BlackwoodsDannyJamestown (CSi) The Gospel Side of Elvis” with the Blackwood Quartet is coming to Jamestown in May. The performance is at 7 p.m. Wednesday, May 11, at the Reiland Fine Arts Center at the University of Jamestown. Doors open at 6 p.m.

The Blackwood family has received nine Grammy Awards, is in the Grammy Hall of Fame, The Memphis Music Hall of Fame, The Nashville Music Hall of Fame, The Southern Gospel Music Hall of Fame and many more.

Bill Gaither has said, “The Blackwood name is the best known name in gospel music worldwide.”

Cecil Blackwood was a childhood friend of Elvis Presley. They attended Sunday school together and formed their first gospel quartet called “The Songfellas,” long before Presley went on to become the King of Rock ‘n Roll.

The association between the two families was lifelong. In 1958 Presley sent a plane to North Carolina and brought the Blackwoods to sing at his mother’s funeral where James Blackwood would sing “How Great Thou Art.”

Ron Blackwood knew Elvis Presley personally. He went to church with him and was also J.D. Sumner and The Stamps Quartet’s business manager for years. He saw Presley when he was off stage, and Presley wanted to sing with the group. Presley was given the opportunity to sing with the Blackwoods after the crash that killed RW Blackwood. Presley had already signed a contract with Sun Records and was unable to sing with the Blackwood Brothers Quartet.

Today Mark Blackwood fronts The Blackwood Quartet and continues the tradition of his family and their association with Presley. In “The Gospel Side of Elvis” the group performs Presley’s personal favorites including “Amazing Grace,” “You’ll Never Walk Alone” and “Crying In The Chapel.”

This concert will also feature Presley’s greatest hits.

“The Gospel Side of Elvis” starring the Blackwood Quartet will showcase “Danny Elvis.” Ron Blackwood and Mark Blackwood enlisted Dan Wagner of “The Danny Elvis Show” to perform as Elvis in their show.

Wagner has performed in Branson, Mo., at The Dick Clark Theatre, Elvis FanFest in Portage, Ind., The World’s Largest Airshow with Aaron Tippin and many other venues across the country. Wagner is performing in the “Images of a King” Show in Las Vegas this summer. Presley’s own tour manager Joe Esposito has said Wagner “is just great” in his performance.

The Blackwood Quartet tours regularly and brings the word of Christ through song, to both believers and non-believers alike. The quartet has performed with Willie Nelson and many other artists. The Blackwoods have performed many sold out shows.

Get tickets by calling KSJB Radio at 252-3570 or stopping by the KSJB Studio in The Buffalo Mall, Jamestown. Tickets are $24 in advance or $30 at the door and includes all taxes and fees.