Two of Novi’s grads have impressed me with their knowledge of 50′s music. We have started quizzing each other under the Reunion posting. With this new post, I am switching the great conversations to the category Paul Anka and Other Great Music. So Doug and Margaret, here we go!
You both got the Paris Sisters, but Doug got it first by a little over half an hour. Here is my question, did he get it without looking it up? I sometimes know it right off the bat and other times, like Margaret, I head for Google or one of my book sources.
The Paris Sisters were indeed sisters. Pricilla sang lead with Albeth and Sherrell as back up. They grew up in San Francisco. They were 9, 13 & 11 when they began performing at an U.S.O. show. Lester Sill of Gregmark records caught their act and signed them to a contract. Be My Boy hit the Hot 100 on 4/30/61 but only made it to #56 (what a shame because that is a great song). On 9/10/61, the Barry Mann written song, I Love How You Love Me charted and went to #5. In 1962 they had 2 tries with He Knows I love Him Too Much (#34) and Let Me Be the One (#87). Then 2 years later they charted with their last song, Dream Lover which came out on MGM records.
As for the first country artist to switch to pop, I go with Eddy Arnold like Margaret said. He clearly was before Jim Reeves. Eddy, aka the Tennessee Plowboy, signed with RCA in 1945. His manager was none other than Col. Tom Parker. His first charted country song was One Kiss Too Many in May, 1949. Between 1949 and 1955 he had such country hits as Bouquet of Roses and Anytime. In 1955 his country hits, The Cattle Call and The Richest Man, also charted on the pop 100 at #69 and #99 respectively.
It was not until 1964, when he met his new manager Jerry Pursell, that Eddy’s career matched what it had been earlier. In 1965 Eddy suggested to Pursell he record a Timi Yuro song, Make the World Go Away. It hit the pop Hot 100 on 10/16/65 and peaked at #6. Of course, on the Country charts it hit #1 for 3 weeks, the first of 7 #1′s on the country charts over the next 3 years.
Jim Reeves attended the University of Texas where he earned his tuition by playing the guitar. His major ambition was to be a professional baseball player. He played with the St. Louis Cardinals organization until a leg injury ended his career. He began playing guitar again, became a DJ before joining the Louisiana Hayride.
Jim was a much bigger country star than Eddy Arnold. Mexican Joe was #1 on the country charts for 9 weeks in 1953. So Eddy started many years before Jim but Jim out sold Eddy. He followed up Mexican Joe with another #1, Bimbo. He went on to have 10 #1′s on the country charts. His first cross over was Four Walls in 1957. It hit #12 on pop and was #1 on country for 8 weeks. His biggest pop hit was He’ll Have to Go, which peaked at #2… (which song kept him from #1?) On the country side, He’ll Have to Go was #1 14 weeks.
So Doug, I hope it is Eddy Arnold but if not, you know more about him and Jim Reeves now…..lol.
I’m thinking it’s “Theme From A Summer Place…the great song to the movie with Sandra Dee and Troy Donohue. Longest running #1 instrumental in Billboards Hot 100 history!
You would be correct!!! Did you know it or Google?
Last week, Summer Place was the Oldie of the Week. I even had youtube of the movie. Unlike Rarely Heard songs, I change the Oldie of the Week every week so the last one goes away.
Perhaps I should change that….
T
Had an idea but thought I’d better look it up…don’t want to give you the chance to say “you are incorrect”! I think I’m going to have to start studying more on my oldies…you’ve definitely got my brain cells waking up!
And that’s quite an accomplishment!!!
Well…… Maybe I should wait for Margaret, but I’m getting ’bout ready to ‘pull the plug’ for the evening. (In addition to which, there’s a really cute Uruguayan mathematician in my bed giving me a ‘come hither’ look
However….. Getting back to the music. The first act to crossover from Country to pop recorded the Max Freedman and James DeKnight tune which is, arguably, the first true ‘rock and roll’ tune to ever receive national play time (air time) was a country band known as:
Bill Haley and the Saddlemen.
And yes, the tune was ‘Rock Around the Clock and the year was 1955.
But Eddy Arnold and Jim Reeves were certainly a couple of very early crossover stars.
As for knowing it was the Paris Sisters; Yes, I did know it. But I also Googled it to make sure I remembered correctly What I didn’t know was that Priscilla Paris had died (from a fall she took at her home in, of all places, Paris, France) back in 2004. Looking at the few pictures of her I could find on the ‘net reminded me of just what a total fox she was.
Remember, I used to be a professional musician. (Actually, I used to be a professional lots of things. To some of which I will probably never admit. )
Doug
Eddy Arnold recorded “Make the World Go Away” because he knew that Jim Reeves had done it at Jim’s last recording session on July 2, 1964, shortly before he was killed in a plane crash. From the time that Jim arrived in Nashville in 1955 until Jim was gone, Eddy didn’t have a single Number One record. Reeves eclipsed him in every way. Jim is the one primarily responsible for introducing pop audiences to country music, and he did so not only by dropping the steel guitar and the raw instrumentation, but also by applying his incomparably smooth, rich baritone so affectingly. Eddy tried desperately to emulate Jim, even adopting the tuxedoes Jim wore, hiring his orchestra leader (Bill Walker, whom Jim had met while doing a movie in South Africa), and recording some of Jim’s biggest songs (like “Welcome To My World.”) As Chet Atkins, who was the producer for both Reeves and Arnold observed, “Jim Reeves was the kind of singer that Eddy Arnold wished HE could be.” Some clown wrote a book claiming that Eddy Arnold was the “father of the Nashville sound,” but during the years this was occurring, Eddy was primarily recording in New York. Others on the scene in Nashville in those years — like the Anita Kerr singers — all scoff at Eddy being the leader of the Nashville pop movement. Musicians and others didn’t like working with Eddy as he was considered musically illiterate besides being daft. As a real estate tycoon, however, Arnold was ruthlessly predatory.
I’m going to sit back and read all the interesting information that these two dig up! You ask the questions Terry and they can come up with the answers. Good job guys! I did not realize Bill Haley had first been a country singer and switched his group from the Saddlemen to the Comets in 1952. So that does slip Haley in before Reeves and Arnold. Like I said previously, I have a lot of reading up to do! I’ll sit back and be the student.
Who would have thought Eddy Arnold and Jim Reeves could garner so much attention?
Doug’s original question was who was the first country singer to cross over to pop. His answer was Bill Haley.
Although Haley started out as country, forming the Saddlemen in 1949, he never had a country song chart. His first charted single was Crazy Man, Crazy in May of 1953. It peaked at #12, but on the pop charts. So even though you might think Haley started as a country act, he wasn’t on the country charts.
Arnold first jumped on the country charts in 1945 and the pop charts in 1955. Jim Reeves first charted in country in 1953 and the pop charts in 1957. If you consider Haley as a country act, even though he never charted on country, his 1953 entry on the pop charts beats Arnold’s 1955 arrival. If the question was which act, who had charted on country, first crossed over to pop charts, the answer would be Arnold. As a side note, Arnold beat Elvis to the punch by only 4 months. Elvis charted on country in 7/55 and pop in 3/56.
Now on to the Reeves – Arnold comparison that Larry brought up. Larry wrote that Arnold didn’t have a single Number One record from the time Reeves arrived in Nashville in 1955 until Reeves died in July, 1964. Reeves actually charted 5 times before 1955 and 2 of those in 1953 were huge #1 hits, Mexican Joe and Bimbo. During that same 1953 – 1964 period, Arnold had 3 Number One hits.
After reading Larry’s post, I was intrigued enough to check out the Reeves – Arnold head to head competition. I used the period of 3/53 to 12/64. Number of times in the top 40 on country charts: Arnold 37; Reeves 43. Number One’s: Arnold 3; Reeves 6. Reeves seems to win the comparison based on hits on the country charts.
What really caught my eye is the fact that Reeves charted another 27 times after his death, with 5 of those being #1′s. He last charted in 11/81 with Patsy Cline. Amazing since each of them had already passed away (Patsy in 3/63 – Jim 7/64).
I would differ with Larry’s comment that Reeves is the one primarily responsible for introducing pop audiences to country music. I would go with The Everly Brothers.
They hit the country and pop charts a week apart in 1957. Bye Bye Love was number 1 on country for 7 weeks and peaked at number 2 on the pop charts (Elvis kept them from #1 with his 7 week run at the top with Teddy Bear). Wake Up Little Susie was #1 on both charts.
Brenda Lee also did the country/pop thing at the beginning of her career with One Step at a Time. It was on both charts, but only lasted one week on country but 11 weeks on pop. She didn’t have another country top 40 until 1971. In spite of her country twang, she was considered pop from 1957 to 1971.
Geez, my head is spinning!!!
Spinning Around (I Must Be Falling in Love) by Main Ingredient was #52 in 1971; Spinning Wheel was #2 by Blood, Sweat & Tears in 1969; Spinning Around Over You was the flip side of Heaven Help by Lenny Kravitz in 1994.
Now, that is a lot of spinning…
You’re crazy…but good!!!
One thing to also consider is that Jim Reeves took his country/pop stylings around the world, and this was in the day before jet travel, satellite communications and trans-oceanic phoning became commonplace. He toured extensive abroad, far outpacing some of his Nashville peers. For example, he was the only American country star on a December 1954 USO tour headed by actor Forest Tucker that also featured movie stars and talents like Kathy Grant (Bing Crosby’s future wife). And Jim made a movie in South Africa. There is a “Jim Reeves International Award” named after him (which was previously won by Garth Brooks and this year by Dolly Parton).
Love the info you provide Larry. Thank you!
It seems Jim Reeves is to you what Paul Anka is to me. I was lucky enough to have worked with Paul’s dad on a convention in Las Vegas when Paul owned Jubilation, a great restaurant. I also met Paul and got to spend about 10 minutes talking to him one on one after a concert at Humphreys by the Bay in San Diego.
Years ago, during lunch at the Riviera Hotel with my boss and Andy Anka, Paul’s dad, Andy turned to my boss and said, “he knows more about my son than I do.” I was rather embarrassed but could tell Andy was so proud of Paul.
Hey Larry, you certainly do know the Nashville legacy stuff. But the real driving force behind the ‘Nashville Sound’ (lots of strings and lush arrangements) was Chet Atkins. And that’s actually kinda funny because 90% or more of all the great (and not so great) rock guitarists all mention him as a definite influence on them when they first started learning the instrument.
It sounds as if you guys have probably researched the legacy stuff a lot more than I have. About all I know are a few of the stories I’ve heard from some of the ‘old timers’ I knew in the 70′s and what I remember from the period.
Yeee Hawww!!!!! The Spinning Wheel medly has one that you missed. (But it’s one that only an Irish lad such as meself would be after knowin’ about ) It’s an old Irish folk song and best of all… I found the lyrics!!! (Almost as I remembered them )
———————————————————-
Mellow the moonlight to shine is beginning
Close by the window young Eileen is spinning
Bent o’er the fire her blind grandmother sitting
Crooning and moaning and drowsily knitting.
Merrily cheerily noiselessly whirring
Spins the wheel, rings the wheel while the foot’s stirring
Sprightly and lightly and merrily ringing
Sounds the sweet voice of the young maiden singing.
Eileen, a chara, I hear someone tapping
‘Tis the ivy dear mother against the glass flapping
Eileen, I surely hear somebody sighing
‘Tis the sound mother dear of the autumn winds dying.
What’s the noise I hear at the window I wonder?
‘Tis the little birds chirping, the holly-bush under
What makes you shoving and moving your stool on
And singing all wrong the old song of the “Coolin”?
There’s a form at the casement, the form of her true love
And he whispers with face bent, I’m waiting for you love
Get up from the stool, through the lattice step lightly
And we’ll rove in the grove while the moon’s shining brightly.
The maid shakes her head, on her lips lays her fingers
Steps up from the stool, longs to go and yet lingers
A frightened glance turns to her drowsy grandmother
Puts her foot on the stool spins the wheel with the other
Lazily, easily, now swings the wheel round
Slowly and lowly is heard now the reel’s sound
Noiseless and light to the lattice above her
The maid steps, then leaps to the arms of her lover.
Slower… and slower… and slower the wheel swings
Lower… and lower… and lower the reel rings
Ere the reel and the wheel stop their ringing and moving
Through the grove the young lovers by moonlight are roving.
———————————————————–
One of my Aunts used to sing that.
All of which has nothing to do with the 50′s (except the ‘Spinning Wheel’ bit ) I seem to remember that Nana Mouskouri (the Greek singer) may have had a cover of it on her ‘Roses and Sunshine’ album which had a lot of Bob Dylan, Neil Young, John Denver, etc. stuff (around ’79) or her ‘Bridge Over Troubled Water’ album (about ’70) , but I’m not 100% certain.
Terry, I didn’t know that you’d actually met Anka andhis Father. That is really kewl. I’ve never seen him live, but I’ve been told he does put on one helluva good show.
OK. Gotta go, but I’ll check back tomorow.
Doug
Doug, Paul’s show is awesome. I have seen it so many times. The first was with Sherry Lamb at the Coconut Grove in Hollywood in 1962. It was a terrible flu season and Paul had the flu. But he came out, did a great show.
I will never forget the “older” crowd saying after the show, “I didn’t realize he was so good.” I smiled since I was his biggest fan and promoter.
Keith Crist, among others, wrote in my yearbook, “I kinda like Paul Anka too you know.” His in-person show is excellent. I always get a large charge out of just watching people who have never seen him perform marvel at how impressed they are.
At the Del Mar fair a couple of years back, I did more people watching than Paul watching. The entire grandstands were full and people were just rocking and singing along. It gave me goose bumps.
Well, enough Paul Anka stories for tonight. I could go on and on, but don’t want to bore any of the non believers……lol.
Wow!! Where have the last couple of days gone? These days, I seem to either be in some arcane corner of the World doing spooky stuff, or I have my head lost in the (very strange) mathematics of digital signal processing. Maybe one of these days (“Real Soon Now”) I’ll have the chance to catch his show. (I really do need to get out more )
Kieth Crist…. That’s another name I haven’t heard in a while. I do regret missing the 45 year reunion.
So what’s the next oldies trivia question? (I probably won’t have a clue as to the answer, but it’ll be good to think about something besides math for a bit)
Doug
Doug asked for the next trivia question, so I am going to make a now post under the category Music/Trivia. We will have one spot for all the good trivia questions. The first question will be a good one, but will be harder because it includes music up to the end of 2006.
And as a FYI, Paul Anka is going to be on The View today.
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