Aside from his incredibly low bass voice, Sumner's business acumen helped promote Southern Gospel and move it into the mainstream of American culture and music during the 1950s and 1960s.

In 1949, Sunny South manager Horace Floyd relocated the quartet to Orlando, but Sumner stayed behind in Tampa where he maintained the sponsorship and started a new group, the Dixie Lily Harmoneers, which he sang with for a few months.

They split their time between Atlanta and Wheeling, West Virginia, with the occasional trip to Hollywood to sing in Western movies.

The lineup of Fred Daniel on tenor, Ed Wallace on lead, Ace Richman on baritone, and J. D. on bass continued on for five years until June 30, 1954.

[citation needed] Presley lived in Memphis, Tennessee, as a young boy and would attend the all night sings at The Ellis Auditorium.

Presley was an avid fan of Southern Gospel music and groups such as the Blackwood Brothers and the Statesmen Quartet.

[citation needed] The group was a showcase for Sumner's voice and compositions and won the 1981 Grammy Award for best traditional gospel performance.

Sumner was credited not only for his singing, songwriting, and concert promotions, but was also noted for being the first to customize a coach bus for the entertainment business to use for music groups.

"[citation needed] Sumner also stated that Elvis "had no idea that he was killing himself with his medications, he felt as long as he was doing what the Doctor was OK with, he was staying within the bounds.

[8][9] On November 16, 1998, three days before his 74th birthday, Sumner was found dead of a heart attack in his hotel room in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, while on tour with the Stamps Quartet.