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Blackwood Quartet kindles love of gospel music

The Blackwood Brothers Quartet were pioneers in gospel music, a Depression-era quartet that eked out a living at $2 a performance and went on to sell over a million records.
The Blackwood Brothers was founded in 1934 and went on to become one of the most popular gospel groups of the 1950s. In 2002
The Blackwood Brothers was founded in 1934 and went on to become one of the most popular gospel groups of the 1950s. In 2002

The Blackwood Brothers Quartet were pioneers in gospel music, a Depression-era quartet that eked out a living at $2 a performance and went on to sell over a million records.

Through the decades they have received nine Grammy Awards and 27 Dove Awards. Their total record sales have exceeded 200 million.

Although the original members are no longer living, the quartet’s legacy lives on through their descendants and their Memphis connection to Elvis Presley

On Friday, March 13, the Blackwood Quartet offers an opportunity to recapture The Gospel Side of Elvis at the Arden Theatre.

“We are not a religious group. We love Jesus and we are his servants. But we sing music like the Oakridge Boys and we’ve provided backup for different singers such as Willie Nelson and Bob Dylan,” says frontman Mark Blackwood.

“Our music is simple, yet honest. We are four guys that sing harmony. We’ve been popular from generation to generation. You can put us in a concert hall of 30,000 or a community hall of 300. People love our music and they respond to it.”

As Blackwood explains it, his father Cecil was a childhood friend and went to Sunday school with Presley. Cecil sang in the Songfellas, an offshoot of the Blackwood Brothers.

Back in the early 1950s, the teenage Presley’s first love was gospel and his dream was to join the Blackwood Brothers. He auditioned for Songfellas but was turned down.

As the story goes, Presley couldn’t hear harmony. When he sang lead, he was fine. But if the baritone or tenor took the lead, Elvis had to sing harmony and he couldn’t harmonize.

Presley listened, practiced and at a second audition was accepted. But by then, he’d signed a contract with Sun Records and his career spun in the direction of rock and roll.

However, the King always maintained close ties with the Blackwoods’ gospel world. When Presley’s mother died, he sent an airplane to fly the Blackwoods to sing at her Memphis funeral. And James Blackwood sang How Great Thou Art at Presley’s own funeral.

“If he would have lived longer, he would have returned as a gospel singer. He loved gospel,” Blackwood notes.

The quartet will perform some of Presley’s finest gospel numbers such as No One Stands Alone and Amazing Grace.

“There was no one like Elvis. The way he delivered a song and held the attention of people. He really was that talented and that good.”

Rounding out Blackwood’s lead vocals is David Mann singing bass, Casey Shepherd, the baritone and Ray Ashmore as tenor.

“Come out and bring a carload of family ’cause you’re gonna love the music and you’re gonna leave smiling.”

Preview

The Gospel Side of Elvis<br />Blackwood Quartet<br />Friday, March 13 at 7 p.m.<br />Arden Theatre<br />5 St. Anne Street<br />Tickets: $54.50 plus facility fee. Call 780-459-1542 or purchase online at ticketmaster.ca

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