Sources conflict on Jordan's birthplace. Some sources list his birthplace as Appomattox County, Virginia, or Bluefield, West Virginia. According to his World War I draft registration card, Jordan was born in Lynchburg, Virginia. At the time of his registration on June 5, 1917, he was living in Bluefield and worked as a delivery boy and janitor. Jordan's gravestone mentions that he served in the "7th Development Battalion" during the war. His professional career started at age 35, when he was noticed by Victor Records. He went to Charlotte, North Carolina in 1927 and made several records. The records sold moderately well, and Victor decided to take Jordan to New York in 1929 for two more sessions. He recorded few known tracks in his career. In comparison with the harsh voices of many contemporary Delta blues musicians, Jordan sang in a smooth and relaxed tenor. During the Great Depression, Jordan stayed in Lynchburg, and was often found playing by the local shoe factory. By the 1940s, Jordan had lost his voice, and had stopped singing. According to a second draft registration card filled out on April 27, 1942 for World War II, Jordan was living in Lynchburg, and was unemployed. Jordan was known in his early years to be a cocaine addict, and in later life as a heavy alcoholic who was unable to hold down steady employment.
He died in Lynchburg in June 1952. His gravestone lies at Forest Hill Burial Park, in Lynchburg, Virginia. His song "Church Bells Blues" was later recorded by Ralph Willis. It was also recorded by David Bromberg as a medley with Blind Willie McTell's "Statesboro Blues".
* * * * *
By Steve Leggett
One of the most intriguing of the Piedmont blues players, Luke Jordan was born January 28, 1892, in Bluefield, WV. As a teenager he relocated to Lynchburg, VA, which was to remain his home base the rest of his life. Jordan recorded 12 tracks for Victor Records at two sessions in 1927 and 1929, ten of which have survived on 78s, including his classic versions of "Church Bell Blues," "Pick Poor Robin Clean," and "Cocaine Blues." Exhibiting a clean, precise guitar style, Jordan also possessed an elegant-sounding tenor voice that conveyed a sort of wry, good-natured feel, and his material, drawn from a repertoire of ballads, gambling tunes, ragtime, and minstrel tunes, perfectly defines the Piedmont blues. He was immensely influential on the blues players in his region, and he truly deserves to be better known outside the blues community. He died on June 25, 1952.