V.O. Stamps

STAMPS, Virgil Oliver. b. Upshur County, Texas, 18 September 1892; d. Dallas, Texas, 19 August 1940. Prominent in the development of southern gospel music, V. O. Stamps (not to be confused with his brother Frank (1896-1965) was best-known as a principal in the Stamps-Baxter Music & Printing Company (see Stamps-Baxter Publications*).  That company flourished in great part because of V. O.’s abilities as a salesman, promoter, and marketer—which is not to denigrate his skills as a quartet singer (he sang bass), a shape-note singing-school teacher, and a songwriter (see Shape-note hymnody*).  By the time of his death, the Stamps-Baxter Company was the most successful shape-note gospel...