James Blackwood

Gospel Singer

Birthday August 4, 1919

Birth Sign Leo

Birthplace Mississippi

DEATH DATE Feb 3, 2002 (82)

#144,864 Most Popular

About

Gospel singer who was a founding member the Southern gospel quartet, The Blackwood Brothers.

Before Fame

He befriended Elvis Presley in his youth at a church in Memphis that both of their families attended.

Trivia

He won nine Grammy Awards, released over 200 albums, and was invited to appear both in the Washington, D.C. and at a church in Moscow.

Family Life

He and his brother Doyle began performing when he was just seven years of age, singing duets that mixed church songs and popular numbers.

Associated With

His breakthrough performance came with a performance on Arthur Godfrey's Talent Scout on CBS, where he and his group sang "Have You Talked to the Man Upstairs?"