Come catch “The Party Band of the South” at the TED.
Tradition is defined as “The handing down of a belief,
legend, or custom from generation to generation”. The
Swingin’ Medallions, a Southern tradition since 1962, are a
living definition of the word.
How does a band endure the generations? The group’s
signature high-energy style delights audiences of all ages.
Their act, as well as their music, is indeed timeless. The
band was founded in 1962 by John McElrath and now includes
his sons, Shawn and Shane. Featuring an ever-popular horn
section, the group effectively blends the sounds and music
of yesterday and today. The band has performed throughout
the nation in thousands of venues. Their diverse repertoire
has made them overwhelming favorites with college audiences
as well as the more mature rock and rollers.
The band was made famous by its 1.5 million selling hit
album, “Double Shot of My Baby’s Love”, in 1966. It remains
the signature song of the band. The song, in fact, continues
to demonstrate its timeless quality on radio, television and
in motion pictures. “Double Shot” was followed with another
hit, “She Drives Me Out of My Mind”, in 1967. In 1969, they
released yet another hit, “Hey, Hey Baby”, the song featured
at their 2004 Gator Bowl Half-Time Show performance. The
band released countless other singles through Capitol and
Smash Records.
In September 2009, Bruce Springsteen and the E Street
Band invited the Medallions on stage at the Bi-Lo Center in
Greenville SC to join in for a rendition of “Double Shot”.
This was definitely an historic moment and one of the
highlights of the show. This was quite an honor for the
Medallions!! Bruce has even labeled “Double Shot” as “The
greatest fraternity rock song of all time”.
In early 2008, they were invited by the United States
Ambassador to Canada to perform in Ottawa, Canada for a July
4th Celebration. In 2007, they were chosen to headline the
Inaugural Party for the Governor of South Carolina, Mark
Sanford. Also in 2007, they performed for the Governor of
Georgia, Sonny Perdue’s Inaugural Ball. In 2003, they joined
forces with Coors Brewing Company, Sterling Marlin and
hundreds of fans for a Cruise of the Caribbean.
The cast of the hit television series “Aly McBeal” sang
along with the original recording in a 1998 episode. Bruce
Willis sang the song in an episode of “Moonlighting”. In
1999, it was again featured in the NBC miniseries, “The
60’s”. It was heard on the big screen in the movie,
“Sorority Boys” and most recently the lead character in the
2017 movie, “The Big Sick”, wore a Swingin’ Medallion T-
Shirt in many scenes!
Lewis Grizzard (Southern humorist and writer) labeled
the Medallions as “THE PARTY BAND OF THE SOUTH”, a moniker
that has become forever synonymous with the Medallion name.
Grizzard wrote in a nationally syndicated column, “Even
today, when I hear “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 coed in the
other”.
Chicago Tribune nationally syndicated columnist Bob
Greene wrote an article entitled The Swingin’ Medallion View
of U.S. History. He summed up America’s love affair with
“Double Shot” with his discovery of the song being played
and sold in the gift shop of the Smithsonian Institute. When
inquiring as to why it was available in the nation’s
foremost repository of history, the clerk replied, “Because
it’s as much a part of our history as anything else we
sell”.
