The Masters Five or Masters V was a Southern Gospel Music quartet founded in 1980 by Hovie Lister as a special consolidation of well-known performers from The Statesmen Quartet and The Blackwood Brothers.[1] The group featured J.D. Sumner as bass, Rosie Rozell and then Steve Warren as tenor, James Blackwood and Jake Hess alternating between lead and baritone, and Lister on piano.[2] Their self-titled debut album, The Masters V, won the 1981 Grammy Award for best traditional gospel performance.[3] The quartet subsequently endured several personnel changes, often due to health and age-related issues.[2] The group's final performance was in 1988.

Masters V
OriginUnited States
GenresSouthern gospel, Contemporary christian music
Years active1980–1988
LabelsSkylite
Past membersHovie Lister
J. D. Sumner
James Blackwood
Jake Hess
Rosie Rozell
Steve Warren
Sherrill Nielsen
Buddy Burton
Tommy Howe
Jack Toney
Ed Hill
CJ Almgren

Discography

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  • The Masters V (1981) Skylite SLP 6256; reissued as How Great Thou Art (1988) Temple Records
  • O What a Savior (1982 ) Skylite SLP 6265 (Rozell, Blackwood, Hess, Sumner, Lister)
  • The Masters V Present Their Majestic Bass, J.D. Sumner (1982) Skylite
  • The Legendary Masters V (1982) Skylite SLP 6282 (Rozell, Blackwood, Hess, Sumner, Lister)
  • Featuring… (1983) Skylite (Nielsen, Blackwood, Hess, Sumner, Lister)
  • Live at the Joyful Noise (1983) Skylite (Nielsen, Blackwood, Hess, Sumner, Lister)
  • Thru the Years (1984) Skylite (Warren, Blackwood, Hess, Sumner, Lister)
  • Good Things (1984) Skylite (Warren, Blackwood, Hess, Sumner, Lister)
  • The Master’s Hymns (1985) Skylite (Warren, Blackwood, Hess, Sumner, Lister)
  • The Masters V Present Their Magnificent Bass, J.D. Sumner (1985) Skylite (Warren, Blackwood, Hess, Sumner, Lister)
  • Sing Fabulous Blackwood Brothers Hits (1985) Skylite (Warren, Blackwood, Hess, Sumner, Lister)
  • The Masters V Present 50 Years with the Fabulous James Blackwood (1985) Skylite Records
  • Classics of Yesteryear (1986) Skylite SLP 6363 (Warren, Blackwood, Hess, Sumner, Lister)
  • Have a Little Faith (1986) Merinet
  • Sing Me a Song About Jesus (1987) Riversong (Warren, Blackwood, Hess, Sumner, Lister)
  • The Legend Lives On (1988) Skylite (Nielsen, Toney, Hill, Sumner, Lister)
  • Sing Award Winning Songs of JD Sumner (1988) Skylite (Nielsen, Toney, Hill, Sumner, Lister)
  • Superlative Bass JD Sumner (1988) (Nielsen, Toney, Hill, Sumner, Lister)
  • The Original Masters Five (1991) Bibletone Records

Members

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Line-ups

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1980-1982 1982-1984 1984-1988
1988

(later transitioned to "J.D. Sumner and The Stamps")

  • Shaun Nielsen – tenor
  • Jack Toney – lead
  • Ed Hill – baritone
  • J. D. Sumner – bass
  • Hovie Lister – piano/vocals
  • CJ Almgren – piano (1988)

References

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  1. ^ Miller, Zell (June 1996). They Heard Georgia Singing. Mercer University Press. p. 192. ISBN 978-0-86554-504-5.
  2. ^ a b "The Masters Five" Archived 2011-06-15 at the Wayback Machine, GOGR Music History, Grand Ole Gospel Reunion, 2005
  3. ^ Cusic, Don (April 2002). The Sound of Light: A History of Gospel and Christian Music. Hal Leonard Corp. p. 447. ISBN 978-0-634-02938-7.