007]

Just hear JD how he "rounds" up his voice. sounds deep with resonance, sounds solid. gives it a different shade to his sound.

[taylor0518]

I was so glad to find this! This song has a special meaning to me - it was written by my great grandfather, Brantley C. George.

[uofmrebel]

That's an awesome song. The Statesmen also had it on their RCA Victor recordings featuring the Big Chief on the bass.

[Singingelk]

This is one of my all time favorite line ups of any quartet anywhere. I love each voice individually, but Bill Shaw is one of the top five favorite tenors in my book ! Thanks for sharing this video.

[barrymore]

Long live J.D.!!! His voice will reign!

[webby1960]

Doy Ott is the baritone, I believe.

[carteru93]

That's not Doy Ott on baritone, it's Cecil Blackwood.

Tenor-Bill Shaw

Lead-James Blackwood

Baritone-Cecil Blackwood

Bass-JD Sumner

Pianist-Whitey Gleason

[biscokid1986]

nice, good job! I thought I was the only one that knew that LOL.

[stormyeyedbear]

I knew it too. In fact, I posted it a month ago.

[hrothgleas]

That pianist just happens to be my late uncle, Whitey - a terrific musician and songwriter in his own right. I recommedn anything he did with his own Jubilee Quartet (not the one I find on youtube). I should not the Whitey's son is an excellent songwriter in his own right!

[Sixfoot3nNC]

I would have sworn that was Hilton Grizwell...I have no idea how to spell his last name but I thought thats who was playing.

[hrothgleas]

Nope, that's Whitey.

[hedelibel]

so cool! ♥ ♥

[jkz2407]

yes i always love listening to JDs big voice, but whoever the baritone singer is in this is also good, i can actually hear him and baritone line is one of the hardest to sing.

[stormyeyedbear]

The baritone is Cecil Blackwood. He's the one right next to JD.

[fariaslr]

Maravilloso, grandioso, Gloria A Jesus

saludos desde chile Luis

[arvinwynn]

just pure classic....southern gospel...praise the LORD

[Sandraz1634]

This is just wonderful seeing these old video's. They are all just great and JD was my favorite bass singer. In the sixty's. Then came George Younce, Ray Reese,and now Tim Duncan with the Ernie Haase, Signature Sound. Thanks for posting.

[gudjonv91]

ernie haase & signature sound are great and specially tim duncan

[jepalbin]

woooah!...great bass!...i'd like to promote my video since it's also sort of classical the title is "factory overhead (band in iloilo)plays

bouree"...if you have time pls watch...i'd like to know what improvements should i make...tnx!...

[jdsumner]

The greatest youtube video of J.D.

[benwrong46]

Good video. Keep up the work.

[nancycarollo]

Thanks Dean, You just get better and better!!! LATER!!

[tcbworld]

YEah, JD really was something else. From what year is this?

[adkinsda]

Mid 60's

[rustyshepperd]

Great stuff, JD was definitely the man. I too hope there are more clips to come.

[stormyeyedbear]

I love that song, and no one can sing the bass part like JD could.

If you have anymore of the Blackwood Brothers with JD, please post them.