One of the earliest rockabilly revivalists to appear in the 1970s was Robert Gordon, who was also one of the few to be praising Elvis Presley’s early, primitive work while the King was still alive. With a powerful, adaptable voice that was perfect for the vocal dramatics of rockabilly and a sense of style that complemented the mood and the sound of vintage rock, Gordon went on to have a successful career as a champion of the early rock and roll era.
He collaborated with a number of talented guitarists, including Link Wray, Chris Spedding, and Danny Gatton, who helped him make his music feel as genuine as his vocals. While 1981’s Are You Gonna Be the One found him embracing a more mature and diverse approach, and 2007’s It’s Now or Never, a tribute to Presley, was a later-day triumph, Gordon’s early work captured him at his most passionate and energetic, especially on 1978’s Fresh Fish Special and 1979’s Rock Billy Boogie.
Robert Gordon Early Life
On March 29, 1947, Robert Gordon was born in Bethesda, Maryland. Young Gordon was profoundly influenced by Elvis Presley’s “Heartbreak Hotel,” which became a major success in 1956. Gordon later developed a fervent love for Presley, Gene Vincent, Jack Scott, Eddie Cochran, and other pioneers of the first wave of rock. Gordon acquired a love for soul and R&B as the 1950s gave way to the 1960s, in addition to rock, but he was open about the fact that the British Invasion didn’t particularly appeal to him. When he was 15, he and his brother participated in a talent contest at a summer camp, and that is when he first sang on stage.
He sang in many neighborhood bands, such as the Confidentials and the Newports, although neither ventured much beyond performing at teen clubs and school dances. He enlisted in the National Guard later in the decade in order to escape being drafted and sent to Vietnam. He married at the age of 19 and had two children. Gordon moved to New York City in 1970, opening a clothes company there but finding little time for music. That changed a few years later when Gordon and his wife got divorced, and he started exploring the emerging rock and roll culture at the CBGB bar on Bowery.
Can’t forget what an impact Robert Gordon’s style and commitment to rockabilly & roots music had on us back in the punk days in NYC, saw him with Link Wray and yes Professor Longhair opening one night! Loved him with Chris Spedding too. He was so cool and elegant. pic.twitter.com/RItbnuHMwl
— Amy Rigby (@AmyRigby) October 18, 2022
Robert Gordon’s Cause of Death
Robert Gordon, a musician, best known for initiating the rockabilly resurgence in the 1970s, passed away on Tuesday at the age of 75, according to his record company. Cleopatra Records posted on Facebook, his family and friends are being sent our sincere sympathies. We enjoyed working with Robert and will miss his commanding baritone voice and unwavering devotion to his craft. Although no specific cause of death was stated, Gordon had recently received a diagnosis of acute myeloid leukaemia. According to a GoFundMe account, his family set up last month, the singer had bone marrow and blood cancer. According to the GoFundMe, Gordon was first hospitalised for six weeks and was “fighting for his life.” As of early Wednesday, more than $16,000 had been raised of the $20,000 target.
Source Credit: The Guitar
Journey of Robert Gordon
When Robert was 14 or 15 years old, he joined his first band, The Confidentials. They mostly played covers at adolescent clubs and school dances, but it was enough to introduce him to The Newports, his next band. He began his career in the music industry at the age of 16, performing at fraternity parties in the Washington, D.C., region and at least one seedy bar.
Source credit: Far Out Magazine
Robert took a vacation from music but triumphantly came back in the middle of the 1970s just in time to participate in New York City’s punk movement. He admitted, “I really responded to a singer-wanted post. “I didn’t know anyone in the New York music scene,” the author said. This was the start of the Tuff Darts, a group in which Blondie producer Richard Gottehrer would later find him. Gottehrer would eventually sign Robert to RCA Records, the former record company owned by Elvis. The late 1970s until the middle of the 1980s, according to Robert, were a terrific time for him.
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