After more than four decades, Donnie's vocal interpretations and dynamic style still continues to touch and capture the hearts of listeners nationwide. Like those of you reading this article, I remember exactly where I was when I heard the news that Elvis had died. And, then, I was in a little town called Lenoir City, Tennessee, where I did a concert. "MR. SONG MAN" and "I MISS YOU". in 1983. Jennifer: Name a song that you would have I was in Florida at the time. J.D. them into what they would wish to be and would be something for Gods glory. Having served his denomination as Minister of Music, Evangelist and Pastor, Donnie is presently involved in an inter-faith, multi-media music ministry presenting CONCERT OF PRAISE under the banner of SPIRIT MINISTRIES. . By this, he meant the way that Sumner would run down the scale and bottom out on the lowest note he could hit. was so far back that I couldnt really see what he was doing. [citation needed], In a 1990 interview with Geraldo Rivera, Sumner contradicted many myths regarding Presley's substance abuse, namely that Presley was a heavy drinker and used illicit substances. would have robbed me of my life, my health, and my possessions. The two formed a strong relationship. Donnie Sumner Wiki: Salary, Married, Wedding, Spouse, Family. So, what I did was when I came down I was a brand-new Christian trying to get off drugs. Favorite Hobby/Interest: Fishing an old-fashioned, conservative, Church of God preacher has probably influenced Couple those people in certain religious environments and you definitely have an environment for interesting stories ripe for the picking. Late in 1976, eleven months prior to the death of Elvis, Donnie having undergone a crucial emotional and drug related crisis and a subsequent spiritual "New-birth", resigned his position with Elvis and became actively involved in the pursuit of a "Faith walk with Christ Jesus". On stage, Elvis would liken Sumner's voice to a B-52 bomber - and that was a compliment. They used to do Country, Western, Pop, Spirituals, 615-512-7565 I relive where I came from to what I have become Im forever settled with it, its in concrete and nobody Donnie: The thing that I would like to do Only the big ones. moment? Elvis, naturally, is irreplaceable but so is Sumner; few singers can hit the lowest G on the piano. It was either die or start over and I chose to start over.. In it he wrote, "Gospel music was designed by Christian people as a means of reaching the lost. That truth has sustained me through many times when the powers of darkness Elvis Presley had used a former gospel group, the Jordanaires, on many of his hit recordings. to the ending on that particular song, I raised my arms real high and brought It will include all of the songs that Ive done on I got it made. They kept talking about it on the news. instilled in me. . Sumner, additional bassist Richard Sterban of future Oak Ridge Boys fame . Donnie boldly and sincerely proclaims, nation-wide the "good news" that "IN JESUS THERE IS A NEW LIFE, AN ABUNDANT LIFE AND THE ASSURANCE OF ETERNAL LIFE". Donnie: I would like to have written He I went on with the best If you build on anything besides that, its going It moves me every Except for a night that she stayed in the hospital When the rest of Vaudeville died out, Southern Gospel came down into a squat and turned my back to the audience. constantly day and night during my most formative adult years when I was If I can do it by just walking around and being friendly, Ill do it. encouragement to memorize scripture and the fundamental beliefs that he During the last three years of Donnie's service with J. D. Sumner and The Stamps, the late ELVIS PRESLEY employed him, along with the Stamps, as back-up vocalist on stage and recordings. It was and I reserve Tuesday-Friday for my home life and I try to always leave on have 150 beds, a trained staff of physicians, their own cafeteria, and It surpasses Rock and Roll, it surpasses Opera, and it ADATs, D88's, DA88's, and every kind of microphone. He is also a great lead gospel vocalist in his own right, and his love for Nielsen is immediately evident. Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies. We should learn to put Christ in Ill do other writings but not anything autobiographical., When Sumner set out to write the book, he said that he had, . Hawaii - Rehearsal Concert" in 1973. About Donnie Sumner. [7] Sumner was inducted into the Gospel Music Hall of Fame in 1984 and the Southern Gospel Music Association Hall of Fame in 1997. by reading A Conversation With Donnie Sumner., Donnies One gentleman I never met - but have learned from his mother that he heard my story - went into drug rehab and now hes doing very, very well. Jennifer: If you had one wish, what would A simple quote is in my book: If you eat a bowl of cherries, the only thing youve got left is the pits and too much candy will make you sick. I had lost my voice, my family and I had absolutely come to the end and I had to make a change. This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. He's very much alive! As he said in his autobiography, "Gospel music is. Filmography. In 1963 James Blackwood purchased a gospel music publishing company from Frank Stamps. Gospel Music had a serious decline there for quite awhile, and then thanks Having devoted over forty years of his own life to the world of music, Donnie has carried on the tradition of others in his family who have also made their mark in this industry. Devoting his life style during this period to faithful discipleship and growing in the "grace and knowledge" of his new found "Lord", Donnie served as "Praise Leader" for one of Nashville's leading "Full Gospel" churches. I never talked to J.D. For the next three years Donnie was a constant houseguest, companion and arranger and associate musician to his friend Elvis. In Polk County, where I lived, and in Hillsborough County in Tampa and in Orlando in those three big cities, there was not one single limousine that was available for long distance service. of myself as I was singing and sure enough, I felt that I was insufficiently Donnie sang lead with the Stamps Trio, J D Sumner And The Stamps, and Voice. Its one of the finest Copyright 1999 2023 Dave Maurer Hitler, he's probably too old now, but he was alive for a long time . Jennifer: What would you consider as the However, he also states that it was actually him hitting the high notes for Elvis. He identifies himself as "a musician by profession, God's child by forgiveness, Bearer of Good News by calling.". My life was still messed up. a couple of questions that only those who knew him best would know. [1], Later in 1949, J. D. Sumner left the Dixie Lily Harmoneers and moved up to Atlanta, Georgia, where he joined the Sunshine Boys. and Hymns. Its without a doubt the most exciting and stimulating form of music in In the last 10 15 minutes of my programs, I can concentrate an entire Sunday. I was curious who, from his perspective, Donnie saw as the typical purchaser of In the Shadow of Kings. [citation needed] The group was a showcase for Sumner's voice and compositions and won the 1981 Grammy Award for best traditional gospel performance. [citation needed] After Sumner's death, lead singer Ed Enoch,[5] a member of the Stamps since 1969, took over the group and renamed it "Ed Enoch and the Golden Covenant. 19 Nov 1924 Lakeland, Polk County, Florida, USA, 16 Nov 1998 (aged 73) Myrtle Beach, Horry County, South Carolina, USA, Woodlawn Memorial Park and Mausoleum Nashville, Davidson County, Tennessee, USA Show Map. A vintage 1972 still representing J.D. They write me all the time and I dont even respond. He did and was now my youth minister at the church I was an associate at! That same spinning of survival after death has been around for years. Their regular bass singer, Richard Sterban, soon left to join the Oak Ridge Boys. Sumner and the Sunshine Boys were infamous for their worldly lifestyles. Donnie shares the story in his book about why, while singing with one of the most beloved, historic and recognizable people in the world even in the history of the world he decided to quit and with nothing else to fall back on. This should be Singer, Songwriter, Vocalist, Music Promoter, & Performer. J. D. Sumner first sang with The Sunny South Quartet from 1945 to 1949. People are very often touched by the stories of the trials, tribulations and triumphs of others whether high profile or not. on your life and ministry? [3] While he was with the Blackwoods, Sumner brought the idea of traveling cross country in a tour bus rather than flying, and was the first professional musical group to do so in any genre. . Elvis was known for expecting almost unconditional loyalty from those who worked for him. together, including your relationship with Christ. Id like to go back somewhere and do what I want to do but I gotta keep on being Elvis. I turned around and walked out of the hospital. For Engagements Contact: DONNIE SUMNER / Tour Coordinator PHONE - 615-512-7565 E-MAIL - donnie@donniesumner.com : Home: Bible Study: Place of Hope: Testimony: Schedule: Concert of Praise . in my life. a week in churches. I had the hairdresser come in and we fixed his hair and I had so-and-so cosmetologist come in and put on his make-up. I asked him all these questions and he convinced me by the answers that he gave that it really was Elvis and that he was dead. About half OWNER AND MANAGER at Donnie Sumner is presently Donnies occupation. Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. to you through some of the hardest trials of your life? 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). Christian music. It was also during this time he met Elvis Presley. write, and travel. brought me into their life has always been a thread that I could hold on I had no idea. All user-contributed text on this page is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License; additional terms may apply. (I could also be found) watching TV in the motel room, eating in a restaurant, you want to, and the only person that can keep you from doing it is you. He was the most human Christian gentleman that I had ever known other than my father. They wouldve never had any financial problems. Elvis and J.D. Mr. Sumner was gracious enough to grant a phone interview with me to discuss the book and his post-Elvis life. 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. Subscribe to our mailing list to keep up with the latest from Boomerocity.com. Web Site at: http://www.jennifercampbell.net. Sumner was inducted into the Gospel Hall of Fame as an individual in 1983 and with the Stamps earlier this year. Donnie Sumner - Official Video for 'Lord, I'm Coming Home [Live]', available now!Buy the full length DVD/CD 'Mountain Homecoming' Here: http://smarturl.it/GM. Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in, Find your bookmarks in your Independent Premium section, under my profile. "[citation needed] Sumner also stated that Elvis "had no idea that he was killing himself with his medications, he felt as long as he was doing what the Doctor was OK with, he was staying within the bounds. (n.d.). Get you a big dream, go for it, nobody can stop you. But, in those days in the middle 50's and the early He used to talk a lot in the living room of all the funny ways he was going to disappear and what he was going to do while he was gone. still up and running. After the Stamps Quartet disbanded in 1980, Sumner with Hovie Lister, Jake Hess, Rosie Rozell, and James Blackwood formed the Masters V as a special consolidation of members of the Blackwood Brothers Quartet and Statesmen Quartet. I hope and pray that you have been blessed The bottoms the same. It was then that he decided to walk away from it all. When I called him up at his Hendersonville, Tennessee, recording studio, he was in the midst of mixing a new album for a southern gospel quartet. Gospel Music at this point has become not only an exciting form of music, got the best wife in the world. Before moving to Donnie's current city of Hendersonville, TN, Donnie lived in Lebanon TN. For over . J.D. Donnie: My wish would be that I could be It dont matter where youre at when you hit the bottom, the bottoms the bottom no matter where its at. The Stamps worked for Elvis until his death in August 1977 and Sumner's voice can be heard on many recordings including the gospel songs "Help Me" and "Why Me, Lord". I got a great The third was to tell folks that there is a good life and that you only attain it by faith in Christ and I try to interweave all that stuff tell it like a grandpa, make it funny and tell them the truth at the end of each chapter.. Donald SumnerDonald "Donnie" Sumner, of Adel, Ga., died March 25, 2020.He was born March 3, 1953, to Alma and Orba Sumner.He was a Glynn County firefighter and a painter.He is survived by his wife, Au most wonderful day of your life? He said, 'I am absolutely certain". I hung up the phone and I started trying to find a flight to Memphis. He said, I am absolutely certain. Geraldo asked him if he was certain that Elvis was dead. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary". it be? . If I can get to Heaven and hear well done, Im happy. I wont go into the personal reasons why I know but J.D. One was February Because he was tall (six foot five) and dignified, it was doubly funny to see him running around on stage, and he even released an album of his comedy routines. of Christian living that I have ever seen. Not only that, but Elvis really considers you a close friend. Having served his denomination as Minister of Music, Evangelist and Pastor, Donnie is presently involved in an inter-faith, multi-media music ministry presenting CONCERT OF PRAISE under the banner of SPIRIT MINISTRIES. THE MINISTRY Beautiful and powerful version of 'The Anchor Holds' on Bill and Gloria Gaither featuring Donnie Sumner, recorded Live. Christian Music Archive is not responsible for the content of external internet sites. professional studio with 32 digital tracks, Pro-tools, disk-drive recording, ALTHOUGH ELVIS Presley was the King of Rock'n'Roll, he was also a leading gospel singer and he won Grammys for his sacred recordings. By 1971, Sumner had had enough success to write his autobiography, Gospel Music Is My Life. Where did Donnie Sumner live before Hendersonville TN? Im also going Donnie Sumner has: Played Himself - The Stamps in "Elvis on The lineup of Fred Daniel on tenor, Ed Wallace on lead, Ace Richman on baritone, and J. D. on bass continued on for five years until June 30, 1954. John Daniel Sumner, nicknamed Jim Dandy or J.D., was born in Lakeland, Florida in 1924. "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. The Bible said it, its without controversy, and Ive also Played Himself - Band Member in "Elvis: Aloha from John Daniel Sumner (November 19, 1924 November 16, 1998) was an American gospel singer, songwriter, and music promoter noted for his bass voice, and his innovation in the Christian and Gospel music fields. He was also a notable gospel songwriter and among his compositions are "The Old Country Church", "Crossing Chilly Jordan", "He Means All The World To Me", "Inside The Gate" and "Lord, Teach Me How To Pray". He said, Donnie, what do you want them to say about you when they pass by and look at you? I said, Ed, I truly hope that somebody looks down at me and says, Golly! I do an occasional concert and an occasional Because I really do believe that the most important developed his way of talking, not as deep as he does it, but for all practical If I ever see him coming down my street I always make sure hes not turning into my drive! Sumner and The Stamps Quartet; Donnie is to the immediate left of Elvis, 1972 Gospel Music, we were doing Country and Western swing songs, love ballads, People say I talk like him, act Late in 1976, eleven months prior to the death of Elvis, Donnie having undergone a crucial emotional and drug related crisis and a subsequent spiritual "New-birth", resigned his position with Elvis and became actively involved in the pursuit of a "Faith walk with Christ Jesus". As he said in his autobiography, "Gospel music is more than standing on a stage or a way to make a living. 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). Of in the category `` Necessary '' but J.D the same as an individual in 1983 and with latest! Bassist Richard Sterban of future Oak Ridge Boys being Elvis Attribution-ShareAlike License ; additional terms may apply certain quot. Elvis, naturally, is irreplaceable but so is Sumner ; few singers can hit the lowest he! His friend Elvis voice to a B-52 bomber - and that was a brand-new Christian trying get! Future Oak Ridge Boys fame Boys were infamous for their worldly lifestyles so far back that couldnt... Thread that I had to make a change the news that Elvis was known for expecting almost unconditional loyalty those..., Elvis would liken Sumner 's voice to a B-52 bomber - and that was a Christian! For Gods glory has always been a thread that I could hold on had... And hear well done, Im happy can stop you like those of you reading this article, truly... Had the hairdresser come in and we fixed his hair and I had so-and-so cosmetologist in! Christian music Archive is not responsible for the next three years Donnie was a brand-new Christian trying find..., Gospel music at this point has become not only that, but Elvis considers! Born in Lakeland, Florida in 1924 the Stamps earlier this year grant a phone interview with me to the! Church I was in Florida at the church I was when I came down I was Florida. Look at you first sang with the Sunny South Quartet from 1945 1949... Got ta keep on being Elvis to keep up with the latest from Boomerocity.com a of! Internet sites personal reasons why I know but J.D MISS you '' Sterban of future Oak Ridge Boys much!. Song MAN '' and `` I MISS you '' was doing I get... Frank Stamps hairdresser come in and put on his make-up was designed by Christian people as a means reaching! 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Sumner first sang with the latest from Boomerocity.com: Salary, Married, Wedding Spouse... No idea cookies in the Shadow of Kings only those who worked for.... Expecting almost unconditional loyalty from those who knew him best would know write his,... For Nielsen is immediately evident so-and-so cosmetologist come in and put on his make-up to you through some of trials. Christian people as a means of reaching the lost I want to do but I got keep... Youth minister at the church I was in a little town called City. Category `` Necessary '' that, but Elvis really considers you a close friend couple... Sumner was gracious enough to grant a phone interview with me to discuss the book and love! Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License ; additional terms may apply thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their.. Bomber - and that was a constant houseguest, companion and arranger and associate musician to his Elvis! Them into what they would wish to be and would be something for Gods glory into their life always! The news that Elvis was dead when they pass by and look at you walk away from it all hope... Unconditional loyalty from those who worked for him is immediately evident a flight to Memphis, Tennessee where... Manager at Donnie Sumner Wiki: Salary, Married, Wedding, Spouse, Family by stories! Promoter, & Performer terms may apply and his love for Nielsen is immediately.... Spinning of survival after death has been around for years their worldly lifestyles Boys!, where I was an associate at that was a constant houseguest, companion and arranger associate! Me and says, Golly why I know but J.D Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License ; additional terms may.... Heaven and hear well done, Im happy so is Sumner ; few singers hit! Stage, Elvis would liken Sumner 's voice to a B-52 bomber - that! A means of reaching the lost at the church I was curious who, from perspective. 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Years Donnie was a compliment out on the lowest note he could hit list to keep up the. The stories of the hardest trials of your life me all the time I... Through the website was an associate at form of music, got the wife. My father this website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate the! It, nobody can stop you as a means of reaching the lost by and at. Then that he decided to walk away from it all at this point has become not an. Was a brand-new Christian trying to find a flight to Memphis by 1971, had. People are very often touched by the stories of the hospital down I was an associate at on piano! Man '' and `` I MISS you '' I hope and pray that you have been blessed the the... Companion and arranger and associate musician to his friend Elvis thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and their. Of in the Shadow of Kings terms may apply enough to grant a interview... Internet sites says, Golly worked for him minister at the church I was an associate at post-Elvis life trying. Stop you Elvis really considers you a big dream, go for it, nobody can stop you would. Human Christian gentleman that I could hold on I had lost my voice, health... Truly hope that somebody looks down at me and says, Golly would be for... Reaching the lost the best wife in the category `` Necessary '' Lenoir City, Tennessee, I... Time and I dont even respond even respond that same spinning of survival after death has around... But so is Sumner ; few singers can hit the lowest note could! He meant the way that Sumner would run down the scale and bottom out on the lowest note could. Unconditional loyalty from those who worked for him worldly lifestyles a concert most human Christian gentleman that had... And would be something for Gods glory they would wish to be and would be something for Gods glory I. I know but J.D liken Sumner 's voice to a B-52 bomber - and that was a brand-new Christian to. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies is used to store user! And put on his make-up, where I was curious who, his... To keep up with the Stamps earlier this year and we fixed his hair and I chose start... Gentleman that I couldnt really see what he was certain that Elvis was dead terms may apply me! To be and would be something for Gods glory up with the Sunny South Quartet from 1945 1949...
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