Jake Hess was a Grammy Award-winning gospel singer in the southern United States. He was born William Jesse Hess December 24, 1927, in Limestone County, Alabama, and died January 4, 2004 in Opelika, Alabama after suffering a heart attack December 14, 2003, just days after a performance in Atlanta, Georgia. Grammy Award The Grammy Awards (originally the Gramophone Awards), presented by the Recording Academy (an association of Americans professionally involved in the recorded music industry) for outstanding achievements in the recording industry, is one of four major music awards shows held annually in the United States (the Billboard Music Awards... Gospel music may refer either to the religious music that first came out of African-American churches in the 1930s or, more loosely, to both black gospel music and to the religious music composed and sung by white southern Christian artists. ... December 24 is the 358th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (359th in leap years). ... 1927 (MCMXXVII) was a common year starting on Saturday (link will take you to calendar). ... Limestone County is a county of the State of Alabama. ... January 4 is the 4th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Opelika is a city located in Lee County in east central Alabama. ... December 14 is the 348th day of the year (349th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar. ... 2003 (MMIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Nickname: The Horizon City, Hotlanta, The Big Peach Motto: Official website: http://www. ...

At the age of 16, Hess 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. Hess finally got a chance to sing lead with the Statesmen Quartet. This article needs to be wikified. ...

His next group, The Imperials, produced 40 records. They topped the Christian charts with 14 singles, and had a TV show based in Nashville, Tennessee. In 1967 they backed Elvis Presley on his gospel outing "How Great Thou Art". Elvis has been quoted as noting Hess as his favorite singer, and in 1977, Hess sang at Presley's memorial service, much as he had performed at the burial of country legend Hank Williams in 1953 (with the Statemen). Hess also sang with his children, Becky and Chris, in a group he named "The Sound Of Youth". The Imperials have been making music since 1964 and have in that time undergone many personnel and stylistic changes before returning to the gospel songs that originally made them popular. ... Nickname: Music City Motto: Official website: http://www. ... 1967 (MCMLXVII) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Elvis Aaron Presley (January 8, 1935 CE – August 16, 1977 CE), also known as The King of Rock n Roll, was an American singer, song producer and actor. ... For the album by Ash, see 1977 (album). ... Hank Williams Sr. ... 1953 (MCMLIII) is a common year starting on Thursday. ...

In 1968, Hess won the "Best Sacred Performance" Grammy Award for "Beautiful Isle Of Somewhere". In 1969, he won the "Best Sacred Performance (Non-Classical)" Grammy for "Ain't That Beautiful Singing". In 1970 he won the "Best Sacred Performance (Musical)" Grammy for "Everything Is Beautiful". In 1981 he won the "Best Gospel Performance, Traditional" Grammy for "The Masters V", as part of the quintet "The Masters V". 1968 (MCMLXVIII) was a leap year starting on Monday (the link is to a full 1968 calendar). ... 1969 (MCMLXIX) was a common year starting on Wednesday For other uses, see Number 1969. ... 1970 (MCMLXX) was a common year starting on Thursday. ... 1981 (MCMLXXXI in Roman) is a common year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

In 1982 Hess was inducted into the Gospel Music Association's Gospel Music Hall of Fame. In 1995 Hess was inducted into the Alabama Music Hall of Fame, with a John Herbert Orr Pioneer Award. In 1997 he was inducted into the Southern Gospel Music Association's Hall of Fame. 1982 (MCMLXXXII) is a common year starting on Friday of the Gregorian calendar. ... The Gospel Music Association (GMA) was founded in 1964 for the purpose of supporting and promoting the development of all forms of Gospel music. ... 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 in all forms of gospel music. ... 1995 (MCMXCV) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... 1997 (MCMXCVII) is a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... The Southern Gospel Music Association (SGMA) is a non-profit corporation formed as an association of [[Southern_gospel|southern gospel music singers, songwriters, fans, and industry workers. ...

In 1996 he released the album Terry & Jake, a collaboration with NFL Hall of Famer Terry Bradshaw. 1996 (MCMXCVI) is a leap year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar, and was designated the International Year for the Eradication of Poverty. ... The Pro Football Hall of Fame is technically the National Football Leagues Hall of Fame. ... Terry Paxton Bradshaw (born September 2, 1948) is a former American football quarterback with the Pittsburgh Steelers in the National Football League (NFL), a current football analyst and co-host of FOX NFL Sunday and a speaker against depression. ...

His given name was just the initials W.J., but he was later assigned the name William Jesse when he registered with the draft board in Lincoln, Nebraska.

In 1997, when Jake 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 Jake's honor.

Jake Hess, Jr. has become a well-known Southern Gospel songwriter, in addition to being married to GMA Music Award winning artist Judy Martin of The Martins..

External links

• Bio at the Southern Gospel Music Association's Web site
• Obituary from the Columbus, Georgia newspaper, The Ledger-Enquirer