Inducted 1997

James Blackwood gained prominence by the late-1930s as a member of the legendary Blackwood Brothers Quartet. 

At the age of 15, he began singing with his two older brothers and a nephew from their home in Ackerman, Mississippi. After working at various radio stations in the southeast, the Blackwoods settled in Iowa, where they remained for nearly a decade and amassed a faithful following. When they relocated to Memphis in 1950, the quartet ranked as one of the best in gospel music. 

After a 1954 airplane accident claimed the lives of two of the group's members, James persevered and rebuilt the quartet. Under his guidance, Blackwood Brothers' recordings for RCA Victor set a high musical standard and garnered numerous music industry awards. 

In later years, the popular lead singer sang as a member of the legendary Masters V and also led his own James Blackwood Quartet. His leadership and direction were responsible for much of the professionalism that Southern Gospel enjoys today.