Sally and Frank Stamps

Frank Howard Stamps (1896 – 1965)

Biography

Frank Howard Stamps was born in Upshur, Texas. He served in World War I, then attended the Vaughan School Of Music where he developed his skills as a bass singer. In 1924, he founded the Frank Stamps Quartet to represent a publishing company formed by his brother, V O Stamps. The Frank Stamps Quartet signed a recording contract with Victor in 1927. "Give The World A Smile" became the group's first major hit and later became their signature song. By this point, the Stamps publishing company operated by Frank's brother had merged with a company operated by J R Baxter to become Stamps Baxter Music.

In 1931, Frank married Mary Naomi Marks who he nicknamed "Sally."

After the death of V O Stamps in 1940, J R Baxter became president of Stamps-Baxter Music and Frank Stamps became his business partner. After five years, Frank and J R Baxter parted ways, and Frank formed the Stamps Quartet Music Company. He was joined in this new venture by his wife Sally, who worked in the quartet offices and arranged housing for students who attended the music school each summer. She also performed with some of the Stamps groups.

In the years that followed, Frank's All Star Quartet was promoted as the top group in the Stamps family, so any time a member would quit, the next best man from another group was typically moved into his place. The All Stars sang on the radio in the mornings and went out for singing engagements just about every night.

Frank Stamps decided to narrow his attention to publishing songbooks around 1950. Around this time the Stamps All Star Quartet began to be billed simply as the Stamps Quartet. In 1956, the members of the Stamps Quartet parted ways with the publishing company and took a new name, the Plainsmen. Another Stamps Quartet was soon organized using personnel from the publishing company. This group operated until 1962.

In 1962, Frank Stamps sold stock in his Stamps Quartet Music Company to James Blackwood and J D Sumner of the Blackwood Brothers. Stamps did not leave the company immediately, but the new investors did quickly organize a new Stamps Quartet.

Stamps passed away in 1965.

Awards

GMA Hall Of Fame (1973)
SGMA Hall Of Fame (1997)

Songwriter's Résumé

(Partial List)

Love Will Roll The Clouds Away

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