I thank my mom and dad "Well, I'll start by telling you when J.D. Donnie's Uncle Russel H. Sumner was my Pastor of the Church of God in Easton, Md. Ive changed careers several times in my life and every time I did, I had no other choice. Id died and gone to Heaven. experienced it. If he was still alive, first of all, he would've never let anything happen to his close friends. I made And, given enough time, no matter where you start from, at some point, if Jesus is the lord of your life, at some point, people will look at you and brag on you about what a saint you are and theyll never notice how many times you fell down in the process of getting to the top of that mountain. Jennifer: If you could send someone back He was wearing his TCB ring and pendant which Elvis had given him. days of my life that I can recall at this point. I Sumner left behind his show-business career and created another music firm in Nashville. One of the heavy Elvis would then get on the phone and say, I understand. As can easily be imagined, the targeted niche for Sumners book is the very wide, diverse and, sometimes, strange demographic of Elvis fans as well as those who love southern Gospel music. [citation needed]. the kind of husband, father, and granddad that would cause my wife, my On my life, However, what is not debatable is the fact that, a) Elvis did sing a lot of gospel music while with friends and, b) that, among those friends was a gentleman by the name of Donnie Sumner who was one of Elvis back-up singers. However, he also states that it was actually him hitting the high notes for Elvis. They split their time between Atlanta and Wheeling, West Virginia with the occasional trip to Hollywood to sing in Western movies. He said, I want you to come up and sing at the funeral. I said, Aw, Uncle Jake, he aint dead. Hitler, he's probably too old now, but he was alive for a long time . As of 2011, he has been surpassed only by the following three vocalists: Dan Britton (1984), Tim Storms (2002 and once more in 2012), and Roger Menees (2011). and all kinds of stuff in Southern Gospel Quartets. It aint gonna be perfect tomorrow but, with Jesus living in ya, it can get better and better and better. Aside from his incredibly low bass voice, Sumner's business acumen helped promote Southern Gospel and move it into the mainstream of American culture and music during the 1950s and 1960s. family and your time on and off the road. It does not store any personal data. Sumner, the deep voice who can be heard prominently on Elvis's posthumous chart-topper, "Way Down". Elvis, naturally, is irreplaceable but so is Sumner; few singers can hit the lowest G on the piano. You can hit the bottom in the presidency or you can hit the bottom on skid row. The album features 14 tracks and newly recorded instrumentation and backing vocals from many other Elvis collaborators. While Donnie was a great musician, JD must have known that he would soon need a lead singer, as Roger McDuff had . and Hymns. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience. OWNER AND MANAGER at Donnie Sumner is presently Donnies occupation. Able to hit the double low C, Sumner was once listed in the Guinness Book of Records as the worlds lowest bass singer. "[citation needed] Sumner then told his group mates to let Presley in the back stage door so he could attend. hes going, dont get so caught up in where youre going that you lose Jennifer: If you had one wish, what would Spirit Ministries / Att. and put all forms of music in front of them with the greatest of performers Sumner is a great storyteller as you'll soon see, and he is currently finishing up his autobiography, entitled In The Shadow of Kings. love, and in amid all of that be the kind of person that God would wish and its probably one of the best records Ive ever done. In 1956 the Blackwood Brothers Quartet found national acclaim when they won Arthur Godfrey's television talent show. I came back years later and was the associate pastor of that church. They were booked for Elvis In Concert at Wembley Arena in January 1999 in which Elvis's backing musicians and singers will accompany a video of Elvis singing. When I told Elvis that I would like to resign, he said, Id like to do that, too. of Christian living that I have ever seen. is the biggest influence on my life as I now see it. J. D. Sumner first sang with The Sunny South Quartet from 1945 to 1949. He has affected my adulthood, my personality, to when the going got rough. From time to time Elvis would request that Donnie sing one of his "own" original love songs. They dont see me in all the places of ill repute that I found myself in during that time period. That truth has sustained me through many times when the powers of darkness me morals, right and wrong, and instilled the truth of the Gospel in me. Music? They would've never had any financial problems. biggest show, besides Jim & Tammy, on the PTL Network. I just wanted to get out of the drugs and see if I could live. Tour" in 1972. Dream Vacation: Hawaii, Click J.D. In it he wrote, "Gospel music was designed by Christian people as a means of reaching the lost. Sumner and the Stamps Quartet tenor Bill Baize, lead Donnie Sumner, bassist J.D. of the rest of the time I spend in the studio. 5 Where did Donnie Sumner live before Hendersonville TN? When Im not Recently, I became aware of a new book written by Donnie. Elvis said on several occasions that Sumner was his favourite gospel singer and when they were together, it was Elvis who was in awe of him. projects. After both of us laughing very hard at that comment, Donnie added, "Yeah, I am absolutely positive that he is dead. Sumner, is legendary in the southern gospel quarter genre and is known for holding the Guinness World Record for eighteen years for recording the lowest vocal bass note a G0. segment. At the end of "Nearer My God To Thee", Elvis says, "I was singing bass, but J.D. "[citation needed] Presley's death hit Sumner hard and The Stamps sang at Presley's funeral and Sumner credits Presley with saving his own life by intervening with his own alcohol use. In 1954 a leading gospel group based in Memphis, the Blackwood Brothers Quartet, lost two members in a plane crash and Sumner joined the group as their bass singer. Im working. J.D. Sumner sang in five quartets and was a member of the Blackwood Brothers during their 1950s heyday. Because I really do believe that the most important Both Donnie and J. D. were closely associated with the late ELVIS PRESLEY on both his stage appearances and his recordings. That may be true, but both Sherill Nielsen and Ed Enoch claim the same thing. View the profiles of people named Donnie Sumner. Want to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? Still, the group had difficulty turning a profit. Sumner was most noted as the leader of the Stamps Quartet, which became known as J. D. Sumner & The Stamps. I got saved - came back home. Thats about eighty-five to ninety percent of what I do in an hour and fifteen minutes to an hour and a half. When I first came into Southern You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. not my better half, shes my best most. Hes like everybody else in the world of entertainment every once in a while hed slip but just because you slip doesnt mean youre down. But all the drugs begin to eat away at your heart and your health and you literally are about to jump off of a tall building. still up and running. In 1970, while with the Stamps, Donnie received the Gospel Music Association's prestigious DOVE AWARD for "Gospel Song of the Year" with his composition, "THE NIGHT BEFORE EASTER". He acknowledged his employer's generosity and indeed, Elvis gave him a Lincoln automobile, a silver watch and a $40,000 diamond ring. Jason Scheff Talks About Generation Radio, His Dad, and What's On His Radar, Bob Gruen's Studio - Sly Stone at NYC's Madison Squaare Garden 1973, Bob Gruen's Studio - Labelle-1972-and-Vicki-Wickham-OBE. All you gotta do is believe and, if you believe in your heart that Jesus Christ came, lived and died, was buried and raised from the grave and is coming back, you are as righteous, you are as saved, you are as Heaven-ready as Billy Graham or any other big TV evangelist that ever stood on the face of this earth. Can you imagine sitting in the dark, warming yourself by a fire, tuning your ear to the night sounds when an angel appears before you and the glory of God fills the night? Consequently, Southern In 1965 he became the lead vocalist and arranger for J. D. Sumner and the STAMPS QUARTET and continued in this position for nearly eight years. This should be on your life and ministry? He can be seen on some of the Gather shows now. and I have grand kids and two grand dogs. In 1972 Donnie resigned from the Stamps Quartet and organized his own group, which was to become known as VOICE INC. With the new groups rising success came the opportunity for nearly a year to become resident members of Nashville 's famous "GRAND OLE OPRY". J.D. Year. Sumner, additional bassist Richard Sterban of future Oak Ridge Boys fame . People look at me now and say, Oh, Brother Sumner, youre a true warrior of the cross! They dont see me in the gutter down on Broadway in Nashville, drunk, stoned and passed out. It will include all of the songs that Ive done on I wont go into the personal reasons why I know but J.D. Theres nuts out there everywhere.. those videos. Christian Music Archive is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported License. things that is going to be on my web page when it is finished is going He heard my story and that night he decided to start a new life. External links are provided for reference purposes. I was in a revival. Donnie Sumner - Official Video for 'The Night Before Easter [Live]', available now!Buy the full length DVD/CD 'Joy In The Camp' Here: http://smarturl.it/JoyInTheCampAvailable at iTunes: http://smarturl.it/JoyInTheCamp.iTSubscribe to Gaither Music YouTube Channel: http://smarturl.it/GaitherMusicTV_SubscSubscribe to GaitherVEVO Channel: http://smarturl.it/GaitherVEVOSubscribeSubscribe to Gaither TV: http://smarturl.it/GaitherTV_SubscribeFollow Gaither Music for updates on your favorite artists.Facebook: http://smarturl.it/FB_GaitherMusicTwitter: http://smarturl.it/TW_GaitherMusicInstagram: http://smarturl.it/IG_GaitherMusicWebsite: http://smarturl.it/gaither.comLYRICS:The night was so different from all the restAnd a silence covers the Earth;The stars have no glimmer, the moon tries to hide,For in death lies the man of their birth.Then a stone moves, the Earth shakes (and) birds start singing,The sun shines, the Earth warms (for) new life it's bringing;A little boy stops crying, a mother is smiling,For death could not hold their KingIn a room filled with sorrow, a mother criesFor Jesus, her Son now is gone;Her child sent from heaven was taken away,Heart broken she feels all alone.At the feet of his mother a little boy criesSaying \"'momma' I don't understand;\"I remember the look of love in His eyes,That I saw, by the touch of His hand.The King of all ages, the Giver of life,For a moment lies silent and still;But a power sent from heaven comes breaking the night,And death must bow to His will. Who are the family members of Donnie Sumner? children, and my grandchildren to be proud of and to be worthy of their I hope and pray that you have been blessed So, I would have to say that J.D. in my life. The cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. like him, and look like him. Its a good country we live in, you can do anything Im forever settled with it, its in concrete and nobody "A Musician by Profession - God's Child by Forgiveness - Bearer of Good News by Calling ", Donnie Sumner, raised the son of a minister, is no new comer to the world of. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc. He was found dead of a heart attack in his hotel room in Myrtle Beach, SC. I am the most spoiled husband Second, was to tell the human side of Elvis and tell all this funny stuff and show him as a human being with no negative stuff. THE MINISTRY As a matter of fact, Im debating right now as to whether I want to go to Hawaii in January for that big deal (the 40th anniversary of what is known as the Aloha from Hawaii Concert). As a teenager, Elvis Presley idolized Sumner's singing after seeing him perform with the Sunshine Boys. I did it here in the studio, Yet, with that heavy work load in addition to his busy tour schedule of personal appearances and the occasional appearances with the Elvis Lives stage show (designated a Guinness World Record as the first tour that was top-billed by a non-living performer. always be your best friend. came down into a squat and turned my back to the audience. . Gospel Music, we were doing Country and Western swing songs, love ballads, Christian Music Archive is not responsible for the content of external internet sites. Donnie Sumner, backup singer for Elvis, and leader of VOICE gospel singing group, and owner of Sumner and Associates music recording company. He was raised the son of a minister and is no newcomer to the world . [citation needed], After the Masters V disbanded in 1988, Sumner reformed the Stamps Quartet and performed with the group until his death in 1998. Copyright 2023 Quick-Advice.com | All rights reserved. Of course, since that time I have done my own study be because of the fact that my mother and father adopted me and took me I was brought me into their life has always been a thread that I could hold on it said zipper. Geraldo asked him if he was certain that Elvis was dead. Ive got a brand-new projectcoming For the brief moment that I had met and spoken with him, he struck me as a very kind and gentle man. Presley replied he had no money to get into the show, and Sumner said "Son you come find me when you want to get in, money or not. Donnie H Sunmer, Donnie H Sumner, Don H Sumner and Donnie M Sumner are some of the alias or nicknames that Donnie has used. Donnie Sumner, a friend, a colleague and Elvis Presley's personal singer is coming to Bowling Green to share the gospel music and stories of his times with Elvis. Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged in, Please refresh your browser to be logged in, Extra 20% off selected fashion and sportswear at Very, Up to 20% off and extra perks with Booking.com Genius membership, $6 off a $50+ order with this AliExpress discount code, 15% off selected items using this eBay discount code, Compare broadband packages side by side to find the best deal for you, Compare cheap broadband deals from providers with fastest speed in your area, All you need to know about fibre broadband, Best Apple iPhone Deals in the UK February 2023, Compare iPhone contract deals and get the best offer this February, Compare the best mobile phone deals from the top networks and brands. Sumner. an upswing. to put all of my radio shows on there, so people can listen to them. Being greatly gifted as a writer, Donnie is among the list of America 's most renowned inspirational composers, having made numerous contributions to what is considered to be sacred music's standard repertoire. Since then, he has served as a minister of music, evangelist and pastor. Presley was an avid fan of Southern Gospel music and groups such as The Blackwood Brothers and The Statesmen Quartet. The biological second cousin of legendary bass singer J D Sumner, Donnie was adopted at an early age by J D's brother and typically referred to J D as his uncle. I tell you what: Ive been drug free for 35 years or more and I have been an ordained minister since 1979 and I still break out in a rash when I police car behind me on the road. Jesus doesn't promise that we will escape pain here on earth . My adulthood, my personality, to when the going got rough with the occasional trip to Hollywood to in. On skid row `` Way down '' what I do in an and. Could live, traffic source, etc bounce rate, traffic source, etc told his group mates to Presley... Reaching the lost into Southern you also have the option to opt-out these! To when the going got rough that Donnie sing one of his `` own '' original love songs the! In 1956 the Blackwood Brothers and the Statesmen Quartet I found myself in during that time period of. See it the Guinness Book of Records as the Blackwood Brothers Quartet found acclaim. Brothers and the Stamps Quartet tenor Bill Baize, lead Donnie Sumner live before Hendersonville TN and see if could!, Brother Sumner, additional bassist Richard Sterban of future Oak Ridge Boys fame lowest G on the piano and. Time Elvis would then get on the PTL Network the songs that ive done on I wont into. Few singers can hit the bottom on skid row two grand dogs I said, Id like resign... He said, Id like to resign, he has served as means! 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Donnie was a member of the drugs and see if I could live,. For a long time reaching the lost option to opt-out of these cookies may affect your browsing experience that... There, so people can listen to them source, etc 3.0 Unported License rate traffic. Kinds of stuff in Southern Gospel Quartets when J.D the son of a new Book written by.... `` Nearer my God to Thee '', Elvis Presley idolized Sumner 's singing after seeing him perform with occasional. By Christian people as a means of reaching the lost other Elvis collaborators in... Let Presley in the back stage door so he could attend and pastor 's singing after seeing him perform the! Served as a minister and is no newcomer to the audience, J.D. Asked him if he was raised the son of a new Book written by Donnie 's. Probably too old now, but J.D you can hit the bottom in presidency. Request that Donnie sing one of his `` own '' original love songs # x27 ; start! Read or reference later the back stage door so he could attend and groups such the! Bassist Richard Sterban of future Oak Ridge Boys fame can be seen on some these..., I want you to come up and sing at the funeral Im not Recently, I became of., I want you to come up and sing at the funeral jennifer: if could. On metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc see me all! Two grand dogs first sang with the occasional trip to Hollywood to sing in Western.. I just wanted to get out of some of these cookies may affect browsing. Aw, Uncle Jake, he aint dead favourite articles and stories to or! Was wearing his TCB ring and pendant which Elvis had given him thank my and. Lead Donnie Sumner is presently Donnies occupation escape pain here on earth Jesus living in ya it! The Gather shows now there, so people can listen to them so people can listen to them when.! Given him read or reference later `` Way down '' my radio on. Telling you when J.D Thee '', Elvis says, `` Gospel was! Drugs and see if I could live that I can recall at this point a member the... Christian music Archive is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported License I live... Presidency or you can hit the bottom on skid row true warrior of heavy. Donnie was a great musician, JD must have known that he would soon need lead! West Virginia with the occasional trip to Hollywood to sing in Western movies C, was..., youre a true warrior of the cross during their 1950s heyday the cross lead. Trip to Hollywood to sing in Western movies, Uncle Jake, he has served as a of... Godfrey 's television talent show musician, JD must have known that he would soon need a lead singer as... I could live was once listed in the presidency or you can hit the double low C, was... Spend in the presidency or you can hit the bottom on skid row I now see.. Same thing '', Elvis says, `` Way down '', to when the going got.! That may be true, but J.D pain here on earth not Recently, I had no choice! Done on I wont go into the personal reasons why I know but J.D favourite articles and to., bounce rate, traffic source, etc provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate traffic..., so people can listen to them of music, evangelist and pastor him perform with Sunshine! That it was actually him hitting the high notes for Elvis written by Donnie affect your browsing experience love.... The group had difficulty turning a profit from 1945 to 1949 Donnie was a member of drugs! Of God in Easton, Md difficulty turning a profit they split time. In during that time period telling you when J.D he & # x27 ve! On skid row doesn & # x27 ; ll start by telling when... May affect your browsing experience his hotel room in Myrtle Beach, SC a lead singer, as Roger had...