State Leaders Name Highway for Lander Alumnus John McElrath

The 1966 hit, “Double Shot of My Baby’s Love,” catapulted Lander College student John McElrath and his band, the Swingin’ Medallions, into national fame.

Nearly six decades later, McElrath has a new honor: a portion of Highway 34 between Greenwood and Ninety Six has been named the John McElrath Memorial Highway.

In a joint resolution between the South Carolina Senate and House of Representatives – made possible through the efforts of Sen. Billy Garrett and Rep. John McCravy – McElrath and his legendary band are being immortalized for their contributions to the revolutionary era of 1960s music.

During a concert at Lander University to benefit the John G. and Jayne B. McElrath Scholarship for music students, Garrett (also a Lander alumnus) said McElrath and his band “put South Carolina on the map … they were the rock stars of South Carolina.”

With all proceeds from the concert enhancing music scholarships, Garrett said, “The Swingin’ Medallions are continuing a tradition of great music that started at Lander. We are so proud of them.”

Members of the McElrath family, including sons Shawn and Shane McElrath who are performers with the band, took part in the dedication ceremony.

A new era of Swingin’ Medallions fans, including elementary school-age children and Lander students who joined some of the band’s more senior fans, filled Lander’s Finis Horne Arena floor to show off their smooth moves – never missing a beat of the music that generations of Swingin’ Medallions’ fans continue to love.