One Night a Week is Plenty Enough…!

The Swingin’ Medallions (out of the Garage)

From Swingin’ Medallions’ Web Site

These guys definitely quality as an “out of the Garage” band! All that whooping’ and hollering’ puts them up high on the list.

The Swingin’ Medallions formed in 1962 in Greenwood, South Carolina – first starting off as the “Medallions”. Then a few members broke away and joined up with a North Carolina band, the “Tassles” – six Tassles in fact and so they became the “Pieces of Eight”.

From Swingin’ Medallions’ Web Site

The group would cut a single and the label erroneously listed the group as the “Swinging Medallions” (they were technically the “Swingin’ Medallions” but so what?)

The original members of the band included Brent Forston (sax), Joe Morris (drums), Charles Webber and Carroll Bledsoe (trumpets), John McElrath (organ), Jimbo Doares (guitar), Jimmy Perkins (bass) and Perrin Gleason (lead guitar). Many others would pass through the ranks in later years – in fact a staggering number of musicians were Medallions.

From Swingin’ Medallions’ Web Site

Their first single bombed but their second – a redo of a song by Dick Holler and the Holidays, took off. “Double Shot (Of My Baby’s Love)” would rise to number 17 in Billboard’s Hot 100 in 1966. Like so many groups before and after – “Swingin'” was the last time the band really swung.

They would place one more song on the Hot 100 and one Bubbling Under placement. The group would find favor with the “Beach Music” crowd and they often performed along the southeastern seaboard venues.

Follow Up to Double Shot

A later drummer, Michael Huey, went on to play behind the Winstons, Johnny Nash, Joe South, Frankie Miller and others.

At one point in their careers, the Swingin’ Medallions were hired by Frank Sinatra to play for his daughter Tina on her 16th birthday in Los Angeles. When the band realized that one of their amp’s was not functioning they were very surprised when just a short time later two brand new amps arrives – compliments of ‘Rat Pack’ members, Sinatra, Bishop, and Martin who picked up the bill.

Click on Image to Visit Swingin’ Medallions’ Web Site

John McElrath, who gave us the lilting/soaring organ melody of “Double Shot” lost a battle with Parkinson’s on June 8th, 2018 at the age of 77. McElrath was the anchor for the Medallions for over 50 years and two of his son’s came into the lineup with him in modern times – Shawn and Shane McElrath. McElrath would join fellow band mate Dibble Cooper in a band called “Swamp Fox”.

For a few years in the early 1970’s future actor Grainger Hines joined the band. Hines would appear in many popular TV programs and motion pictures including “Cold Case”, “Ghost Whisperer”, “Matlock”, “The Alamo” and many more,

Grainger Hines

Swingin’ Medallions’ Discography

45 – 4 Sale – Here It Comes Again b/w Double Shot – 1965

45 – Dot – Bye, Bye, Silly Girl b/w I Want To Be Your Guy – March, 1965

45 – Smash – Double Shot (Of My Baby’s Love) – Number 12 Hot 100 b/w Here It Comes Again- March, 1966

45 – Smash – She Drives Me Out Of My Mind – Number 71 Hot 100 b/w You Gotta Have Faith – August, 1966

45 – Smash – I Found a Rainbow – Number 107 Bubbling Under b/w Don’t Cry No More – April, 1967

45 – Smash – Turn On the Music b/w Summer’s Not The Same This Year – July, 1967

45 – Smash – Where Can I Go To Get Soul b/w Bow and Arrow – November, 1967

45 – Capitol – Hey, Hey, Baby b/w Sun, Sand and Sea – November, 1968

45 – 123 – We’re Gonna Hate Ourselves In the Morning b/w It’s Alright (You’re Just In Love) – January, 1970

45 – 123 – Rollin’ Rovin’ River b/w Don’t Let Your Feet Touch The Ground – December, 1970

LP – Smash – Double Shot (Of My Baby’s Love) – July, 1966

45 – Netherlands – 1966

45 – Germany – 1970

45 – Japan – 1969