Title: Sunday morning trivia
Description: JD's songs
JohnCBoy - October 14, 2007 05:39 AM (GMT)
It's been reported many times that JD Sumner's first song was "Working in the Saw Mill for Jesus". I don't know if this is true or another gospel music legend.
JD has often said that James Blackwood's suggestions and encouragement were what catapulted him to be a great, prolific gospel song writer.
What was JD's first (and possibly only) composition recorded by a professional quartet prior to his joining the Blackwood Brothers?
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James Moore - October 14, 2007 03:26 PM (GMT)
I heard J.D. tell about his first song "Working in the Saw Mill for Jesus"and he said there was a black lady Rossetta Tharpe going around singing "I`m Sending up My Timbers Everyday"-and he said and I thought if someone was sending their timbers everyday they`re gonna need a cotton picken sawmill to cut up those timbers, so I wrote "Working in the sawmill for Jesus"-I believe his second song was "Inside The Gate"-that`s my answer.
Norm - October 14, 2007 03:47 PM (GMT)
Don't know the answer or if JD really wrote a sawmill song but here are lyrics for sending up my timber.
There's a dream That I dreamed
Of my Heavenly Heavenly home
And I know that That I'm going There one day
And oh Lord It maybe morning Night or noon
I don't know Just how soon,
That's why I'm sending on up my timber
Every, every, every day
JohnCBoy - October 14, 2007 07:29 PM (GMT)
"Inside the Gate" isn't the answer I was looking for. Any other guesses?
KLB - October 15, 2007 01:44 AM (GMT)
One of James Blackwood's songbooks had five of JD's songs that were copyrighted in 1955. "Wonderful Savior" and "I Don't Mind" were two of them that were not also listed as having been recorded by the Blackwood Brothers on RCA. Maybe they were actually written earlier. I know that he was already with the Blackwood Brothers at that time, but those are the earliest that I could find.
JohnCBoy - October 15, 2007 04:02 AM (GMT)
The song I have in mind was later recorded by the Blackwood Brothers, but was written before JD joined the group. It was first recorded when JD was singing with the Sunshine Boys.
JohnCBoy - October 15, 2007 12:08 PM (GMT)
I'm going to keep this question unanswered for a while. I know there are some folks that only come on the board during the week, so maybe one of them will know the answer.
Norm - October 15, 2007 01:09 PM (GMT)
Based on John's clues, I'll say the song is "When I'm Alone" which the Blackwoods recorded in 1958.
JohnCBoy - October 15, 2007 01:22 PM (GMT)
That's correct, Norm. According to James Blackwood, JD had only written two songs prior to joining the Blackwood Brothers. The only one that was ever recorded was "When I'm Alone".