Neal Matthews Jr.; Singer Backed Elvis Presley as Jordanaires’ Member

Neal Matthews Jr., 70, a backup singer to Elvis Presley and other stars as part of the Jordanaires quartet. A Nashville, Tenn., native, Matthews joined the singing group as a second tenor in 1953, three years before the group began performing with Presley. Their gospel-influenced background harmony was an integral part of several Presley recordings, including his top-selling single “Hound Dog” with “Don’t Be Cruel” on the flip side. Often called “the sound behind the King,” the Jordanaires worked with Presley until about 1970, and appeared in many of his motion pictures including “Loving You,” “King Creole” and “G.I. Blues.” After Presley’s death in 1977, they recorded two albums in his memory, “The Jordanaires Sing Elvis’ Favorite Spirituals” and “The Jordanaires Sing Elvis’ Gospel Favorites.” In 1985, Matthews wrote a book titled “Elvis: A Golden Tribute.” The Jordanaires also recorded with Ricky Nelson, whom Matthews taught to play the guitar; Marie Osmond; Jimmy Dean; Merle Haggard and Tom Jones and performed in live concerts behind Marty Robbins, Kitty Wells and Tennessee Ernie Ford, among others. On Friday in Brentwood, Tenn., of an apparent heart attack.