It only took one sentence for Donnie Sumner to describe his career in music.

"Everything that I have, I'll ever be, what I've got and all I'll ever have, I have to say thanks be to God for it all, because when I found him, I had nothing," he said. "My life was totally ruined."

Even if you're not familiar with world of southern gospel, chances are, you've heard Donnie sing. For six years, he toured with and was a close personal friend of the King of Rock and Roll, Elvis Presley.

It was a time in his life that would be a roller-coaster ride of success and heartbreak and eventually redemption.

Music and the church had always been part of Donnie's life. His father was a Pentecostal preacher, and his uncle, J.D. Sumner, was a legendary musical figure.

"J.D. was probably one of the three most recognizable names in the whole world of southern gospel music," Donnie said. "James Blackwell being one and Bill Gaither being one and J.D. being the other."

With a closeness to this lineage of musical greatness, it was only natural that the younger Sumner would take an interest in the family business.

Singing his first solo in church at the age of 7, Donnie studied to be a classical vocalist and a classical pianist, turning down a scholarship at the Julliard School of Music to go to a Christian College.

"All my life I wanted to be in a southern gospel quartet," he said. "I got through college, but my heart was in quartets. That's what I've been doing for 48 years."

After spending time in a couple of different groups, he finally got the call from Uncle J.D. to join his group, the Stamps, as a pianist. In three months, the lead singer quit, and Donnie got a promotion.

"My uncle said for me to sing until they got somebody, and I sang for eight years," he said.

It was when Donnie was singing with the Stamps that they got the call to tour with Elvis Presley.

After a 10-year layoff, the megastar had decided to hit the road again. J.D.'s "zoom bass" was always a favorite of Elvis, who loved southern gospel music.

Donnie was with the Stamps until the "Aloha from Hawaii" concert in 1973.

He left the group to form the Tennessee Rangers and began performing country music with a year residency at the Grand Old Opry. But Elvis never forgot Donnie.

Eventually, Charlie Hodge, Elvis' right-hand man called and said they needed someone to help out with the high notes.

"If he wanted to kiss somebody or do karate, he'd point at me, and I'd hit the last note," Donnie said.

Elvis hired the group, which became Voice, Inc., to be part of his stage show and also to live with him and sing Gospel music for him at night.

You would have thought that reaching the pinnacle of Sumner's career as an artist would leave him with very few problems, however the more Donnie enjoyed success, the deeper and darker his life became.

Elvis made sure that each of the performers in his entourage were well taken care of, which means they had anything and everything at their fingertips.

"I will tell you flat out, one of the liabilities of the entertainment industry is your removal from the normal life of home, church and friends," Donnie said. "It's kind of a world of fantasy.

"There's no such thing as a superstar, it's all in the audience's mind. After awhile you begin to believe it and you turn into not the kind of person you should be because you think you're better than everybody else.

"That's the chain of events that happened from struggling artist to big artist. Reality is home, church and friends."

Even when performing in a southern gospel group, temptation is still there.

"I had been involved in the drug culture ever since I entered the industry. It was more or less a social thing for the first few years and it progressed," Donnie said. "When I was with Elvis I had plenty of money, plenty of safety, plenty of access to anything I wanted. I hate to say it, but I turned into a stone drug addict."

In 1976, Donnie was doing $200 of cocaine and a handful of Quaaludes a day. He tried to overdose on cocaine twice, attempting suicide three times. Finally, it all came to a head.

On the Saturday morning before Labor Day in 1976, he stood on the balcony outside Elvis' suite trying to get the nerve to jump.

"I cried out for some help and didn't really expect any, but the good Lord was walking around in heaven that morning and heard me and said 'I believe I'll do it,'" Donnie said. "He embraced me and rather than jumping, I cried my way back to the room for a brand new beginning."

Deciding that he needed to leave the tour and enter rehab, Donnie first had to tell his boss, who was in the hospital at the time.

Upon hearing the news, Elvis told Donnie that he was proud of him and said that he wished that he could go somewhere and start over but "I guess I got to keep on being Elvis."

That was the last time Donnie talked to Elvis face to face.

Donnie cleaned up his life and took a long break from performing. Music was in his blood and eventually he returned to the stage, this time with a much different focus.

"I don't really consider it 'show business,' it's just me," he said.

Over the years, Donnie has served as a minister and evangelist, taking his message all over the country. Recently, he was welcomed into the Bill Gaither "Homecoming" family, performing alongside other legends of Gospel music.

As a changed man, Donnie brings a new message of hope.

"My emphasis is really on just one simple thing," he said. "I sing fast songs, slow songs, old songs, new songs, funny songs, and sad songs.

"In the end, every one of my songs says that no matter where you're at or what you're involved in, you can make it. Jesus is a new life, Jesus is an abundant life and Jesus is everlasting life.

"That's my story, and that's my song."

brent.stewart@thesouthern.com

351-5074

THE CONCERTS

6 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 29, First Presbyterian Church, Illinois 13-127 south, Pinckneyville

8:15 and 10:45 a.m. services, Sunday, Dec. 30 Murdale Baptist Church, Illinois 13 west, Carbondale

6 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 30, Elm Street Baptist Church, 1907 Elm St., Murphysboro; no charge, but an offering will be taken.