Jake Hess
Encyclopedia
Jake Hess was an American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

 Grammy Award
Grammy Award
A Grammy Award — or Grammy — is an accolade by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences of the United States to recognize outstanding achievement in the music industry...

-winning southern gospel
Southern Gospel
Southern Gospel music—at one time also known as "quartet music"—is music whose lyrics are written to express either personal or a communal faith regarding biblical teachings and Christian life, as well as to give a Christian alternative to mainstream secular music...

 singer.

Life

Hess was born Manchild Hess December 24, 1927, in Limestone County, Alabama
Limestone County, Alabama
Limestone County is a county of the U.S. state of Alabama, and is included in the Huntsville Metropolitan Area.It is also included in the merged Huntsville-Decatur Metro Area. Its name comes from Limestone Creek, a local stream. In 2000, the population was 65,676. As of 2010 the county's...

. Later, when he registered with the draft board in Lincoln, Nebraska
Lincoln, Nebraska
The City of Lincoln is the capital and the second-most populous city of the US state of Nebraska. Lincoln is also the county seat of Lancaster County and the home of the University of Nebraska. Lincoln's 2010 Census population was 258,379....

, he gave his name as "William Jesse Hess." In 1997, when Hess was preparing to get a passport to travel overseas, he discovered that his birth certificate actually read Manchild Hess. His son, Jake Jr., named his recording company Manchild Records in honor of his father. He died January 4, 2004 in Opelika, Alabama
Opelika, Alabama
Opelika is a city in and the county seat of Lee County in the east central part of the U.S. state of Alabama. It is a principal city of the Auburn-Opelika Metropolitan Area. According to 2010 Census, the population of Opelika was 26,477...

 after suffering a heart attack December 14, 2003, just days after a performance in Atlanta, Georgia
Atlanta, Georgia
Atlanta is the capital and most populous city in the U.S. state of Georgia. According to the 2010 census, Atlanta's population is 420,003. Atlanta is the cultural and economic center of the Atlanta metropolitan area, which is home to 5,268,860 people and is the ninth largest metropolitan area in...

.

Career

Hess' career started at the age of 16, when he joined the popular John Daniel Quartet, making his recorded debut on "Just a Prayer Away". After that, he sang with three of his brothers as the Hess Brothers Quartet. He also sang with the Sunny South Quartet and their rival, the Melody Masters Quartet. In the latter part of his life, Hess sang with The Old Friends Quartet which was featured on the Bill Gaither Homecoming videos.

Statesmen Quartet

Hess sang lead with the Statesmen Quartet
Statesmen quartet
The Statesmen Quartet was a Southern Gospel Music group founded in 1948 by Hovie Lister. Along with the Blackwood Brothers, the Statesmen Quartet was considered the most successful and influential gospel quartet of the 1950s....

 from 1948 until 1963. Their recordings included projects on Columbia Records and then long-term with RCA Victor. In 1977-1978 Hess reunited with the surviving members of The Statesmen Quartet, Hovie Lister
Hovie Lister
Hovie Franklin Lister was an American gospel pianist.Lister was born in Greenville, South Carolina, and learned piano from age six. He accompanied a singing group composed of his father and three of his uncles at 14, and toured with Mordecai Ham at the same age...

, Doy Ott, and Rosie Rozell to record three projects, including "Songs Elvis Loved". The reunited Statemen had sung at Elvis' funeral. In the fall of 1980, Hess, Lister, Rozell, assembled a new group with James Blackwood and J.D. Sumner, as a result the southern gospel group the Masters V
Masters V
The Masters Five or Masters V was a Southern Gospel Music quartet founded in 1980 by Hovie Lister as a special consolidation of well-known performers from The Statesmen Quartet and The Blackwood Brothers. The group featured J.D. Sumner as bass, Rosie Rozell as tenor, James Blackwood and Jake Hess...

 was born. They toured from 1981 until 1988 when illnesses prompted several of the members to retire from full-time singing.

The Imperials

Upon leaving the Statesmen Quartet at the end of 1963, Hess formed his "dream" group, the Imperials
The Imperials
The Imperials are an American Christian music group that has been around for over 45 years. Originating as a southern gospel quartet, the innovative group would become pioneers of contemporary Christian music in the 1960s. There have been many changes for the band in membership and musical styles...

. Although They were not immediately accepted by his peers because of their innovative use of electric guitars and drums, they went on to become pioneers in Contemporary Christian Music
Contemporary Christian music
Contemporary Christian music is a genre of modern popular music which is lyrically focused on matters concerned with the Christian faith...

, and would eventually be inducted into the Gospel Music Hall of Fame
Gospel Music Hall of Fame
The Gospel Music Hall of Fame, created in 1971 by the Gospel Music Association, is a Hall of Fame dedicated exclusively to recognizing meaningful contributions by individuals and groups in all forms of gospel music.-Inductees:...

. They backed Elvis Presley
Elvis Presley
Elvis Aaron Presley was one of the most popular American singers of the 20th century. A cultural icon, he is widely known by the single name Elvis. He is often referred to as the "King of Rock and Roll" or simply "the King"....

 from 1966 to 1971. Elvis has been quoted as noting Hess as his favorite singer. Hess left the Imperials in 1967 due to health problems.

The Jake Hess Sound

Hess also sang with his children, Becky and Chris, in a group he named "The Jake Hess Sound". In the late 1970s Hess and his son Chris were featured singers on the television broadcasts of evangelist Dr. Gene Scott.

Solo Career

Jake Hess was a noted soloist in his own right. He had won several Grammy Awards on RCA Victor as a solo artist. His last 12 years, he appeared on the Bill Gaither Homecoming
Gaither Homecoming
Gaither Homecoming is the name applied to a series of videos, music recordings and concerts, which are organized, promoted and usually presented by Christian music songwriter and impresario Bill Gaither...

 concerts and videos. These videos featured Hess from noted concerts in the U.S. at the Kennedy Center, the Ryman Auditorium
Ryman Auditorium
The Ryman Auditorium is a 2,362-seat live performance venue, located at 115 5th Avenue North, in Nashville, Tennessee and is best known as the historic home of the Grand Ole Opry....

, and Hawaii
Hawaii
Hawaii is the newest of the 50 U.S. states , and is the only U.S. state made up entirely of islands. It is the northernmost island group in Polynesia, occupying most of an archipelago in the central Pacific Ocean, southwest of the continental United States, southeast of Japan, and northeast of...

an islands and Europe.

Family

Jake Hess, Jr. has become a well-known southern gospel songwriter, in addition to being married to Judy Martin of The Martins
The Martins
The Martins are a Christian music vocal trio composed of three siblings: Joyce Martin Sanders, Jonathan Martin, and Judy Martin Hess.-Music career:...

. In 1989 Jake's nephew Steve Hess & Eugene Baker (Hess & Baker, Skylite/Sing) were in Nashville to record several segments on Bobby Jones Gospel (BET Network). Jake accompanied them to the studio and liked what he heard. While visiting with Jake in Brentwood, Jake asked if they would be interested in forming with him a new version of Jake Hess & Friends. The group would ultimately consist of Jake, Steve, Eugene & Chris, Jake’s son. They started rehearsals in Jake’s family room and started touring later in the year. There were several dates in Missouri and Florida, but Jake determined that the travelling was going to be more demanding than he anticipated, so by 1990 the tours were put on hold with the possibility of doing something with television.

Awards and Honors

  • 1968: Grammy Award
    Grammy Award
    A Grammy Award — or Grammy — is an accolade by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences of the United States to recognize outstanding achievement in the music industry...

     for Best Sacred Performance for "Beautiful Isle Of Somewhere"
  • 1969: Grammy for Best Sacred Performance (Non-Classical) for "Ain't That Beautiful Singing"
  • 1970: Grammy for Best Sacred Performance (Musical) for "Everything Is Beautiful"
  • 1981: Grammy for Best Gospel Performance, Traditional for "The Masters V"
  • 1982: Inducted into the Gospel Music Association
    Gospel Music Association
    The Gospel Music Association was founded in 1964 for the purpose of supporting and promoting the development of all forms of Gospel music. There are currently about 4,000 members worldwide...

    's Gospel Music Hall of Fame
    Gospel Music Hall of Fame
    The Gospel Music Hall of Fame, created in 1971 by the Gospel Music Association, is a Hall of Fame dedicated exclusively to recognizing meaningful contributions by individuals and groups in all forms of gospel music.-Inductees:...

  • 1995: Inducted into the Alabama Music Hall of Fame
    Alabama Music Hall of Fame
    The Alabama Music Hall of Fame, first conceived by the Muscle Shoals Music Association in the early 1980s, was created by the Alabama Music Hall of Fame Board, which then saw to its Phase One construction of a after a state-wide referendum in 1987...

    , with a John Herbert Orr Pioneer Award
  • 1997: Inducted into the Southern Gospel Music Association
    Southern Gospel Music Association
    The Southern Gospel Music Association is a non-profit corporation formed as an association of southern gospel music singers, songwriters, fans, and industry workers. Membership is acquired and maintained through payment of annual dues...

    's Hall of Fame.
  • 1998: Inducted into the Gospel Music Association's Gospel Music Hall of Fame as a member of The Imperials
    The Imperials
    The Imperials are an American Christian music group that has been around for over 45 years. Originating as a southern gospel quartet, the innovative group would become pioneers of contemporary Christian music in the 1960s. There have been many changes for the band in membership and musical styles...


Solo albums

  • 1962: The Great Voice of Jake Hess (BibleTone Records)
  • 1968: The Incomparable Jake Hess (RCA Victor)
  • 1968: Beautiful Isle of Somewhere (RCA Camden)
  • 1969: Ain't That Beautiful Singing (RCA)
  • 1969: Spiritual Reflections (RCA)
  • 1970: Everything Is Beautiful
  • 1981: I'm Gonna Keep On Singing (Skylite)
  • 1996: Terry & Jake (Terry Bradshaw
    Terry Bradshaw
    Terry Paxton Bradshaw is a former American football quarterback with the Pittsburgh Steelers in the National Football League . He played 14 seasons. He is a football analyst and co-host of Fox NFL Sunday...

    ) (Chordant [Gaither Series])
  • 2001: All of Me (Cathedral)
  • 2005: Gotta Get a God Said (Crossroads Records)

With The Statesmen

  • 1957: The Statesmen Quartet with Hovie Lister
  • 1958: The Statesmen Quartet Sings with Hovie Lister
  • 1958: The Bible Told Me So
  • 1959: Hymns
  • 1959: I’ll Meet You By the River
  • 1959: Get Away Jordan
  • 1960: Mansion Over the Hilltop
  • 1960: On Stage
  • 1960: Something To Shout About
  • 1960: Encores
  • 1960: Peace, O Lord
  • 1960: Statesmen Blackwood Favorites
  • 1961: Out West
  • 1961: Through the States
  • 1962: Stop, Look & Listen for the Lord
  • 1962: Camp-Meeting Hymns
  • 1962: Singing Time in Dixie
  • 1963: The Mystery of His Way
  • 1963: Message in the Sky
  • 1963: A Gospel Concert
  • 1992: I Surrender All
  • 1992: The Bible Told Me So
  • 1992: Get Away Jordan
  • 1992: Jubilee’s A Coming
  • 1992: Revival
  • 1992: O What a Savior
  • 1993: O My Lord What a Time
  • 1997: Hovie Lister & The Statesmen

With the Masters V

  • 1981: The Masters V (Skylite Records)
  • 1982: O What a Savior (Skylite)
  • 1982: The Legendary Masters V
  • 1983: Featuring…
  • 1983: Live at the Joyful Noise
  • 1984: Thru the Years
  • 1984: Good Things
  • 1985: The Master’s Hymns

Video

  • 1994: Hovie Lister And The Sensational Statesmen: An American Classic
  • 1998: Jus' Jake And A Few Close Friends
  • 2002: Old Friends Quartet: Encore
  • 2004: A Tribute To Jake Hess

Gaither Homecoming Performances

  • 1991: Homecoming
  • 1995: All Day Singin' with Dinner on the Ground “Waiting For His Return”
  • 1995: Revival “Prayer Is The Key To Heaven (But Faith Unlocks The Door)”
  • 1995: Ryman Gospel Reunion “Goodbye, World, Goodbye,” “You And Me, Jesus,” ”Sunday Meetin' Time”
  • 1998: Atlanta Homecoming “Where Could I Go?”
  • 1998: Down By The Tabernacle “Old Camp Meeting Days,” “Come Sunday”
  • 1998: Hawaiian Homecoming “I Don't Think, I Know,” “Jesus, I Believe What You Said,” “Over The Moon”
  • 1998: Marching To Zion “When He Calls, I'll Fly Away”
  • 1998: Rivers Of Joy “I Came To Praise The Lord”
  • 1998: Singin' With The Saints “He Keeps Me Singing,” “I Know Where I Am Now”
  • 1999: Kennedy Center Homecoming “Old Friends.” “It Is No Secret”
  • 1999: Singin' In My Soul “Wore Out”
  • 1999: Sweet, Sweet Spirit “I'm Telling The World About His Love”
  • 2000: Harmony in the Heartland “Thanks For Sunshine,” “Move That Mountain,” “Get Away, Jordan”
  • 2000: Irish Homecoming “No Fishin'”
  • 2000: Memphis Homecoming “Give The World A Smile,” “Up Above My Head”
  • 2000: Whispering Hope “Doesn't Get Any Better Than This”
  • 2001: Christmas... A Time for Joy “White Christmas”
  • 2001: Journey To The Sky “He Knows Just What I Need”
  • 2001: London Homecoming “Too Much To Gain To Lose,” “O, How I Love Jesus/To Me, It's So Wonderful”
  • 2001: What A Time “Oh, What A Time”
  • 2002: Freedom Band “I Shall Not Be Moved”
  • 2002: I'll Fly Away “So Many Reasons”
  • 2002: New Orleans Homecoming “When The Saints Go Marching In”
  • 2003: A Gospel Bluegrass Homecoming, Volume 1 “Sunday Meetin' Time”
  • 2003: Heaven “Beautiful Isle Of Somewhere”
  • 2003: Red Rocks Homecoming “I've Never Loved Him Better Than Today”
  • 2003: Rocky Mountain Homecoming “I Just Love Old People”
  • 2004: A Tribute: Howard & Vestal Goodman ”I'm Winging My Way Back Home”
  • 2004: Build a Bridge “Get Away, Jordan”
  • 2004: Dottie Rambo
    Dottie Rambo
    Dottie Rambo was an American gospel singer and songwriter. She was a Grammy and multiple Dove Award-winning artist. Rambo, along with husband Buck and daughter Reba, formed the award-winning southern Gospel group, The Rambos...

    with The Homecoming Friends
    “Too Much To Gain To Lose”
  • 2004: We Will Stand “Sweeter As The Days Go By”
  • 2005: Hymns “Without Him”

External links

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