him comatose, although he did not die until four years later. Rozell died on February 28, 1995, at the age of 66; Lister died on December 27, 2001, at the age of 75 due to complications of lymphoma, and Hess succumbed to a long battle with heart disease on January 4, 2004, at the age of 76. Legacy and cultural impact The Statesmen influenced both gospel and non-gospel artists alike. Elvis Presley was a fan of the group growing up and wanted to emulate them in his career and got the chance to perform with them. Jerry Lee Lewis also had a strong admiration for the group, but most notably Lister and his piano playing. "The Killer", as Lewis was called, credited Lister and the Statesman for developing his own style in performance. Carl Perkins and Larry Gatlin also cited themselves as fans of the group, while Tammy Wynette said on numerous occasions that Tenor Denver Crumpler was her "favorite singer, ever." The group's appeal to early rock and roll fans also pre-dated the "rock around the clock" era and also had an influence on early Contemporary Christian Music. In his book They Heard Georgia Singing, former Georgia Governor and Senator Zell Miller said that Lister and his group "more than anyone else, put style and flair into gospel music. ... Hovie was first of all a minister, and he ministered with his music," said Sen. Miller. "But he used to say religion did not need to have a long face, and he made religion upbeat." Lister defended his musical style that was considered "worldly" by many churches by retorting "If it takes shaking my hair down, beating a piano like Liberace or Piano Red to keep these young people out of beer joints or the rear seats of automobiles, I'll do it. The devil's got his kind of entertainment. We've got ours." The group was elected into the Gospel Music Hall of Fame in 1998 and the Southern Gospel Music Hall of Fame the previous year in 1997. The group permanently folded and retired in 2002. Members Line-ups Grand Ole Gospel Reunion Statesmen Members Grand Ole Gospel Reunion Quartet Pianist Hovie Lister (1948–2001, owner) Boyce Hawkins (1951) (filled in for Hovie Lister) Doy Ott (1951) (filled in for Hovie Lister) Tenor Bobby Strickland (1948–1951) Earl Terry (1951) Claris Freeman (1951–1953, 1957–1958) (died March 21, 1989; aged 67) Denver Crumpler