THE GOSPEL MUSIC OF GORDON STOKER

Before leader and first tenor of The Jordanaires, Gordon Stoker,
journeyed to stardom in the greatest backing vocal group in recording
history---and long before Gordon became forever linked with the most
influential and happiest years of the music of Elvis Presley---Hugh
Gordon Stoker was a faithful figure in gospel music. Southern gospel
music has shaped Gordon's remarkable musical career, just as Gordon
helped shape the musical career of Elvis and so many others including
this writer.

I recently had the opportunity to provide Engelbert Humperdinck with
some facts about the gospel music of Gordon Stoker. Engelbert introduced
Gordon as his special guest at a recent Humperdinck concert on Feb. 21
in Daytona Beach, Florida, and Gordon and his wife, Jean, were
Engelbert's back-stage guests. The Jordanaires are featured backing
Engelbert on a number of songs on the 2003 Grammy-Nominated album
titled, ALWAYS HEAR THE HARMONY: THE GOSPEL SESSIONS. The Jordanaires'
songs include "Always Hear The Harmony", "At The Cross", "Sending Me
You", How Great Thou Art", "Our Wedding Song" and "It Is No Secret".

As I briefed Engelbert on just a few of Gordon's achievements, I
realized what a debt gospel musicians and fans owe this master of soft
and close harmony.

By the time Hugh Gordon Stoker was 8 years old, he was playing organ at
Tumbling Creek Baptist Church outside of Gleason, Tennessee. By the time
Gordon was 12 years old, he was playing piano and accordian for the
Clement Trio heard at the time on WTJS Radio in Jackson. By the time
Gordon was 15 years old, he was the pianist for the John Daniel Quartet,
the Gospel Music Hall of Fame group heard at the time -and until the
death of John Daniel- on WSM Radio in Nashville.

Gordon auditioned and became pianist for The Jordanaires in 1950. But
the hand of destiny was about to change the sound of probably the most
recorded quartet in history when Gordon Stoker began singing first tenor
with the group in October, 1951. Thus began the journey to vocal stardom
of one of the most recognizable and influential voices in quartet
history and the voice that dueted with Elvis Presley on Number 1 hits
such as "All Shook Up" and "Good Luck Charm".

Among the greatest gospel albums of all time are albums featuring the
vocals of Gordon Stoker and The Jordanaires. My first introduction to
the wonderful world of southern  gospel was Tennessee Ernie Ford's album
collaboration with The Jordanaires titled, A FRIEND WE HAVE. The 1964
Grammy Award for "Best Gospel Or Other Religious Recording" went to
Ernie Ford's collaboration with The Jordanaires, GREAT GOSPEL SONGS. In
my opinion the greatest of all the Elvis gospel recordings is the album,
HIS HAND IN MINE, a southern gospel and Jordanaires' showcase. And The
Jordanaires led by Gordon continued to thrill, inspire and record-- both
as backing vocalists-- and as stars of their own albums and projects.

As I continued to love southern gospel music and the sound of The
Jordanaires during my college days, along with the then-hot "disco
music" and the sounds of Engelbert Humperdinck's "After The Lovin'" came
a gem of a gospel album on Word Records: SWING WIDE YOUR GOLDEN GATE
starring Ernie Ford and The Jordanaires. The first tenor of Gordon
Stoker was still thrilling fans the world over.

Today, the golden voice of Hugh Gordon Stoker is as clear as a mountain
brook flowing through the hills of Tennessee. James Blackwood and I were
sitting in my home library during the decade of the 1990s, and we knew
we had to try to get The Jordanaires' vocals on our recording projects.
Before James picked up the phone and dialed Gordon-- having his number
in James' ever-present telephone directory of friends and associates--
James Blackwood confessed, "Gordon's been my friend for over 50
years..., and he's a real GOSPEL music man!"

True to the word of James Blackwood, Gordon Stoker has supported and
strengthened our music in a variety of ways that are a testimony to his
character and his ability to lead and guide musicians and singers who
attempt to follow in his big footsteps. The Jordanaires were inducted
into The Gospel Music Hall of Fame in 1998. The Jordanaires in
collaboration with Larry Ford and The Light Crust Doughboys won the
GRAMMY AWARD in 2003 for WE CALLED HIM MR. GOSPEL MUSIC: THE JAMES
BLACKWOOD TRIBUTE ALBUM. The Jordanaires in recent years were Nominated
for Grammy Awards for the albums THE GREAT GOSPEL HIT PARADE and GOD IS
LOVE starring Ann-Margret. Of the many recordings with which I've been
blessed to have been a participant, the album that so far has the most
potential to reach the greatest number of listeners is the 2003 Grammy
Nominated album, ALWAYS HEAR THE HARMONY starring Engelbert backed by
The Jordanaires, The Blackwood Brothers Quartet and The Light Crust
Doughboys.

Study the fabulous legacy and career of Gordon Stoker and just maybe
you'll see The Jordanaires in a new light as you rediscover  how deeply
gospel music has touched this sound heard 'round the world of The
Jordanaires.

And, in closing, among the greatest thrills of my life is the experience
of singing on the same recordings...and on the same microphone...as
Gordon Stoker! There's more to come on the other members of the "kings
of discs", The Jordanaires---including the great bass man, Ray
Walker---in future issues of USGN. Stay tuned!


-Art Greenhaw
musician-producer-member, The Light Crust Doughboys;
www.thelightcrustdoughboys.com