SG History 101

Aug

2005

SG History 101 - Aug 05

When we left off last month, JD Sumner had just made it possible for the Blackwood Brothers and the Statesmen, competitors on stage but still business partners and colleagues, to both go to venues in brand new, custom buses.

At that time, and for some time afterward, when the Blackwood-Statesmen team did anything in gospel music, most groups followed…or to borrow a phrase used to describe the Dodgers in baseball’s National League, when the Blackwood-Statesmen team sneezed, the other gospel groups caught cold. From the “team”’s use of buses to travel far and wide to personal appearances, it was not a long stretch for the rest of the industry to follow suit. Over the next few years, as they were able, most gospel artists acquired their own buses, so that they, too, could make appearances far and wide across the United States and Canada.

This brought a whole new group of people into gospel music, people who may or may not have had musical ability, but people who were willing to use their particular talent(driving and maintaining a vehicle, in this case)to do their part in taking gospel music to all people who loved it and wanted to hear it.

As was the case with their music, the Blackwood Brothers brought one of the more interesting personalities into this aspect of gospel music as well.

By this time, JD Sumner had not only proven his own ability to drive and maintain a bus, but had taught all the other members of the Blackwood Brothers Quartet to drive the bus, so he wouldn’t have to spend every waking moment behind the wheel. Even the diminutive James Blackwood took a turn driving the large gospel bus, and though he sometimes struggled to cope with the vehicle, he helped his quartet get from place to place in their bus.

But having group members drive the bus was not part of JD’s original idea in buying the vehicle. The bus was supposed to allow the group to get from place to place comfortably, so the members would be relaxed and refreshed, and do a better job singing. So JD was always on the lookout for a new regular driver to replace the ill-fated Buddy Darvis, who was the Blackwoods’ initial driver, that was let go.

At one point, when the quartet was in Nashville, JD discovered a young mechanic at the Trailways depot there, making just forty dollars a week. The youngster supplemented his income by driving for another bus company on the side. JD hired the young man on the spot, offering him eighty-five dollars a week to drive for the Blackwood Brothers.

The youngster’s name was Bundy Brewster, and he reported for work the following week, and James Blackwood, not having been consulted about the hire, asked JD who this young man was, and who was going to pay him to drive. JD introduced Bundy to James, assuring him he’d found good driver, and even offering to pay him out of his own pocket. So Bundy became the Blackwood Brothers’ bus driver, and JD bragged on his “find” to the rest of the group, and the Statesmen as well.

Bundy’s first trip as bus driver was to Tupelo, MS…where the “team” was scheduled to sing. The Statesmen were there first, and all eyes were on the Blackwood bus as it arrived with its new driver behind the wheel.

Unfortunately, Bundy’s debut was not auspicious. A canopy at the front of the building to protect people from rain and other elements was part of the problem. As Bundy was told to park the bus as close to the auditorium as possible to make unloading it easier, he was unable to avoid striking the canopy, and as he tried to stop the bus, it got a hold of the canopy and nearly ripped it from the building.

As the shaken Blackwood Brothers filed off the bus, they all GLARED at JD, who just sat in embarrassed silence. When they got off, JD remained for a few more minutes, enough time for Hovie Lister of the Statesmen to get on and tell JD, “Fantastic bus driver you got there! Fantastic!”

JD knew that Bundy still had a lot to learn about driving a bus.

But characteristically, JD took Bundy under his wing and taught him, and taught him well. In time, Bundy learned his job very well, and stayed with the Blackwood Brothers for over 20 years, eventually even learning how to operate the quartet’s sound equipment, doing more than just driving the bus.

But one thing Bundy never learned how to do was sing.

Oh, he tried. He sang often to himself on long trips, and was continually asking James Blackwood to let him sing on stage with the quartet, which James eventually did. Those occasional stage appearances by Bundy demonstrated why the driver was not a part of the quartet!

Though audiences warmed to Bundy’s pluck and determination, and he inexplicably got applause for his rare vocal appearances, there was no demand for a Bundy Brewster album or anything of that sort. And fortunately, he was not paid to sing, but drive!

And the Blackwood Brothers were fortunate to have their own driver, because singers still had a rough time at times navigating those large cruisers.

One example of the struggle some singers had in driving the vehicles occurred in the mid-1960s, when the Rebels Quartet was out on the West Coast, performing dates with the Couriers Quartet. When the groups arrived in Oakland, having arrived there from Southern California, the Couriers noticed a rather shaken Jimmy Taylor. When they asked the Rebels’ pianist what was wrong, he told them the story.

It seems that when they were heading north through the Tehachapi Mountains, into the Central Valley toward the San Francisco Bay Area(a route very familiar to this writer), something scary had occurred as they headed down the 6 % grade that was on the highway as it descended from the mountains. Bass singer London Parris, who was driving the bus in the wee hours of the morning, inexplicably took the bus out of gear as it went down the grade. The bus picked up so much speed going down, it literally jumped up and down the highway as it hurtled toward the valley below. As they were violently jostled from sleep, the rest of the quartet ran to the front of the bus to help keep it on the road.

Finally, when the bus got to more level terrain, they managed to get the bus under control. Needless to say, another member of the quartet took over behind the wheel. Fortunately, the group made it safely the rest of the way.

As one might expect, there have been a number of wrecks and near-misses over the many years of bus travel by groups…nothing as tragic as the 1954 Blackwood plane crash however…and fortunately, there have been relatively few mishaps over the years of bus travel…a tribute not only to the skills of the dedicated bus drivers, but to the love and mercy of the Lord Himself.

These large buses have not only served to help gospel groups get from place to place safely and efficiently, they have often served as advertising vehicles for the artists they carry. Until recent years, in fact, these buses had large signs on their sides proclaiming the name of the group they were carrying.

Yet, as more and more artists from all kinds of music have resorted to buses for their travel, fewer and fewer of them boast those signs any longer…why? Perhaps the following anecdote from the driver from a current group, Embrace, can explain…

We had stayed in a hotel and I had gotten up early to get the bus fueled up and ready to go. I pulled into the local truck stop and filled up. As I walked in to pay, I noticed that there were three women working there that seemed to be very interested in the bus. As soon as I reached the counter, the first woman asked, "Who ya got in that there bus?" I told her that I was alone and no one was on the bus. She said, "We don't believe you..is Alan Jackson or Kenny Chesney on that bus? (both of these artists had been in Tupelo the night before in concert) I do believe I saw that bus last night at the coliseum." I assured her that she had not seen our bus and that neither of those guys was on the bus.

At just about that time, one of the other women spoke up and said, "If Kenny Chesney is on that bus, there ain't no way you are gonna stop me from gettin' to him!" I said, "Sorry Mam!" and took off in a dead sprint! Gosh, I don't blame groups for leaving their name off now!

I thank Paul Hand for allowing me to share his story with you all.

I hope you enjoyed this look back at the development of travel in gospel music, and we’ll have another fond look back at the history of gospel music again next month…same time, same station. Stay tuned!

Reader Comments

John-

Another winning article. I appreciate your remembering the nuts and bolts and their drivers that carried groups from churches to concert stages to fairs, etc.

Nothing more quickly demoralizes a singer than bus trouble. I recall spending four pre-dawn hours of minus twenty degrees weather (near Gull Lake, Saskatchewan, CANADA) in a bus that would no longer run because a ground blizzard had slowly snuffed out the engine as it ran. I thought eternity was only moments away. Fortunately a bobtail semi truck was sent out on the forbidding highway to search for survivors. By then I was so cold that I wasn't sure I had the strength to get out of the bus. I never knew that a guardian angel looked like a diesel truck, but mine certainly did that night.

There are probably more bus stories than gospel songs. Just ask anyone who has ever spent much time on one. J.D. gave us all a great topic of conversation.

John, you handled the subject so very well that you succeeded in bringing back a lot of forgotten details to those of us who spent countless hours roaring down the highway in those steel cells. But for me it was a far cry better than the three years I spent traveling with four other singers in a cramped car. But I would do it all over again to relive the fulfillment of the call of God on my life. It was worth it. No regrets.

Neil Enloe
47 years in The Couriers

Commented by (JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) On 08/01/2005

Again,John, a story usually not told. And told with a love for the genre. Insights that most would not know. And characters from the past.
As you know the picture of Bundy was taken at The Farm Show Arena in Harrisburg, Pa. at a Couriers all-nite sing.In October of 1965 I believe.

I had a few opportunities to talk with Bundy. He was a laid back kind of guy. But very pleasant to talk to.

As a local church singer I was interested in using The Blackwoods custom recording studio. Bundy was the sound engineer for the studio.I also believe he was the titular head of the studio.So I talked with him about that. BUT...of course the price was more than a local church singer's budget could handle. So that came to nothing.

I do have a recording on the Steeple label that he did by Cecil. I beleive he did one with Bill Shaw also.

I had the privilege(?) to be at one of those concerts where Bundy sang(?) LOL I was worth the price of admission!! LOLOL

Again thanks for the monthly pick me up for the Oldtime fans. And reference source for everybody.

In HIM,
Bill

Commented by (JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) On 08/01/2005

Hey John, was that Tejon Pass AKA the Ridge Route? I've heard some stories.
Let's not forget a few bus drivers who WERE able to sing, often ex-quartet men or guys who wee between groups. Not too long ago former Senators and Statesmen baritone Rick Fair was driving bus for Gold City. Then he got a non-driving job singing with the Palmetto State Quartet!

Commented by (JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) On 08/02/2005

Thanks, John, for another great article. You have stirred many old memories.

I do not have sad tales of bus stories from my past--but I do have some very memorable ones. When I was with The Gabriels, we had a GM 4106 that was acquired when it was only about 10 years old and was kept by us in great shape. I do not recall ever missing a date because of that bus. She always got us there.

But, we were sometimes without it for other reasons. We lent it several times to The Couriers when their bus was in the shop for extended periods and they had cross-country tours on their schedule. At such times, we let them take our bus and we borrowed their back-up van and crammed into it, using it within a 300 mile radius or so.

But, that was not without payback. The Couriers had just returned our bus to us days before we did a concert with them, The Blackwoods and The Cathedrals at The Forum in Harrisburg, PA. Ron Hensley (formerly of The Golden State Qt and The Vicounts in the 60's) was our spokesman and was known as one of the funniest men in Gospel Music at that time. (Some of you old-timers will remember Ron. He was one of JD's all-time favorite funny men).

Ron proceeded to "roast" The Couriers on stage that night, telling how their decision to bypass the safety sytem that kept "unnecessarily" shutting down the bus engine resulted in a blown engine and a broken crankshaft.

(I only recently learned that a youngster named Tim Beitzel was in the crowd that night. Tim is the present Courier baritone).

But that wasn't enough. Ron told the crowd of the "changes" we noticed upon the bus's return.

Tenor Duane Nicholson, who was steadily recovering from nodule surgery, had apparently been practicing his scales, as evidenced by the 6 cracked windows in the bus.

And, 6 foot 5 inch Dave Kyllonen had cut 2 holes in the back of the bus so he could stick his feet and legs through and fit into one of our bunks.

But, Neil caused the most serious damage. Ron told the crowd that all of the walls were covered with crayon reading, "My name is Neil Enloe, and I just got a Dove Award for writing 'Statue of Liberty' and I'M VERY SMART."

The crowd couldn't stop laughing. They laughed halfway thru our next song. And, from the piano, I could see George and Glen convulsed with laughter.

But, we could never figure out why The Couriers never asked to borrow our bus again.

Commented by Cliff Cerce On 08/02/2005

I read with much interest the comments from Cliff Cerce about The Couriers borrowing the Gabriel bus. Ron Hensley was one funny man and (tongue in cheek) so "believable in his comments".

To Chris Becker I would comment that I believe the London Paris episode of running down the mountain out of gear was on the Grapevine going into the San Joaquinn Velley headed for Bakersfield. Any gospel group who sang at Polly Grimes concerts in California knows what that grade is like.

Thanks John for another insightful article about some unsung heros of gospel music. Our driver, Tom Baker observed one time that when he was a truck driver his freight never talked back to him, but when he drove for us the "Freight" talked back quite a bit especially when their sleep was disturbed by a quick start or stop or a "Power" turn. Only we Gospel singers understand this language.

P.S. It was well known that Bundy Brewster could not read a road map, but back stage at the concerts you could never beat him in chess. He was a master chess player!!

Keep up the good work John

Commented by (JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) On 08/02/2005

Hey John!

Very good post and I thoroughly enjoyed reading all of it! It is true that most of the time, the people in the background are forgotten about and so I appreciate you bringing the spotlight to them! And as always, I learned something new from your article. Well done my friend! Hope we can chat soon!

Commented by (JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) On 08/02/2005

In answer to Duane Nicholson's comments, Ron's remarks were definitely "tongue-in-cheek". What was hilarious about his comments about the "changes" was the absurdity of them. Especially the comments about Neil and the walls. Everyone who knows Neil is struck by his sincere humility and total lack of self-promotion, so the crowd realized that Ron's portrayal of Neil as "having an ego" was as preposterous as Dave cutting holes in the bus wall for his feet.

But, the other part was true. The Couriers were returning from a few days at PTL (where they performed) with several chartered busses of fans following their bus back to Harrisburg. Their safety system had cut off the engine several times, showing an oil problem. But, the reservoir was full of oil and the oil pump was vibrating and seemed to work, and they just asssumed it was a malfunction of the safety system. So, they bypassed the safety system and returned on the way to Harrisburg.

Unfortunately, they had no idea that a 15 cent cotter pin had sheared off and had allowed the oil pump to turn more than 90 degrees, crimping the oil pipe and cutting off all oil supply to the engine.

So, less than 20 miles down the road, the engine seized, destroying the engine and breaking the crankshaft--putting the bus in the shop for 30 days (and us in their back-up van for 3 weeks with a $10,000 repair bill--in late 70's money.

Ron so "kindly" told the crowd that we wouldn't have bypassed the safety system. We weren't smart enough to know when it was safe and when it wasn't--like they did. Also, we couldn't figure out how to bypass it if we wanted to--but they're smarter than us. They know when they can safely bypass the system--and how to.

Talk about a roast!!!

Well, we and The Couriers told that story everywhere, and fans donated money of their own free will to The Couriers to completely pay the repair bill.

And they had a total engine rebuild (and paid for) just a short time before they were scheduled to actually have to do one at their own expense.

Amazing how the Lord works!!!

Commented by Cliff Cerce On 08/02/2005

To Chris Becker-

Some of the stories being told in response to John Scheideman's wonderful article are indeed amusing. Even the one about me, I guess. But the real funny one to me is the typo in your comment that alluded to, ". . . ex-quartet men or guys who wee between groups."

That one put me on the floor laughing. It was an honest accident but one that suddenly got personal. The one letter difference between "were" and "wee" made a complete and hilarious change of meaning.

Perhaps John should consider doing an article on bloopers, huh?

Bless you Chris, and thanks for your contribution to the comments column.

Neil Enloe

P.S.- The steep grade mentioned in the article is more widely known as THE GRAPEVINE.

Commented by (JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) On 08/02/2005

Chris, as Neil just posted, that little portion of the Ridge Route mentioned in my article is indeed the renowned "Grapevine", named for the tiny village at the foot of the pass.

To give you and other readers an idea of how scary it must have been for the Rebels to go flying down that grade, consider at that time that the highway(U.S. 99 at that time)was a winding four-lane road...not like today's Interstate 5, an eight-lane freeway(much easier and safer to navigate and travel). Having been on both the old and new roads numerous times in my life, I could only imagine how terrified the Rebels must have been that night.

Also, Chris, I imagine Rick Fair is more well-known for being a fine singer for such groups as the Rebels, Statesmen, and currently with the Palmetto State Quartet than he is/was as a driver, although I'm sure he is quite a fine driver, too.

Thank you all for your kind comments thus far, I cannot imagine a greater blessing to me than your enjoyment of them.

And yes, Neil...I could do an article on bloopers as well...I know of several hilarious ones over the years!

Commented by (JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) On 08/02/2005

John, what a great article! I enjoyed reading some of the stories that you told, and how they brought memories back to your faithful readers.
One of my fond memories is how exciting it use to be, when we would be riding down the highway and see a bus with the name of one of our favorite groups on the side. I guess you could truly say, "those were the good old days"! We would always say, "wonder where they are going?

Commented by (JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) On 08/02/2005

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