The Blackwood Brothers

Did You Know?

• The Blackwood Brothers formed a partnership with the Statesmen Quartet, informally known as the "Stateswood" team, which started the independent record label Skylite Records.
• James Blackwood left the group in 1980 to form the Masters V quartet with J. D. Sumner, Jake Hess, Rosie Rozell, and Hovie Lister.

Group beginnings

His brothers, Doyle Blackwood and 15-year-old James Blackwood, had previously sung with Vardaman Ray and Gene Catledge. Roy’s 13-year-old son, R.W. Blackwood, took on baritone, and the group began performing locally. After the move, Roy left, and a series of tenors followed: Calvin Newton, Cat Freeman, then Alden Toney.

Clanton, Alabama plane crash

After winning on Talent Scouts, the group began flying to shows in their own private plane due to performance demand. Before the show, members R.W. Blackwood and Bill Lyles, along with friend Johnny Ogburn, took a quick plane ride around dusk. Members of The Statesmen Quartet witnessed the crash and provided aid, taking survivors back to Memphis that night. Thousands attended the funeral in Memphis, including a young Elvis Presley. James Blackwood, Bill Shaw, and Jackie Marshall decided to continue; R.W.'s younger brother Cecil Blackwood took over as baritone, and former Sunshine Boys Quartet member J. D. Sumner replaced Lyles as bass. The group later invented the customized tour bus, which Presley saw and had one made for himself.

Mainstream success

The group frequently appeared with Wagoner at the Ryman Auditorium. During the 1970s and 1980s, a lineup featuring Pat Hoffmaster, Jimmy Blackwood, Cecil Blackwood, Ken Turner, and Tommy Fairchild delivered the group’s most successful song, “Learning To Lean.” At the 22nd Annual Grammy Awards in 1980, they took home another trophy for Lift Up the Name of Jesus in the Best Gospel Performance, Traditional category.

Cultural influence and notable appearances

The Blackwood Brothers have held a unique place in American music, crossing genres for decades. As a boy, Elvis Presley considered them his favorite gospel quartet and stayed close with the family, often bringing them to Graceland just to talk. Johnny Cash also built a strong bond with the group, and they performed together many times. According to Cash’s autobiography, during his Sun Records audition he sang gospel songs the Blackwoods regularly performed.