Jake Hess

Jake Hess (1927–2004) was an American Southern gospel singer born in Limestone County, Alabama. He began his professional career at age 16 with the John Daniel Quartet. Hess served as the lead singer for the Statesmen Quartet from 1948 to 1963, a tenure that helped define the sound of gospel quartet music. In 1963, he founded the gospel group The Imperials, which became a significant ensemble in the genre.

Later in his career, Hess became a member of the gospel supergroup Masters V, formed in 1980. He was also a frequent performer on the Gaither Homecoming concert series and videos. Hess was inducted into the Gospel Music Hall of Fame in 1987 and was a founding father of the National Quartet Convention, as well as a director of the Gospel Music Association. He authored his autobiography, Nothin' But Fine, in 1996.

Over the course of his career, Hess won four Grammy Awards. In 1995, he was inducted into the Alabama Music Hall of Fame and received the John Herbert Orr Pioneer Award. His recorded catalog includes albums such as Beautiful Isle of Somewhere, Ain't That Beautiful Singing, Everything Is Beautiful, and Masters V.