[5] He was a musically talented youngster, and at the age of 13, became a local celebrity in Columbus as both a pianist and singer performing at the Nelsonville Eagles Club, Lafayette High School in London, Ohio, and at the Wilberforce University.
His attire of bright ties, dice-capped shoe laces, and a zebra-skin coat, made him a flamboyant presence on stage, further enhanced by occasionally playing the piano with his bare feet, thus giving him the nickname of "Stomp".
[5] However, Gordon appeared on Ed Sullivan's Talk of the Town television show, took part in several musical film shorts, supported Billie Holiday in 1954 on an Alaskan tour, enjoyed his own fan club and was named the 17th best pianist in a poll in Downbeat magazine.
Of the thirty or so masters which Stomp and his band recorded, only eight singles were released in a four-year period; four for Decca in 1952 and 1953, two for Mercury in 1953 and 1954, and one each for Chess (1955) and Savoy (1956).
[5] On January 19, 1958, Gordon was discovered slumped over the steering wheel of his parked station wagon on Madison Avenue, New York City.