Died On This Date (March 27, 2013) Gordon Stoker / Member Of Elvis Presley’s Jordanaires
themusicsover Gordon Stoker
DOB Unknown – March 27, 2013
Gordon Stoker is best remembered as a member of Elvis Presley‘s backing vocalists, the Jordanaires. He also acted as their manager. Just 15 when he became a professional musician, Stoker eventually played piano on WSM’s Grand Ole Opry radio program. In 1949, he was picked up by the Jordanaires Gospel group to play piano. Within two years, he was singing tenor in the group. In 1956, Presley invited them to be his back up singers both live and on record. Stoker can be heard on such records as “I Want You, I Need You, I Love You,” “I Got A Woman,” and “Heartbreak Hotel.” The group continued on – with Stoker remaining until the time of his death – after Presley passed away in 1977. The list of other artists that were backed by the Jordanaires on record includes Ricky Nelson, Johnny Cash, Ringo Starr, Patsy Cline, George Jones, Dolly Parton, Ween, and Kristen Chenoweth. Gordon Stoker was 88 when he passed away on March 27, 2013. Cause of death was not immediately released.
Thanks to Paul Bearer for the assist.
Paul Williams was the founder of Crawdaddy!, considered by many to be America’s first national magazine devoted to rock music. Launched while he was in college in 1966, the magazine first consisted of mimeographed pages written entirely by Williams himself. Landing before by Rolling Stone and Creem, Crawdaddy called itself, “the first magazine to take rock and roll seriously,” making Williams a pioneer of rock journalism. He left the magazine in 1968, but took it back over in 1993. It ultimately closed shop in 2003. Through a time before the internet and MTV, the pages of a handful of magazines like Crawdaddy! was where music lovers went to learn the goings-on of their favorite rock bands and musicians. Throughout his career, Williams also penned more than 25 books including the widely acclaimed Bob Dylan: Performing Artist, a three book series. He was considered to be an expert on the works of Dylan, Neil Young, and Brian Wilson. In 1995, Williams suffered a severe brain injury during a bicycle mishap. It is believed that that injury lead to his dementia and ultimately his death on March 27, 2013. Paul Williams was 64 when he passed away.
Roosevelt Jamison was songwriter, artist manager and publicist whose most notable contribution to popular music was the soulful gem he wrote, “That’s How Strong My Love Is.” First recorded by O.V. Wright in 1964, the song had a remarkable life, which found its way on to records by