Stamps Quartet
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| The Stamps Quartet | |
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| Genre(s) | Christian |
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[edit] Two Stamps and A Baxter
A series of significant events in the 1920s launched a legendary name in United States in Gospel music. It all started in 1924 when V. O. Stamps formed the V. O. Stamps School Of Music. Stamps' brother Frank formed the first Stamps Quartet around the same time.[1] Then in 1926, V. O. partnered with J. R. Baxter to form the Stamps-Baxter Music and Printing Company. They would become the most successful publisher of shape note hymn books in the United States. V. O. Stamps also formed a quartet of his own.
In 1927, the Frank Stamps Quartet signed a recording contract with RCA Victor records, making them the first southern gospel quartet to sign on a major label. They also had the first ever southern gospel hit single with "Give the World a Smile." In addition to their recordings, they were introducing innovative practices for the time. When Dwight Brock (brother to Lena "Mom" Speer) joined the group at the piano, he was one of the first to introduce instrumental "turnarounds" between the verses. This move also established the now revered "four guys and a piano" configuration for male quartet singing.[2]
Groups using various versions of the Stamps name were active until VO's death in 1940. At one point, he even sued his brother Frank for using a duplicate (or nearly duplicate) name. The groups served a purpose that ultimately benefited from all the sharing, though. The Stamps-Baxter Company published songbooks, and selling them was a key source of revenue for the groups and for the company in turn. Over 100 groups used the word “Stamps” in their name.
[edit] Stamps Name Multiplied
After V. O. Stamps' death, Frank Stamps became J. R. Baxter's partner and took over his brother's duties in the company. He also left his own group, the Stamps All Stars, to sing in the group his brother had owned, the Old Original Stamps Quartet. Under Frank's influence, the publishing company began to arrange deals with many popular quartets of the day to sell Stamps-Baxter songbooks. In exchange, groups were allowed to use "Stamps" or "Stamps-Baxter" as part of their own name. The company also launched a number of groups with the Stamps name. The partnership lasted five years until Frank Stamps left his position with Stamps-Baxter and began a new company called Stamps Quartet Music Company.
The division did not bring about the end of the various Stamps Quartets, however. Members of groups owned by the Stamps company were swapped around like modern sports stars, only more frequently. The Stamps All Stars were promoted as the top group in the Stamps family, so any time a member would quit, the next best man was immediately moved into his place. Finally, the "All Star" designation was dropped and the group that had been the Stamps All Stars had come to be known simply as The Stamps Quartet. Frank Stamps decided to narrow his attention to publishing songbooks around 1950. The remaining group members recorded as the Stamps for a few years this, but ultimately changed the group name to the Plainsmen Quartet and parted ways with the publishing company. And so, the Stamps Quartet came to its first end.
[edit] First Rebirth (1962)
A few years later in the early 1960s, the Stamps Quartet was reborn, again as an outreach of the publishing company. Terry Blackwood, Smiling Joe Roper, Jerry Redd, Big Jim Waits, and Roger McDuff were members of the new Stamps around 1962. Ready for retirement, Frank Stamps sold his business to James Blackwood. Three years later in 1965, James sold J.D. Sumner some interest in the publishing company. By that point, the Stamps Quartet included Big John Hall, Jim Hill, and Mylon Lefevre. In 1967, JD and James Blackwood "swapped" bass singers so J.D. could manage the Stamps. Sumner went to the Stamps and John Hall came to the Blackwood Brothers. Part of the deal also consisted of JD giving up his stock/ ownership of the Blackwood Brothers and James giving up his stock/ownership of the Stamps. Jimmy Blackwood went to work for JD in the Stamps at the same time. Donnie Sumner became the piano player in 1966 and then moved to the lead slot when it opened up.
[edit] Working for the King (1971-1977)
As the 1970s rolled around, the Stamps saw a number of changes. Ed Enoch came on board in 1969 as baritone. Bill Baize was soon singing tenor, and Donnie Sumner was still on lead. One notable change came when J.D. hired bass singer Richard Sterban. J.D. gave several reasons for making this move: the many business interests he was involved in, because the guys in his group wanted him to, and he was smart enough to know that even old people liked to hear young people sing. Some say it was due to health problems, while others say it was because J.D. saw himself as a star and liked coming out to sing specialty numbers with the group backing him up.
Either way, the Stamps Quartet started working for Elvis Presley as his backup group, replacing the Imperials, who had performed with Elvis for one year before leaving to sing with Jimmy Dean. The Stamps Quartet toured extensively and recorded with Elvis from 1971-1977. This launched The Stamps Quartet into global stardom. Elvis Presley stated many times that the Stamps Quartet was his favorite quartet. To this date, a Stamps Quartet record still sits on the turntable on Elvis' private phonograph at Graceland.
After Elvis hired the Stamps, he insisted that J.D. sing with the group. Richard became increasingly unhappy with this arrangement and left to replace Noel Fox in the Oak Ridge Boys. Ed Wideman, a Canadian, was hired to replace him.
Donnie Sumner soon left the group, so Ed Enoch moved from baritone to lead vocal and Dave Rowland, later of Dave & Sugar fame, was hired to sing baritone. Dave eventually left and was replaced by Ed Hill of the Prophets Quartet. At some point Ed Wideman left and was replaced by Larry Strickland.
After Elvis' death, a revolving door of members sang with the group. When Bill Baize left, the group used a female singer during their last two configurations. Around this time, Ed Hill left to join Hovie Lister and the Statesmen, and later the Singing Americans. Ed Enoch was still singing lead and was road manager of the Stamps. David Ponder was hired to replace Hill on baritone.
The group broke up in 1979, when Ed and Shirley Enoch (J.D.'s daughter) got a divorce. By 1980, J.D. was filling in with Hovie Lister and the Statesmen. It was during this time that he and Lister developed the idea for the Masters V, and the Stamps name was officially retired.
[edit] Second Rebirth (1988)
When James Blackwood, Jake Hess, and Steve Warren exited the Masters V, the underlying concept of the group was significantly diluted. JD and Hovie carried on for a while with Shaun/Sherrill Nielsen, Jack Toney, and Ed Hill, but ultimately JD decided to revive the Stamps name. Warren returned to sing tenor while Toney and Hill remained with the group during the name change. Warren left again, and Jerry Trammell (brother of Mark Trammell) who had sung with the Florida Boys was hired as tenor. Toney left and Ed Enoch returned to sing lead. The core members of the Stamps from the part of the glory days of the 1970s were reunited . . . JD Sumner, Ed Hill, and Ed Enoch. Ultimately, Strickland replaced Warren on tenor and Jerry Kelso became the pianist (replacing C.J. Almgren).
[edit] Third Rebirth (2003)
After the death of J.D. Sumner, Ed Enoch formed a new group, Golden Covenant. Ed Enoch hired Rick Strickland, Ed Hill, Tom Graham, and C.J Almgren as members. Rick Strickland and Tom Graham left the group in May 2002. Royce Taylor was hired to fill the tenor role and David Hester, now with the Dove Brothers Quartet, replaced Graham. Jerry Kelso rejoined the group as pianist. After Hester left, in February 2003, Butch Owens joined as group bass.
In September 2003, the U.S. Patent and Trademark office granted Ed Enoch the right to become the official owner of the Stamps Quartet name. Two months later, he changed the name from Golden Covenant back to the Stamps Quartet. Please visit the official website of The Stamps Quartet, Nashville, TN. www.thestampsquartet.com
Ed Hill, had a major stroke and by-pass surgery and left the group. On June 1, 2005, Michael Helwig, from Ontario Canada, was hired to replace Ed Hill as the Stamps' new baritone vocalist.
December 2005, Royce Taylor left the group to fulfill his desire to go into the Ministry. Former Stamps tenor Steve Warren filled in on the January 2006, West Coast tour. After the tour, former Journeyman Quartet tenor Joseph Frech, age 28, from Louisville, KY, was hired as the new tenor for the Stamps Quartet.
After pianist Jerry Kelso left the Stamps to join the Dove Brothers Quartet, Lucas Case replaced him. Case filled in March 2006 and left the group in May 2006. Case was replaced by Andrew Stringfield. Stringfield stayed for 14 months before leaving to join the Dollywood-based Kingdom Heirs.
In the summer of 2007, Seth Dillehay, a native of Carthage TN, joined the group singing bass.
[edit] Honors
- Inducted into the Gospel Music Hall of Fame (1997).
- Nominated for Grammy and Dove Awards for "Best Gospel Group of the Year" and "Best Gospel Album of the Year."
- Helped charter the Dove Awards, the Gospel Music Association, the Gospel Music Hall of Fame, and the [[National Quartet Convention].
- First quartet to record Gospel songs for a major recording company, recording "Give the World a Smile" in 1934 and releasing it on the Victor label. This recording is reputed to be the first Gospel recording to sell over a million copies.
- The oldest, all-male, professional Gospel quartet still singing today.
- Backup vocalists for Elvis Presley from 1971-1977.
- Backup vocalists for various Country artists, including Tammy Wynette, Willie Nelson, Jerry Lee Lewis, Ronnie Milsap, Ferlin Huskey,
Ronnie McDowell, B.J. Thomas, and Brenda Lee.
- Backup vocalists for various Bluegrass artists, including Ricky Skaggs, and Pop artists, including Leslie Ughams.
- Has performed at prestigious venues including Radio City Music Hall, New York City, Memphis Symphony Orchestra, Memphis, TN., Wimbley Arena, London, England, and Grand Ole Opry, Nashville, TN. Silver Dome, Pontiac, MI., Astrodome, Houston, TX.
- Has appeared on various television Programs, including CBS, NBC, TNN, TBN, PBS, GMT.
- Appeared in two Elvis Presley movies: "Aloha From Hawaii" and "Elvis on Tour".
Gaither Homecoming Videos. Elvis - The Concert Tour from 1996 through 2006, touring the United States and Hawaii, Europe, Asia, Australia.
