You have performed with some impressive groups, JD Sumner and the Stamps Quartet, the Blackwood Brothers, and even the Master's V. Give us a little history about who you've performed with, and how long you've been singing.
I have been singing 54 years, having had my parents start me when I was the ripe old age of 2! I sang in front of 10,000 people at 3 and it's been going ever since. I was with the Masters 5 for 4 1/2 years, having taken Rosie Rozell's place. Then when everyone started going their own separate ways leaving only JD & I, that's when we went back to the name "JD Sumner & The Stamps Quartet." I was with The Blackwood Brothers twice; once for a year after leaving The Stamps, and then I went with The Wayne Newton Show (where I sang gospel music) for almost 3 years and then back to the Blackwood Brothers upon my leaving the Newton show. Altogether I was priviledged to travel and work with my lifelong friend, Cecil Blackwood for only 4 short years before we lost him to cancer.
What was your big "break" in getting a career going in Southern Gospel Music?
Everytime the Masters 5 would come to town, they would play a series of dates around Houston Texas, our hometown. My wife, Shirley & I had been to their first concert in their "series" and the next afternoon, I got a call from JD stating that they were in the emergency room with Rosie, who had suffered a stroke earlier that afternoon, and inquired if I could "handle singing tenor that night." I assured him that I could (although I was not actually a "tenor"). We sang the entire program that night (all they were singing was old Blackwood & Statesmen songs that I had grown up on) and that was that. I had the priviledge of producing 7 of the 8 albums I did with the M5, arranging most of the music and producing 3 solo albums for JD, 2 for James and 2 for Jake. I've been richly blessed. Those days are gone now, leaving me with a small fraction of what I did previously, but I have tons of great memories and recordings that I am quite proud of.
You've been tagged with the nickname "The Voice", and understandably so. Who dubbed you with that title and why?
I believe it was Wayne Newton, although it's been so long ago now. I suppose that it's because I have been blessed with a 4 1/2 octave vocal range that has given me an obvious wide scope of versatility as well. In most groups I've been in, I've sung, at one time or another, everything from tenor to bass (although I certainly would not classify myself as a "bass singer" either!). Just for fun mainly, a few years ago I recorded Handel's "Hallelujah Chorus," singing it just as he originally wrote it (reading the written score) in the original key, singing all 4 parts 10 times each (making it a 40 voice choir) and doing it a capella. THAT was a real workout for my range!!
When singing in your Tenor range, you sound more like Rozie Rozell than anyone I have ever heard. Do you have to work at that, or is it a natural phenomenon? Was Rozie a hero of yours?
I think that it was more of a thing that while I was actually "developing" my tenor "chops," I was singing with Jake doing a lot of the leads in the M5 and it just sort of happened. Not to take anything away from the great artistry of Rosie (he certainly brought a lot to the Statesmen when he joined in 1958), but Bill Shaw was always my ideal when it came to singing tenor. There never has been a tenor in the history of gospel music, (which most people, today, are unhappily unaware of) to ever sing as long with a group as Bill. He sang correctly. That is why, today at 83, he can still sing, more than reasonably well. In truth, the "Big 10," (The Blackwoods & Statesmen, in their glory years) represented the best, period. Although I was just a kid growing up, these dearly departed (save for Bill Shaw) pioneers were my friends as well. When most people today talk about them in glowing, respectful and complimentary terms ( of which they most assuredly deserve), I have the pleasure of having known them, been around them backstage and sort of behind-the-scenes.
I heard you on your Christmas CD singing all four parts of a song. Just how wide of a range do you have? What range do you prefer singing in?
Every voice on the Christmas CD is mine, on all the songs. Although the range width we've already discussed, my favorite place to sing is in my natural voice, around a lead or baritone. I'll still reach up from time to time and pop a few high ones, just for fun!
Many people may not know that you performed for a while with Wayne Newton. Tell us a little about that experience.
It was a level of professionalism and musicianship that I had not been accustomed to in the quartet world. With quartets, it was more "you sing this, you sing that, let's put it together and see if it flies and the piano player can just fall in with us!" In the Newton show, there were written orchestrations for the instruments and, particularly when I was given the responsibility of leading that section, the vocal group had written arrangements as well to coincide with what the orchestra was doing. (This was not a stretch, since I had been writing out all of the M5 and Stamps & Blackwood Brothers arrangements for years. A written arrangement alleviates having to commit a total arrangement to memory until one has really learned it from the written score.) The Wayne Newton Show was pure class, in its musical integrity, stage uniforms, stage settings, lighting, special effects, and everything you could imagine. I'm a better performer today because of it. The best thing about it, however, was having the opportunity to sing gospel music to a "non-gospel" crowd who had, by & large, never been exposed to it. I pray that someone, somewhere, by my singing gospel music at an unexpected time and place, picked up on the "seed" and explored further the Gospel that the music is all about and experienced salvation.
There is a video on YouTube showing you singing a Gospel song on one of Wayne's shows. Did you get to do that often?
That's all I sung on the Newton show and, thankfully, it was every night. From my first night, Mr. Newton gave me a solo spot on the show and always specified that I sing gospel, although, I would have, anyway! I'd like to have a copy of that video, by the way!
You've been doing a lot of solo work lately, do you have any desires to go back to singing with a group?
No, that phase of my life is over. Oh, I may do a fill-in here & there, but, I'm to the place that I'm pretty much set in my ways, musically, and I know what works for me, and that's my "comfort zone." At 56, I really have no desire to get out of it!
Tell us what you are doing now, and if someone came to see your show, what can they expect to see?
At this writing, we're doing 3 shows a night, 5 nights per week at the "Great American Steak and Buffet Company" in Pigeon Forge Tennessee. You can expect to see and hear a variety show of old music. (I sing old music because I'm Old and don't know any New songs!!!) It will be a variety show, consisting of everything from Big Band hits of the 40's, Sinatra (which is My favorite genre of music, by the way), Elvis hits, country classics, some rock& roll (from back when rock & roll was really music) and, of course, gospel. I've had people ask why I don't do all gospel and I explain that I'd rather do some gospel music for a lot of people rather than all gospel to a few. Be advised that all of the non-gospel music is music that I would sing to (and have sung to) my pastor, as well as any of the folks who know me from the gospel quartet days. It's music we all listen to and enjoy.
If fans wanted to get in touch with you how could they do so?
Through our website http://www.stevewarrenthevoice.com
Author: AGM
| Author's Website: http://absolutelygospel.com/
Written: 01/01/2008
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Category: Feature Articles
Comments: 31
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Nice article, and nice interview...but Archie Watkins sang for over 20 years with the Inspirations before stepping back (somewhat) due to some health issues,
Daniel J. Mount
Editor of SouthernGospelBlog.com
Founder and Admin Emeritus of SouthernGospelForums.com
Steve was and still is a great singer.What record Label does he record for?
Daniel,
You are correct that Archie's tenure with the Inspirations exceeds Shaw's history with the Blackwood Brothers. I believe he's been with them for 44 years.
That being said, I would agree with Steve Warren that no other tenor sang as long with the same group while singing "the right way." There have been a few, like Brian Free, who have had more than twenty years of longevity and can still tote the mail.
The other factual error I noted in this article was with regards to the Masters V...or maybe it's me who is mistaken, and if so, hopefully someone else will correct me.
I'm pretty sure that Warren had left the group long before JD and Hovie. I saw them with Sherrill Nielsen, Jack Toney, Ed Hill, JD and Hovie near the end of their run. I don't think it got down to just Steve and JD, though JD may have brought him back at some point before he changed the group name to the Stamps.
—Making hay while the sun shines—
sgnforum@musicscribe.com - BLOG - SGHistory.com
David, since these are Steve's words and he's the one who was there and lived it, I believe that he has the facts straight.
Deon Unthank
SoGospelNews.com
My Blog
Some people are like Slinkys… Not really good for anything, but they
still bring a smile to your face when you push them down a flight of stairs - Author Unknown
Deon,
No problem.
I'm having a difficult time figuring out how I came to own a cassette with JD, Hovie, Jack Toney, Ed Hill, and Shaun Nielsen calling themselves the Masters V after Steve, Jake, and James had all left....but I'm sure your facts are right and this cassette must be a fake.
But no, now wait a minute...I remember buying that cassette after seeing that particular line-up of the group perform. I lived through that experience myself...but I suppose I just imagined it...
I'm kidding you...but only because I'm right, and you know it! :o)
—Making hay while the sun shines—
sgnforum@musicscribe.com - BLOG - SGHistory.com
Just to set the record straight, since a couple of people wondered if I didn't know...I do know and have known that Archie Watkins has been with the Inspirations for 40+ years. In fact, I probably have 2/3 to 3/4 of the albums he's appeared on!
I just put "over 20" (knowing it was more than twice that) to make my point while being less confrontational.
Daniel J. Mount
Editor of SouthernGospelBlog.com
Founder and Admin Emeritus of SouthernGospelForums.com
Deon, it appears you and Steve are wrong, and David is right. I too have that cassette that David mentioned. Steve Warren was not with the Masters V during the change over to the JD & The Stamps...it was Neilson, and then Jerry Tramell (Mark's brother) came on board as tenor when they did their first Riversong release "Victory Road". It was after Jerry left that Warren returned to JD.
It always intrigues me how artists don't even remember their own history...or they try to re-write it to their own benefit sometimes. (Not saying this is what Steven Warren was doing...he may very well have forgotten the events surrounding the M5 and Stamps.)
According to JD's book....Steve left and was replaced by Shaun (aka Sean, Sherrill). Prior to the 1988 NQC, Shaun left and Steve returned. CJ Almgren joined JD, Jack Toney, Ed Hill & Steve. They were introduced at the NQC as the Masters V. JD had them turn their backs to the audience and then introduced the Stamps Quartet. So everyone is sort of on teh rught track.
Dean
Actually, DBM also forgot about one other longtime tenor who sang "the right way".
Duane Nicholson(himself a frequent reader here)is still singing on a part-time basis with his original singing mates, Neil Enloe and Dave Kyllonen, as part of "Dave, Duane, and Neil". Prior to this, he sang 24 years with the Couriers between 1956 and 1980, and 17 more with them when they started up again around 1983.
And FYI, Deon, sometimes the artists themselves are not the most reliable sources of imformation about their own careers in terms of when and where they did certain things.
For example, in Joe Moscheo's otherwise excellent book about the gospel side of Elvis Presley, he mistakenly claims that he joined the group in 1964, which he did not. Moscheo's first albums with the group didn't happen until 1966, when he replaced the group's original pianist, Henry Slaughter.
He also claims that the Imperials introduced "I've Got Confidence" when Sherman Andrus joined the group. In fact, Andrus didn't join them until 1972...two years AFTER they first recorded the song with Roger Wiles as a member.
Morning glory and evening grace,
Giving the world a smile each day,
john.sogospelnews.com
I see he sells his CD's for $20 on his website PLUS shipping! They must be AMAZING!
David and James, I guess that since JD said it, and since you guys were there when you bought your cassettes, and JD and Steve were there when it actually happened, that JD and Steve are correct.
Thanks, Dean, I rest my case.
Deon Unthank
SoGospelNews.com
My Blog
Some people are like Slinkys… Not really good for anything, but they
still bring a smile to your face when you push them down a flight of stairs - Author Unknown
Let's see...3 people who thought they knew more than the guy who lived it.
And those 3 claim to be experts. Sometimes its better to be quiet and check your own facts first. Thanks adkinsdean for setting everyone straight. And thanks Steve Warren for knowing about your own life.
I was at Steve's last concert with the Masters V when he told me that he would be replaced by Sherrill Nielsen. The lineup that night was Steve, Jack Toney, Ed Hill, J.D. and Hovie. I was also at the NQC when J.D. introduced them as the Stamps. The lineup that night in 1988 was Steve, Jack, Ed, J.D., and C.J. Almgren. That group had several recording on cassette, but no cd's that I'm aware of. Shortly after that, Steve was replaced by Jerry Trammell. This particular group recorded the cd "Victory Road" on the Riversong label. Jack Toney was the next to leave and was replaced by Ed Enoch. Steve then came back for a third time replacing Jerry Trammell. The first cd that they recorded with Steve was "Master Of The Wind" also on the riversong label. Steve's stay was again a short one, and he was replaced by Rick Strickland who was the tenor when the J.D. passed away in 1998.
Warren left the Masters V. JD didn't. That's about as simple as I can state it. Warren left the Masters V and the group carried with a different tenor.
Later, there was a point where Masters V members (JD, Jack Toney, and Ed Hill) were part of a name change to the Stamps. Toney and Hill did not go their "own separate ways" when the Masters V came to an end. In fact, Hill stayed with JD until JD died.
There was never a point where everyone left the Masters V except Warren and JD as he is quoted as saying above.
And FWIW, Dean Adkins was posting to support what I had written, but I guess several of you were so eager to see me get it wrong that you assumed the opposite. Warren "came back" to the Masters V specifically FOR the name change.
—Making hay while the sun shines—
sgnforum@musicscribe.com - BLOG - SGHistory.com
hey mr know it all-murray. You seem to have a penchant for trying to prove others wrong in order to make yourself look smart.
Why don't you do your own interview with Warren and confront him in the error of his own memories. After all you know more than he does. Weren't you personal friends with JD?
As for Dean Adkins supporting you, you should read his post again, he said both sides were somewhat right. That doesn't mean you were supported.
Some people are egotists.
By the way I think it is a real shame that some people are more concerned with trying to look superior to others and try to prove how much they think they know that they can't even appreciate a good interview without criticising.
That's the real shame!
DBM, I'm having a hard time understanding what you're trying to say. It's been proven that Steve was with the Master's Five and then left and then came back. It's been proven, by JDs own words as well as people who were actually there and saw Steve on stage when JD changed the group from the Master's Five back to the Stamps. It's really pretty simple, Steve was correct in what he said.
It is kind of silly to say that Steve came back just for the name change.
Deon Unthank
SoGospelNews.com
My Blog
Some people are like Slinkys… Not really good for anything, but they
still bring a smile to your face when you push them down a flight of stairs - Author Unknown
Deon,
Were Jack Toney and Ed Hill part of the Masters V when they became the Stamps or not?
—Making hay while the sun shines—
sgnforum@musicscribe.com - BLOG - SGHistory.com
tmooney,
What exactly are you doing in this thread, if not trying to make yourself look superior to someone else?
—Making hay while the sun shines—
sgnforum@musicscribe.com - BLOG - SGHistory.com
dbm, I'm not the one foolishly trying to prove I know more than anyone else or insisting that I know more than the subject of the interview.
tmooney,
You view me as a know-it-all, which is fine. It seems from your recent petty name calling on the message board..."frustrated wannabe," "frustrated has been," etc...that I'm in good company.
http://sogospelnews.com/index/forum/search_results/242c70f4b7a48b97938cdf60d37317b6/
—Making hay while the sun shines—
sgnforum@musicscribe.com - BLOG - SGHistory.com
That's worth the opinion of about 2 people.
We asked Steve to clarify a few questions people had and this was his reply:
"When I refer to "Masters 5" I mean the original group: James, Jake, JD, Hovie & myself. (In actuality, the original group had Rosie singing tenor for about a year and one half, my being there for the better part of 4 years). Jack & Ed were late comers as far as Masters 5 were concerned. When I said "Everyone had gone their seperate ways," I was referring to James, Jake & Hovie. If this person really wants to get technical and nit-pick, when JD & I were having this conversation, I was temporarily GONE from the Masters 5, having Sherrill singing tenor, but JD was wanting me back and was asking me my thoughts and opinion on changing the name back to "The Stamps Quartet." I distinctly remember saying to JD that I was not interested in the least in returning to the Masters 5 but that I was VERY interested in coming to JD Sumner & The Stamps. This conversation took place in the mobile home that JD had placed behind the actual building at 58 Music Square West, housing Skylite Records just in case we're REALLY going to nitpick."
I believe this is sufficient and should end any further speculation and conjecture. Further questions can always and should be addressed to Steve through his website: http://www.stevewarrenthevoice.com
One of the treasures that I have in my personal collection is the live recording of the NQC in 1988 when J.D. changed the name back to the Stamps.
As far as the comments about Steve not being with The Masters V when it switched over, he was, I have several tapes of The Stamps Quartet in 1988 with Steve singing tenor (Today, Smile, and others). Also, on the live album they made during that year, Jerry Trammell and Steve Warren both appear on there.
Wow! Interesting reading. I enjoy hearing "wannabes" tell those who actually lived it, how it actually happened. LOL
There is alot of insignificant details that Steve left out of the article. He left out him singing with the Junior Houstonians, The Timesmen, the Royals in Houston (which included greats like Larry Gatlin, Pat Hoffmaster, Laddie Cain, Roy Tremble, and my father, Tommy Howe), He played the piano for the Cathedrals at around age 17, and filled in with the Blackwood Brothers at around age 16 at piano (those two examples there show how superb a pianist he was at even such young an age) ... he left out the brief stint with Exodus before he returned to the M5 to then change the name to the Stamps. And he left out kind things about himself, like he was directly responsible for the great Pat Hoffmaster going with the Blackwood Brothers, sacrificing his own group for the better interest of his friend by placing a call to James, which was responsible for the hiring of Pat ... and my how many hundreds of thousand, if not millions, because of this selfless gesture, got to enjoy and were blessed by the beautiful voice of Pat Hoffmaster. Yea, he left out ALL those details. But he did give a brief overview of what MOST southern gospel fans should find of interest without boring anyone with too many details. And let’s face it, who else in gospel music except the true legends has a resume like Steve has?
Steve mentions that he can be contacted through his website, but I think you will enjoy visiting his MySpace, too, as you will see photos of all these events from his life and a true photographic history of his career. Very interesting reading.
http://www.myspace.com/stevewarrenthevoice
Jym Howe
This is just my opinion ... and it should be yours. 
Steve Warren asked me to post this for him.
"I appreciate the people who have commented on my stating historical facts on your site. Yes, some of the comments are true, to a point. I choose not to dignify my malefactors by stating their names. They, as well as you folks who have been following this "fact controversy" know to whom I'm referring. The fact is that, yes, there was a cassette released with Sherrill, Jack, Ed, and J.D. called "The Masters 5." I know. I was called in by J.D. & Hovie to help with recording the vocals at Hilltop Studios. (For the benefit of the "nit-pickers" who pounce on every little nuance and detail that may not have been covered in totality, I do not recall the dates and times of these sessions, nor the color of socks worn by the participants.) I also know that just a few months later after Hovie exited the group, this product was pulled from the table, having being replaced with the "JD Sumner and The Stamps Today," on which we updated with my singing tenor and playing piano to establish the new group. We also "updated" the "Masters 5 sing the JD Sumner songbook" (or whatever it was called) AND updated the hymn album "The Masters' Hymns by The Masters 5" released about 3 years prior, making it a Stamps project. For those of you in posession of these cassettes, that was why individual pictures of the members were used, as we had not taken the time to go into a photo studio for a formal group picture. Again, my apologies to the "nit-pickers" as I cannot recall the recording dates, however, they were done and remixed at Merit Studios.
Let me reiterate the fact that I was not stating that Jack & Ed & CJ had "gone their seperate ways, leaving ONLY JD & myself." I was referring to what the general gospel music public regarded as "The Masters 5" (James, Jake, Hovie, JD & myself).
Sadly, the gospel music history myths, created by either national gospel video producers or heads of yearly conventions featuring performers from days gone by have tried to completely erase me (with, unfortunately for me, highly successful results), from ever having traveled a single mile, singing a single song either in the recording studio or on a concert stage or church platform. I suppose, after hearing the arguments against my facts (in effect, calling me a liar), this proves the "powers that be" success in their campaign to "de-Steve Warren" the gospel music business history. It's a shame that their minds are much more occupied in trying to prove a performer wrong in their stating facts, thereby attempting to discredit the performer as a whole, rather than concentrating on the power of the message that the performer conveyed to the audience, either on recordings or in a live performance.
This kind of childish rubbish is just one of the many things that I do not miss about being involved in the full-time gospel quartet business. It's amazing how little of this went on during my tenure in "The Wayne Newton Show" and how much more true Christianity was displayed there.
I welcome any of the above-mentioned mis-guided ilk to contact me directly, via the e-mail address listed on my website http://www.stevewarrenthevoice.com. I'll be more than happy to set the record straight."
Steve Warren
Deon Unthank
SoGospelNews.com
My Blog
Some people are like Slinkys… Not really good for anything, but they
still bring a smile to your face when you push them down a flight of stairs - Author Unknown
For anyone who is interested, Steve has tried out for America's Got Talent, so be sure to go to his myspace, or stevewarrenthevoice.com and wish him luck. I got the cd of Steve singing with The Stamps, and I enjoy that recording very much.
DBM, you're killing me!
8
How can we find the video on YouTube? We have been looking for it for sometime now.
I have had a great privilege working with such a great man with the talent that Steve Warren has.We worked together for a few years in Pigeon Forge and consider him a great friend.I haven't talked to him in some time but know he walks with the Lord.While traveling with the Elvis Tribute Shows i've talked to many of Elvis's old friends and they had nothing but good things to say about Steve Warren.The Best to you Steve and Miss Shirley and Mom.Hope you win America's Got Talent,you can do it....your friend Greg Johnson salute to Elvis
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