The Jordanaires were an American vocal quartet that formed as a gospel group in 1948. Over the years, they recorded both sacred and secular music for recording companies such as Capitol Records, RCA Victor, Columbia Records, Decca Records, Vocalion Records, Stop Records, and many other smaller independent labels.

In the mid-1950s, with a lineup of Gordon Stoker (first tenor), Neal Matthews (second tenor and lead vocals), Hoyt Hawkins (baritone and lead vocals), and Hugh Jarrett (bass vocals), they also began lending their vocal talents to other artists as singers in recording sessions. They are widely known for having provided vocals for Elvis Presley in live appearances, recordings, and feature films from 1956 to 1970. Jarrett was replaced by then-teacher Ray Walker in 1958. The group worked in the recording studio, on stage, and on television with many country, gospel, and rock and roll artists.

They also provided background vocals using the names the Gordonaires (a play on the name of the group's first tenor Gordon Stoker), the Merry Melody Singers, and the Almanac Singers, sometimes using different personnel.

Group history

Early years

The group was formed by brothers Monty and Bill Matthews, both of whom were evangelists, in the late 1940s. The original lineup included Bill Matthews, Monty Matthews, Bob Hubbard (baritone), and Culley Holt (bass vocals), who were soon joined by pianist Bob Money. where they frequently provided harmony and backing vocals for Opry "headliner" Red Foley. During this meeting, Presley told the group that he would like them to sing backup for him if he ever was signed to a major record label. Stoker later stated that the group "[wished] Elvis well, 'But we never expected to hear from him again,' ... 'People were always coming up and saying that. We're still told that.'"

After Elvis and Cline

According to the Jordanaires' official website, in 1976 and 1979, the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences gave the group the "Superpickers" award "for having sung on more Top 10 discs than any other vocal group in history."

Later years and deaths

According to John Rumble and the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum, in 2000, West left the group "due to illness". album was released; it features a previously recorded version of "I Dreamed About Elvis" featuring the quartet. Parton performed this song in concert as early as 2007.

Surviving members include longtime member Ray Walker and later addition Curtis Young.

  • Neal Matthews Jr. – second tenor and lead vocals, rhythm guitar, lead guitar, double bass, bass guitar (1949–2000; died 2000)
  • Gordon Stoker – tenor vocals, piano, organ, percussion (1951–2013; died 2013)
  • 1970: Ringo Starr's second solo album, Beaucoups of Blues
  • 1971: Gordon Lightfoot's "Summer Side of Life"
  • 1973: Bobby Bare's hit single "Ride Me Down Easy"
  • 1975: Jack Jersey two albums I Wonder (a live album) and Honky Tonk Man
  • 1975: Gary Stewart's RCA debut Out of Hand, that spawned three top ten hits including the "She's Acting Single"
  • 1980: Don McLean's album Chain Lightning
  • 1981: Don McLean's album Believers
  • 1981: On several tracks for Gene Summers' LP Gene Summers in Nashville
  • 1984: Dolly Parton's song "Save the Last Dance for Me" on the album The Great Pretender
  • 1985: Four songs by The Blasters' from their album Hard Line including "Samson and Delilah"
  • 1988: Appeared in Sawyer Brown's music video "My Baby's Gone"
  • 1993: "Bigger Than Elvis" on Chicago's album titled Chicago XXXII: Stone of Sisyphus, recorded in 1993 and published in 2008
  • 1996: Ween's album 12 Golden Country Greats
  • 1997: On "Who'll Be The One If Not Me" for the off-Broadway musical Violet
  • 1998: On "You Better Move On" and "Tomorrow Night" on Sugar Ray Norcia's album Sweet & Swingin
  • 1999: Began their collaborative work with Art Greenhaw, which resulted in a Grammy Award for Best Southern, Country or Bluegrass Gospel Album for We Called Him Mr. Gospel Music: The James Blackwood Tribute Album (2003), and six Grammy nominations for Best Album of the Year in a gospel category for other album titles, including The Great Gospel Hit Parade (2001), God Is Love (2002), Always Hear The Harmony (2004), 20th Century Gospel (2005) and Southern Meets Soul (2006) AllMusic noted about the 20th Century Gospel album that "Greenhaw's manly baritone is warm and inviting, and when backed by vocal-group legends the Jordanaires ("Gospel Woman", "Welcome to My World"), the resultant sound suggests the glory days of Elvis Presley and Jim Reeves."
  • 2002: Sang with The Tractors' Steve Ripley
  • 2006: The Grascals album Long List of Heartaches, on the song "Did You Forget God Today?"
  • 2006–07: Friends of Henry Golis Wish You A Merry Christmas with the Jordanaires, and Henry Golis Presents Good Music With Friends featuring the Jordanaires
  • 2007: Appeared with the Christian pop band Chicago's Band of Praise on the songs "Between You & Me" and "Live Like A King" on the album A Road Less Traveled written by Howard Stanley
  • 2007: "Save Your Dreams" by Americana artist Shark
  • 2009: Today, Tomorrow & Forever EP by Pete Molinari
  • 2010: Last Night In Nashville album by The Kingmakers
  • 2011: Kristin Chenoweth's Some Lessons Learned, on "What Would Dolly Do"
  • 2023: Dolly Parton's "I Dreamed About Elvis" (credited to "Dolly Parton with Ronnie McDowell and special guests The Jordanaires") from Parton's 2023 album Rockstar. While released in 2023, the song was recorded at some point prior to 2013, when the group disbanded after Gordon Stoker's death.

See also

  • The Nashville A-Team

References

  • "The Jordanaires" Vocal Group Hall of Fame Page
  • Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum
  • Spencer Leigh, "Gordon Stoker: Singer with the Jordanaires", The Independent, April 2, 2013
  • Bob Hubbard Interview
  • The Jordanaires recordings at the Discography of American Historical Recordings.

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