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Jake
Hess--An American Treasure by Daniel Hines Although we had recently done a review on the 50-plus year professional career of Jake Hess and fell in love with his album, 'All of Me', we had never had the opportunity to talk with him. So when we had our interview, we wondered how--and if--a 75-year-old singer who has performed with the Statesmen and is now a regular on the Gaither Homecoming Series, could really be as nice as he seemed. Let us assure you, his warmth is real even if his hairpiece is not. And, of course, his spectacular voice still has not failed him. The reasons for this are many: First, he loves singing. He's been doing since he was six, and started singing professionally when he was 16, dropping out of school (he later got his high school diploma by correspondence study) to join a quartet. "We traveled," he recalls, "and I sang tenor one night and baritone the next."
I asked if really could sing baritone, since we are only familiar with that resonant, unique and highly recognizable tenor. "I didn't say how well I sang baritone," he laughs. "I just said I sang it." And therein lies the second reason for Jake's
tremendous outlook on life. He has a sense of humor. He laughs
at stories about his age. He makes fun of For example, even at 75-years-old, Jake not only withstands the grueling work of the Gaither Homecoming Series, he thrives on it and other projects including new albums (he has one coming out with a new project with The Talleys early in 2003), and he has written a book, 'All of Me.' That's yet another reason for his continued
popularity and his energy. He approaches everything with
enthusiasm. He doesn't just sing...he performs. He cracks jokes with Bill Gaither and, in St. Louis, he joined Jessy Dixon in a tent-revival rendition of a song that left the audience breathless. And, when he sat next to Vestal Goodman during the group wrapup, you knew you were watching Gospel Music history in the flesh with those two legends side-by-side. It all adds up to a great life. "I know that I'm living the best times of my life," he reflects. "There are things that I wish I could have done better and there are things that I wish I had done differently, but these are the 'good old days.'" Two things that Jake wouldn't change are his life with his late wife, who died only two years ago. Such a loss, coupled with the types of physical ailments that Jake has faced, might have defeated a lesser man. But Jake is a man of faith, not just talent. "When people ask me if I miss my lovely wife, who was the sweetest woman in the world, I tell them 'of course, I do...but I know that Heaven's a sweeter place with her there." And with that statement, one comes full
circle to understand the secret to Jake Hess...he is a man who believes
strongly in God, Jesus and certainty that what he (Jake) is doing--singing
songs of praise to God and Jesus--is what the Lord wants him to
do. God takes unlikely persons and showers His blessings of talent upon them. In Jake's case, he has taken the 12th son of an Alabama sharecropper (both of whom came to Jesus during an 'extended meeting' in Alabama when Jake was 14 years old) and blessed him with a voice and personality that causes millions of people to love him. When we talked with him at the Gaither Homecoming Series in St. Louis, we noted his sincerity and his unllined face, marked by a broad, comfortable smile that welcomes people and puts them at ease. And, while we don't want to have him leave us for many, many years, we know that when he does, and when he rejoins his wife, she will be able to say to him as he sings with a new choir, 'heaven is a sweeter place with you here." |
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his thick curly toupee. (To
see how Jake used to look here's a picture of the Statesmen. Jake is
second from left). And, he loves life.