WHEN ANNIE HEARD THE ORIGINAL BLACKWOOD BROTHERS QUARTET AT SPEEDWAY BAPTIST CHURCH

                                                  ORIGINAL BLACKWOOD BROTHERS QUARTET

                   RW                                   ROY                           JAMES                  DOYLE


One Sunday morning at Speedway Baptist Church in Memphis people were asking each other..."Blackwood Brothers? Who are they?"
The preacher announced  that the entire evening service would be music by the Blackwood Brothers, a gospel quartet, formed in Choctaw, Mississippi.  These were the original brothers plus Bill Lyles, (not the replacements that followed later.)

The quartet formed in 1934 (when I was a year old) then moved to the Shenandoah Valley in Iowa, where they were successful. Because their parents were in poor health, in 1950 they relocated in Memphis to be nearer them.

That's about the time they came to  our church. They sang on WMPS radio and people were beginning to listen. A Speedway member  heard them and invited them to sing at our church.


 Jackie Marshall, pianist on top,Bill Lyles, bass,   second row on the right. They were there that night.Bill Shaw was not there because he had not yet replaced Doyle.

Our church, curious as to what we would hear, was packed that evening.

Their pianist came on  stage first and then the oldest member Roy. I think he only sang on first song or two.

Roy Blackwood December, 24 1900 - March 21, 1971

Roy Blackwood was an ordained minister in the Church of God in the 20's and early 30's. He was the oldest member of the original Blackwood Brothers Quartet and sang the tenor part. In the late 40's Roy retired from the quartet and after the group moved to Memphis in 1950 he worked in the Blackwood Brothers Record Shop. He and his wife Susie had two sons, R. W. and Cecil
The other brothers were Doyle






Doyle Blackwood - August 21, 1911 - October 3, 1974







Doyle Blackwood was the bass singer in the original Blackwood Brothers Quartet and accompanied the group on guitar. Doyle retired from the quartet in the late 40's and managed the Blackwood Brothers Record Shop in Memphis. ,

James






James Blackwood - August 4, 1919 - February 3, 2002







James was the youngest of the brothers. He sang in the quartet from it’s beginning in 1934 until he joined the Masters V in 1981. He won 9 Grammy Awards and 7 Dove Awards as Best Male Vocalist. James was called "Mr. Gospel Music," a title given to him by the many people who loved him. His voice was regarded as one of the best ever in gospel music. 



R.W. who was Roy's son





R. W. Blackwood - October 23, 1921 - June 30, 1954







R. W. Blackwood was the baritone in the original Blackwood Brothers Quartet. He was the oldest son of Roy and Susie Blackwood and nephew of James and Doyle. R. W. is remembered for his beautiful, rich baritone voice. He thrilled audiences with his showmanship as well as his extraordinary vocal ability. He was the pilot for the group when they traveled by plane in the early 50’s. He and his wife Elaine had two sons, Ron and Winston.








And Bill






Bill Lyles - December 7, 1920 - June 30, 1954
 Bill had blond hair






Bill Lyles was the bass singer in the Blackwood Brothers Quartet from the late 40’s until his death in 1954. He was the co-pilot for the group’s airplane in the early 50’s. He is still regarded as one of the smoothest bass singers in gospel music. 

The church was dark except for the stage.

The handsome pianist began playing.

Then the singers almost danced on to the stage.

They were so handsome and effervescent!

They stole our hearts from the first notes.

I have already written about my love for black gospel music.

Henceforth, I would be a lover of country gospel too.

I think it is generally conceded that Elvis was heavily influenced by both black and white gospel music. He especially loved the
Blackwood Brothers and Statesmen quartets. Later he would use them in some of his performances.

But getting back to that special night at Speedway.

This is the only recording I could find of that original group.

They were marvelous and we simply didn't want the music to

end and kept begging for more.  And they DID GIVE US MORE!!

All of the singers who were there (and many who were in the congregation that night) are dead now.

But I count myself blessed that I was there and remain a witness to how wonderful they were in person.

In only a few years two of the singers on the stage that night 

would be killed in a plane crash. But that night nothing sad 

had entered their lives.

They went on to sing on the Arthur Godfrey Show in 1954 

and that same year RW and Bill died. Those of us who

heard them at Speedway were very sad. Only with us a few  

hours we felt like they were somehow part of us and our 

church. We felt some sort of bonding.

Although outstanding replacements were found, still those of 

us who heard them would always miss RW and Bill.

. 

Here is a 1955 recording with two replacements.

But I'll never forget that original group I heard at Speedway 

so long ago....GOD IS GOOD. 

               



All for now, Love from annie in memphis


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