SOCIAL DISTORTION

Social Distortion
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
This article is about the band. For the band's eponymous album, see Social Distortion (album).
Social Distortion

Social Distortion in Germany in 2005. Left to right: Jonny Wickersham, Brent Harding, Charlie Quintana, and Mike Ness.
Background information
Also known as Social D, SxDx
Origin Fullerton, California, United States
Genres Punk rock
Cowpunk[1][2]
Hardcore punk
Years active 1978–present
Labels 13th Floor, Posh Boy, Restless, Epic, Time Bomb, Epitaph
Associated acts The Adolescents, Agent Orange, D.I., D.O.A., Danzig, Rancid, The Lewd, Angels & Airwaves, The Offspring, China White[3], Shattered Faith[4]
Website Official Website
Members
Mike Ness
Jonny "2 Bags" Wickersham
Brent Harding
David Hidalgo, Jr.
Former members
Dennis Danell
Rikk Agnew
Eddie Livingston
Frank Agnew
Tim Maag
Brent Liles
John Maurer
Matt Freeman
Casey Royer
Bob Stubbs
Chris Reece
Randy Carr
Chuck Biscuits
Derek O'Brien
Charlie Quintana
Adam "Atom" Willard
Scott Reeder

Social Distortion (sometimes referred to simply as Social D or SxDx) is an American punk rock band formed in 1978 in Fullerton, California.[5] The band currently consists of Mike Ness (vocals, guitars), Jonny Wickersham (guitars), Brent Harding (bass) and David Hidalgo, Jr. (drums).

Social Distortion temporarily disbanded in 1985, due to frontman Ness' drug addiction and troubles with the law, which resulted in extended stints in various rehabilitation centers, that lasted for two years. However, the band reformed around 1986 and have continued being active today, even after the death of longtime guitarist Dennis Danell, who succumbed to a brain aneurysm in 2000. Since its inception the band lineup has been a virtual revolving-door of talent, with many members coming and going – Ness has been the only constant member.

To date, Social Distortion has released six full-length studio albums, two compilations, one live album and two DVDs. The band released its debut album Mommy's Little Monster in 1983, which was quite popular in the United States. Social Distortion did not release a second album, Prison Bound, until 1988. That album attracted the attention of Epic Records, who signed the band in 1989 and issued their highly successful self-titled third album a year later, which peaked at number 128 on the Billboard 200, and featured their well-known hit singles "Ball and Chain", "Story of My Life" and the cover of Johnny Cash's "Ring of Fire." The next two albums, Somewhere Between Heaven and Hell and White Light, White Heat, White Trash were also well-received but not as successful as the self-titled album. Social Distortion released their most recent studio album, Sex, Love and Rock 'n' Roll, on September 28, 2004. The band also released their first Greatest Hits compilation on June 26, 2007. As of July 2010, Social Distortion has completed a seventh studio album, Hard Times and Nursery Rhymes, which should be released this November.[6]
Contents
[hide]

1 History
1.1 Early years (1978–82)
1.2 Mommy's Little Monster and first hiatus (1983–85)
1.3 First comeback and Prison Bound (1986–88)
1.4 Major label years and mainstream success (1989–96)
1.5 Second hiatus, aftermath of Danell's death and Sex, Love and Rock 'n' Roll (1997–2004)
1.6 Subsequent activities and departure of Quintana (2005–09)
1.7 Next album (2009–present)
2 Logo
3 Musical style, influences, and impact
4 Members
4.1 Current Line-Up
5 Discography
6 References
7 External links

[edit] History
[edit] Early years (1978–82)

Social Distortion was formed in late 1978 by frontman Mike Ness, inspired by British punk bands and also by older acts such as The Rolling Stones. The original lineup consisted of Ness on lead guitar, Rikk and Frank Agnew on guitars, and Casey Royer on drums.[5] Ness met Dennis Danell, who was a year older, in high school and insisted he join the band on bass guitar even though Danell had never played an instrument before. When Danell was brought in, Frank, Rikk and Casey left to form their own band.[5] Mike and Dennis remained the only constant members for the next two decades, with bass and drums changing hands every few years.

Its first single, Mainliner/Playpen, was released in 1981 on Posh Boy, the label responsible for releasing the first singles and albums of many of the local O.C. punk bands.[5] A disc jockey by the name of Rodney Bingenheimer of KROQ-FM was responsible for much of the radio play in Orange County, California, that punk received in the early 80's, and took a liking to Social Distortion, releasing the single "1945" on his 1981 compilation album, Rodney on the ROQ, Blood On The ROQ in 1983, and The Best Of Rodney On The ROQ in 1989.

In 1982, the band—now consisting of Ness, Danell (who now played rhythm guitar), Brent Liles on bass, and Derek O'Brien on drums—embarked on their first national tour with fellow punk band Youth Brigade, a trip chronicled in the punk rockumentary Another State of Mind, which was not released until 1984.
[edit] Mommy's Little Monster and first hiatus (1983–85)

Upon its return from the Another State of Mind tour in 1982, they recorded their debut album, Mommy's Little Monster. The album was released in early 1983 on their own label, 13th Floor Records. Mommy's Little Monster includes the title track as well as the song for which the previous tour was named, "Another State of Mind". This was the album that "gained the band a national name in punk circles".[5]

In 1984 the band was featured in the seminal punk rockumentary, Another State of Mind, which was written, produced and directed by Peter Stuart and Adam Small (co-creator of "Mad TV").

Ness mentions in his DVD commentary that he really had nowhere to stay when he got back to California after the tour ended, so he would crash on the couch of whoever would have him. He details how he plunged headfirst into serious drug addiction and ended up being strung out on heroin for weeks at a time. In 1983, Liles and O'Brien left the band in the middle of a show on New Year's Eve, and were replaced soon thereafter by John Maurer, who knew Ness from school in Fullerton, CA, and Christopher Reece on drums.[5] Ness's drug habit continued throughout 1984 and 1985 as the band continued to gain success with Another State of Mind appearing as one of the punk rarities on MTV, and touring in California and Arizona. As a result of Ness's escalating drug habit and troubles with the law, Social Distortion briefly went on hiatus in 1985. During this time, Ness was in and out of rehabilitation centers as well as serving short stints in various jails.
[edit] First comeback and Prison Bound (1986–88)

The band reformed in or around 1986, once Ness finished his drug rehabilitation program. It released its second album, Prison Bound, two years later in 1988—over five years after their debut. The album included then-newcomers John Maurer on bass and Christopher Reece on drums. Although Prison Bound never charted on Billboard, the title track found airplay on the Los Angeles radio station, KROQ-FM.

A notable style change takes place in Prison Bound. While Mommy's Little Monster falls under the general category of punk rock or hardcore punk, Prison Bound takes on a definite country/western flavor and marks the start of the band's entrance into a style called "cowpunk." Country legend Johnny Cash and The Rolling Stones' honky tonk style became more prominent influences on Social Distortion's music at this time. There are references to Cash and the Stones in the songs "Prison Bound" and "On My Nerves," and they also cover a Stones song titled "Backstreet Girl," which has a major key sound that foreshadows the more focused cowpunk sound of the later albums.

Five years had passed since releasing its debut. The success was just beginning and, in fact, taking time between albums became a pattern for Social Distortion. Ness acknowledges in a 2003 interview that it is a little backward, marketing-wise, to play songs for the fans for a few years before recording them—but it has always worked well for them. "We know which songs are going to be fan favorites on the record before we even record them."[7]
[edit] Major label years and mainstream success (1989–96)

After the release of Prison Bound, Social Distortion left Restless Records and signed with Epic. The band then returned to the studio around the summer/fall of 1989, with producer Dave Jerden, to begin recording their self-titled third album, Social Distortion, which was released in 1990. It was Social Distortion's first album that was not financed by the band.[5] The album includes the singles "Ball and Chain" and 'Story of My Life" as well as a cover of Johnny Cash's "Ring of Fire". The self-titled album fared better than both Mommy's Little Monster and Prison Bound, and is often credited as Social Distortion's best known work, with sales continuing twenty years after its release. It is also sometimes cited as among the best rock albums of 1990—the album is said to "split the difference between rockabilly and Ramones-style punk."[8]

The fourth album, Somewhere Between Heaven and Hell, was released in 1992. The album included two hit singles—"Bad Luck", and "When She Begins". Somewhere Between Heaven and Hell surpassed all their previous albums in popularity, and received some general radio play with the single, "Bad Luck".[9] The album has a similar sound to the previous, eponymous, album, said to be a blend of "punk, blues, country and rockabilly".[9] After the release of this album, drummer Christopher Reece left Social Distortion in 1994 and was replaced by Randy Carr. Carr toured with the band and played drums on live performances until he left in 1995.

The band took another hiatus after the release of Somewhere Between Heaven and Hell, and did not return to the studio until 1995.[5] During the break Social Distortion released a compilation album, Mainliner: Wreckage From the Past (1995), featuring pre-Mommy's Little Monster cuts. It contains two versions of "1945" and "Playpen" from their two indie labels, 13th Floor, and Posh Boy, and also a cover of The Rolling Stones' "Under My Thumb".

In June 1994, the band began demoing songs for the fifth album,[10] then returned to the studio in 1995 to record White Light, White Heat, White Trash, which was released in 1996.[5] The album is said to have taken on a harder sound than those preceding it,[11] and to not focus as much on their previous blues and rockabilly sound.[12] The single "I Was Wrong" received wide radio play and is said to resemble "the classic sound more than any other track on the album".[11] The album also features the singles "When the Angels Sing," which is said to be a tribute to Ness's grandmother, who was an avid supporter of the band,[11] and "Don't Drag Me Down". The album also included a re-recorded version of "Under My Thumb", a cover of The Rolling Stones, as a hidden track. Former Danzig drummer Chuck Biscuits joined the band between the recording and release of the album, and is credited in the liner notes although this album actually features session drummer Deen Castronovo.[12] White Light, White Heat, White Trash was the final Social Distortion album recorded with Dennis Danell before his death.
[edit] Second hiatus, aftermath of Danell's death and Sex, Love and Rock 'n' Roll (1997–2004)

In 1997, Social Distortion left Epic and returned to Time Bomb Recordings for the first time in eight years. It released its first (and only) live album, Live at the Roxy in 1998. Social Distortion went on hiatus again as Ness went solo, releasing two albums, Cheating at Solitaire and Under the Influences, featuring song covers, in 1999.

Dennis Danell died on February 29, 2000 in his Newport Beach home after apparently suffering a brain aneurysm, leaving Ness as the only remaining original member of the band. There have been some rumors claiming that the band broke up again, following his death. He was replaced by former U.S. Bombs and L.A.'s Youth Brigade guitarist Jonny Wickersham, who had previously been Danell's guitar technician. Biscuits also left during that time, and was replaced by Charlie Quintana. After Danell's death, the band continued touring semi-frequently, playing sold-out shows in the Los Angeles area around the New Year for three straight years.

Social Distortion started work on the follow-up to White Light, White Heat, White Trash in 2000, which was originally to be released in the fall of that year,[13] but it was not completed. Since 2001, due to the band's ongoing tour schedule, the album's release was put on hold several times. In the fall of 2003, after completing demos, Social Distortion returned to the studio with producer Cameron Webb to complete the album.[13] Sex, Love and Rock 'n' Roll, released on September 28, 2004, would be the band's first release with Wickersham and Quintana. Just a month before the release of the album, longtime bassist John Maurer left the band to stay with his family, and was replaced by Rancid's Matt Freeman. He stayed until late 2004, and was replaced by current bassist Brent Harding.
[edit] Subsequent activities and departure of Quintana (2005–09)

Social Distortion continued touring on and off between 2005 and 2007. The band were scheduled to headline the Soundwave Festival in Australia in February–March 2008, along with Incubus and The Offspring, but the festival was cancelled, just as it was the previous year.[14] During this time, the band played with various other bands, including Versus the World, Tsar, Shooter Jennings, I Hate Kate, The Black Halos, Flogging Molly, Nine Black Alps, The Supersuckers, Blackpool Lights, The Lost City Angels, The Street Dogs, The Backyard Babies, The Hangmen, The Eyeliners, Cooper, Mest, Bullets and Octane, and The Dead 60's.

In February 2006, Ness was injured and broke his wrist in a skateboarding accident. He had his good friend, TSOL guitarist Ron Emory fill his place on guitar for the tour while he continued to sing for the band with his arm in a cast and sling. As of July 2006, Emory was no longer filling for Ness. The Hangmen's Bryan Small also filled for Ness.

Original member Brent Liles, who played bass on Mommy's Little Monster, died on January 18, 2007 after being hit by a semi truck while riding a dirt bike in Placentia, California.[15]

Social Distortion released its first Greatest Hits compilation on June 26, 2007. It includes hit singles from Mommy's Little Monster to Sex, Love and Rock 'n' Roll, yet lacks any song from Mainliner. Along with a new studio recording of the song, "Far Behind", new studio recordings of 6 of their classic songs are included as well. Rerecording these songs allowed the band to own rights to them again, instead of Epic (their former label) owning them. Through iTunes in the U.S., as a download only, the Greatest Hits also includes a new Social Distortion cover version of the Chuck Berry classic "Maybellene". Ness stated in an interview that this Greatest Hits "technically means what was good with radio."[16] Ness also stated in the same interview that "we may follow this up with something that is more essential Social D. – songs that are the band's favorites."

In April 2009 the band announced that longtime drummer Charlie Quintana was leaving the band:

After ten amazing years behind the drum kit for Social Distortion, Charlie "Chalo" Quintana has announced he’s moving on to explore other musical opportunities. Charlie had this to say about his departure, "Playing with Social D for ten years was a good time in my life. I was lucky to play on two Social D records and the second solo album, and I am proud to have been part of the band. We hit some spectacular heights which I will never forget – adios amigos!"[17][18]

Quintana's replacement was announced as Angels & Airwaves drummer Adam "Atom" Willard, formerly of Rocket from the Crypt and The Offspring.[17][18]

A European tour together with The Gaslight Anthem followed in June 2009 as part of the band's 30th anniversary of underground Rock'n'Roll.
[edit] Next album (2009–present)

In April 2008, Ness told Spinner that Social Distortion was planning an acoustic album to be released in 2009, stating "I think it could be really, really neat. It's almost like a Bob Dylan/Bruce Springsteen/Johnny Cash kind of feel with a punk edge ... but acoustic. Sometimes [the songs] are more powerful stripped down than with full volume." Ness also revealed plans for his next solo album, but he was not sure if it was going to be released before or after the follow-up to Sex, Love and Rock 'n' Roll or the acoustic album.[19]

In July 2009, Ness revealed to Russian's Tarakany! Bad TV that Social Distortion was planning to enter the studio in December 2009 or the beginning of 2010 to begin recording a follow-up to Sex, Love and Rock 'n' Roll.[20] In September that year, he confirmed that the album would be recorded in January 2010 at Studio 606, a studio owned by the Foo Fighters.[21][22] Asked when the album was expected to be released, Ness stated that it would "probably be out" in the spring or summer of 2010.[23]

In October 2009, guitarist Jonny "2 Bags" Wickersham told Boston Examiner that Social Distortion was expected to enter the studio on February 1 for a late spring release. Asked what musical direction the band would be taking on the album, he said that it will be "very rock and roll," and include a country song in the vein of the band's 1992 album Somewhere Between Heaven and Hell. Wickersham explained, "It's not like we're going to start putting out a record like we've been listening to The Dead or something. We've got a handful of songs right now that are finished, and bunch that we're still working on."[24]

On December 29, 2009, Social Distortion announced on its official website that it will embark on its first South American tour in April. Ness commented, "The band and I are really looking forward to our tour of South America. From the overwhelming amount of emails we receive from our fans in South America, it's crazy to think that it's taken this long for us to come down and tour. We couldn't be more thrilled to announce that we're finally making it happen and we look forward to meeting our loyal fans in Brazil and Argentina for the first time. We hope to come home with a few new fans as well".[25]

On February 7, 2010, Social Distortion announced on its Twitter account that it would start recording a new album on February 8.[26]

In a February 2010 interview with Spinner, Ness revealed that the band had just tracked 12 songs, and was "going to probably track another five". He says the self-produced, still-untitled album, which he hopes to release before the end of the year, will feature the classic Social Distortion sound – a combination of punk, rockabilly and country, presumably. He explained, "It's funny – the record reminds me very much of Somewhere Between Heaven and Hell, but also I'm bringing elements of early New York '70s punk, influences that maybe haven't come out as prominently in my writing in the past. It's a little more Johnny Thunders. Some of the early first wave of punk was very blues-based rock 'n' roll, but it had this urban snottiness to it." Ness also explained what happened to the acoustic album, which was announced back in 2008, "The acoustic thing is just a future project, which I think will be significant and equally important. But as far as the priority goes, it's more important now to get a studio record out that is a regular record".[27] While recording the album, Social Distortion announced in March 2010 that Adam Willard "...will no longer be able to continue on drums...", "...due to many foreseeable scheduling conflicts with his band Angels And Airwaves...".[28] Fu Manchu drummer Scott Reeder filled in for Willard for the South American tour.[29]

On April 1, 2010, it was reported on the official Social Distortion website that the band is taking a break from the studio to rehearse for their South American tour.[30]

Social Distortion will be one of the headliners at Lollapalooza 2010.[31] Prior to this, they will embark on an East Coast tour that July and August.[32]

On May 11, 2010, Epitaph Records officially announced that they have signed Social Distortion.[33] The label will release the band's new album in the fall of 2010.

On May 20, 2010, Social Distortion updated their Twitter with this post saying, "the album is tracked... finishing up writing and getting ready to head back into the studio to record vocals." The album is said to be a return to their punk rock roots and will focus on the New York punk of the 70's and early 80's. [34]

Social Distortion has announced a full US tour in the fall of 2010 in support of their new album. The tour will be supported by Frank Turner and Lucero.

As of July 2010, Scott Reeder is no longer in Social Distortion and is now being replaced by David Hidalgo, Jr., formerly of Suicidal Tendencies.[35]

At a show in Poughkeepsie, New York on July 27, 2010, frontman Mike Ness revealed that the new Social Distortion album will be called Hard Times and Nursery Rhymes and also promised a November release date.[6]
[edit] Logo
Social Distortion playing live with the skeleton logo in the background

The band has consistently used a skeleton logo during their career. It has been used by the band as a mascot. It is frequently used during live performances as well as album covers.

The hanging logo, which has also been the trademark of Social D; a skeleton with a cigarette and martini glass is usually the background behind the drum set at live shows.[36]

The logo is also used as a moniker for the band on merchandise, tour posters and branding. It is not uncommon to see Social Distortion fans with a tattoo of the logo.
[edit] Musical style, influences, and impact

Social Distortion's musical style began as decidedly punk rock or hardcore punk when the band formed in the late 1970s. They are thought to be one of the pioneering bands of the original Southern California punk rock movement out of Orange County, California, and their style closely associated with the The Dickies, The Germs, and other bands from that place and time. In the mid-80's there was a notable change in their style of music – taking more from their country music and classic rock and roll roots. Mike Ness admits in the DVD commentary from Another State of Mind that he may have even tried too hard on the Prison Bound album. They did eventually find their niche, and the majority of their albums from the mid-80's on to the early 90's are considered to be cowpunk or rockabilly – a melodic punk sound that is distinctly – and distinctively – their own.

The music was mostly initially inspired equally by Johnny Cash, Eddie Cochran, and The Rolling Stones, as well as early punk bands like the Sex Pistols, The Clash and Ramones,[37] and it has influenced various contemporary artists such as Alkaline Trio, Pearl Jam, Rise Against, Sum 41, The Offspring, Pennywise, Rancid, and Thrice. The band began playing with fellow Orange County, California bands such as The Adolescents, China White, and Shattered Faith as part of the nascent hardcore movement. The music was fast, angry and energetic.

Most of Social Distortion's songs are written and sung by Mike Ness. There is a common theme in most of his lyrics about "impulsiveness, its consequences and the hard struggle for maturity".[5] Other band members who have co-written Social Distortion songs are Dennis Danell ("The Creeps",[38] "Indulgence", "Like an Outlaw (For You)", "On My Nerves", and "I Want What I Want"); Brent Liles ("Mass Hysteria"); Jonny Wickersham ("Nickels and Dimes", "Faithless", and "Angel's Wings"); and John Maurer ("Let It Be Me").
[edit] Members

For past members, see List of Social Distortion band members.

[edit] Current Line-Up

Mike Ness – vocals, guitar
Jonny "2 Bags" Wickersham – guitar
Brent Harding – bass
David Hidalgo, Jr. – drums

[edit] Discography
Main article: Social Distortion discography

Mommy's Little Monster (1983)
Prison Bound (1988)
Social Distortion (1990)
Somewhere Between Heaven and Hell (1992)
White Light, White Heat, White Trash (1996)
Sex, Love and Rock 'n' Roll (2004)
Hard Times and Nursery Rhymes[6] (2010)

[edit] References

^ http://riotimesonline.com/news/rio-entertainment/social-distortions-rio-debut/
^ http://www.pittsburghcitypaper.ws/gyrobase/Content?oid=oid%3A69440
^ Social Distortion at Punknews
^ Social Distortion at Punknews
^ a b c d e f g h i j "A Brief History of Social Distortion". SocialDistortion.com. Retrieved on February 20, 2007.
^ a b c Social Distortion name new album. Accessed July 30, 2010.
^ Steininger, Alex. "Mike Ness on politics, new album, and touring, " In Music We Trust. Issue 63, November–December 2003. Accessed June 19, 2006.
^ "Social Distortion (import bonus tracks) – Album reviews". ArtistDirect.com. Retrieved on February 24, 2007.
^ a b "Social Distortion Bio" ArtistDirect.com. Retrieved on February 24, 2007.
^ "Lost Tracks II: The June 1994 Demos" RateYourMusic.com. Retrieved on February 24, 2007.
^ a b c "Review: White Light, White Heat, White Trash" PunkNews.org. Retrieved on February 24, 2007.
^ a b "Social Distortion: White Light White Heat White Trash" SputnickMusic.com. Retrieved on February 24, 2007
^ a b SxDx.com News SxDx.com. Retrieved on February 26, 2007.
^ Social Distortion News
^ "Early Social Distortion bassist ID'd in wreck". OCRegister.com. January 21, 2007. Retrieved on February 24, 2007.
^ Sign On San Diego
^ a b "Thank You Charlie Quintana for Ten Great Years!". Socialdistortion.com. April 23, 2009. Retrieved April 23, 2009.
^ a b "Atom Willard joins Social Distortion, replacing departing Charlie 'Chalo' Quintana". Punknews.org. April 23, 2009. Retrieved April 23, 2009.
^ Social Distortion Unplug on New Album. Accessed April 9, 2008.
^ Social Distortion Reveal Studio Plans. Accessed July 15, 2009.
^ Social Distortion Singer Talks New Album. Accessed September 28, 2009.
^ Social Distortion to record in December or January. Accessed July 15, 2009.
^ Social Distortion still making noise. Accessed October 14, 2009.
^ Social D train rolls on, new album on horizon. Accessed October 21, 2009.
^ Social Distortion announce first ever South American tour. Accessed December 29, 2009.
^ Twitter / Social Distortion. Accessed February 8, 2010.
^ Social Distortion's New Album to Sound Like 'Dead Boys Meets Black Crowes'. Accessed February 16, 2010.
^ ATOM WILLARD PARTING WAYS WITH SOCIAL DISTORTION from 03/08/10. Accessed March 8, 2010.
^ Drummer found for South American dates. Accessed March 10, 2010.
^ Social Distortion News
^ [1]
^ Social Distortion News
^ Social Distortion signs with Epitaph Records
^ Twitter / Social Distortion
^ http://www.sxdx.com/news.html
^ "Hitler Was a Drag Queen". Unrated Magazine. June 21, 2002.
^ The Official Social Distortion Website
^ Live at the Roxy booklet

[edit] External links
Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Social Distortion

Official website

[hide]
v • d • e
Social Distortion
Mike Ness • Jonny Wickersham • Brent Harding • David Hidalgo, Jr.
Dennis Danell • Brent Liles • John Maurer • Derek O'Brien • Chris Reece • Chuck Biscuits • Charlie Quintana • Adam "Atom" Willard • Adam "Atom" Willard • Scott Reeder
Albums
Mommy's Little Monster • Prison Bound • Social Distortion • Somewhere Between Heaven and Hell • White Light, White Heat, White Trash • Sex, Love and Rock 'n' Roll • Hard Times and Nursery Rhymes
Live albums
Live at the Roxy • Live in Orange County
Compilations
Mainliner: Wreckage from the Past • Greatest Hits
Videos and DVDs
Another State of Mind • Live in Orange County
Related articles
Discography • Band members • Cat:Social Distortion • Cat:Members • Albums • Singles • Songs • Another State of Mind
Categories: 1980s music groups | 1990s music groups | 2000s music groups | 2010s music groups | Musical groups established in 1978 | Musical groups from Orange County, California | Social Distortion | Musical quartets | Hardcore punk groups from California | American punk rock groups | American hardcore punk musical groups | American alternative rock groups

JERRY LEE LEWIS

Jerry Lee Lewis
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Jerry Lee Lewis

Lewis at Credicard Hall
Background information
Also known as The Killer
Born September 29, 1935 (age 74)
Origin Ferriday, Louisiana, U.S.
Genres Rock and roll, country, rockabilly
Occupations Singer, songwriter, pianist
Instruments Vocals, piano, guitar
Years active 1954–present
Labels Sun, Mercury, Warner Bros, MCA
Website www.jerryleelewis.com

Jerry Lee Lewis (born September 29, 1935) is an American rock and roll and country music singer and pianist. An early pioneer of rock and roll music, his career faltered after Lewis married his young cousin, and he afterwards made a transition to country music.

Lewis was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1986 and his pioneering contribution to the genre has been recognized by the Rockabilly Hall of Fame. In 2008 He was inducted into the Hit Parade Hall of Fame. In 2004, Rolling Stone Magazine ranked him number 24 on their list of the 100 Greatest Artists of All Time.[1] In 2003, they listed his box set All Killer, No Filler: The Anthology number 242 on their list of "500 greatest albums of all time".[2]
Contents
[hide]

1 Biography
1.1 Scandal
1.2 Family
1.3 Later career
2 Discography
2.1 Hits and awards
3 Compositions by Jerry Lee Lewis
4 Quotation
5 Footnotes
6 References
7 External links and sources

[edit] Biography
The Jerry Lee Lewis Drive in Ferriday

Lewis was born to the poor family of Elmo and Mamie Lewis in Ferriday in Concordia Parish in eastern Louisiana, and began playing piano in his youth with his two cousins, Mickey Gilley and Jimmy Swaggart. His parents mortgaged their farm to buy him a piano. Influenced by a piano-playing older cousin Carl McVoy (who later recorded with Bill Black 's Combo), the radio, and the sounds from the black juke joint across the tracks, Haney's Big House,[3] Lewis created his style from black artists who were unable to play to white audiences, mixing rhythm and blues, boogie-woogie, gospel, and country music, as well as ideas from established "country boogie" pianists like recording artists Moon Mullican and Merrill Moore. Soon he was playing professionally.

His mother enrolled him in Southwest Bible Institute in Waxahachie, Texas, secure in the knowledge that her son would now be exclusively singing his songs to the Lord. But Lewis daringly played a boogie woogie rendition of "My God Is Real" at a church assembly that sent him packing the same night. Pearry Green, then president of the student body, related how during a talent show Lewis played some "worldly" music. The next morning, the dean of the school called both Lewis and Green into his office to expel them both. Lewis said that Green shouldn't be expelled because "he didn't know what I was going to do." Years later Green asked Lewis: "Are you still playing the devil's music?" Lewis replied "Yes, I am. But you know it's strange, the same music that they kicked me out of school for is the same kind of music they play in their churches today. The difference is, I know I am playing for the devil and they don't."

After that incident, Lewis stopped performing religious music. He played at clubs in and around Ferriday and Natchez, Mississippi, becoming part of the burgeoning new rock and roll sound and cutting his first demo recording in 1954. He made a trip to Nashville around 1955 where he played clubs and attempted to drum up interest, but was turned down by the Grand Ole Opry as he had been at the Louisiana Hayride country stage and radio show in Shreveport. Recording executives in Nashville suggested he switch to playing a guitar.

Lewis travelled to Memphis, Tennessee in November 1956, to audition for Sun Records. Label owner Sam Phillips was away on a trip to Florida, but producer and engineer Jack Clement recorded Lewis's rendition of Ray Price's "Crazy Arms" and his own composition "End of The Road". During December 1956, Lewis began recording prolifically, both as a solo artist and as a session musician for such Sun artists as Carl Perkins and Johnny Cash. His distinctive piano playing can be heard on many tracks recorded at Sun during late 1956 and early 1957, including Carl Perkins' "Matchbox", "Your True Love", "You Can Do No Wrong", and "Put Your Cat Clothes On", and Billy Lee Riley's "Flyin' Saucers Rock'n'Roll". Until this time, rockabilly had rarely featured piano, but it proved a highly influential addition and rockabilly artists on other labels soon also started working with pianists.

On December 4, 1956, Elvis Presley dropped in on Phillips to pay a social visit while Perkins was in the studio cutting new tracks with Lewis backing him on piano. Johnny Cash was also there watching Perkins. The four started an impromptu jam session, and Phillips left the tape running. These recordings, almost half of which were gospel songs, survived, and have been released on CD under the title Million Dollar Quartet. Tracks also include Elvis Presley's "Don't Be Cruel" and "Paralyzed", Chuck Berry's "Brown Eyed Handsome Man", Pat Boone's "Don't Forbid Me" and Presley doing an impersonation of Jackie Wilson (who was then with Billy Ward and the Dominoes) on "Don't Be Cruel".

Lewis's own singles (on which he was billed as "Jerry Lee Lewis and his Pumping Piano") advanced his career as a soloist during 1957, with hits such as "Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin' On" and "Great Balls of Fire", his biggest hit, bringing him to national and international fame, despite criticism for the songs' overtly sexual undertones which prompted some radio stations to boycott them. In 2005, "Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin' On" was selected for permanent preservation in the National Recording Registry at the Library of Congress.

According to several first hand sources, including Johnny Cash, Lewis himself, who was devoutly Christian, was also troubled by the sinful nature of his own material, which he firmly believed was leading himself and his audience to hell.[4] This aspect of Lewis's character was depicted in Waylon Payne's portrayal of Lewis in the 2005 film Walk the Line, based on Cash's autobiographies.

Lewis would often kick the piano bench out of the way to play standing, rake his hands up and down the keyboard for dramatic accent, sit down on the keyboard and even stand on top of the instrument. His first TV appearance, in which he demonstrated some of these moves, was on The Steve Allen Show on July 28, 1957, where he played the song "Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin On".[5][6] He is also reputed to have set a piano on fire at the end of a live performance, in protest at being billed below Chuck Berry.

His dynamic performance style can be seen in films such as High School Confidential (he sang the title song from the back of a flatbed truck), and Jamboree. He has been called "rock & roll's first great wild man" and also "rock & roll's first great eclectic."[7] Classical composer Michael Nyman has also cited Lewis's style as the progenitor of his own aesthetic.[8]
[edit] Scandal

Lewis's turbulent personal life was hidden from the public until a May 1958 British tour where Ray Berry, a news agency reporter at London's Heathrow Airport (the only journalist present), learned about Lewis's third wife, Myra Gale Brown. She was Lewis's first cousin once removed[9][10] and only 13 years old. (Brown, Lewis, and his management all insisted she was 15). Lewis was nearly 23 years old. The publicity caused an uproar and the tour was cancelled after only three concerts.

The scandal followed Lewis home to America, and as a result, he was blacklisted from radio and almost vanished from the music scene. Lewis felt betrayed by numerous people who had been his supporters. Dick Clark dropped him from his shows. Lewis even felt that Sam Phillips had sold him out when the Sun Records boss released "The Return of Jerry Lee", a bogus "interview" cut together by Jack Clement from excerpts of Lewis's songs, which made light of his marital and publicity problems. Only Alan Freed stayed true to Jerry Lee Lewis, playing his records until Freed was removed from the air because of payola allegations.

Jerry Lee Lewis was still under contract with Sun Records, and kept recording, regularly releasing singles. He had gone from $10,000 a night concerts to $250 a night spots in beer joints and small clubs. He had few friends at the time whom he felt he could trust. It was only through Kay Martin, the president of Lewis's fan club, T. L. Meade, (aka Franz Douskey) a sometime Memphis musician and friend of Sam Phillips, and Gary Skala, that Lewis went back to record at Sun Records.[when?]

By this time,[when?] Phillips had built a new state-of-the-art studio at 639 Madison Avenue in Memphis, thus abandoning the old Union Avenue studio where Phillips had recorded B. B. King, Howlin' Wolf, Elvis Presley, Carl Perkins, Lewis, Johnny Cash and others, and also opened a studio in Nashville. It was at the latter studio that Lewis recorded his only major hit during this period, a rendition of Ray Charles' "What'd I Say" in 1961. In Europe other updated versions of "Sweet Little Sixteen" (September 1962 UK) and "Good Golly Miss Molly" (March 1963) entered the Hit Parade. On popular EPs, "Hang Up My Rock and Roll Shoes", "I've Been Twistin'", "Money" and "Hello Josephine" also became turntable hits, especially in nascent discothèques. Another recording of Lewis playing an instrumental boogie arrangement of the Glenn Miller Orchestra favorite "In the Mood", was issued on the Phillips International label under the pseudonym of "The Hawk," but disc jockeys quickly figured out the distinctive piano style, and this gambit failed.

Lewis's Sun recording contract ended in 1963 and he joined Smash Records, where he made a number of rock recordings that did not further his career.

His popularity recovered somewhat in Europe, especially in the UK and Germany, during the mid-1960s. A concert album, Live at the Star Club, Hamburg (1964), recorded with The Nashville Teens, is widely considered one of the greatest live rock and roll albums ever.[11][12][13][14][15][16] Music critic Stephen Thomas Erlewine writes: "Live at the Star Club is extraordinary, the purest, hardest rock & roll ever committed to record."[15]
[edit] Family

Lewis has been married six times.[17] His first marriage, to Dorothy Barton, lasted for 20 months, from February 1952 to October 1953 although there is some question that Lewis may have married Barton earlier than 1952. In a 1978 People magazine interview Lewis stated "I was 14 when I first got married. My wife was too old for me; she was 17."[18] His second marriage to Jane Mitchum was of dubious validity because it occurred 23 days before his divorce from Barton was final. They were married for four years, from September 1953 to October 1957. They had two children. He then married Myra Gale Brown in December 1957. She was his first cousin once removed, and thirteen at the time of the marriage. This marriage caused a scandal which destroyed his career for a decade. They had two children and divorced in December 1970 after 13 years of marriage. His fourth marriage was to Jaren Elizabeth Gunn Pate, and ended when she drowned in the swimming pool at their home. They were married for 12 years, from October 1971 to August 1983,[clarification needed] and had one child. His fifth wife was Shawn Stephens. This marriage ended with her death from a drug overdose. They were married for three months, from June to August 1984. His sixth marriage was to Kerrie McCarver, with whom he had one child. This marriage lasted 20 years and ended in divorce in 2004.

Lewis has had six children (two have no information known to be published). In 1962, his son Steve Allen Lewis drowned in a swimming pool accident when he was three, and in 1973, Jerry Lee Lewis, Jr., was killed at the age of 19[18][19] when he overturned the jeep he was driving.[18] His current living children are a son, Jerry Lee Lewis III, and two daughters, Phoebe Lewis, and Lori Lewis.
[edit] Later career

In the 1960s, Lewis's attempts at a comeback as a rock and roll performer had stalled during four years with Smash Records until he began recording country ballads.

He had already recorded a country-oriented LP for the label Country Songs for City Folks. In 1968, his single "Another Place, Another Time" became a Top 10 success and led to a string of Top Ten singles including the 1968 number-one country single "To Make Love Sweeter For You" that brought Lewis renewed stardom among country music fans, much like that which ex-rockabilly Conway Twitty began to cultivate during that same time. His shift to country reflected the fact that he had grown up listening to the Grand Ole Opry. Lewis's country hits during this period include "What's Made Milwaukee Famous (Has Made a Loser Out of Me)", "She Still Comes Around (To Love What's Left of Me)", "She Even Woke Me Up to Say Goodbye", "Once More With Feeling", "There Must Be More to Love Than This", "Touching Home", "Would You Take Another Chance on Me", "Me & Bobby McGee", "Think About It, Darlin'", "Sometimes a Memory Ain't Enough", and "Tell Tale Signs". Lewis's singles and albums were issued on Mercury records instead of Smash from 1970 on. Lewis's renewed popularity encouraged Sun International Inc. to issue previously unpublished recordings dating from 1963 including "Invitation to Your Party", "One Minute Past Eternity", "I Can't Seem To Say Goodbye" and "Waiting For A Train" on singles that also did well on the country music charts in 1969/70. Lewis's successes continued throughout the decade and he eventually began to re-emphasize his rock and roll past with hits like his 1972 revival of The Big Bopper's rock classic "Chantilly Lace" and "Drinkin' Wine Spo dee-o dee" as well as looking at middle age with the 1977 "Middle Age Crazy". In 1979, he signed with Elektra Records and had his last major country hit with 1981's "Thirty-Nine and Holding." He spent a very brief period with MCA Records in 1983 but left the label due to unspecified differences.

In 1989, a major motion picture based on his early life in rock & roll, Great Balls of Fire!, brought him back into the public eye, especially when he decided to re-record all his songs for the movie soundtrack. The film was based on the book by Lewis's ex-wife, Myra Gale Lewis, and starred Dennis Quaid as Lewis, Winona Ryder as Myra, and Alec Baldwin as Jimmy Swaggart. The movie focuses on Lewis's early career and his relationship with Myra, and ends with the scandal of the late 1950s. A year later, in 1990, Lewis made minor news when a new song he co-wrote called "It Was the Whiskey Talking, Not Me" was included in the soundtrack to the hit movie Dick Tracy. The song can also be heard in a scene from the movie in which it is playing on the radio.

The very public downfall of his cousin, television evangelist Jimmy Swaggart, resulted in more adverse publicity to an already troubled family. Swaggart is also a piano player, as is another cousin, country music star Mickey Gilley. All three listened to the same music when they were growing up and frequented Haney's Big House, the Ferriday club that featured black blues acts. Lewis and Swaggart have had a complex relationship over the years.

Lewis's sister, Linda Gail Lewis has recorded with Jerry Lee, toured with his stage show for a time and more recently recorded with Van Morrison.

"The Killer", a nickname he's had since childhood, is known for his forceful voice and piano production on stage; he was described by fellow artist Roy Orbison as the best raw performer in the history of rock and roll music.[20]

In 1986, Lewis was one of the first inductees into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. That year, he returned to Sun Studio in Memphis to team up with Orbison, Cash, and Perkins along with longtime admirers like John Fogerty and Ricky Nelson to create the album Class of '55, a sort of followup to the "Million Dollar Quartet" session, though in the eyes of many critics and fans, lacking the spirit of the old days at Sun.

In 1998 he toured Europe with Chuck Berry and Little Richard. On February 12, 2005, he was given a Lifetime Achievement Award by The Recording Academy (which also grants the Grammy Awards). On September 26, 2006, a new album titled Last Man Standing was released, featuring many of rock and roll's elite as guest stars. Receiving positive reviews, the album charted in four different Billboard charts, including a two week stay at number one on the Indie charts.

A DVD entitled Last Man Standing Live, featuring concert footage with many guest artists, was released in March 2007, and the CD achieved Jerry's 10th official gold disk for selling over half-a-million copies in the US alone. Last Man Standing is Lewis's biggest selling album of all time. It features contributions from Mick Jagger, Willie Nelson, Jimmy Page, Keith Richards and Rod Stewart, among others.

On November 5, 2007, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Case Western University in Cleveland, Ohio honored Jerry Lee Lewis with six days of conferences, interviews, a DVD premier and film clips, dedicated to him entitled The Life And Music of Jerry Lee Lewis.[citation needed] He is the first living artist to be so honored. On November 10, the week culminated with a tribute concert compered by Kris Kristofferson. Lewis was present to accept the American Music Masters Award and closed his own tribute show with a rendition of "Somewhere Over the Rainbow".

On February 10, 2008, he appeared with John Fogerty and Little Richard on the 50th Grammy Awards Show, performing "Great Balls of Fire" in a medley with "Good Golly Miss Molly".

Lewis now lives on a ranch in Nesbit, Mississippi with his family.[21][22][23]

On June 4, 2008, Jerry Lee Lewis was inducted into The Louisiana Music Hall of Fame.

On July 4, 2008, Jerry Lee appeared on A Capitol Fourth and performed the finale's final act with a medley of "Roll Over Beethoven", "Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin On" and "Great Balls of Fire".

In October 2008 as part of a very successful European tour, Jerry Lee Lewis returned to the UK, almost exactly 50 years after his ill-fated first tour that saw the scandal with Myra (see above). He appeared at two London shows: a special private show at the 100 Club on October 25 and at the London Forum on October 28 with Wanda Jackson and his sister, Linda Gail Lewis.[24]

2010 will see a new CD album and DVD release as Jerry continues his career. 2009 also marks the sixtieth year since Jerry Lee's first public performance when he performed "“Drinking Wine Spo-Dee-O-Dee" at a car dealership on November 19, 1949 in Ferriday Louisiana.[citation needed]

In August 2009, in advance of his new album, a single entitled "Mean Old Man" was released for download. It was written by Kris Kristofferson. An EP featuring this song and four more was also released on amazon.com on November 11.

On October 29, 2009, Lewis opened the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame 25th Anniversary concert at Madison Square Garden in New York.
[edit] Discography
Main article: Jerry Lee Lewis discography
[edit] Hits and awards

Between 1957 and 2006, the date of his latest release "Last Man Standing", 47 singles plus 22 albums (The Session counted as 2 albums) made the Top Twenty Pop, Jukebox, Rock, Indie and/or Country charts in USA or UK. Fourteen[clarification needed] reached the number 1 position. He's had ten official gold disks, the latest being for the 2006 album 'Last Man Standing', plus unofficial ones issued by his record company Mercury for albums which sold over a quarter of a million copies. His 2006 duets CD Last Man Standing has sold over half a million worldwide, his biggest selling album ever. Jerry Lee Lewis is also among the Top 50 all-time Billboard Country artists. It is also rumored that the soundtrack album to the movie, Great Balls Of Fire, has now sold over a million copies. The original Sun cut of "Great Balls of Fire" was elected to the Grammy Hall of Fame in 1998, and Jerry's Sun recording of "Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin On" received this honor in 1999. Only recordings which are at least 25 years old and have left a lasting impression can receive this honor. Along with Johnny Cash, Carl Perkins and Roy Orbison, Jerry received a Grammy in the spoken word category for the very rare album of interviews released with some early copies of the The Class of 55 album in 1986. On February 12, 2005, Jerry received the Recording Academy's Lifetime Achievement Award the day before the Recording Academy's main Grammy Awards ceremony, which he also attended, picture below. On October 10, 2007, Jerry received the Rock'n'Roll Hall of Fame's American Music Masters Award.
[edit] Compositions by Jerry Lee Lewis

Jerry Lee Lewis has written or co-written many songs during his career:

End of the Road, 1956 - this is indeed an original song and not the same as Irving Berlin's song (that inspired it) as the lyrics and melody are totally different apart from the refrain "the way is dark and the night is long" (which Lewis turns around) and "Waiting at the end of the road".
Jerry's Boogie (a.k.a. 'Black Bottom Stomp'), 1956 - was previously recorded as Black Bottom Stomp by Jelly Roll Morton but Jerry Lee's rendition is his own and changes a lot of the old song.
Lewis Boogie, 1956
Pumpin' Piano Rock, 1957
All Night Long, 1957
High School Confidential, 1958
Live & Let Live, 1958 - sometimes credited to Jerry Lee, but this actually was recorded by Bill Monroe, Moon Mullican, Sullivan & Wiley, and Jimmie Davis before.
Memory Of You, 1958
Hello, Hello Baby, 1958
Baby, Baby, Bye Bye, 1960
Lewis Workout, 1960
Whole Lotta Twistin' Goin' On, 1962
He Took It Like A Man, 1963
Baby, Hold Me Close, 1965
My Baby Don't Love No One But Me, 1965
Rockin' Jerry Lee, 1966
What A Heck Of A Mess, 1966
Lincoln Limousine, 1966 (controversial for its unsympathetic account of the Kennedy assassination)
Alvin, 1970
Pilot Baby, 1980s
Crown Victoria Custom '51, 1995
New Orleans Boogie (Jerry Lee's Boogie), 1952
Blues Like Midnight, 1980s-2000s - a 12 bar blues often done by Jerry Lee in concert. It is sometimes entirely based around Jimmie Rodgers verses but not recorded by Rodgers in this form. On other versions, Lewis adds in original verses as well.

[edit] Quotation
“ Though it's a little hard to imagine, I wanna get a part in a Bible movie... 'bout the only thing I could do is be a slave or somethin'... that would really be a good lick ! ”

NME - June 1963[25]
“ Stone cold sober ? I don't believe in that. ”

NME - November 1978[26]
[edit] Footnotes

^ "The Immortals: The First Fifty". Rolling Stone Issue 946. Rolling Stone.
^ All Killer, No Filler! Rolling Stone Magazine online. (November 1, 2003). Accessed September 30, 2007.
^ Natchez Under The Hill Saloon - Natchez Mississippi
^ Johnny Cash, Cash: The Autobiography, 1997, p. 98.
^ Jerry Lee Lewis – Greatest Live Performances of the '50s, '60s and '70s – DVD, 2007.
^ "The Steve Allen Show" (1956-1957) (Retrieved on January 31, 2008)
^ AllMusic review: Live at the Star Club
^ Andrew Ford. "Jerry Lee Lewis Plays Mozart." Composer to Composer London: Quartet Books, 1993. pp 192-195, p 194
^ Myra Lewis-Williams Interview
^ The Straight Dope: What's wrong with cousins marrying?
^ Peter Checksfield, "Jerry Lee Lewis. The Greatest Live Show on Earth", Record Collector, #188 - April 1995, p. 79.
^ Milo Miles, Album review of Live at the Star Club, Hamburg. Rolling Stone, #899/900 - July 2002, p.112.
^ Q Magazine, #1, 2002, p.59.
^ Mojo, 3/01/04, p.52.
^ a b Stephen Thomas Erlewine, Album Review: "Live at the Star Club, Hamburg" at Allmusic.
^ Steven Stoulder, Editorial review of "Live at the Star Club, Hamburg" at Amazon.com.
^ http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0507350/bio
^ a b c Jerome, Jim. "Fame, Tragedy and Fame Again: Jerry Lee Lewis Has Been Through Great Balls of Fire, Otherwise Known as Hell", "People magazine" April 24, 1978, Vol. 9 No. 16. Retrieved on 2010-6-10.
^ Simons, Jeff. "Jerry lee is Still Burnin' Down the House","The Freelance Star" June 18, 2000. Retrieved on 2010-6-10.
^ Rob Patterson, "Jerry Lee Lewis: 'The Killer' Keeps Comin' Back", at BMI / MusicWorld, December 22, 2006.
^ Jerry Lee Lewis FAQ - Nesbit Ranch
^ Jerry Lee Lewis
^ Jerry Lee Lewis Home, Nesbit, Mississippi - Backroads of American Music
^ [1], official London Rock 'n' Roll Festival website.
^ Tobler, John (1992). NME Rock 'N' Roll Years (1st ed.). London: Reed International Books Ltd. p. 121. CN 5585.
^ Tobler, John (1992). NME Rock 'N' Roll Years (1st ed.). London: Reed International Books Ltd. p. 320. CN 5585.

[edit] References
Text document with red question mark.svg
This article includes a list of references, related reading or external links, but its sources remain unclear because it lacks inline citations. Please improve this article by introducing more precise citations where appropriate. (October 2008)

Bonomo, Joe (2009). Jerry Lee Lewis: Lost and Found. New York: Continuum Books.
Tosches, Nick (1982). Hellfire. New York: Grove Press.
Gutterman, Jimmy (1991). Rockin' My Life Away: Listening to Jerry Lee Lewis. Nashville: Rutledge Hill Press.
Gutterman, Jimmy (1993). The Jerry Lee Lewis Anthology: All Killer, No Filler. Rhino Records.
Silver, Murray (1981). Great Balls of Fire: The Uncensored Story of Jerry Lee Lewis. William Morrow/Quill/St. Martin's Press.
Whitburn, Joel (1985). The Billboard Book of Top 40 Hits.

[edit] External links and sources
Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Jerry Lee Lewis

The Official Jerry Lee Lewis Website
Allmusic - Jerry Lee Lewis
Rockin' My Life Away by Jimmy Guterman, a full online biography
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
Jerry Lee Lewis page for his hits, biography.
London Rock 'n' Roll Festival.

Categories: 1935 births | Living people | American country singers | American male singers | American rock musicians | American rock pianists | American rock singers | American pop singers | American pop pianists | American singer-songwriters | Rockabilly musicians | American composers | Sun Records artists | Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductees | Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award winners | American Pentecostals | People from Ferriday, Louisiana | People from Concordia Parish, Louisiana | Grammy Award winners | Rockabilly Hall of Fame inductees | Mercury Records artists | Charly Records artists | Smash Records artists

ROY ORBISON

Roy Orbison
Dari Wikipedia bahasa Indonesia, ensiklopedia bebas
Perubahan tertunda ditampilkan di halaman iniBelum Diperiksa

Roy Kelton Orbison (23 April 1936-6 Desember 1988) merupakan seorang penyanyi dan pencipta lagu berkebangsaan Amerika Serikat. Dia menjadi yang terkenal saat menyanyikan lagu-lagu utamanya seperti "Ooby Dooby," "Only The Lonely," "In Dreams," "Oh, Pretty Woman," "Crying," "Running Scared," dan "You Got It." Dia dilahirkan di Vernon, Texas, Amerika Serikat. Berkarier di dunia musik sejak tahun 1956 dan sampai kematiannya pada tahun 1988 akibat serangan jantung yang dideritanya.
Daftar isi
[sembunyikan]

1 Diskografi
1.1 Lagu
1.2 Album
1.3 Kolaborasi dan Kedatangan Tamu
2 Pranala luar
3 Referensi

[sunting] Diskografi
[sunting] Lagu
Tahun A-Side B-Side Label Posisi Chart
US Hot 100 US A/C US Country Australia Kanada Britania Raya Catatan
1956 Trying To Get To You Ooby Dooby Je-Wel
1956 Ooby Dooby Go Go Go Sun #56
1956 Rock House You're My Baby Sun
1957 Sweet And Easy To Love Devil Doll Sun
1957 Chicken Hearted I Like Love Sun
1958 Seems To Me Sweet And Innocent RCA
1958 Almost 18 Jolie RCA
1959 Paper Boy With The Bug Monument Re-released in 1962 with "Here Comes That Song Again" as the B-side. This re-release also failed to chart.
1959 Uptown Pretty One Monument #72
1960 Only the Lonely Here Comes That Song Again Monument #2 #2 #1
1960 Blue Angel Today's Teardrops Monument #9 #14 #11
1960 I'm Hurtin' I Can't Stop Loving You Monument #27 #27
1961 Running Scared Love Hurts Monument #1 #1 #9
1961 Crying Candy Man (see below) Monument #2 #1 #3 #25
1961 {see above} Candy Man Monument #25 #1 #3
1962 Dream Baby (How Long Must I Dream) The Actress Monument #4 #8 #2
1962 The Crowd Mama Monument #26 #25 #40
1962 Working for the Man Leah (see below) Monument #33 #1 #19 #50
1962 {see above} Leah Monument #25 #1 #19
1963 In Dreams Shahadaroba Monument #7 #3 #1 #7 #6
1963 Falling Distant Drums Monument #22 #7 #29 #9
1963 Blue Bayou Mean Woman Blues (see below) Monument #29 #1 #14 #3
1963 {see above} Mean Woman Blues Monument #5 #1 #14 #3
1963 Pretty Paper Beautiful Dreamer Monument #15 #10 #9 #6 UK release charted in 1964, with different B-side.
1964 Borne on the Wind What'd I say Monument/ London #15 UK release only.
1964 It's Over Indian Wedding Monument #9 #1 #29 #1
1964 Oh, Pretty Woman Yo Te Amo Maria Monument #1 #1 #1 #1
1965 Goodnight Only With You Monument #21 #5 #14
1965 (Say) You're My Girl Sleepy Hollow Monument #39 #17 #23
1965 Ride Away Wondering MGM #25 #1 #34
1965 Crawling Back If You Can't Say Something Nice MGM #46 #2 #19
1966 Breakin' Up Is Breakin' My Heart Wait MGM #31 #2 #22
1966 Distant Drums Let The Good Times Roll Monument #81
1966 Twinkle Toes Where Is Tomorrow MGM #39 #25 #29
1966 Lana Our Summersong Monument #15
1966 Too Soon To Know You'll Never Be Sixteen Again MGM #68 #3
1966 There Won't Be Many Coming Home Going back to Gloria MGM/ London #18 UK release only.
1966 Communication Breakdown Twinkle Toes MGM #60
1967 So Good Memories MGM #132 #32
1967 Cry Softly Lonely One Pistolero MGM #52 #29 B-side featured in The Fastest Guitar Alive.
1967 She Here Comes The Rain Baby MGM #119
1968 Born To Be Loved By You Shy Away MGM
1968 Walk On Flowers MGM #121 #39
1968 Heartache Sugar Man MGM #104 #44
1969 My Friend Southbound Jericho Parkway MGM #35
1969 Break My Mind How Do You Start Over MGM/ London UK release only.
1969 Penny Arcade Tennessee Owns My Soul MGM #133 #1 #27
1970 She Cheats On Me How Do You Start Over Again MGM
1970 So Young If I Had A Woman Like You MGM #122
1971 (Love Me Like You Did) Last Night Close Again MGM
1972 God Love You Changes MGM
1972 Remember The Good Harlem Woman MGM Also issued with "If Only For A While" as B-side.
1972 Memphis, Tennessee I Can Read Between The Lines MGM
1973 Blue Rain (Coming Down) Sooner Or Later MGM
1973 I Wanna Live You Lay So Easy On My Mind MGM
1974 Sweet Mama Blue Heartache Mercury
1975 Hung Up On You Spanish Nights Mercury
1975 It's Lonely Still Mercury
1976 Belinda No Chain At All Monument
1976 I'm A Southern Man Born To Love Me Monument
1977 Drifting Away Under Suspicion Monument
1979 Easy Way Out Tears Asylum #109
1979 Poor Baby Lay It Down Asylum
1980 That Lovin' You Feelin' Again (with Emmylou Harris) (non-Orbison B-side) Warner #55 #10 #6
1985 Wild Hearts (various b sides) ZTT/ Island
1985 Birth Of Rock and Roll Rock and Roll (Fais do do) America/ Smash
1987 In Dreams Leah Virgin #75 Both tracks are re-recorded versions of earlier hits.
1987 Crying (with k.d. lang) Falling Virgin #28 #42 #2 #13 Both tracks are re-recorded versions of earlier hits. UK chart peak is from 1992 re-release. The 1992 re-release also made #40 on the US Adult Contemporary chart.
1988 Handle With Care Margarita Wilbury/ WB #45 #21 As a member of Traveling Wilburys.
1989 You Got It The Only One Virgin #9 #1 #7 #3 #1 #3 Initial B-side was "Crying" (with k.d. lang)
1989 End of the Line Congratulations Wilbury/ WB #63 As a member of Traveling Wilburys.
1989 California Blue In Dreams Virgin #44 #51
1989 She's A Mystery To Me Dream Baby (live) Virgin #23 #27
1990 Oh Pretty Woman (live) Claudette Virgin #48 #89
1992 I Drove All Night MCA #74 #22 #7
1992 Heartbreak Radio (various) MCA #36
[sunting] Album

1961 Lonely and Blue (Monument) Re-issued, 2006 (Legacy Recordings)
1962 Crying (Monument) Re-issued, 2006 (Legacy Recordings)
1962 Roy Orbison's Greatest Hits (Monument)
1963 In Dreams (Monument) Re-issued, 2006 (Legacy Recordings)
1964 More of Roy Orbison's Greatest Hits (Monument)
1965 There Is Only One Roy Orbison (MGM)
1965 Orbisongs (Monument)
1966 The Orbison Way (MGM)
1966 The Classic Roy Orbison (MGM)
1967 Roy Orbison Sings Don Gibson (MGM)
1967 The Fastest Guitar Alive (Movie Soundtrack) (MGM)
1967 Cry Softly Lonely One (MGM)
1969 Roy Orbison's Many Moods (MGM)
1970 The Great Songs of Roy Orbison (MGM)
1970 Hank Williams the Roy Orbison Way (MGM)
1970 The Big O (UK, London)
1970 Zig Zag (Movie Soundtrack) (MGM)
1972 Roy Orbison Sings (MGM)
1972 Memphis (MGM)
1973 Milestones (MGM)
1974 I'm Still in Love with You (Mercury)
1976 Regeneration (Monument)
1978 Living Legend (Movie Soundtrack, only 1,000 copies were made)
1979 Laminar Flow (Asylum)
1980 Roadie (Movie Soundtrack) (Warner Bros)
1985 Class of '55 (Lewis, Cash and Perkins) (Polygram)
1985 Insignificance (Movie Sountrack) (Zenith)
1986 Blue Velvet (Movie Soundtrack) (Varese Sarabande)
1987 In Dreams: The Greatest Hits (New recordings, Virgin)
1987 Less Than Zero (Movie Soundtrack)(Def Jam/Columbia)
1987 Hiding Out (Movie Soundtrack) (Virgin)
1988 Traveling Wilburys Vol. 1 (Wilbury/WB)
1989 Mystery Girl (Virgin)
1989 A Black & White Night Live (Virgin)
1992 King of Hearts (Virgin)

[sunting] Kolaborasi dan Kedatangan Tamu

Find My Baby For Me - Sonny Burgess
I Was A Fool - Ken Cook
Jenny - Ken Cook
I Fell in Love - Ken Cook
Rockabilly Gal - Hayden Thompson
Greenback Dollar, Watch and Chain - Ray Harris
Cast Iron Arm - Johnny Wilson
You've Got Love - Johnny Wilson
Don't Do Me This Way - Ricky Tucker (laporan dengan Buddy Holly)
Patty Baby - Ricky Tucker (laporan dengan Buddy Holly)
Fools Like Me - Jerry Lee Lewis
Shook Up - Joe Melson
Dance - Joe Melson
I'm In A Blue Mood - Conway Twitty
I Belong To Him - Jessi Colter with Waylon Jennings
Indian Summer - Gatlin Brothers & Barry Gibb
Leah - Bertie Higgins
Beyond The End - Jimmy Buffett
Zombie Zoo - Tom Petty

[sunting] Pranala luar

Situs resmi
CMT's tribute to Roy Contains a music video section that contains the entire "Diamond Career Awards" from 11-18-88, and also several rare videos "Heartbreak Radio" and "Walk On"
Daily Telegraph article by Julian Lloyd Webber
Official Traveling Wilburys Website

[sunting] Referensi

Colin Escott, Roadkill on the Three-Chord Highway. Routledge, 2002. ISBN 0-415-93783-3 — has a chapter devoted to Orbison.
Escott, Colin. (1998). "Roy Orbison". In The Encyclopedia of Country Music. Paul Kingsbury, Editor. New York: Oxford University Press. p. 395.
Biography from the official website
Biography from the hotshotdigital.com

Musical notes.svg Artikel bertopik biografi penyanyi ini adalah sebuah rintisan. Anda dapat membantu Wikipedia dengan mengembangkannya.

Kategori: Kelahiran 1936 | Kematian 1988 | Meninggal usia 52 | Penyanyi Amerika Serikat

CARL PERKINS

Carl Perkins

For other people named Carl Perkins, see Carl Perkins (disambiguation).
Carl Perkins

Background information
Birth name Carl Lee Perkins
Also known as The King of Rockabilly
Born April 9, 1932
Origin Tiptonville, Tennessee, USA
Died January 19, 1998 (aged 65) Jackson, Tennessee
Genres Rock, rockabilly, country
Occupations Singer, songwriter, guitarist
Instruments Electric guitar, vocals
Years active 1946 – 1998
Labels Sun, Columbia, Mercury
Associated acts Perkins Brothers Band

Carl Lee Perkins (April 9, 1932 – January 19, 1998)[1] was an American rockabilly musician who recorded most notably at Sun Records Studio in Memphis, Tennessee, beginning during 1954. His best known song is "Blue Suede Shoes".

According to Charlie Daniels, "Carl Perkins' songs personified the rockabilly era, and Carl Perkins' sound personifies the rockabilly sound more so than anybody involved in it, because he never changed."[2] Perkins' songs were recorded by artists (and friends) as influential as Elvis Presley, the Beatles, and Johnny Cash, which further cemented his place in the history of popular music.

Called "the King of Rockabilly", he was inducted into the Rock and Roll, the Rockabilly, and the Nashville Songwriters Halls of Fame; and was a Grammy Hall of Fame Award recipient.
Contents
[hide]

1 Biography
1.1 Early life
1.2 Beginnings as a performer
1.3 Sun Records
1.4 The accident
1.5 Return to recording and touring
1.6 Life after Sun
1.7 Later years
2 Legacy
3 See also
4 Notes
5 References
6 External links

[edit] Biography
[edit] Early life

Perkins was the son of poor sharecroppers near Tiptonville, Tennessee.[3] He grew up hearing Southern gospel music sung by whites in church, and by black field workers when he started working in the cotton fields at age six. During spring and autumn, the school day would be followed by several hours of work in fields. During the summer, workdays were 12–14 hours, "from can to can't." Carl and his brother Jay together would earn 50 cents a day. With all family members working and not having any credit, there was enough money for beans and potatoes, some tobacco for Carl's father Buck, and occasionally the luxury of a five-cent bag of hard candy.[4]

During Saturday nights Carl would listen to the radio with his father and hear the Grand Ole Opry, and Roy Acuff's broadcasts on the Opry inspired him to ask his parents for a guitar.[5] Because they couldn't afford a real guitar, Carl's father fashioned one from a cigar box and a broomstick. When a neighbor in tough straits offered to sell his dented and scratched Gene Autry model guitar with worn-out strings, Buck purchased it for a couple of dollars.

For the next year Carl taught himself parts of Acuff's "Great Speckled Bird" and "The Wabash Cannonball", which he had heard on the Opry. He also cited the fast playing and vocals of Bill Monroe as an early influence.[6]

Carl began learning more about playing his guitar from a fellow field worker named John Westbrook who befriended him. "Uncle John," as Carl called him, was an African American in his sixties who played blues and gospel on his battered acoustic guitar. Most famously, "Uncle John" advised Carl when playing the guitar to "Get down close to it. You can feel it travel down the strangs, come through your head and down to your soul where you live. You can feel it. Let it vib-a-rate." Because Carl couldn't afford new strings when they broke, he retied them. The knots would cut into his fingers when he tried to slide to another note, so he began bending the notes, stumbling onto a type of "blue note."[2][7]

Carl was recruited to be a member of the Lake County Fourth Grade Marching Band, and because of the Perkins' limited finances, was given a new white shirt, cotton pants, white band cap and red cape by Miss Lee McCutcheon, who was in charge of the band.[8] During January 1947, Buck Perkins moved his family from Lake County to Madison County. A replacement radio which operated by electricity rather than a battery and the proximity of Memphis made it possible for Carl to hear a greater variety of music.[9] At age fourteen years, using the I IV V chord progression common to country songs of the day,[10] he wrote what came to be known around Jackson as "Let Me Take You To the Movie, Magg"[11] (the song would convince Sam Phillips to sign Perkins to his Sun Records label).
[edit] Beginnings as a performer

Perkins and his brother Jay had their first paying job (in tips) as entertainers at the "Cotton Boll" tavern on Highway 45 some twelve miles south of Jackson, starting on Wednesday nights during late 1946. Carl was only 14 years old. One of the songs they played was an uptempo, country blues shuffle version of Bill Monroe's "Blue Moon of Kentucky". Free drinks were one of the perks of playing in a tavern, and Carl drank four beers that first night. Within a month Carl and Jay began playing Friday and Saturday nights at the Sand Ditch tavern near the western boundary of Jackson. Both places were the scene of occasional fights, and both of the Perkins Brothers gained a reputation as fighters.[12]

During the next couple of years the Perkins Brothers began playing other taverns, including El Rancho, The Roadside Inn, and the Hilltop around Bemis and Jackson as they became well known. Carl persuaded his brother Clayton to play the bass fiddle to complete the sound of the band.[13]

Perkins began performing regularly on WTJS-AM in Jackson during the late 1940s as a sometime member of the Tennessee Ramblers. He also appeared on Hayloft Frolic where he performed two songs, sometimes including "Talking Blues" as done by Robert Lunn on the Grand Ole Opry. Perkins and then his brothers began appearing on The Early Morning Farm and Home Hour. Overwhelmingly positive listener response resulted in a 15-minute segment sponsored by Mother's Best Flour. By the end of the 1940s, the Perkins Brothers were the best-known band in the Jackson area.[14]

Perkins had day jobs during most of these early years, working first at picking cotton, then at Day's Dairy in Malesus, then at a mattress factory and in a battery plant. He then worked as a pan greaser for the Colonial Baking Company from 1951 through 1952.[15][16]

During January 1953, Perkins married a woman he had known for a number of years, Valda Crider. When his job at the bakery was reduced to part-time, Valda, who had her own job, encouraged Carl to begin working the taverns full-time. He began playing six nights a week. Late the same year he added W.S. "Fluke" Holland to the band as a drummer, who had not any previous experience as a musician but had a good sense of rhythm.[17]

Malcolm Yelvington remembered the Perkins brothers from 1953 when they played in Covington, Tennessee. He noted that Carl had a very unusual blues-like style all his own.[18]

During July 1954, Perkins and his wife heard a new release of "Blue Moon of Kentucky" by Elvis Presley, Scotty Moore and Bill Black on the radio.[19] Valda exclaimed, "Listen! They play like y'all! It sounds like you!" After recording the take of the song that was released, Presley exclaimed, "That sounds like Carl Perkins!"[20] As "Blue Moon of Kentucky faded out, Carl said, "There's a man in Memphis who understands what we're doing. I need to go see him."[21]
[edit] Sun Records

Perkins successfully auditioned for Sam Phillips at Sun Records during early October 1954. "Movie Magg" and "Turn Around" were released on the Phillips-owned Flip label (151) March 19, 1955,[22] with "Turn Around" becoming a regional success.[1] With the song getting airplay across the South and Southwest, Perkins was booked to appear along with Elvis Presley at theaters in Marianna and West Memphis, Arkansas. Commenting on the audience reaction to both Presley and himself Perkins said, "When I'd jump around they'd scream some, but they were gettin' ready for him. It was like TNT, man, it just exploded. All of a sudden the world was wrapped up in rock."[23]

Johnny Cash and the Tennessee Two were the next musicians to be added to the performances by Sun musicians. During the summer of 1955 there were junkets to Little Rock, Forrest City, Arkansas, Corinth and Tupelo, Mississippi. Again performing at El Rancho, the Perkins brothers were involved in an automobile accident. A friend, who had been driving, was pinned by the steering wheel. Perkins managed to drag him from the car, which had begun burning. Clayton had been thrown from the car, but was not injured seriously.[24]

Another Perkins' tune, "Gone Gone Gone",[3][4] released in October 1955 by Sun,[5] was also a regional success. It was backed by the more traditional "Let The Juke Box Keep On Playing," complete with fiddle, "Western Boogie" bass line, steel guitar and weepy vocal.[6]

That same autumn, Perkins wrote "Blue Suede Shoes" after seeing a dancer in a tavern get angry with his date for scuffing up his blue suede shoes. Several weeks later, on December 19, 1955, Perkins and his band recorded the song during a session at Sun Studio in Memphis. Phillips suggested changes to the lyrics ("Go, cat, go") and the band changed the end of the song to a "boogie vamp".
On Ozark Jubilee

[25] Presley left Sun for a larger opportunity with RCA in November, and on December 19, 1955, Phillips, who had begun recording Perkins in late 1954, told Perkins, "Carl Perkins, you're my rockabilly cat now."[26] Released on January 1, 1956, "Blue Suede Shoes" was a massive chart success. In the United States, it scored No. 1 on Billboard magazine's country music charts (the only No. 1 success he would have) and No. 2 on Billboard's Best Sellers popular music chart. On March 17, Perkins became the first country artist to score No. 3 on the rhythm & blues charts.[25][27] That night, Perkins performed the song during his television debut on ABC-TV's Ozark Jubilee (Presley performed it for the second time that same night on CBS-TV's Stage Show; he'd first sung it on the program on February 11).

In the United Kingdom, the song became a Top Ten success, scoring No. 10 on the British charts. It was the first record by a Sun label artist to sell a million copies. The B side, "Honey Don't", was covered by The Beatles, Wanda Jackson and (in the 1970s) T. Rex. John Lennon sang lead on the song when the Beatles performed it before it was given to Ringo Starr to sing. Lennon also performed the song on the Lost Lennon Tapes.[27]
[edit] The accident

After playing a show in Norfolk, Virginia on March 21, 1956, the Perkins Brothers Band headed to New York City for a March 24 appearance on NBC-TV's Perry Como Show. Shortly before sunrise on March 22 near Dover, Delaware, Stuart Pinkham (aka Richard Stuart and Poor Richard) assumed duties as driver. After hitting the back of a pickup truck, their car went into a ditch of water about a foot deep, and Carl was lying face down in the water. Drummer Holland rolled Carl over, saving him from drowning. He had suffered 3 fractured vertebrae in his neck, a severe concussion, a broken collar bone, and lacerations all over his body in the crash. Carl remained unconscious for an entire day. The driver of the pickup truck, Thomas Phillips, a 40-year old farmer, died when he was thrown into the steering wheel of his truck.[28] Carl's brother Jay had a fractured neck[3] along with severe internal injuries.

On March 23, Bill Black, Scotty Moore and D.J. Fontana visited Perkins on their way to New York to appear with Presley the next day. D.J. Fontana recalled Perkins saying, "Of all the people, I looked up and there you guys are. You looked like a bunch of angels coming to see me."[29] Black told him, "Hey man, Elvis sends his love," and lit a cigarette for him, even though the patient in the next bed was in an oxygen tent. A week later, Perkins was given a telegram from Presley (which had arrived on the 23rd), wishing him a speedy recovery.[30]

Sam Philips had planned to surprise Perkins with a gold record on The Perry Como Show. "Shoes" had already sold more than 500,000 copies by March 22.[31] Now, while Carl recuperated from the accident, "Blue Suede Shoes" scored number one on most popular, R&B, and country regional music charts. It also scored number two on the Billboard Hot 100 and country charts. Elvis Presley's "Heartbreak Hotel" scored number one on the pop and country charts, while "Shoes" did better than "Heartbreak" on the R&B charts. By mid-April, more than one million copies of "Blue Suede Shoes" had been sold.[32]

On April 3, while still recuperating in Jackson, Perkins would see Presley perform "Blue Suede Shoes" on his first Milton Berle Show appearance, which was his third performance of the song on national television.[33] [7] He also made references to it twice during an appearance on The Steve Allen Show. Although his version became more famous than Perkins', it only scored No. 20 on Billboard's popular music chart.[34]
[edit] Return to recording and touring

Perkins returned to live performances on April 21, 1956 beginning with an appearance in Beaumont, Texas with the "Big D Jamboree" tour.[35] Before resuming touring, Sam Phillips arranged a recording session at Sun with Ed Cisco filling in for the still- recuperating Jay. By mid-April, "Dixie Fried", "Put Your Cat Clothes On", "Right String, Wrong Yo-Yo", "You Can't Make Love to Somebody", "Everybody's Trying to Be My Baby", and "That Don't Move Me" had been recorded.[36]
Carl Perkins (2nd from left) performing "Glad All Over" with (left-right) Clayton Perkins, W.S. "Fluke" Holland, and Jay Perkins in the movie Jamboree.

Beginning during early summer, Perkins was paid $1,000 to play just two songs a night on the extended tour of "Top Stars of '56." Other performers on the tour were Chuck Berry and Frankie Lymon and the Teenagers. When Perkins and the group entered the stage in Columbia, South Carolina, he was appalled to see a teenager with a bleeding chin pressed against the stage by the crowd. During the first guitar intermission of "Honey Don't" they were waved off stage and into a vacant dressing room behind a double line of police officers. Perkins was quoted as saying, "It was dangerous. Lot of kids got hurt. There was a lot of rioting going on, just crazy, man! The music drove 'em insane." Appalled by what he had seen and experienced, Perkins left the tour.[37]

Sun issued more Perkins songs in 1956: "Boppin' the Blues"/"All Mama's Children" (Sun 243), the B side co-written with Johnny Cash, "Dixie Fried"/"I'm Sorry, I'm Not Sorry" (Sun 249). "Matchbox"/"Your True Love" (Sun 261 [38]) came out in February 1957. [8] "Boppin' the Blues" reached no. 47 on the Cash Box pop singles chart, no. 9 on the Billboard country and western chart, and no. 70 on the Billboard Top 100 chart.

"Matchbox" is considered a rockabilly classic. The day it was recorded, Elvis Presley visited the studio. Along with Johnny Cash (who left early), Perkins, Jerry Lee Lewis and Presley spent more than an hour singing gospel, country and rhythm-and-blues songs while a tape rolled. The casual session was called The Million Dollar Quartet by a local newspaper the next day, and it was eventually released on CD in 1990.[1]

On February 2, 1957, Perkins again appeared on Ozark Jubilee, singing "Matchbox" and "Blue Suede Shoes". He also made at least two appearances on Town Hall Party in Compton, California in 1957 [9] singing both songs. Those performances were included in the Western Ranch Dance Party series filmed and distributed by Screen Gems.

The 1957 film Jamboree included a Perkins performance of "Glad All Over" (not to be confused with The Dave Clark Five song of the same name), that ran 1:55. "Glad All Over," written by Aaron Schroeder, Sid Tepper, and Roy Bennett,[10] was released by Sun in January 1958.[11]
[edit] Life after Sun

During 1958, Perkins moved to Columbia Records where he recorded songs such as "Jive After Five", "Rockin' Record Hop", "Levi Jacket (And a Long Tail Shirt)", "Pop, Let Me Have the Car", "Pink Pedal Pushers", "Anyway the Wind Blows", "Hambone", "Pointed Toe Shoes", and "Sister Twister".[12]

He performed often in The Golden Nugget Casino in Las Vegas during 1962 and 1963, and also in nine Midwestern states and a tour of Germany.

During May 1964, Perkins toured England along with Chuck Berry [13]. The Animals backed the two performers. On the last night of the tour, Perkins attended a party that turned out to be for him, and ended up sitting on the floor sharing stories, playing guitar, and singing songs while surrounded by The Beatles. Ringo Starr asked if he could record "Honey Don't". "Man," answered Perkins, "go ahead, have at it."[39] The Beatles would cover "Matchbox", "Honey Don't" and "Everybody's Trying to Be My Baby" recorded by Perkins but adapted from a song originally recorded by Rex Griffin during 1936, a song also recorded by Roy Newman. The Beatles recorded two versions of "Glad All Over" in 1963.[14] Another tour to Germany followed in the autumn.

Although he had been trying to rehabilitate himself by drinking only beer (but large amounts of it), during 1968, while on tour with the Johnny Cash troupe, Perkins began a four-day drunk in Tulsa, Oklahoma starting with a bottle of Early Times. Nevertheless, with the urging of Cash, he opened a show in San Diego, California by playing four songs after seeing "four or five of me in the mirror," and while being able to see "nothin' but a blur." After drinking yet another pint of Early Times, he passed out on the tour bus. By morning he started hallucinating "big spiders, and dinosaurs, huge, and they were gonna step on me." The bus was parked on a beach at the ocean. He was tempted by yet another pint of whiskey that he had hidden. He took the bottle with him onto the beach and fell on his knees and said, "Lord... I'm gonna throw this bottle. I'm gonna show You that I believe in You. I sailed it into the Pacific... I got up, I knew I had done the right thing." Perkins and Cash, who had his own problems with drugs, then gave each other support to refrain from their drug of choice.[40]

During 1968, Cash recorded the Perkins-written "Daddy Sang Bass" (which incorporates parts of the American standard "Will the Circle Be Unbroken") and scored No. 1 on the country music charts for six weeks. Glen Campbell also covered the song, as did The Statler Brothers and Carl Story. "Daddy Sang Bass" was also a Country Music Association nominee for Song of the Year. Perkins also played lead guitar on the Cash smash single "A Boy Named Sue" which was No. 1 for five weeks on the country chart and No. 2 on the popular music chart. Perkins spent a decade in Cash's touring revue and appeared on The Johnny Cash Show. He played "Matchbox" with Cash and Derek and the Dominoes. Cash also featured Perkins in rehearsal jamming with José Feliciano and Merle Travis.

A Kraft Music Hall episode hosted by Cash on April 16, 1969 had Perkins singing his song "Restless".[15][16] Country music fans may recognize The Statler Brothers' song, "Flowers on the Wall", which was also featured on the show.

During February 1969, Perkins joined with Bob Dylan to write "Champaign, Illinois". Dylan was recording in Nashville from February 12 through February 21 for an album that would be titled Nashville Skyline, and met Perkins when he appeared on The Johnny Cash Show on June 7.[17] Dylan had written one verse of a song, but was stuck. After Perkins worked out a loping rhythm and improvised a verse ending lyric, Dylan said, "Your song. Take it. Finish it."[41] The co-authored song was included in Perkins' 1969 album On Top.[42][43]

Perkins was also united in 1969 by Columbia's Murray Krugman with a "rockabilly" group based in New York's Hudson Valley, the New Rhythm and Blues Quartet. Carl and NRBQ recorded "Boppin' the Blues" which featured the group backing him on songs like his staples "Turn Around" and "Boppin' the Blues" and included songs recorded separately by Perkins and NRBQ.[44] One of his TV appearances with Cash was on the popular country series Hee Haw on February 16, 1974.

After a long legal struggle with Sam Phillips over royalties, Perkins gained ownership of his songs during the 1970s.[45]
[edit] Later years

During 1981 Perkins recorded the song "Get It" with Paul McCartney, providing vocals and playing guitar with the former Beatle. This recording was included on the chart-topping album Tug Of War released in 1982.[18] This track also comprised the B-side of the title track single in a slightly edited form. One source states that Perkins "wrote the song with Paul McCartney."[46] The song ends with a fade out of Perkins' impromptu laughter.

The "rockabilly" revival of the 1980s helped bring Perkins back into the limelight. During 1985, he re-recorded "Blue Suede Shoes" with two members of the Stray Cats, as part of the soundtrack for the movie, Porky's Revenge. That same year, George Harrison, Eric Clapton, and Ringo Starr appeared with him on a television special taped in London called Blue Suede Shoes: A Rockabilly Session. Perkins and his friends ended the session by singing his most famous song, 30 years after its writing, which brought Perkins to tears.
Perkins in the 1990s

During 1985, Perkins was inducted to the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame, and in 1987, wider recognition of his contribution to music came with his induction to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. In addition, "Blue Suede Shoes" was chosen as one of The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's 500 Songs that Shaped Rock and Roll, and as a Grammy Hall of Fame Award recipient. His pioneering contribution to the genre was also recognized by the Rockabilly Hall of Fame.

Perkins' only notable film performance as an actor was in John Landis' 1985 film Into the Night, a cameo-laden film that includes a scene where characters played by Carl and David Bowie die at each other's hand.[19]

As a guitarist Perkins used: finger picking, imitations of the pedal steel guitar, right-handed damping (muffling strings near the bridge with the palm), arpeggios, advantageous use of open strings, single and double string bending (pushing strings across the neck to raise their pitch), chromaticism(using notes outside of the scale), country and blue licks, and tritone and other tonality clashing licks (short phrases that include notes from other keys and move in logical, often symmetric patterns).[20] A rich vocabulary of chords including sixth and thirteenth chords, ninth and add nine chords, and suspensions, show up in rhythm parts and solos. Free use of syncopations, chord anticipations (arriving at a chord change before the other players, often by a 1/8 note) and crosspicking (repeating a three 1/8 note pattern so that an accent falls variously on the upbeat or downbeat) are also in his bag of tricks.[47]

During 1986, he returned to the Sun Studio in Memphis, joining Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis and Roy Orbison on the album Class of '55. The record was a tribute to their early years at Sun and, specifically, the Million Dollar Quartet jam session involving Perkins, Presley, Cash, and Lewis in 1956.

During 1989, Perkins co-wrote and played guitar on The Judds' No. 1 country success, "Let Me Tell You About Love". During 1989, Perkins also signed a record deal with Platinum Records LTD for an album with the title Friends, Family, and Legends, featuring performances by Chet Atkins, Travis Tritt, Steve Wariner, Joan Jett and Charlie Daniels, along with Paul Shaffer and Will Lee. During 1992, during the production of this CD, Perkins developed throat cancer.

He returned to Sun Studios to record with Scotty Moore, Presley's first guitar player. The CD was called 706 ReUNION, released on Belle Meade Records, and featured D.J. Fontana, Marcus Van Storey and The Jordanaires. During 1993, Perkins performed with the Kentucky Headhunters in a music video remake, filmed in Glasgow, Kentucky, of his song "Dixie Fried." Perkins' last album, Go Cat Go!, was released during 1996, and featured new collaborations with many of the above artists, as well as George Harrison, Paul Simon, John Fogerty, Tom Petty, and Bono. It was released by the independent label Dinosaur Records and distributed by BMG.[21][22]

His last major concert performance was the Music for Montserrat all-star charity concert at London's Royal Albert Hall on September 15, 1997.

Perkins died four months later, on January 19, 1998 at the age of 65 at Jackson-Madison County Hospital in Jackson, Tennessee from throat cancer after suffering several strokes. Among mourners at the funeral at Lambuth University were George Harrison, Jerry Lee Lewis, Wynonna Judd, Garth Brooks, Nashville Agent Jim Dallas Crouch, Johnny Cash and June Carter Cash. Perkins was interred at Ridgecrest Cemetery in Jackson.

His widow, Valda deVere Perkins, died November 15, 2005 in Jackson.
[edit] Legacy

Perkins collaborated on a 1996 biography, Go, Cat, Go, with New York–based music writer David McGee. Plans for a biographical film were announced by Santa Monica-based production company Fastlane Entertainment. The Carl Perkins Story[48] was slated for release in 2009.

During 2004, Rolling Stone ranked Perkins number 69 on its list of the 100 Greatest Artists of All Time.[49]

His version of "Blue Suede Shoes" was included by the National Recording Preservation Board in the Library of Congress National Recording Registry in 2006.[50]

The Perkins family still owns his songs, which are administered by former Beatle Paul McCartney's company MPL Communications.[45]

Drive-By Truckers, on their album The Dirty South, recorded "Carl Perkins' Cadillac" that has a history of the artist and his relationships.

George Thorogood & the Destroyers covered "Dixie Fried" on their 1985 album, Maverick. The Kentucky Headhunters also covered the song as did Keith de Groot on a 1968 album entitled No Introduction Necessary that featured Jimmy Page on lead guitar and John Paul Jones on bass.[23]

Ricky Nelson covered Perkins' "Boppin' The Blues" and "Your True Love" on his 1957 debut album Ricky.

Perkins was portrayed by Johnny Holiday in the 2005 Johnny Cash biopic Walk the Line.
[edit] See also

Rockabilly
Sun Records

[edit] Notes

^ a b c Pareles.
^ a b Naylor, p. 118.
^ a b Carl Perkins: Biography : Rolling Stone
^ Perkins, pp. 8–9.
^ Naylor.
^ Perkins, pp. 11–12.
^ Perkins, pp. 13–14.
^ Perkins, p. 21.
^ Perkins, p. 30, 55.
^ [1][2]
^ Perkins, p. 30, 68.
^ Perkins, pp. 36–41.
^ Perkins, p. 48.
^ Perkins, pp. 48–49.
^ Perkins, pp. 32, 70–71.
^ The Legend Carl Perkins
^ Perkins, pp. 70–71.
^ Perkins, p. 77.
^ Blue Moon of Kentucky label shot with credits
^ Elvis '56 - In the Beginning (DVD). (1987, Re-released 2000) Warner Vision.
^ Perkins, pp. 79–90.
^ Flip (RCS Label Listing)
^ Perkins, pp. 106–108.
^ Perkins, pp. 122–124.
^ a b Miller, James (1999) Flowers in the Dustbin: The Rise of Rock and Roll, 1947–1977. Simon & Schuster (124-25). ISBN 0-684-80873-0.
^ Naylor, p. 135.
^ a b Naylor, p. 137.
^ Perkins, pp. 178, 180.
^ The Blue Moon Boys - The Story of Elvis Presley's Band. Ken Burke and Dan Griffin. 2006. Chicago Review Press. page 88. ISBN 1-55652-614-8
^ Perkins, pp. 182, 184.
^ Perkins, p. 173.
^ Perkins, p. 187.
^ Perkins, p. 184.
^ Top 20 Billboard Singles: Billboard Chart Statistics: All About Elvis
^ Perkins, p. 191.
^ Perkins, p. 198.
^ Perkins, pp. 188, 210, 212.
^ http://rcs.law.emory.edu/rcs/pics/d03/3238.htm label image @ Rockin Country Style hosted @ Emory
^ Naylor, p. 142.
^ Perkins, pp. 309–310.
^ Perkins.
^ "RAB Hall of Fame: Carl Perkins". Rockabilly Hall of Fame. Retrieved 2007-01-18.
^ "On Top - Carl Perkins". AOL Music. Retrieved 2007-01-18.
^ Boppin' the Blues Columbia CS9981 1969
^ a b MACCA-News: McCartney To Administer Perkins' music - Thursday, April 17, 2003 @MACCA-Central.com
^ Naylor, p. 145.
^ Perkins, p. 78.
^ "Rock 'N Roll Legend Carl Perkins' Much Anticipated Story To Come To The Big Screen". Billboard Publicity Wire.
^ "The Immortals: The First Fifty". Rolling Stone Issue 946. Rolling Stone.
^ 2006 National Recording Registry choices

[edit] References

Guterman, Jimmy. (1998.) "Carl Perkins." In The Encyclopedia of Country Music. Paul Kingsbury, Ed. New York: Oxford University Press. pp. 412–413.
Naylor, Jerry; Halliday, Steve. The Rockabilly Legends: They Called It Rockabilly Long Before They Called It Rock and Roll. Milwaukee, Wisc.: Hal Leonard. ISBN 9781423420422. OCLC 71812792.
Pareles, Jon (20 January 1998). "Carl Perkins Dies at 65; Rockabilly Pioneer Wrote 'Blue Suede Shoes'". The New York Times: p. B12. Retrieved 4 December 2009.
Perkins, Carl; McGee, David (1996). Go, Cat, Go!. New York: Hyperion Press. ISBN 0-7868-6073-1. OCLC 32895064..

[edit] External links

The Carl Perkins Story at the Internet Movie Database
Carl Perkins biography
Perkins' page at the Rockabilly Hall of Fame
Carl Perkins bio at Rolling Stone
Carl Perkins' guitars and amps
Carl Perkins Biography at The History of Rock

Categories: 1932 births | 1998 deaths | American country singer-songwriters | American musicians of European descent | American rock singer-songwriters | Cancer deaths in Tennessee | Charly Records artists | Columbia Records artists | Deaths from throat cancer | Grammy Award winners | Mercury Records artists | People from Jackson, Tennessee | Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductees | Rockabilly Hall of Fame inductees | Rockabilly musicians | Sun Records artists