Shelley Blackwood to leave Blackwood Singers
Shortly before Christmas, Ron Blackwood announced that he would be launching the Blackwood Quartet, a full-time touring group featuring tenor John Rulapaugh, lead Josh Garner, baritone Tracy Trent, bass Trent Adams, and pianist Joe Cox. Ron Blackwood will be the emcee and a featured soloist on select songs.
Ron and his wife Shelley Blackwood had been part of the Blackwood Singers in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, and that announcement left the Blackwood Singers’ future up in the air. Ron and Shelley sent out a press release announcing that she is pursuing a Bachelors’ degree in Nursing, and has been accepted into Sigma Theta Tau, the International Honor Society for Nurses.
Ron and Shelley will be leaving the Blackwood singers, but Ron’s brother R.W. Blackwood and his wife Donna plan to keep that group going.
So for the time being, it looks like there will be four Blackwood groups: Jimmy Blackwood’s Blackwood Brothers Quartet (Jimmy is the son of James Blackwood), Mark Blackwood’s Blackwood Gospel Quartet (Mark is the son of Cecil), Ron Blackwood’s Blackwood Quartet (Ron is the son of R.W. Blackwood Sr.), and R.W. Blackwood’s Blackwood Singers (R.W. is the son of R.W. Sr.)
Unfortunately, the job I have...
Comment by Kyle (January 5, 2009, 8:34 am)
Things that make you go “Hmm…”
Comment by Paul (January 5, 2009, 9:15 am)
I know some people scratch their heads and don’t understand why there are so many Blackwood groups, or find it very confusing…I say more power to the Blackwood family. As they did after James left the Blackwood Bros, and called it the Cecil Blackwood Bros., just refer to them in that way. The Ron Blackwood Qt., the RW Blackwood Singers, the Mark Blackwood Gospel Qt., and the Jimmy Blackwood Brothers. Simple huh?
Comment by DJPhil (January 5, 2009, 1:36 pm)
Trying to keep the Blackwood stuff straight makes my head swim! Oh and don’t forget Blackwood Legacy, a former Blackwood singer using the name for his group…
….here a Blackwood, there a Blackwood, everywhere a Blackwood…:)
Comment by Paul (January 5, 2009, 3:04 pm)
That is true…I completely forgot about Rick Price’s group “Blackwood Legacy.” So we need to include to my list the RICK PRICE BLACKWOOD LEGACY (trio).
Comment by David Mann (January 5, 2009, 9:25 pm)
I heard Rick Price just use to drive the bus. Hmm…
Comment by Daniel J. Mount (January 5, 2009, 9:26 pm)
^ and you’d be in an awfully good position to hear the truth, too!
Comment by David Mann (January 5, 2009, 9:29 pm)
It’s possible I could have “misunderstood”, but that’s what I thought I heard anyway.
Comment by Daniel J. Mount (January 5, 2009, 9:30 pm)
OK.
Comment by Paul (January 5, 2009, 9:38 pm)
Rick Price sang with Cecil, Jimmy, and Ken during the 80’s…and then with the last “Cecil Blackwood” Brothers during the late 1990’s, until Cecil died in 2000. Not sure where you go that info…I heard Rick sing many times. He may have originally been a bus driver, but sang solos until joining the quartet. Actually there was another man who traveled with them in the 80’s that was the bus driver…his name at the moment escapes me.
Comment by David Mann (January 5, 2009, 9:40 pm)
Well, according to Blackwood Legacy’s website – the group originally started with one Blackwood, Chris Blackwood. Also, there are pictures showing Rick Price singing with Cecil’s Blackwood Brothers.
However, Chris has been gone for some amount of time now, (I couldn’t find out exactly how long on the website). So, that being said – Blackwood Legacy, run by Rick Price, is the only group out there proudly waving the Blackwood name around without actually having a Blackwood in it.
Comment by Paul (January 5, 2009, 9:44 pm)
Yes, that is true. There is no Blackwood in the group. Chris Blackwood left right after Blackwood Legacy was organized.
Comment by natesings (January 6, 2009, 1:55 pm)
So of what relation was Chris to James or Cecil?
Comment by Paul (January 6, 2009, 2:14 pm)
Chris is Cecil’s grandson…Mark’s son.
Comment by Chuck Smith (January 13, 2009, 8:04 pm)
I say, great to all no matter what name they use. As long as they are all singing for the glory of God, just thank all of them for their undieing willingness to sing for souls.
Matthew 6:33
Comment by Paul (January 14, 2009, 12:03 pm)
Amen, Chuck!