Singer Robert Gordon, greatest identified for his work within the rockabilly revivalist motion of the late ’70s, has died at age 75.
The information was confirmed by Gordon’s file label (by way of Selection.) A GoFundMe web page had been arrange by Gordon’s household final month, noting that the singer had been within the hospital for six weeks as he battled a type of acute myeloid leukemia. “Robert’s unbelievable voice and his music has not solely put rockabilly again on the map, it has made recollections for us all,” the fundraiser web page mentioned. “A voice like his, coupled with the authenticity he brings to the music, is unforgettable and does not come round fairly often.”
“Cleopatra Data want to provide our deepest condolences to his household and mates,” label VP Matt Inexperienced mentioned in an announcement. “We appreciated working with Robert, and can miss his highly effective baritone vocal in addition to his targeted dedication to his music.”
Born in Bethesda, Md., Gordon was taken with music from an early age, citing Elvis Presley’s “Heartbreak Lodge” as one of many primary inspirations for his profession path. “I listened to music incessantly rising up,” Gordon mentioned in a 2010 interview. “It opened new horizons.” Different influences included Gene Vincent, Billy Lee Riley and Eddie Cochran.
Gordon made his recording debut at age 17 with a band known as the Confidentials. All through the ’60s, he turned extra taken with R&B acts like James Brown and Otis Redding than within the British Invasion bands.
Watch Robert Gordon Carry out Bruce Springsteen’s ‘Hearth’
In 1970, Gordon moved to New York Metropolis and joined the Tuff Darts, a punk band that was one of many first to ascertain themselves at CBGB. In 1976, the band recorded a number of songs — together with “All for the Love of Rock and Roll,” “Head Over Heels” and “Slash” — for a compilation album titled Stay at CBGB’s that featured numerous native bands.
It was whereas Gordon was nonetheless within the Tuff Darts that producer Richard Gottehrer, who additionally helped launch the careers of Blondie and the Ramones, urged the singer strive engaged on rockabilly-style music with guitarist and instrumental-rock pioneer Hyperlink Wray. Their first album collectively, 1977’s Robert Gordon With Hyperlink Wray, was launched to little fanfare however picked up extra consideration after Presley’s loss of life that yr. Gordon and Wray then made one other album, 1978’s Contemporary Fish Particular, which included the primary recorded model of Bruce Springsteen’s “Hearth.” (Springsteen performed piano on the observe.) Gordon additionally signed with RCA Data, Presley’s label, in 1978.
Watch Robert Gordon and Hyperlink Wray Carry out ‘Purple Scorching’
He hit the Scorching 100 twice in his profession: first with a canopy of “Purple Scorching” carried out with Wray (No. 83 in 1977) and his tackle Marshall Crenshaw’s “Sometime, Someway” in 1981 (No. 76).
Gordon went on to launch three extra albums for RCA: 1979’s Rock Billy Boogie, 1980’s Dangerous Boy and 1981’s Are You Gonna Be the One. Between 1994 and 2020, he launched six extra rockabilly and blues-based data, and likewise toured globally, sharing payments with Intercourse Pistols’ Glen Matlock, Kiss and Bob Dylan. Gordon’s ultimate album, Hellafied, is scheduled for launch on Nov. 25.
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