ELDER JACK WARD
(ELDER WARD & THE GOSPEL FOUR)
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Elder Ward, also known as Elder J Ward and Elder Jack Ward, was born on March 11, 1938, in Itta Bena, Mississippi, unfortunately Elder Ward passed away on April 11, 2023, in Memphis, Tennessee, aged 85 years old, just weeks before his second album the Storm, was to be released. Elder Ward was one of three children born to his sharecropping parents in Leflore County, Mississippi. Elder Ward and his family picked cotton, chopped cotton and did other sharecropping tasks as required. When he was 18 years old, Elder Ward moved to Memphis, Tennessee, to record music, he finally settled permanently in Memphis when he was 21 years old. While having a regular day time job as a mechanic, Elder Ward was also pastoring and evangelising the word of God, he founded and pastored for more than 50 years at North Memphis’ Earth Temple Holiness Church, where he performed weekly with his family band.
Elder Ward was originally a member and lead singer of The Christian Harmonizers, a group formed by his Itta Bena hometown friends, the Brooks Brothers. Elder Ward recorded three 45's with this group. The group's 1964 recording of “I Don’t Need No Doctor” on Stax Records subsidiary Chalice, had soul legend Isaac Hayes on piano, this single was a big gospel hit, remaining on the gospel charts for 2 years. Under the direction of gospel great, Oris Mays, The Christian Harmonizers signed up with Song Bird Records, recording two 45's for the label. Elder Ward also briefly replaced gospel/soul legend O.V. Wright in the Sunset Travelers, when O.V. Wright went secular for a few years.
Elder Ward later formed two of his own group, firstly in 1968 with his friend David Hart he formed Elder Ward and The Gospel Four and lastly in the 1980's Elder Jack Ward And The Ward Singers. Elder Ward recorded 3 of his own 45's, two 45's were with his group The Gospel Four on D-Vine Spirituals, a label owned by Memphis dj Juan D Shipp, in Memphis, and one 45 was released with his other group The Ward Singers on James Bennett's J&B Records from Jackson, Mississippi. He also recorded 2 solo albums as Elder Jack Ward, by himself in 2021 and 2023, on Bible & Tire Recording, out of Memphis.
Discography
45's
The Christian Harmonizers- Don't Need No Doctor/ Jesus Will Send Down His Blessings (Chalice 100) 1964
The Christian Harmonizers- God's Going To Blow Out The Sun/ Somebody Got Drowned In The Red Sea (Song Bird 1082)
The Christian Harmonizers- Another Day's Journey/ God Has A Way (Song Bird 1154)
Elder Ward & The Gospel Four- The Last Road/ Walk Close To Me (D-Vine Spirituals 38331/38332) 1969
Elder Ward and The Gospel Four- A Change Is Gonna Come/ A Sinner's Prayer (D-Vine Spirituals 188/189) 1969
Elder Jack Ward and The Ward Singers- If You Don't Make It To The City/ I Have Decided To Follow Jesus (J & B Records 008)
Albums/Lp's
Elder Jack Ward- Already Made (Bible & Tire)
Elder Jack Ward- The Storm (Bible & Tire 030)
Elder Ward was originally a member and lead singer of The Christian Harmonizers, a group formed by his Itta Bena hometown friends, the Brooks Brothers. Elder Ward recorded three 45's with this group. The group's 1964 recording of “I Don’t Need No Doctor” on Stax Records subsidiary Chalice, had soul legend Isaac Hayes on piano, this single was a big gospel hit, remaining on the gospel charts for 2 years. Under the direction of gospel great, Oris Mays, The Christian Harmonizers signed up with Song Bird Records, recording two 45's for the label. Elder Ward also briefly replaced gospel/soul legend O.V. Wright in the Sunset Travelers, when O.V. Wright went secular for a few years.
Elder Ward later formed two of his own group, firstly in 1968 with his friend David Hart he formed Elder Ward and The Gospel Four and lastly in the 1980's Elder Jack Ward And The Ward Singers. Elder Ward recorded 3 of his own 45's, two 45's were with his group The Gospel Four on D-Vine Spirituals, a label owned by Memphis dj Juan D Shipp, in Memphis, and one 45 was released with his other group The Ward Singers on James Bennett's J&B Records from Jackson, Mississippi. He also recorded 2 solo albums as Elder Jack Ward, by himself in 2021 and 2023, on Bible & Tire Recording, out of Memphis.
Discography
45's
The Christian Harmonizers- Don't Need No Doctor/ Jesus Will Send Down His Blessings (Chalice 100) 1964
The Christian Harmonizers- God's Going To Blow Out The Sun/ Somebody Got Drowned In The Red Sea (Song Bird 1082)
The Christian Harmonizers- Another Day's Journey/ God Has A Way (Song Bird 1154)
Elder Ward & The Gospel Four- The Last Road/ Walk Close To Me (D-Vine Spirituals 38331/38332) 1969
Elder Ward and The Gospel Four- A Change Is Gonna Come/ A Sinner's Prayer (D-Vine Spirituals 188/189) 1969
Elder Jack Ward and The Ward Singers- If You Don't Make It To The City/ I Have Decided To Follow Jesus (J & B Records 008)
Albums/Lp's
Elder Jack Ward- Already Made (Bible & Tire)
Elder Jack Ward- The Storm (Bible & Tire 030)
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