The Blackwood Quartet
The Blackwoods, America's number 1 singing family, has been singing for 75 years. The Blackwood name is legendary in the gospel music industry. The Blackwood Brothers Quartet was formed in 1934.
Roy Blackwood, Doyle Blackwood, their youngest brother, James, along with Roy's oldest son R.W. Blackwood, comprised the original quartet that was based out of Choctaw County, MS.
The Blackwood Brothers performed at camp meetings and other church and community events throughout the 30s. In 1940, they moved to Shenandoah, Iowa, where they had a live broadcast on the radio.
In 1954, they appeared on Arthur Godfrey's Talent Scouts on CBS. They won first place and received a recording contract with RCA. They became the first gospel group to sell a million records.
On June 30, 1954, the quartet loss two of it’s own as R. W. Blackwood and Bill Lyles, the bass singer, were killed in an airplane crash in Clanton, Alabama just before the Blackwoods were to perform in a concert with the Statesmen.
Following the plane crash, the Blackwoods returned to the concert ministry with Cecil Blackwood singing baritone in his brother’s place and J. D. Sumner singing bass.
The Blackwood Brothers were the first group to travel by bus. The Blackwood family have recorded over 200 albums, have sold over 60 million records and toured in 47 countries. They have won eight Grammy Awards and 27 Dove Awards. They also sang in the Johnny Cash movie "I Walk The Line". They were inducted in the "Gospel Music Hall of Fame" by the Gospel Music Association in Nashville, TN. They sang with Elvis and sang at his funeral. They were on The Johnny Cash TV Special and on The Barbara Mandrell & Mandrell Sisters Network TV Show. The Blackwoods song "Learning To Lean" holds the record for being the #1 song by the Blackwoods in the Singing News charts longer than any other Artist.
Cecil Blackwood, James Blackwood and J. D. Sumner were the founders of the famous
National Quartet Convention formerly held in Memphis, TN.
Cecil Blackwood passed away November 13, 2000.
After Cecil’s passing, James Blackwood, who was at the time the only living original member of the Blackwood Brothers, decided to retire the name Blackwood Brothers. In February of 2002, James went to be with the Lord.
Mark Blackwood, now continues the legacy of the Blackwood Brothers Quartet through the Blackwood Quartet. Mark traveled with his dad, Cecil Blackwood, in the Blackwood Brothers Quartet for many years. The Blackwood Quartet does not take their heritage in gospel music lightly, nor the responsibility of integrity that goes with it. It is the sincere desire of the Blackwood Quartet that the people who hear them will be moved to a deep spiritual commitment and give all the glory to the Lord Jesus.
