The Masters Five or Masters V was a Southern Gospel Music quartet founded in 1980 by Hovie Lister as a special consolidation of well-known performers from The Statesmen Quartet and The Blackwood Brothers. The group featured J.D. Sumner as bass, Rosie Rozell and then Steve Warren as tenor, James Blackwood and Jake Hess alternating between lead and baritone, and Lister on piano."The Masters Five" , GOGR Music History, Grand Ole Gospel Reunion, 2005 Their self-titled debut album, The Masters V, won the 1981 Grammy Award for best traditional gospel performance. The quartet subsequently endured several personnel changes, often due to health and age-related issues. The group's final performance was in 1988.
Discography The Masters V (1981) Skylite SLP 6256; reissued as How Great Thou Art (1988) Temple Records O What a Savior (1982 ) Skylite SLP 6265 (Rozell, Blackwood, Hess, Sumner, Lister) The Masters V Present Their Majestic Bass, J.D. Sumner (1982) Skylite The Legendary Masters V (1982) Skylite SLP 6282 (Rozell, Blackwood, Hess, Sumner, Lister) Featuring… (1983) Skylite (Nielsen, Blackwood, Hess, Sumner, Lister) Live at the Joyful Noise (1983) Skylite (Nielsen, Blackwood, Hess, Sumner, Lister) Thru the Years (1984) Skylite (Warren, Blackwood, Hess, Sumner, Lister) Good Things (1984) Skylite (Warren, Blackwood, Hess, Sumner, Lister) The Master’s Hymns (1985) Skylite (Warren, Blackwood, Hess, Sumner, Lister) The Masters V Present Their Magnificent Bass, J.D. Sumner (1985) Skylite (Warren, Blackwood, Hess, Sumner, Lister) Sing Fabulous Blackwood Brothers Hits (1985) Skylite (Warren, Blackwood, Hess, Sumner, Lister) The Masters V Present 50 Years with the Fabulous James Blackwood (1985) Skylite Records Classics of Yesteryear (1986) Skylite SLP 6363 (Warren, Blackwood, Hess, Sumner, Lister) Have a Little Faith (1986) Merinet Sing Me a Song About Jesus (1987) Riversong (Warren, Blackwood, Hess, Sumner, Lister) The Legend Lives On (1988) Skylite (Nielsen, Toney, Hill, Sumner, Lister) Sing Award Winning Songs of JD Sumner (1988) Skylite (Nielsen, Toney, Hill, Sumner, Lister) Superlative Bass JD Sumner (1988) (Nielsen, Toney, Hill, Sumner, Lister) The Original Masters Five (1991) Bibletone Records
Members Line-ups 1980–1982 1982–1984 1984–1988Rosie Rozell – tenor Jake Hess – lead/baritone James Blackwood – baritone/lead Richard Coltrane – baritone J. D. Sumner – bass Hovie Lister – piano/vocalsShaun Nielsen – tenor Jake Hess – lead/baritone James Blackwood – baritone/lead Richard Coltrane – baritone J. D. Sumner – bass Hovie Lister – piano/vocalsSteve Warren – tenor vocals/various studio instruments Jake Hess – lead/baritone Tommy Howe – lead/baritone (1987) James Blackwood – baritone/lead Richard Coltrane – baritone J. D. Sumner – bass Tommy Thompson – bass (1987) Hovie Lister – piano/vocals 1988 (later transitioned to "J.D. Sumner and The Stamps")Shaun Nielsen – tenor Jack Toney – lead Ed Hill – baritone J. D. Sumner – bass Hovie Lister – piano/vocals CJ Almgren – piano (1988)
Hovie Lister 1980–1988 J.D. Sumner 1980–1988 James Blackwood 1980–1987 Jake Hess 1980–1987 Rosie Rozell 1980–1983 Shaun Nielsen 1983/1988 Steve Warren 1984–1987 Chris Hess Tommy Thompson Buddy Burton Charles Yates Ed Hill 1987–1988 Jack Toney 1988
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