Rockabilly Revivalist Robert Gordon Has Died
Throughout the 70s and 80s when so many others styles of music were all the rage, a group of dedicated rockabilly cats did everything they could to keep the sounds of Memphis and Sun Records alive in the present tense, emblematic of artists such as Elvis Presley, Gene Vincent, and Eddie Cochran. Singer Robert Gordon was at the very top of that class of revivalists. He passed away on October 18th at the age of 75 after suffering from leukemia for years prior to his death.
Born in Bethesda, Maryland on March 29, 1947 to a Jewish family, Robert Gordon heard Elvis Presley’s “Heartbreak Hotel” when he was nine, and immediately decided his life’s purpose was to play rock and roll, pursuing a career from an early age. His first official band was called The Confidentials, which he fronted as Bob Gordon, and recorded a couple of singles with. Shortly thereafter Gordon chose to enlist in the National Guard in lieu of running the risk of being drafted for Vietnam.
After his military service, Robert Gordon moved to New York City where he fell into the city’s burgeoning punk scene in the 70s, playing in the band the Tuff Darts, which was one of the original bands that helped establish the New York punk club CBGB (incidentally, standing for “Country, Blue Grass, and Blues) as a mecca for punk music, including appearing on the Live at CBGB’s release.
Though punk and rockabilly blended together early on, Robert Gordon was seeking a more pure rockabilly sound, and found it through producer Richard Gottehrer, who was impressed with Gordon’s Elvis covers. The producer paired up Gordon with legendary rockabilly guitarist Link Wray, which resulted in two successful rockabilly revivalist releases on Private Stock Records: Robert Gordon with Link Wray (1977), and Fresh Fish Special (1978), with the latter featuring Country Music Hall of Famers The Jordanaires who had also sung behind Elvis.
This established Robert Gordon as one of the top rockabilly revivalists, and he signed with RCA Records—the same label as his idol Elvis. There Gordon was joined by English-born producer and guitarist Chris Spedding, and released Rock Billy Boogie, with the title track becoming one of Robert Gordon’s signature songs. Gordon later released Bad Boy (1980), and his most successful album, Are You Gonna Be The One (1981), which included the first recorded version of the song “Someday, Someway” written by Marshall Crenshaw, who would have a hit with the song himself the following year.
As the rockabilly revival era began to wind down, so did the the opportunities for Robert Gordon, though he continued to tour and perform, recording albums for Viceroy and other labels in the 90s, and continuing to record and perform well into the 2000s, including in Europe and in rockabilly revival events around the United States.
In 2020, Rockabilly for Life was released on Cleopatra Records, and included collaborations with Dale Watson, Rosie Flores, Albert Lee, Kathy Valentine of the Go Go’s, Linda Gail Lewis, and Steve Wariner among others, speaking to the appreciation Robert Gordon enjoyed across music. Beloved throughout roots, punk, rockabilly, and country music for keeping the original spirit of rockabilly alive, the death of Robert Gordon is being mourned across the music world.
October 20, 2022 @ 8:02 am
Just started listening to him over the past year. The Stray Cats/Brain Setzer are the more well known revivalists, but Robert Gordon really laid the foundation that brought rockabilly to a new generation. This explains why he cancelled some gigs on his recent tour, he must have been ill. I was hoping to catch him but looks like it wasn’t in the cards. Rest in peace.
October 20, 2022 @ 8:43 am
What a cool song. I’ve never heard of him before.
October 20, 2022 @ 8:09 pm
This version of “Someday Someway” is actually a cool cover version of a timeless song by Marshall Crenshaw. If you haven’t heard of Crenshaw, you’re not alone– he’s one of the best singer/songwriter/musicians to come from the ’80s who, sadly, still only has a cult following. He has made some great albums though!
October 20, 2022 @ 9:12 am
When I was in college in the early ’80s, I picked up a copy of his compilation “Too Fast To Live, Too Young to Die.” Just an absolute “all killer, no filler” album. I liked the Stray Cats just fine, but man, Robert Gordon was just a force of nature. And Chris Spedding on guitar. Just exhilarating.
I like Marshall Crenshaw a lot. Saw him college and then have seen him a couple of times more recently with The Bottle Rockets backing him. I much prefer Gordon’s version of “Someday, Some Way.” Also, his version of Crenshaw’s “Something’s Gonna Happen.” And for that matter, he does my favorite version of Springsteen’s “Fire.” That’s how good he was.
October 20, 2022 @ 9:24 am
Gordon played for awhile in the DC area, where he rubbed elbows with Tex Rubinowitz, Link Wray , The Cramps, and of course Danny Gatton. Those guys were a “rockabilly revival” scene unto themselves. Tex never got big time, though his guitarist Eddie Angel would hit it big with Los Straitjackets. Danny Gatton would become a hero in the guitar community at large, even playing Austin City Limits. Link Wray should be in the Rock Hall of Fame based on influence, use of distortion. The Cramps of course became pretty big in Europe. It’s been fascinating to see that DC scene develop over the years and Gordon was central to it all. IMO, the two albums with Link represent his best work, and certainly were raw and rocking. He played some shows here and there in the last 4 years, and put out a decent new album….and then he was gone…but he will be remembered.
October 20, 2022 @ 4:12 pm
Yes Kevin, Danny Gatton did a live album with Robert, I was a big fan of Robert, high energy and so good. I had Marshall Crenshaw play at my high school 20 years ago and had forgot that Robert did Someday, Some Way. That was along time ago. Robert played at the LoneStar Cafe and Roadhouse yeras ago, unfortunately never caught a show.
RIP Robert!
October 20, 2022 @ 5:50 pm
Huh. I was doing a masters thesis on CBGBs in 1975-76 and Tuff Darts was a band I focused on; went to their rehearsals. Good band. Was surprised when Robert Gordon went back to the roots stuff, but he was a great singer. Sorry to hear he’s gone.
October 21, 2022 @ 10:02 am
Man. I remember him as the musical guest on SCTV, probably 40 years ago.
He was a small-scale icon.
Rest In Peace.
October 21, 2022 @ 11:20 am
Rob Stoner who toured with Dylan on the Rolling Thunder Revue tour was also in his band and played bass and piano on the Robert Gordon with Link Wray and Fresh Fish Special albums.
October 21, 2022 @ 11:56 am
Rest in peace. One of the musical greats from my hometown along with Bill Emerson the late bluegrass banjo whiz and John Duffey of the Seldom Scene. Bethesda MD does it’s little part for roots music.
I’ve heard old timers around town still talk about Gordon’s stellar turn as Tony in BCC High School’s production of West Side Story.
October 21, 2022 @ 5:20 pm
Fond memories of Robert Gordon and Chris spedding at the Lone Star cafe NYC,RIP.