- Del Reeves
-
Del Reeves 
Background information Birth name Franklin Delano Reeves Born July 14, 1932 Origin Sparta, North Carolina Died January 1, 2007 (aged 74) Genres country Occupations singer
songwriterYears active 1961–2007 Labels United Artists
Decca Records
Columbia Records
Capitol Records
Reprise RecordsAssociated acts Dick Curless
Red Simpson
Red Steagall
Bobby Goldsboro
Penny DeHaven
Billie Jo SpearsFranklin Delano Reeves (July 14, 1932 – January 1, 2007), better known as Del Reeves, was an American country music singer, best known for his "girl-watching" novelty songs of the 1960s including "Girl on the Billboard" and "The Belles of Southern Bell". He is also known for his 1968 trucker's anthem, "Looking At The World Through A Windshield", which demonstrated he was capable more than just novelty songs. He became one of the most successful male country singers of the 1960s.
Contents
Biography
Rise to fame
Reeves was born in Sparta, North Carolina on July 14, 1932. He was named after Franklin Delano Roosevelt, who had been nominated by the Democratic Party to be their presidential nominee just a few days before he was born.
In 1954, he signed on with Capitol Records. Later in the 1950s, he recorded for Decca Records, as well as Reprise Records and Columbia Records.
1960s–1970s
Everything began to change when Reeves signed with United Artists Records. The work he did for United Artists is probably his best-known work. He finally scored big in 1961 with the hit song "Be Quiet Mind". Later in 1965, he had his first #1 hit with "The Girl On The Billboard". His follow-up, "The Belles of the Southern Belle" made the country top five. During this time, he and his wife became a songwriting team and wrote songs for the likes of Rose Maddox, Carl Smith and Roy Drusky, to name a few.
His success continued throughout the rest of the 1960s. Songs that became hits during this time are "Be Glad" and "Good Time Charlie's". In the late 1960s, he recorded an album paying tribute to Jim Reeves (no relation) and also appeared in several Hollywood films, including a starring role in "Cottonpickin' Chickenpickers", and a supporting role in Burt Reynolds' first big movie "Sam Whiskey".
In the 1970s, he released a series of duets with Bobby Goldsboro and Penny DeHaven. He also returned to television, hosting the syndicated TV program, Del Reeves' Country Carnival.
His last big hit was "The Philadelphia Fillies". His career declined in the mid-70s and then started to slowly move away from country music, although he recorded some duets with Billie Jo Spears in 1976.
Decline
In 1979, Reeves left his musical career to pursue a career as a music executive and played a big role in the signing of Billy Ray Cyrus.[citation needed] He continued to record in the 1980s, just not as much and for smaller labels.
Reeves joined the Grand Ole Opry in 1966, where he continued to perform until his final years. His last Opry performance was in August 2002. He died from emphysema on New Year's Day, 2007.
Discography
Albums
Year Album US Country 1965 Girl on the Billboard 8 Doodle-Oo-Doo-Doo 6 1966 Sings Jim Reeves 23 Special Delivery 28 Gettin' Any Feed for Your Chickens 18 Santa's Boy — 1967 Struttin' My Stuff 22 Six of One, Half a Dozen of the Other 42 The Little Church in the Dell — Our Way of Life 28 1968 Running Wild 35 The Best — Looking at the World 33 1969 Wonderful World of Country Music — Down at the Goodtime Charlie's 42 Friends and Neighbors — 1970 Big Daddy Del 41 Country Concert — The Best 2 — 1971 Del Reeves 36 1972 Before Goodbye 45 1973 Trucker's Paradise — 1974 Live at the Palomino Club 45 The Very Best 42 1975 With Strings and Things — 1976 By Request (with Billie Jo Spears) 46 10th Anniversary — 1980 Let's Got to Heaven Tonight — 1994 His Greatest Hits — 1996 Gospel — 1998 I'll Take My Chances — Singles
Year Single Chart Positions Album US Country[1] CAN Country 1961 "Be Quiet Mind" 9 — singles only 1962 "He Stands Real Tall" 11 — 1963 "The Only Girl I Can't Forget" 13 — 1964 "Talking to the Night Lights" 41 — 1965 "Girl on the Billboard"A 1 — Girl on the Billboard "The Belles of the Southern Bell" 4 — "Women Do Funny Things to Me" 9 — Doodle-Oo-Doo-Doo 1966 "One Bum Town" 42 — Special Delivery "Gettin' Any Feed for Your Chickens" 37 — Gettin' Any Feed for Your Chickens "This Must Be the Bottom" 27 — Struttin' My Stuff 1967 "Blame It on My Do Wrong" 45 — Six of One, Half a Dozen of the Other "The Private" 33 — The Best of Del Reeves "A Dime at a Time" 12 — Our Way of Life 1968 "I Just Wasted the Rest" (with Bobby Goldsboro) 56 — "Wild Blood" 18 5 Running Wild "Looking at the World Through a Windshield" 5 4 Looking at the World "Good Time Charlie's" 3 20 Down at the Goodtime Charlie's 1969 "Be Glad" 5 — "There Wouldn't Be a Lonely Heart In Town" 12 — Big Daddy Del "Take a Little Good Will Home" (with Bobby Goldsboro) 31 31 Our Way of Life 1970 "A Lover's Question" (with the Goodtime Charlies) 14 — The Best 2 "Son of a Coal Man" 41 21 Friends and Neighbors "Landmark Tavern" (with Penny DeHaven) 20 24 singles only "Bad, Bad Tuesday" — 41 "Right Back to Lovin' You Again" 22 21 Friends and Neighbors 1971 "Bar Room Talk" 30 7 "Workin' Like the Devil for the Lord" 33 — "The Philadelphia Fillies" 9 38 Del Reeves "Dozen Pairs of Boots" 31 49 1972 "The Best Is Yet to Come" 29 — "No Rings, No Strings" 62 — Before Goodbye "Crying in the Rain" 54 — single only "Before Goodbye" 47 — Before Goodbye 1973 "Trucker's Paradise" 54 86 Trucker's Paradise "Mm-Mm Good" 44 31 single only "Lay a Little Lovin' on Me" 22 63 The Very Best of Del Reeves 1974 "What a Way to Go" 70 — singles only "Prayer from a Mobile Home" 62 — "She Likes Country Bands" 89 — "Pour It All on Me" 65 — Strings and Things 1975 "But I Do" 65 — "Puttin' In Overtime at Home" 74 — "You Comb Her Hair Every Morning" 92 — single only 1976 "I Ain't Got Nobody" 51 — 10th Anniversary "On the Rebound" (with Billie Jo Spears) 29 — By Request "Teardrops Will Kiss the Morning Dew" (with Billie Jo Spears) 42 — "My Better Half" 79 — singles only 1977 "Ladies' Night" 78 — 1978 "When My Angel Turns into a Devil" 93 — "Dig Down Deep" 79 — 1980 "Take Me to Your Heart" 82 — Del Reeves "What Am I Gonna Do?" 90 — 1981 "Swinging Doors" 67 — singles only "Slow Hand" 53 — 1982 "Ain't Nobody Gonna Get My Body but You" 67 — 1986 "The Second Time Around" 95 — Here's Del Reeves - APeaked at #96 on Billboard Hot 100 and #31 on the RPM Top Singles chart in Canada.
Notes
References
- Allmusic
- Trott, Walt. (1998). "Del Reeves." In The Encyclopedia of Country Music. Paul Kingsbury, Ed. New York: Oxford University Press. p. 434.
- Wolff, Kurt. Country Music: The Rough Guide.
External links
Categories:- 1932 births
- 2007 deaths
- People from Sparta, North Carolina
- American country singers
- American country singer-songwriters
- Deaths from emphysema
- Musicians from North Carolina
- Grand Ole Opry members
- United Artists Records artists
Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.
