I think the Stamps did some of their best (if not best stuff) on HeartWarming. J.D. at one point agreed. Here are some versions of the Stamps from that era. Choose your favorite. I have kept pianists out of it. However, they have had great ones like Brown, Bruno, and Mabe. They have also had other great musicians like Duke Dumas.

I liked the Baize, Sumner, Enoch, Sterbin group the best. Bruno was a wonderful pianist with that group, too.

I agree with you...they were the best...In fact, if I had to pick an "all-time" favorite group it would be them....and Tony "Tarzan" Brown played some pretty good piano too....

I don't recall ever seeing any of the groups listed, except on tv, possibly. What period of time is this, quartet-man? I was out of the gospel music concert watching for several years, probably during this time span.

I haven't seen a lot as far as in person. However, I have albums. :)
This is around the 1970-1975 range.

So far it looks like we all like the same group. Of course Baize and Sterban are great. As far as other people, they all here had talent. However, I think the Donnie Sumner / Ed Enoch combo was one of the best lead / baritone combos ever. I think that the combo of Baize, Sumner, Enoch and Sterban is one of the best groups ever. I might even go as far as saying that the quartet as far as combined talent and voices edge out the Oaks (one of my favorite groups of all time) in this era. Duane is one of my favorite singers of course. Fox was a great bass, but I think Sterban has a bit better sound and later lower notes. I do give fox credit though for his range, soulful sound and ability to sing in more of a lead singer range. Willie was a unique tenor, but I give the edge to Bill Baize as far as voice and sound. Golden did a good job of blending and entertaining back then, but Sumner or Enoch either one far surpassed him as far as voices. I won't compare Allen to either of them because I like him so much. However, Donnie and Ed are up there too. The Oaks probably had better material at times, were more entertaining from what I can tell, and probably performed better live. So, from one standpoint, The Stamps had the edge and yet they seemed to not utilize it at times as well as the Oaks. However, it would have been great to see a concert with both competing with each other. That would have been cool and a great show.

I loved the sound with Donnie, Ed, Bill and Richard. They had a sound of their own. Tony Brown has been a good friend for years, and I loved his stage personality as well as his playing.

Linda will not brag about this but all Tony Brown knows about piano playing, he learned from Linda. I believe she was the only piano teacher he ever had.

That's cool, Ben. I didn't know that.

I discovered SGM music in 1972 and first loved the Stamps, Oaks and Imperials. I saw them all multiple times then and think the Oaks were the best in person and the Imperials the tops on record but the Stamps were very good, especially the Bill, Donnie, Ed and Richard combo. Donnie and Ed brought a lot of excitement to the stage. I never saw Ed Wideman with them as he left after doing just one album.

I remember going to see the Oaks in late 72 and was so surprised to see Richard with them and not Noel. Richard is good but I think Noel was better. He is one my favorite all-time bases.

I still have a lot of the albums of those three groups from that period and think they hold up well.

If there was ever a quartet that the term "super-group" applied to, it was the Stamps with Baize, Sumner, Enoch, Sterban, Sumner, and Bruno.

I see that on Sunday, Aug. 12 a version of the Stamps that didn't sing together in the 70s -- Baize, Donnie Sumner, Hill and Strickland -- will be performing at a gospel concert at the New Daisy Theatre in Memphis. It's the gospel favorites of Elvis as that is Elvis weekend down there. Blackwood Brothers (Jimmy Blackwood group) is also on the program.

I'd love to sae that!!! Is Rick singing bass? I know he is a tenor but so is Bill and the line up doesn't have a bass. I have heard Rick sing bass....he's no JD but he can do the part.

Sorry but I should have been clearer. The Strickland I was referring to is Larry and not Rick. Larry will be singing bass at that August concert as he did with the Stamps in the later '70s before he married Naomi Judd.

Norm, I should have known that!!! Guess since I'm such a fan of Rick's, I automatically assumed Strickland meant Rick!
Nancy