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The Jordanaires

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The Jordanaires

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.

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), Culley Holt (bass vocals), soon joined by pianist Bob Money. By 1949, the group members had moved from Springfield, Missouri to Nashville, Tennessee.

They became members of the Grand Ole Opry in 1949, where they frequently provided harmony and backing vocals for Opry "headliner" Red Foley. In the early 1950s, the group featured many lineup changes. Pianist Bob Money was replaced by Gordon Stoker, and founding members Bill and Monty Matthews left the group and moved back to Missouri. Stoker began singing with the group, taking on lead vocal and tenor roles, and new members Neal Matthews, Jr. (second tenor, and unrelated to Bill and Monty Matthews), Hoyt Hawkins (baritone), and Hugh Jarrett (bass vocals) joined in the early-to-mid-1950s.

Sister Rosetta Tharpe toured with the vocal group the Jordanaires in the late forties and early fifties, one of the first multiracial gospel pairings.

They recorded for Capitol Records in the early 1950s, and began providing vocal accompaniment behind solo singers in Nashville, Tennessee.

The quartet became well known in the Southern gospel genre, and what made them stand out from other quartets of that time was how they would bring spirituals (such as "Dry Bones") to a predominantly white audience. While continuing to turn out gospel albums of their own, the group became better known for the signature background harmonies they provided on dozens of secular records.

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American vocal group; back-up singers for Elvis Presley
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