J.D. Sumner

J.D. Sumner

Actor

Lakeland, Florida
November 19, 1924

Biography

John Daniel "J. D." Sumner was an American gospel singer, songwriter, and music promoter noted for his bass voice. Sumner sings the final note on the Elvis Presley song "Way Down", a C1. His vocal range extended below the lowest playable note on the piano, reaching the note G0 in a 26-second vocal slide at a concert while singing backing vocals for Presley. There are some claiming he reached an Eb0 in a recorded live concert while singing with the Blackwood Brothers, however this cannot be verified. He was famous for his group J. D. Sumner and the Stamps Quartet and his associations with the Blackwood Brothers and Elvis Presley.

Photo

J.D. Sumner 1

Representative Works

EPiC: Elvis Presley in Concert
EPiC: Elvis Presley in Concert
8.2
/ English
Elvis: A Life in Music
Elvis: A Life in Music
No Rating Yet
/ English
Elvis - Aloha from Hawaii
Elvis - Aloha from Hawaii
8.2
/ English
Elvis on Tour
Elvis on Tour
7.4
/ English
Elvis In Concert Remastered
Elvis In Concert Remastered
No Rating Yet
/ French
Kennedy Center Homecoming
Kennedy Center Homecoming
No Rating Yet
/ English
Elvis in Concert
Elvis in Concert
7.3
/ English
A Tribute To George Younce
A Tribute To George Younce
No Rating Yet
/ English
This Is My Story
This Is My Story
No Rating Yet
/ English
Quick on the Trigger
Quick on the Trigger
6.5
/ English
Challenge of the Range
Challenge of the Range
6.5
/ English
Elvis: The Lost Performances
Elvis: The Lost Performances
7.1
/ English

Awards and Honors

Critical Favorites

EPiC: Elvis Presley in Concert
2026Winner

Best Performance

EPiC: Elvis Presley in Concert

Elvis: A Life in Music
2026Nominee

Best Performance

Elvis: A Life in Music

Elvis - Aloha from Hawaii
1973Winner

Best Performance

Elvis - Aloha from Hawaii

Career Highlights

Elvis on Tour
1972Highlight

Best Performance

Elvis on Tour

Elvis In Concert Remastered
2009Highlight

Best Performance

Elvis In Concert Remastered

Video