Donnie Sumner

Donnie Sumner, a gospel singer, songwriter, and minister, was born in 1942 and is the nephew of renowned gospel bass singer J.D. Sumner. He began his professional music career in the early 1960s and later served as lead vocalist and arranger for J.D. Sumner and the Stamps Quartet from 1965 to 1972. During those years, he also worked as a backup vocalist for Elvis Presley for six years, including the “Aloha from Hawaii” television special.

In 1972, Sumner organized his own gospel group, Voice. As a songwriter, he received a SESAC Award for Best Country Songwriter in 1969 and earned a Grammy Award nomination for Country Song of the Year in 1970. That same year, he won a Dove Award for Gospel Song of the Year for his composition “The Night Before Easter.” His other songwriting credits include “The Things That Matter,” “Mr. Song Man,” and “I Miss You,” and he was also a featured performer on the song “The Lighthouse.”

Following a personal crisis in 1976, Sumner transitioned into full-time ministry, serving as a minister, evangelist, and pastor. He was inducted into the Gospel Music Hall of Fame in 1998 and the North American Country Music Hall of Fame in 2002. Later, he became a featured performer in the Bill Gaither Homecoming series, continuing to share his music and ministry.