New Book Details How Elvis Fought to Get the Jordanaires, the Backup Singers of His Choice

Michael Kosser
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In the  first 14 years of Elvis’ recording career with RCA, nearly all his records were credited to “Elvis Presley With the Jordanaires,” because that’s the way Elvis wanted it. Many of those early hits were built around the imaginative vocal ideas of the group’s arranger, Neal Matthews, and all four members of the vocal quartet took an active role in crafting the sounds that dominated much of the pop, rock & roll and country music charts from the mid-1950s on. To Elvis, who met the Jordanaires in 1955, they were more than a studio backup group. While Baz Luhrmann’s awards contender “Elvis” focuses on other aspects of Elvis’ influences, the Jordanaires were not part of the movie’s story, but they are an essential component of rock and roll history. Jordanaire tenor Gordon Stoker tells the story:  

By the summer of 1955, I thought I’d seen it all. I’d been performing professionally as a musician or singer since I was 8 and been doing recording sessions for more than 15 years. We were one of the most popular vocal quartets in the South, making gospel records for major labels, performing live concerts and appearing on TV or radio shows. For several years, we were popular performers on WSM radio’s all-powerful Grand Ole Opry. On this particular evening, we were in Memphis appearing on a bill with Eddy Arnold. That hot August night in the Ellis Auditorium, we were approached backstage by a struggling singer who had had some success and was hoping to make it big.

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I guess the first thing I remember about him was his shirt. Men just didn’t wear pink shirts in those days. He also was a little dirty around the neck. But he was polite and had a warm smile. So, when he approached me, I took the time to hear what he had to say.

What he said was, “I’m a big fan of y’all’s. I  … I … I’m a singer myself.” He stammered a little. “I’m on the Sun label right now. That’s a local Memphis label. I’m … I’m trying to get a deal with a major label. If I do, I’d, ah, I’d like you guys, the Jordanaires, to sing with me on my records.” He’d been hearing us sing, see, on the Grand Ole Opry, and he’d come to the Ellis Auditorium to meet us in person. He didn’t come to meet Eddy Arnold; he came to meet us. Somewhere in there, he told us his name. We didn’t catch it. Not then.

He said, “Hey fellas, I want to sing a little something with you.” I don’t even know what we sang, probably “Swing Down Chariot.” What I remembered about him is that back in 1955, a guy didn’t wear a pink shirt. He wore that pink shirt with black trousers and a white stripe down the side. He looked a little unusual too in that he had sideburns (which nobody else had) and had his hair slicked back (his hair wasn’t black, as you know, his hair was dirty blonde), but the main thing I remember about him was his beautiful smile. It was something that you don’t forget, know what I mean? And he was extremely kind, very cordial to us, and I guess we weren’t used to being treated that way by a young guy. Later, I’d find that he got a lot of his clothes from one of the many clothing stores on Beale Street.

What if I’d been in a bad mood that day, or in a hurry? What if I didn’t like pink shirts and told him so? What if one of the guys just told him to buzz off?

But we didn’t. That’s not who we were. Besides, I liked him. Maybe his stuttering reminded me of myself because I had my own speech problems, and maybe that made me feel close to him. So, I told him that when he did get signed by a major label, the Jordanaires would be happy to work with him.

Less than a year later, my home phone rang. It was Chet Atkins’ office at RCA in Nashville calling, wanting to book me for a recording session at the TRAFCO studio in the United Methodist Television, Radio and Film Commission Building on 1525 McGavock Street in Nashville with a new artist they had just signed.  Not the Jordanaires.  Just me, and (gospel stars) Ben and Brock Speer.  Chet’s decision, and Elvis would never forgive Chet for not choosing the Jordanaires for that session. 

For the next 14 years, Elvis chose his background vocalists, and he chose the Jordanaires. Gordon continues:     

Eight days after the phone call, I entered that studio and at the same time walked into a world that for me — and for many of the greatest pop, rock and country singers of the 1950s 1960s and 1970s and music lovers the world over — would never be the same.

Like lightning, 24 years have passed, 24 of the best years of our lives. Today is a big day for the kid we first met at Ellis Auditorium in Memphis, way back when. He kept the promise he made to us that night, and we got to know him well enough to learn that he always kept his promises. Tonight, Nashville is remembering his birthday, and we’re sharing it with the rest of America on a 90-minute TV special called “Nashville Remembers Elvis on His Birthday,” hosted by celebrity TV host Jimmy Dean. Guests on this show include many of Nashville’s greatest stars, including Merle Haggard, Roy Orbison, Tanya Tucker, Dottie West, Charlie Rich, Jerry Lee Lewis and Larry Gatlin, plus a ton of Hollywood movie stars doing cameos. Also, us, the Jordanaires.  They couldn’t not invite us to the party, because for nearly 15 years we’d sung on many of his big hits and all the 28 movies he’d made during our time with him.

Over the years nearly all those records read “Elvis Presley With the Jordanaires” on the label, because Elvis insisted on it. Most of them were top 10 pop hits or albums, and I think 16 singles were huge number one national and international pop smashes. All told we recorded more than 260 sides with Elvis, and thousands more with many of the most famous singers of the era. Maybe someday the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame will discover us. I’m sure that if Elvis were alive today, he would say we need to have a plaque right next to his, and he would promise to get us one, and somehow, he would find a way to keep that promise the way he kept all the others.

Elvis and the Jordanaires.  Without Elvis. Singing a medley of his hits that day was not the easiest thing we’d ever do, even though we had sung each of those songs hundreds of times over the years. The one person who really needed to be there and was notably absent was the birthday boy himself. He had died the year before, and as we stepped onto the stage to do our part in the celebration, I felt a terrible ache at the back of my throat. I had spent much of the past year trying not to think about Elvis. I knew nothing good could come of thinking about all the sweetness and decency that made him so special. All that would just bring tears, so I kept my mind on my work and my family and everything that meant anything to me—except Elvis. But this night — this gala tribute show, brought it all out. We took our places on the stage; Hoyt, me, Neal and Ray, and as usually happened, I took strength and confidence from their presence as we sang our medley — “Blue Suede Shoes,” “All Shook Up,” “Loving You,” “Don’t Be Cruel” and “Hound Dog.” It wasn’t one of our flawless performances.  It was tough for us to smile and sing at the same time. Backup singers have feelings too.

I remember that Hoyt Hawkins just really took a liking to Elvis and Elvis took a liking to him, and Hoyt was the only one who later remembered him coming backstage. Except now of course I do remember this unusual looking guy, handsome kid, with the long sideburns, who stuttered that he loved the Jordanaires and said he wanted to sing with us.  We’ve traveled the world and sung for millions. Some say we’ve sold more than eight billion records. I’ve never done the math. We’ve recorded with more than 2,000 acts and made thousands of friends over six decades. I think what we did was terribly interesting, us starting out so darn small and somehow getting so big and you know what? It happened all right, but I’m danged if I understand how.

“The Jordanaires: The Story of the World’s Greatest Backup Group,” by Gordon Stoker, Michael Kosser and Alan Stoker will be released Nov. 15 by Backbeat Books.  

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