Virgil Oliver Stamps
Encyclopedia
Virgil Oliver Stamps was a shape note
promoter, singer, composer, and singing school
teacher.
V. O. Stamps was born in and raised in the Stamps Community in Upshur County, Texas
, and was a key individual in early gospel music publishing. As a youth, he worked with his father in a sawmill, and used his earnings to purchase every gospel songbook he could find. In 1907 he attended the singing school
of Richard M. Morgan. Sometime after that, his father bought a small store and V. O. worked there while teaching singing schools until 1914.
In 1914 he became a field representative for the James D. Vaughan Music Company of Lawrenceburg, Tennessee
. Stamps worked for the Tennessee Music Company, Samuel Beazley and J. D. Vaughan from 1914-24, including singing in a quartet representing the Vaughan company. Around 1915 he composed his first song, entitled "The Man Behind the Plow".
In 1924 he founded the V. O. Stamps Music Company in Jacksonville
, Texas
. In that year the first session of the V. O. Stamps School of Music was held, with a faculty that included Thomas Benton, C. C. Stafford, R. B. Vaughan, and Otis Deaton. In 1924 or 1925 he published Harbor Bells - his first song book. In 1927, with J. R. Baxter, Stamps formed the Stamps-Baxter Music Company, based in Dallas, Texas
. Stamps organized a personal quartet in which he sang bass. He was a pioneer is the use of radio for promoting gospel music and quartet singing. Radio station KRLD gave the quartet a daily show in 1936, after a large response from their radio performance at the Texas Centennial Exposition.
", in 1937, while Luther G. Presley
wrote the lyrics.
Among the songs written by V. O. Stamps are "Love Is the Key," "Singing on My Way," and "I Am Going."
V. O. Stamps was inducted into the Southern Gospel Music Hall of Fame
in 1997.
Shape note
Shape notes are a music notation designed to facilitate congregational and community singing. The notation, introduced in 1801, became a popular teaching device in American singing schools...
promoter, singer, composer, and singing school
Singing school
Historically, singing schools have been strongly affiliated with Protestant Christianity. Some are held under the auspices of particular Protestant denominations that maintain a tradition of a cappella singing, such as the Church of Christ and the Primitive Baptists...
teacher.
V. O. Stamps was born in and raised in the Stamps Community in Upshur County, Texas
Upshur County, Texas
As of the census of 2000, there were 35,291 people, 13,290 households, and 10,033 families residing in the county. The population density was 60 people per square mile . There were 14,930 housing units at an average density of 25 per square mile...
, and was a key individual in early gospel music publishing. As a youth, he worked with his father in a sawmill, and used his earnings to purchase every gospel songbook he could find. In 1907 he attended the singing school
Singing school
Historically, singing schools have been strongly affiliated with Protestant Christianity. Some are held under the auspices of particular Protestant denominations that maintain a tradition of a cappella singing, such as the Church of Christ and the Primitive Baptists...
of Richard M. Morgan. Sometime after that, his father bought a small store and V. O. worked there while teaching singing schools until 1914.
In 1914 he became a field representative for the James D. Vaughan Music Company of Lawrenceburg, Tennessee
Lawrenceburg, Tennessee
Lawrenceburg is a city in Lawrence County, Tennessee, United States. The population was 10,796 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Lawrence County...
. Stamps worked for the Tennessee Music Company, Samuel Beazley and J. D. Vaughan from 1914-24, including singing in a quartet representing the Vaughan company. Around 1915 he composed his first song, entitled "The Man Behind the Plow".
In 1924 he founded the V. O. Stamps Music Company in Jacksonville
Jacksonville, Texas
Jacksonville is located in Cherokee County, Texas, United States. The population was 13,868 at the 2000 census. It is the principal city of the Jacksonville Micropolitan Statistical Area, which includes all of Cherokee County and part of the larger Tyler-Jacksonville Combined Statistical...
, Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
. In that year the first session of the V. O. Stamps School of Music was held, with a faculty that included Thomas Benton, C. C. Stafford, R. B. Vaughan, and Otis Deaton. In 1924 or 1925 he published Harbor Bells - his first song book. In 1927, with J. R. Baxter, Stamps formed the Stamps-Baxter Music Company, based in Dallas, Texas
Dallas, Texas
Dallas is the third-largest city in Texas and the ninth-largest in the United States. The Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex is the largest metropolitan area in the South and fourth-largest metropolitan area in the United States...
. Stamps organized a personal quartet in which he sang bass. He was a pioneer is the use of radio for promoting gospel music and quartet singing. Radio station KRLD gave the quartet a daily show in 1936, after a large response from their radio performance at the Texas Centennial Exposition.
Work
Virgil Stamps wrote the music and melody for the famous gospel song "When the Saints Go Marching InWhen the Saints Go Marching In
"When the Saints Go Marching In", often referred to as "The Saints", is an American gospel hymn that has taken on certain aspects of folk music. The precise origins of the song are not known. Though it originated as a spiritual, today people are more likely to hear it played by a jazz band...
", in 1937, while Luther G. Presley
Luther G. Presley
Luther G. Presley was a songwriter, musician, and composer, who is best-known for writing the lyrics to the gospel song "When the Saints Go Marching In".-Biography:...
wrote the lyrics.
Among the songs written by V. O. Stamps are "Love Is the Key," "Singing on My Way," and "I Am Going."
V. O. Stamps was inducted into the Southern Gospel Music Hall of Fame
Southern Gospel Music Association
The Southern Gospel Music Association is a non-profit corporation formed as an association of southern gospel music singers, songwriters, fans, and industry workers. Membership is acquired and maintained through payment of annual dues...
in 1997.
External links
- V. O. Stamps - from Southern Gospel Music Hall of Fame