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radioCecil Blackwood dies of cancer, aged 66
ON THE 13th November 2000, Cecil Blackwood of Southern gospel pioneers the Blackwood Brothers Quartet died from cancer. The funeral was at Cecil's home church, the First Assembly Of God Church, the very church he attended Teen Bible Class with a teenage Elvis Presley.
The Blackwood Brothers were formed in 1934 and continued into the new
millennium under the shrewd leadership of Cecil Stamps Blackwood. He
took on the mantle of baritone when his brother R W Blackwood perished
in the tragic air crash of 1954. Cecil (born on 28 October 1934 in
Cleveland, Tennessee) was the ever-present effervescent leader of the
Blackwoods. Heading for his "golden jubilee" with the group, he was as
enthusiastic as ever about what he saw as a God-given vocation.
Grateful for his heritage, he was in nostalgic mood as he contemplated
the family ministry. "I praise God that I was born into a family that
loved the Lord and dedicated their lives to the ministry. Because of a
family revival in 1917, no less than 30 kinfolk became committed to
serving their Lord. Since then, untold numbers of people have come to
a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ as a result of that commitment.
We're in our fourth generation now! The 'Blackwood' name has become so
popular in America that I believe the name can be carried on. I know
of no other gospel group that has so many family members serving the
Lord in gospel music!" Continuing the family tradition, as well as
Cecil's Blackwood Brothers, are the Blackwood Voices (headed by
Cecil's son) and the Blackwood Singers (headed by Cecil's nephew).
Today's Blackwood Brothers' group consists of Steve Warren, Rick
Price, Chris Blackwood and Eric Winston. The book The Legacy Of The
Blackwood Brothers: The Authorized Biography Cecil And James Blackwood
by Paul Davis was recently published by Blue Ridge Publishing. 
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I was blessed to have seen on version of the Blackwood Brothers years ago in Southern Calif.Got to meet Cecil, when he and his group came to our little town of Ramona Calif.Had an old Blackwoods Brothers songbook he wanted for a museam he said he was going to do.My GREATEST memory of that night was when he did some requests from the audience. He said it was a hard song for them to do,as a group but he did my fav Blackwoods tune Angels Watches Over Me. will always be blessed to think he cared that much about someone he never saw again. Have also met Jimmy and his brother, who my heart adopted on site. God Bless them all.