Imperials

Profile:
This Gospel Music Hall of Fame group was founded in 1964 as Southern gospel quartet Jake Hess & The Imperials. Hess' aggregation was intended by Hess to be a "supergroup" of sorts gathering members of Weatherford Quartet, the Oak Ridge Boys and The Speer Family. The Imperials have had a rotating roster and sound over the years beginning to slowly morph into CCM beginning with The Imperials* - New Dimensions.

The group established a relationship with Elvis Presley in 1966 as studio singers. In 1968, they became backing vocalists for Jimmy Dean and did the same for Presley the following year working for both concurrently for a time. The band ended the deal with Presley first after 1971. They set a first for Christian music when they integrated the group by adding Sherman Andrus in February of 1972. That same year, they stopped backing Dean and from that point focused exclusively on work in the gospel music industry. They would go on to win four Grammys and 15 Dove Awards over their long career.

The previously all-male group added its first female in 1991 when Armond's sister Pam Morales took the place of the departing Jason Beddoe during the recording of Imperials - Big God. She would remain with the band through 1993. 1998 saw the five original members (Hess, Morales, Nielsen, McSpadden and Slaughter) onhand to accept their Hall of Fame induction alongside later members Blackwood, Andrus, Moscheo, Murray, and Taff.

In September 2004, Armond Morales transferred ownership of the name "The Imperials" to the lineup at the time: son Jason Morales, Jeremie Hudson, Ian Owens and Shannon Smith. This version of the group released two albums on Lamon Records, Imperials - The Imperials and Imperials - Back To The Roots, consisting of re-recordings of older Imperials tunes. That incarnation of the band split up in early 2010.

Currently two touring aggregations use the Imperials name:"The Classic Imperials" comprising early 80s lead vocalist Paul Smith (22), Rick Evans,Lonnie Ott and Michael Schlee which performs mostly in church venues and "Terry Blackwood and the Imperials", a trio comprising Terry Blackwood, Darrell Toney and Lynn Royce Taylor which focuses mainly on events highlighting the Presley connection to the group.

See also Jake Hess & The Imperials (1964-66) and Terry Blackwood & The Imperials (00's).
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Albums

LPHF 1783 Fireside Hymns — Imperials Imperials Fireside Hymns (Album) Heart Warming Records LPHF 1783 US 1964 Sell This Version
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LPS 1776 Introducing The Illustrious Imperials — Imperials Imperials Introducing The Illustrious Imperials (Album) Heart Warming Records LPS 1776 US 1964 Sell This Version
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LPHF-1861 He Was A Preachin' Man — Imperials Imperials He Was A Preachin' Man (Album) Heart Warming Records LPHF-1861 US 1965 Sell This Version
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PLHF 1887 Dottie Rambo And The Imperials — Imperials Dottie Rambo And The Imperials* Dottie Rambo And The Imperials* - Dottie Rambo And The Imperials Heart Warming Records PLHF 1887 US 1965 Sell This Version
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LPS 1794 Talent Times Five — Imperials The Imperials* Talent Times Five(LP, Album) Heart Warming Records LPS 1794 US 1965 Sell This Version
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LPHF 1815 Slaughter Writes, Imperials Sing — Imperials Imperials Slaughter Writes, Imperials Sing(LP, Album) Heart Warming Records LPHF 1815 US 1965 Sell This Version
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HWS 1990 The Imperials...Now! — Imperials Imperials The Imperials...Now! (Album) Heart Warming Records * Impact HWS 1990 US 1968 Sell This Version
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HWS-1962, HWS 1962 New Dimensions — Imperials The Imperials* New Dimensions (Album) Heart Warming Records, Impact (7) HWS-1962, HWS 1962 Canada 1968 Sell This Version
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PLP 2009 Love Is The Thing — Imperials The Imperials* Love Is The Thing (Album) Impact (7) PLP 2009 Sweden 1969 Sell This Version
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HWS 3045 Gospel's Alive And Well! — Imperials The Imperials* Gospel's Alive And Well! (Album) Impact (7) HWS 3045 Canada 1969 Sell This Version
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HWS 3082 Time To Get It Together — Imperials Imperials Time To Get It Together (Album) Impact (7) HWS 3082 Canada 1971 Sell This Version
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37612 Here's To Veterans 99 — Imperials Imperials, Wilma Burgess Imperials, Wilma Burgess - Here's To Veterans 99(LP, Mono) The Veterans Administration 37612 US 1971 Sell This Version
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PLP 2019 Imperials — Imperials Imperials Imperials (Album) Pilot (5) PLP 2019 Scandinavia 1972 Sell This Version
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R3215, R-3215 Live — Imperials Imperials With… Solid Rock (7) Imperials With… Solid Rock (7) - Live (Album) Impact (7), Impact (7) R3215, R-3215 US 1973 Sell This Version
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R3227, R 3227 Follow The Man With The Music — Imperials Imperials Follow The Man With The Music (Album) Impact (7), Impact (7) R3227, R 3227 US 1974 Sell This Version
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R1721 The Bill Gaither Song Book — Imperials The Bill Gaither Trio, Dallas Holm, Imperials, Jack Price, Truth (31), Gene Cotton, Doug Oldham, The Downings, Danny Gaither, Henry & Hazel Slaughter (2), Fred Bock, The Stamps Quartet, Gene Braun, The Speer Family The Bill Gaither Trio, Dallas Holm, Imperials, Jack Price, Truth (31), Gene Cotton, Doug Oldham, The Downings, Danny Gaither, Henry & Hazel Slaughter (2), Fred Bock, The Stamps Quartet, Gene Braun, The Speer Family - The Bill Gaither Song Book(LP, Album) Vista (7) R1721 US 1974 Sell This Version
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R3288 No Shortage — Imperials Imperials No Shortage (Album) Impact (7) R3288 US 1975 Sell This Version
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LP-122, JLP-122 The Name Of Jesus — Imperials Jimmy Swaggart, Dwain Johnson, Phil Johnson (3) And The Phil Johnson Singers With "Imperials"* Jimmy Swaggart, Dwain Johnson, Phil Johnson (3) And The Phil Johnson Singers With "Imperials"* - The Name Of Jesus (Album) Jim Records LP-122, JLP-122 US 1976 Sell This Version
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R3390 Just Because — Imperials Imperials Just Because (Album) Impact (7), Impact (7) R3390 Canada 1976 Sell This Version
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LP-122, JLP-122 Jimmy Swaggart, Dwain Johnson, Phil Johnson (3), The Phil Johnson Singers, Imperials Jimmy Swaggart, Dwain Johnson, Phil Johnson (3), The Phil Johnson Singers, Imperials - The Name Of Jesus(LP, Album) Jim Records, Jim Records LP-122, JLP-122 US 1976 Sell This Version
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DST-4006, DST 4006 Sail On — Imperials Imperials Sail On (Album) DaySpring DST-4006, DST 4006 US 1977 Sell This Version
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DST-4007 Imperials Live — Imperials Imperials Imperials Live DaySpring DST-4007 US 1978 Sell This Version
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DC-4015 One More Song For You — Imperials Imperials One More Song For You (Album) Dayspring DC-4015 Canada 1979 Sell This Version
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DST-4011 Heed The Call — Imperials Imperials Heed The Call (Album) DaySpring Records DST-4011 US 1979 Sell This Version
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DST-4017 Priority — Imperials Imperials Priority (Album) DaySpring DST-4017 US 1980 Sell This Version

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marsstarrs11

marsstarrs11

May 29, 2019
Sail On and Stand By The Power need to be made digital.
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