The Imperials er ei USA-amerikansk kristen musikkgruppe som har vore aktive i over 50 år. Dei oppstod som ein southern gospel-kvartett, men den nyskapande gruppa vart pionerar innan moderne kristen musikk i 1960-åra. Det har vore mange byte av bandmedlemmar og musikkstil gjennom åra. Dei vann i alt fire Grammyprisar og vart innlemma i Gospel Music Hall of Fame.

The Imperials

(v til h) Evans, Smith, Will og Morales
AliasJake Hess and the Imperials, The Classic Imperials
OpphavAtlanta i USA
Aktiv1964 til i dag
SjangerKristen, moderne kristen musikk, gospel, southern gospel
Tilknytte artistarAndrus, Blackwood and Company, Elvis Presley
PlateselskapHeart Warming, Impact, Myrrh, Lamon
PrisarGMA Dove Award for Group of the Year

Bandet vart starta av Jake Hess i 1963.[1] The Imperials spelte på fleire innspelingar med Elvis Presley i siste halvdelen av 1960-åra, mellom anna på How Great Thou Art.

I 1972 kom Sherman Andrus inn i gruppa, og dei vart den første kristne gruppa i USA med både kvite og svarte medlemmar.[2]

Medlemmar endre

Besetningar
1964–1965

(Jake Hess & the Imperials)

  • Sherrill Neilsen – Tenor
  • Jake Hess – Solo
  • Gary McSpadden – Baryton
  • Armond Morales – Bass
  • Henry Slaughter – Piano
  • Jake Hess & the Imperials (1964)
  • Introducing the Illustrious Imperials (1964)
  • Fireside Hymns (1964)
  • Blends & Rhythms (1964)
  • Talent Times Five (1964)
  • Slaughter Writes – Imperials Sing (1965)
  • The Happy Sounds of Jake Hess & the Imperials (1965)
  • He Was a Preachin' Man (1965)
  • Slightly Regal (1965)
1966
  • Hess
  • McSpadden
  • Morales
  • Slaughter
  • Jim Murray – Tenor
  • The Imperials Sing Their Favorite Hymns (1966)
  • The Imperials Sing Inspirational Classics (1966)
1966–1967
  • Hess
  • McSpadden
  • Morales
  • Murray
  • Joe Moscheo – Piano/ vokal
  • To Sing is the Thing (1966)
1967–1970

(no berre «The Imperials»)

  • New Dimensions (1967)
  • Now (1968)
  • Love is the Thing (1969)
  • Gospel's Alive & Well (1970)
1970
  • Blackwood
  • Morales
  • Moscheo
  • Murray
  • Phil Enloe – Baryton
1970–1971
  • Blackwood
  • Morales
  • Moscheo
  • Murray
  • Greg Gordon – Baryton
  • Time to Get it Together (1971)
  • Believe It (samlealbum)
1971–1972
  • Blackwood – Baryton/solo
  • Morales
  • Moscheo
  • Murray
  • Larry Gatlin – Baryton/solo
1972–1975
  • Blackwood
  • Morales
  • Moscheo
  • Murray
  • Sherman Andrus – Baryton/solo
  • Imperials (1972)
  • Live (1973)
  • Follow the Man with the Music (1974)
1975–1976
  • Andrus
  • Blackwood
  • Morales
  • Murray
  • No Shortage (1975)
  • Just Because (1976)
1976
  • Andrus
  • Morales
  • Murray
  • David Will – Baryton/solo
1976–1981
  • Morales
  • Murray
  • Russ Taff – Solo
  • David Will – Baryton
  • The Lost Album (1976) (utgjeve 2006)
  • Sail On (1977)
  • Imperials Live (1978)
  • Heed the Call (1979)
  • One More Song For You (1979)
  • Priority (1980)
  • Christmas with The Imperials (1980)
1981–1985
  • Stand By the Power (1982)
  • Side By Side (1983)
  • 20th Anniversary (video) (1984)
  • The Imperials Sing the Classics (1984)
  • Let the Wind Blow (1985)
1985–86
  • Morales
  • Murray
  • Will
  • Danny Ward – Solo
1986
  • Morales
  • Ward
  • Will
  • Ron Hemby – Tenor/solo
1986–1989
  • Hemby
  • Morales
  • Will
  • Jimmie Lee Sloas – Tenor
  • This Year's Model (1987)
  • Free the Fire (1988)
1989–1990
  • Hemby
  • Morales
  • Will
  • David Robertson – Sollo/tenor
  • Love's Still Changing Hearts (1990)
1990
1990–93
  • Hildreth
  • Armond Morales
  • Will
  • Pam Morales – Tenor/solo
  • Big God (1991)
  • Stir it Up (1992)
1993
  • Morales
  • Will
  • Mark Addock – Tenor
  • Brian Comeaux – Solo
1993
  • Comeaux
  • Morales
  • Will
  • Peter Pankratz – Tenor
1993
  • Comeaux
  • Morales
  • Will
  • Bill Morris – Tenor
1994–1996
  • Morales
  • Will
  • Steven Ferguson – Tenor
  • Jeff Walker – Solo
  • Til He Comes (1995)
1996–1998
  • Ferguson
  • Morales
  • Will
  • Steve Shapiro – Solo
  • It's Still the Cross (1996)
1998–1999
  • Ferguson
  • Morales
  • Will
  • Barry Weeks – Solo
  • Songs of Christmas (1998)
1999
  • Morales
  • Weeks
  • Will
  • Jeremie Hudson – Tenor
1999–2000
  • Hudson
  • Armond Morales
  • Jason Hallcox – Solo
  • Jason Morales – Baryton
2000–2002
  • Hudson
  • Jason Morales
  • Armond Morales
  • Richie Crook – Solo
  • I Was Made for This (2002)
2002–2003
  • Hudson
  • Jason Morales
  • Armond Morales
  • Shannon Smith – Solo
2003–2008
  • Hudson
  • Smith
  • Jason Morales
  • Ian Owens – Bass
  • The Imperials (2006)
  • Back to the Roots (2007)
2008–2010
  • Morales
  • Owens
  • Scott Allen – Solo
  • Perry Jones – Tenor
2004–2006 (a.k.a. The Classic Imperials)
  • Rick Evans – Solo
  • Armond Morales – Bass
  • Jim Murray – Tenor/solo
  • Dave Will – Baryton
2006–2009 (a.k.a. The Classic Imperials)
  • Rick Evans – Solo
  • Armond Morales – Bass
  • Robbie Hiner – Tenor/solo
  • Dave Will – Baryton
  • Place Called Heaven [Song & Music Video] (2009)
2006–2010 (a.k.a. The Classic Imperials)
  • Rick Evans – Solo
  • Armond Morales – Bass
  • Paul Smith – Tenor/solo
  • Dave Will – Baryton
  • Still Standing (2009)
2010 til i dag
  • Rick Evans – Solo
  • Armond Morales – Bass
  • Paul Smith – Tenor/solo
  • Dave Will – Baryton
  • Standing Strong (2010)
  • The Ones (2012)

Kjelder endre

  1. http://sogospelnews.com/index/features/comments/117/ Southern Gospel News.com article Henta 4. desember 2016
  2. Williams, Bill (26. februar 1972). «1st Integrated Gospel Act». Billboard. 

Bakgrunnsstoff endre