Untitled Document

SWINGING MEDALLIONS

Greenwood S. C

The Swingin' Medallions have been based out of the Greenwood South Carolina area, since the early 1960's. Their musical roots came from listening to the early rhythm and blues acts. The music most often associated with the band is beach music, frat rock, R&B, or shaggin' music. After a few years of touring colleges from the Carolinas to the Louisiana Bayou, John McElrath took the group to Arthur Smith's Studio in Charlotte North Carolina, to record "Double Shot (of My Baby's Love)". The song became a million seller in 1966, and has been a party classic for college students for decades. "She Drives Me Out Of My Mind" and "Hey, Hey, Baby" were top 40 hits in 1966 and 1967, but "Double Shot" remains the signature song of the Swingin' Medallions.
The members of the Swingin' Medallions have changed over the past thirty years, with John McElrath being the leader and only member to be performing today. The personnel of the band has always included around eight members with at least a four piece horn section. The high energy party style stage performance of the first Medallions has been passed down to the band that performs today. The present Medallions stage show has coined them the name "The Party Band of the South."
Many of the Medallions attended and graduated from Lander University in Greenwood, SC while performing in the south east. The University of Georgia was also the home of some of the band members.
Lewis Grizzard wrote in a 1993 article that, "Even today, when I hear the Swingin' Medallions sing "Double Shot of My Baby's Love, " it makes me want to stand outside in the hot sun with a milkshake cup full of beer in one hand and a slightly-drenched nineteen-year-old coed in the other."

When Steve Caldwell and Brent Fortson formed the Pieces of Eight in 1967, they were replaced by Hack Bartley and Johnny Cox. Grainger (Brother) Hines was added to the band in late 1967, when Michael Huey became the Drummer.

Circa 1968

The photo is of the groups' very first “Medallion Monday” in Birmingham at the Hollywood Country Club. If you were lucky enough to attend one of these shows, you know how famous they would become. Dave says, “We had a good idea that this first Medallion Monday in Birmingham would be ground-breaking but we didn't know how big, for sure!"

Members of the Medallions before 1965: (formed in Ninety Six South Carolina): Larry Roark, Bobby Crowder, Dwight Styron, Ronnie Stone, Cubby Culbertson, Jimmy Roark, Johnny Hancock, Richard Hall, Carroll Bledsoe, Fred Pugh, Perrin Gleaton, Rick Godwin, Joe Morris, John McElrath

Members of the Medallions between 1968 and 1984:: Irvin Hicks, Ron Nobles, Gerald Polk, Bobby Taylor, David Eastler, Tim Goldman, Steve Eddy, Paul Perkins, Al Pearson, Jerry Sims,Howard Smith, Ray Youngblood, Jim Giles, Gary Elrod, John English, Jayne McElrath, Vannessa Cox, , Marvin Kerber, Eddie Bailey, Chris Alexander, Jimmy Graham, Robert Sigman, Dale Williams, Hazen Bannister, Ronnie Goldman, Larry Freeland, Chip Jennison andTaylor Stokes