Post by Rob Durkee on Oct 9, 2009 17:41:44 GMT -5
By ROCKIN' ROBIN
Shelby Singleton, the legendary record mogul and producer behind four 1960's #1 hits and who helped launched the careers of Ray Stevens and Roger Miller, died Wednesday (October 7, 2009) of brain cancer at a Nashville hospital. He was 77.
Among the big hits Singleton produced were "Walk On By" (Leroy Van Dyke, 1961), "Wooden Heart" (Joe Dowell, 1961), "Hey Paula" (Paul and Paula, 1963) and "Harper Valley P.T.A." (Jeannie C. Riley, 1968).
"Walk On By" was among the longest running #1 country hits of all time, spending upwards of 19 weeks at the top of that chart. It was named the greatest country-western hit song ever in some circles. "Wooden Heart" enabled Dowell to out-Elvis Elvis Presley, who sang the song in "G.I. Blues." The master tape of "Hey Paula" was bought by Singleton, who changed the name of the duo from Jill and Ray to Paul And Paula.
"Harper Valley P.T.A." would enable Riley to become the first country-western solo woman to land a #1 pop and country hit. With the proceeds from that song, Singleton was able to buy Sun Records from Sam Phillips. Singleton would go on to release many of the early Sun records of Elvis Presley, Jerry Lee Lewis, Johnny Cash, Roy Orbison and Carl Perkins in the 1970's, thus enabling a new generation of music fans to enjoy that record label's classic recordings.
Singleton, a graduate of Shreveport Byrd High School, got his first taste of producing hits with 1961's "The Boll Weevil Song" by Brook Benton. That record reached #2 on the Cash Box pop chart and would also become the very first #1 on the chart then known as the Easy Listening chart. Today, that chart is recognized as an Adult Contemporary chart.
Singleton produced Stevens' first three top 40 hits: "Jeremiah Peabody's Poly Unsaturated Quick Dissolving Fast Acting Pleasant Tasting Green And Purple Pills," "Ahab The Arab" and :"Harry The Hairy Ape." To this day, Stevens' first hit ranks as the Top 40 pop hit with the longest title.
Singleton also was behind the rising careers of acts like Jerry Lee Lewis, Charlie Rich, Jerry Reed, Merle Kilgore and Dave Dudley. Plus, he helped the early career of Margie Singleton, who had a rare single release of "Magic Star." That was a vocal rendition of the Tornados' #1 hit, "Telstar."
Among the other songs produced by Singleton were "Reconsider Me" (Johnny Adams), "Groovy Grubworm" (Harlow Wilcox and the Oakies) and two hits by Peggy Scott and Jo Jo Benson..."Soulshake" and "Pickin' Wild Mountain Berries."
Jerry Kennedy, who produced many of Roger Miller's hits and was a long time friend and associate of Singleton's, told writer Randy Lewis, "Shelby was one of the best all-around record I've ever been in touch with. He did so much and did it so well...promotion, marketing, production. He was even involved in publishing and merchandising. He did it all."
Kennedy still remembers the circumstances behind "Harper Valley P.T.A.," telling Lewis, "We did that at a 6 p.m. session on a Thursday night. I played the dobro on that song. I was driving to Gatlinburg in eastern Tennessee for a long weekend and on the drive back, I started hearing it on the radio. Shelby had cut acetates and got them to radio stations all over the place. He took one to Ralph Emery on WSM...and Ralph played it immediately, just a few hours after we'd recorded it."
Shelby Singleton, the legendary record mogul and producer behind four 1960's #1 hits and who helped launched the careers of Ray Stevens and Roger Miller, died Wednesday (October 7, 2009) of brain cancer at a Nashville hospital. He was 77.
Among the big hits Singleton produced were "Walk On By" (Leroy Van Dyke, 1961), "Wooden Heart" (Joe Dowell, 1961), "Hey Paula" (Paul and Paula, 1963) and "Harper Valley P.T.A." (Jeannie C. Riley, 1968).
"Walk On By" was among the longest running #1 country hits of all time, spending upwards of 19 weeks at the top of that chart. It was named the greatest country-western hit song ever in some circles. "Wooden Heart" enabled Dowell to out-Elvis Elvis Presley, who sang the song in "G.I. Blues." The master tape of "Hey Paula" was bought by Singleton, who changed the name of the duo from Jill and Ray to Paul And Paula.
"Harper Valley P.T.A." would enable Riley to become the first country-western solo woman to land a #1 pop and country hit. With the proceeds from that song, Singleton was able to buy Sun Records from Sam Phillips. Singleton would go on to release many of the early Sun records of Elvis Presley, Jerry Lee Lewis, Johnny Cash, Roy Orbison and Carl Perkins in the 1970's, thus enabling a new generation of music fans to enjoy that record label's classic recordings.
Singleton, a graduate of Shreveport Byrd High School, got his first taste of producing hits with 1961's "The Boll Weevil Song" by Brook Benton. That record reached #2 on the Cash Box pop chart and would also become the very first #1 on the chart then known as the Easy Listening chart. Today, that chart is recognized as an Adult Contemporary chart.
Singleton produced Stevens' first three top 40 hits: "Jeremiah Peabody's Poly Unsaturated Quick Dissolving Fast Acting Pleasant Tasting Green And Purple Pills," "Ahab The Arab" and :"Harry The Hairy Ape." To this day, Stevens' first hit ranks as the Top 40 pop hit with the longest title.
Singleton also was behind the rising careers of acts like Jerry Lee Lewis, Charlie Rich, Jerry Reed, Merle Kilgore and Dave Dudley. Plus, he helped the early career of Margie Singleton, who had a rare single release of "Magic Star." That was a vocal rendition of the Tornados' #1 hit, "Telstar."
Among the other songs produced by Singleton were "Reconsider Me" (Johnny Adams), "Groovy Grubworm" (Harlow Wilcox and the Oakies) and two hits by Peggy Scott and Jo Jo Benson..."Soulshake" and "Pickin' Wild Mountain Berries."
Jerry Kennedy, who produced many of Roger Miller's hits and was a long time friend and associate of Singleton's, told writer Randy Lewis, "Shelby was one of the best all-around record I've ever been in touch with. He did so much and did it so well...promotion, marketing, production. He was even involved in publishing and merchandising. He did it all."
Kennedy still remembers the circumstances behind "Harper Valley P.T.A.," telling Lewis, "We did that at a 6 p.m. session on a Thursday night. I played the dobro on that song. I was driving to Gatlinburg in eastern Tennessee for a long weekend and on the drive back, I started hearing it on the radio. Shelby had cut acetates and got them to radio stations all over the place. He took one to Ralph Emery on WSM...and Ralph played it immediately, just a few hours after we'd recorded it."