← Back

J.D. Sumner

J.D. Sumner

Born: 1924-11-19 • Lakeland, Florida

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.

Filmography
EPiC: Elvis Presley in Concert poster
EPiC: Elvis Presley in Concert
2026 • Self (archive footage)
Elvis: A Life in Music poster
Elvis: A Life in Music
2026 • Self (archive footage)
Elvis Presley:  Meet Me In Memphis poster
Elvis Presley: Meet Me In Memphis
2022 • vocals
Elvis In Concert Remastered poster
Elvis In Concert Remastered
2009 • Self - backing vocals (uncredited)
Sunday Meetin' Time poster
Sunday Meetin' Time
2006
A Tribute To George Younce poster
A Tribute To George Younce
2005
Kennedy Center Homecoming poster
Kennedy Center Homecoming
2002
Atlanta Homecoming poster
Atlanta Homecoming
1998 • Himself
All Day Singing at The Dome poster
All Day Singing at The Dome
1998 • Self
This Is My Story poster
This Is My Story
1997 • Himself
Feelin' At Home poster
Feelin' At Home
1997
Gaither's Pond: The Lure Depths poster
Gaither's Pond: The Lure Depths
1997
The Sweetest Song I Know poster
The Sweetest Song I Know
1995 • Himself
The Elvis I Knew poster
The Elvis I Knew
1994 • Self
Elvis: The Lost Performances poster
Elvis: The Lost Performances
1992 • Self (archive footage)
Elvis in Concert poster
Elvis in Concert
1977 • Self - backing vocals (uncredited)
Elvis - Aloha from Hawaii poster
Elvis - Aloha from Hawaii
1973 • Self - Band
Elvis on Tour poster
Elvis on Tour
1972 • Self - Vocals, The Stamps
Elvis Live at Madison Square Garden poster
Elvis Live at Madison Square Garden
1972 • Self - Vocals
Challenge of the Range poster
Challenge of the Range
1949 • Guitar Player (uncredited)
Quick on the Trigger poster
Quick on the Trigger
1948 • Band Member