Singing first tenor for the world-class vocal quartet the Jordanaires, Gordon Stoker had a front-row seat to music history. From 1956 to 1970, the Jordanaires backed international superstar Elvis Presley in live performances, recordings, and feature films. The highly sought-after foursome also lent their vocals to famous recordings like Patsy Cline’s “Crazy”, Jim Reeves’ “Four Walls,” George Jones’ “He Stopped Loving Her Today,” and Kenny Rogers’ “Lucille.”
Today, we’re exploring the life and career of Hugh Gordon Stoker, born in Gleason, Tennessee, on this day (August 3) in 1925.
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Who Was Gordon Stoker?
Displaying an uncanny musical aptitude at an early age, Gordon Stoker began playing piano for West Tennessee’s Tumbling Creek Baptist Church at age eight.
By age 12, he had established a reputation around Weakley County, performing with the Clement Trio on WTJS in Jackson.
Three years later, a 15-year-old Stoker became one of the youngest performers ever to grace the Grand Ole Opry Stage when he performed with the John Daniel Quartet.
He put his music career on hold when the U.S. Air Force drafted him in 1943. Serving three years during World War II, he climbed the ranks to staff sergeant and worked as a teletype operator in Australia and the Philippines.
Joining the Jordanaires
After leaving the military in 1946, Gordon Stoker moved to Shawnee, Oklahoma, where he studied psychology, music and voice at Oklahoma Baptist University.
However, he couldn’t quite shake off his yearning for the bright lights of Nashville. So, in 1948, Stoker moved to Music City and enrolled at George Peabody College, re-joining the Daniel Quartet.
Two years later, Stoker auditioned for the Jordanaires, earning his spot as the group’s pianist.
In late 1951, a sudden illness left the first tenor spot vacant. Stoker stepped into the role, eventually also assuming group leader/manager responsibilities.
He would spend the next 60 years with the Jordanaires, whose featured appearances amounted to more than eight billion records sold.
That list includes Grammy-winning records across six consecutive decades, kicking off in 1959 with “The Battle Of New Orleans” by Johnny Horton and wrapping up in 2007 with “Lost Highway” by Willie Nelson and Ray Price.
“He could play by ear,” said John Rumble, a senior historian at the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum. “Anything he could hear on the radio, he could play it.”
On March 27, 2013, Gordon Stoker died at his Brentwood, Tennessee home following a lengthy illness. He was 88 years old.
Featured image by Steve Oroz/Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images
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