Neal Matthews, Jr.

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Neal Matthews, Jr. (October 26, 1929 – April 21, 2000) was an American singer.

Born in Nashville, Tennessee, he served with the United States Army during the Korean War where he was awarded the Bronze Star Medal. Following his discharge from the military in 1953, he became a member of the Nashville based singing group, The Jordanaires. Matthews developed the numbering system for chords in music that was instrumental in creating what became known as the "Nashville Sound."

As a member of The Jordanaires, Neal Matthews was part of one what became one of country music's premier backup vocal groups, working with artists such as Patsy Cline, Red Foley, Johnny Horton, Ferlin Husky, Jim Reeves, and George Jones. They also served as backup vocalists for pop music artists such as Steve Lawrence & Eydie Gorme, Connie Francis and Julie Andrews. However, they are probably best known as the backup vocalists for Elvis Presley with whom they worked for fifteen years.

As well, Matthews and the group toured extensively around the world. In addition, they recorded a number of their own music albums, winning a Grammy Award in the category of Best Southern, Country, or Bluegrass Album.

Neal Matthews, Jr. died of a heart attack at the age of seventy and was interred in the Woodlawn Memorial Park Cemetery in Nashville. He was survived by his wife (Charlsie Stewart Matthews), two children (Lisa Matthews Doster and Gregory Stewart Matthews), and two grandchildren (Matthew Thomas Doster and William Cole Doster).

As part of The Jordanaires, in 2001 he was inducted posthumously into the Country Music Hall of Fame.