South Carolina native Tommy Ellison gained international fame as the leader of one of gospel music's premier quartet groups, but he was equally respected by his colleagues for his ability to keep in touch with the common man.

Born in Salley in 1932, Ellison died Saturday at the age of 76.

Founder and leader of the legendary Tommy Ellison and the Singing Stars, he began his musical career singing background for Madame Edna Gallmon Cooke as part of her group, The Five Singing Stars. He also sang with the world-famous Harmonizing Four.

Ellison eventually formed his own group, gaining a national reputation in the early 1970s on the Nashboro label before moving to the Atlanta International Records label.

Raised by his grandparents, he was known for his energy and leadership skills early on.

Ellison's surviving family members include cousins Lois Grant of Springfield and Dr. Otis Corbitt of Columbia.

"Tommy grew up with my grandparents. We grew up next door to each other. Tommy was what we'd call a very unique kind of person. He had a lot of energy and was always very popular," Corbitt said.

"He grew up in a family where he was the oldest grandchild. As the grandchildren began to add, he became kind of a leader in that whole process. His singing career really started at the church because he was on what was called the children's choir," said Corbitt, who recalled Ellison's days as a youngster at Smyrna Baptist Church in Springfield.

That church will also be where Ellison will be laid to rest. Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 11 at 541 Smyrna Church Road, with the Rev. Curtis L. Belton officiating. A public viewing is scheduled from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday at Brookland Baptist Church in West Columbia. The viewing will be followed by a musical tribute from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. at Brookland Baptist.

Corbitt said Ellison had been ill since last spring. Ellison was a faithful family member, especially to the grandparents who raised him, he said.

"He was very loyal to my grandparents and made it public that was his mom and dad. When he got to be a teenager, he did not want to remain in South Carolina," said Corbitt, noting that Ellison eventually made his home in Brooklyn, N.Y., where an uncle's singing talent rubbed off on the young man.

"When he was in New York, my uncle sang a lot. So, he started following him up. ... He sang with a number of renown groups and eventually established his own group. He was kind of always a leader," Corbitt said.

Orangeburg resident Harry Govan, a full-time producer of gospel programs for the past 29 years, said Ellison and the Singing Stars were always headliners of his anniversary programs.

"I just call him a mastermind of gospel. They call him the 'superstar of gospel,' but he was a very humble fella. He had his own unique style of singing. He was a people person, and people just loved him," Govan said. "Groups should have their own identity, and he had his own identity with the people."

Govan said Keith "Wonderboy" Johnson, Darrell McFadden and the Disciples, Doc McKenzie and the Gospel Hi-Lites and the Swanee Quintet are among the groups scheduled to perform during Saturday's musical tribute to Ellison.

Orangeburg resident James Salley, who served as master of ceremonies at several of Govan's anniversary programs, met Ellison during his radio broadcasting career. Salley is now vice chancellor of Africa University.

"He was a personal friend. I met Tommy years and years ago when I was a part-time announcer with WTND Radio in Orangeburg. It's no longer in existence, but that's where I started my broadcasting career as a college student in 1970. We started more or less communicating with each other casually after I went to work for WQKI Radio in St. Matthews," Salley said.

Salley considered Ellison one of the nation's premier black gospel singers who put his own signature touch on quartet music.

"When we talk about quartet singing as it's done this day, he was a trailblazer and is known right up there with people such as the Mighty Clouds of Joy ... and other prominently known people. The uniqueness of Tommy Ellison is that he never lost touch the common touch," Salley said. "While he gained the popularity, fame and notoriety, he always managed to deal with people on a one-on-one basis and met them where they were."

Salley said Ellison helped other individuals who were seeking careers in the gospel music industry and provided a good example to follow.

"Tommy was always a headliner on Harry Govan's anniversary programs because he always provided a good show. He was always on time, and his music was enjoyed by people in the Orangeburg area. It was because of him as the individual, and his band provided excellent music," he said.

T&D Staff Writer Dionne Gleaton can be reached by e-mail at dgleaton@timesanddemocrat.com or by phone at 803-533-5534. Discuss this and other stories online at TheTandD.com.

You must be logged in to comment.