Jake Hess

Jake Hess (born December 24, 1927 in Limestone County , Alabama , † January 4, 2004 in Opelika , Alabama) was an American singer of Southern Gospel . He was born as Manchild Hess , but registered as a conscript under the name William Jesse Hess . Jake Hess was his stage name.

He began his artistic career at the age of 16 in the John Daniel Quartet , later he was a member of other vocal groups, such as the Statesman Quartet from 1947 to 1963 . He then founded the Imperials Quartet (still existing today as The Imperials ), which accompanied Elvis Presley on the gospel album How Great Thou Art in 1966 . In 1978 the Statesman Quartet was reunited. Together with the artists James Blackwood and JD Sumner they formed the group The Master's V , which occasionally toured together from 1981 to 1988. Together with his children Becky and Chris, Jack Hess formed the group The Jake Hess Sound , some of which appeared in the 1970s during TV broadcasts of church services by evangelical preacher Gene Scott .

Awards

• 1968 - "Best Sacred Performance", Grammy Award for "Beautiful Isle of Somewhere"
• 1969 - "Best Sacred Performance (Non-Classical)", Grammy Award for "Ain't That Beautiful Singing"
• 1970 - "Best Sacred Performance (Musical)", Grammy Award for "Everything Is Beautiful"
• 1981 - "Best Gospel Performance, Traditional", Grammy Award as a member of "The Masters V"
• 1982 - Induction into the Gospel Music Hall of Fame
• 1995 - Induced into the Alabama Music Hall of Fame
• 1998 - The Imperials were inducted into the Gospel Music Hall of Fame

Web links

• Jake Hess at Allmusic (English)
• Article on cooperation with Elvis Presley (English)
• Obituary ( Memento from January 11, 2012 in the Internet Archive )