J.D Sumner On Elvis

I found these videos on YouTube and felt I should share them with you all. It is a fascinating insight into the world of Elvis Presley, from the perspective of J.D Sumner.

Elvis and his love for southern gospel music is well documented and understood. The use of gospel groups, particularly quartets, for his live performances is also well-known. In the different videos of Elvis available today, J.D Sumner & The Stamps are easy to spot on the stage, sharing the stage with the world’s greatest entertainer. I had always read and heard about Elvis and his extraordinary generosity, but this interview chronicles the amazing depth of heart that Elvis Presley had.

It is not too hard to identify the friendship shared by Elvis and J.D. They had a great bond and this is something shared in the interview. The deep friendship the two shared is exemplified by the various times that Elvis would call J.D just to talk for hours at time.  One of the most interesting facets I lifted from the interview was that when Elvis wanted the Stamps Quartet to go on tour with him, J.D was looking to retire, however Elvis had other ideas!

There are five parts to the interview, each roughly 8-10 minutes long. It is a fascinating journey and it opens up a world that Elvis and gospel music fans will thoroughly enjoy.