The Swingin' Medallions

A horn-driven band with a party-oriented “beach-style” rock sound, the Swingin' Medallions are best known for their 1966 hit single "Double Shot (Of My Baby's Love)," which charted at number 17 and became a frat-rock staple. It also made the group an institution in the South. Founded in 1962 by John McElrath, The Swingin' Medallions' personnel has changed quite a bit over the band's history, spanning over 60 years and continuing into the 21st century with McElrath's sons leading the group. Hailing from Greenwood, South Carolina, the band emerged in 1962 as the Medallions before adopting the Swingin' Medallions' moniker in 1965. Comprised of John McElrath (keyboards), Jim Doares (guitar), Carroll Bledsoe (trumpet), Charles Webber (trumpet), Brent Forston (sax, flute), Steven Caldwell (sax), James Perkins (bass), and Joe Morris (drums), the band issued their first single, 1965's "I Wanna Be Your Guy," on Smash Records. "Double Shot (Of My Baby's Love)" appeared the following year and helped propel the album of the same name to number 88 on the Billboard 200. "Doubleshot"'s successors didn't pack the same wallop. The follow-up, "She Drives Me Out of My Mind," stopped climbing at number 71 in 1966, and "Hey Baby" failed to chart at all. Still, the Swingin' Medallions persevered, enjoying immense popularity in the South that helped to propel them through myriad lineup changes over the decades. A series of reunion concerts in the 2000s included a show with Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band, which saw the two bands team up for a rendition of "Double Shot." After John McElrath's death in 2018, the Swingin' Medallions moved forward with a lineup that included his sons Shawn and Shane, and the occasional guest appearance from original drummer Joe Morris.
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