P. J. Proby

Infobox Musical artist
Name = P.J. Proby
Background = solo_singer


Img_capt =
Birth_name = James Marcus Smith
Born = birth date and age|1938|11|6
Houston, Texas, United States
Genre = Pop music, easy listening, R&B, soul, rock
Occupation = Singer, songwriter, actor
Years_active = 1957–present
Instrument = Vocals
Label = Liberty Records, EMI
URL = [http://www.pjproby.net Official website]

P. J. Proby (born James Marcus Smith, 6 November 1938, Houston, Texas, United States) is a singer, songwriter, and actor noted for his theatrical portrayals of Elvis Presley and Roy Orbison, plus interpretations of old standards in the vein of Billy Eckstine, Nat King Cole and Tony Bennett. The stage name P. J. Proby was suggested to him by a friend named Sharon Sheeley [ [http://www.rockabillyhall.com/SharonSheeley1.html Rockabillyhall.com biography] ] who remembered an old high school boyfriend. In 2008, Proby celebrates his 70th birthday and his original record label EMI release the "Best Of The EMI Years 1961-1972".

Youth and early career

Proby grew up in a banking family where his father was the VP of the Second National Bank in Houston, Texas. He was educated at San Marcos Military Academy, Culver Naval Academy and Western Military Academy. After graduation he moved to California to become a motion picture actor and recording artist. Given the stage name Jett Powers by top Hollywood agents Gabey, Lutz, Heller and Loeb, [ [http://rcs.law.emory.edu/rcs/artists/p/powe6200.htm Rcs.law.emory.edu] ] he took acting and singing lessons, and appeared in movies with small roles. Two singles "Go, Girl, Go", and "Loud Perfume", were released on an independent label, but were not noticed. In 1962 he began writing songs and recording demos, for artists such as Elvis Presley and Johnny Cash.

Proby was taken by songwriter Sharon Sheeley (who penned "Poor Little Fool" for Ricky Nelson, and was engaged to Eddie Cochran) to audition at Liberty Records. He travelled to London after being introduced to Jack Good by Sheeley and Jackie DeShannon. Soon, Proby created his fashion image of a pony-tail tied back with a ribbon, swashbuckling pirate shirts, and buckle shoes. In addition to this, he wore skin-tight suits made of velvet in different colours for each day of the week. Appearing on The Beatles' television special in 1964, he received great media interest with this fashion styling. Under the production of Good, Proby's balladeer style and theatrical presentation scored a string of hits in 1964 with "Hold Me" and "Together" (featuring session guitarists Big Jim Sullivan and Jimmy Page), "Somewhere", "Maria", and "I Apologise".

A royalty dispute with Liberty Records in 1966, broke his run of success in the UK Singles Chart. His career was also affected by controversies. His skin-tight trousers split open during a concert in England. The women in the audience went wild. Somehow, the trousers split again at the next venue. Critics, and the audience, were divided on whether he was using a gimmick to promote his image, or simply an eccentric rock star. During a concert with Cilla Black in 1967 they split again, and Proby was dropped from the rest of the tour by theatre managers.

Back in the USA

In 1967 Proby scored a Billboard Hot 100 Top 30 hit with "Niki Hoeky". He was then auditioned for the LondonFact|date=February 2007] production of "Finian's Rainbow", but did not get the role and to this day has never been told why. Poor managerial advice led to Proby briefly declaring bankruptcy. He returned to the United States to rest. In September 1968, Proby recorded the album "Three Week Hero", which was released in 1969. A collection of country-style ballads mixed with blues, the album is notable more for its association with the new Yardbirds, his backing band, who would later become Led Zeppelin.

uccess on the London stage

In 1971 he appeared on stage as Casio in a rock musical version of Shakespeare's "Othello", called "Catch My Soul". [ [http://home.online.no/~frodebye/dana_gillespie/lp_catch_my_soul.htm Home.online info] ] The play enjoyed a successful run in London's West End. After, [ [http://ourworld.cs.com/ahmiddel/catch.html Catch My Soul] ] he continued to perform mostly in cabarets and nightclubs, singing 1960s ballads and rhythm 'n' blues material. Signing with Good again in 1977, he portrayed Elvis Presley in a theatrical production of "Elvis - The Musical", which received rave reviews, winning a Best Musical of the Year award. [ [http://www.fumbleontheweb.com/sites/elvis.htm Best Musical of the Year] ] In 1978, Proby recorded with the Dutch rock group Focus releasing "Focus con Proby". He then returned to singing in clubs, before embarking on a change of direction.

In 1993 Proby appeared in the Jack Good biographical musical "Good Rockin' Tonite" [ [http://today.answers.com/topic/i-j-good Answers.com: I.J. Good] ] [ [http://web.telia.com/~u42210721/goodrockinprogramme.htm "Good Rockin' Tonite" 1993 programme] ] - as himself. Two years later in 1995, Proby appeared in the Roy Orbison tribute show "Only the Lonely". By 1996 Proby was acting again in "Elvis - The Musical".

1980s nadir

His career followed a similar path trodden by Tom Jones in the 1980s, who began to cover contemporary songs. Proby began with a version of Joy Division's epic "Love Will Tear Us Apart", followed with Gloria Jones's "Tainted Love", and then, less advisedly, The Sex Pistols' "Anarchy in the UK". He did enjoy minor success but, unlike Jones, was largely neglected by the media. In 1989, the Southport, Lancashire based author/songwriter Ron Ellis recorded Proby singing one of his compositions, "Hot California Nights", and released the recording as a CD single on Da Doo Ron Ron Records. It is now a rare and highly collectableFact|date=February 2007 CD.

Comeback

By 1990 Proby was living in Bolton, Lancashire and suffering from alcoholism. He was offered a recording deal by John G. Sutton from the Preston based, J'Ace Records, and this led to the release of a single "Stage of Fools", and an album entitled, "Thanks". It was distributed internationally by BMG and it brought Proby back into the record shops, for the first time since he left Liberty Records almost twenty years before.

Later in that same year Proby invited Jan Kornas, a fine art and antiques dealer, to become his new manager. The next place of work was the Bobbie Hope's Lansdowne Hotel, North Promenade, Blackpool, where he performed until November. He returned to the Lansdowne the following season.

In 1991, Jan Kornas contacted Jack Good, the producer of "Six-Five Special" and "Ready Steady Go!" who was in Liverpool at the time, whilst he was touring in the his musical "Good Rocking Tonight". This was a pivotal point in Proby's resurrected career as Good invited him to join the musical at Manchester Opera House in a cameo role. This action by his manager, certainly salvaged Proby from complete alcoholic self-destruction.fact|date=May 2008 At this time Proby's girlfriend was Elizabeth Conway of Highgate, London.

Granada TV featured Proby in a documentary and BBC TV featured Proby, on their flagship current affairs programme "This Week". Following his return to the public eye, in 1991, Proby suffered a heart attack whilst on holiday in Florida in 1992 which curtailed his activities until 1993. Then he reappeared on stage in the biographical musical of Jack Good's life called "Good Rockin Tonight", followed by playing himself in the Roy Orbison story called "Only the Lonely". A year later Proby returned to a new production of "Elvis", and released the critically acclaimed album "Legend". [ [http://web.telia.com/~u83903811/reddevil.html Web.telia.com review] ] The album featured songwriting and production contributions from Marc Almond, and Neal X from Sigue Sigue Sputnik. A resulting single, "Yesterday Has Gone", a duet with Almond, reached number 58 on the UK chart at the end of 1996.

In 1997, Proby toured with The Who in the United States and in Europe, performing as "The Godfather" [ [http://home2.swipnet.se/~w-25396/proby.htmlHome2.swipnet Home2.swipnet info] ] in the road production of "Quadrophenia". [ [http://www.kathyszaksite.com/q97euro.html Kathyszaksite] ] After "Quadrophenia", Proby continued singing by doing performances in UK, Sweden, [ [http://home2.swipnet.se/~w-25396/gotakallare.html Home2.swipnet] ] Denmark [ [http://web.telia.com/~u83903811/randers.html Web.telia information] ] and Germany. [ [http://web.telia.com/~u83903813/pjinberlin.html Web.telai info] ] In addition, he had been touring in "Sixties Gold", [ [http://web.telia.com/~u83903812/CroydonVideo.html Web.telia.com] ] another revival series of shows, for some years. In August 2004, he also toured in Australia. From February until May 2006, Proby was touring with the "Solid Silver Sixties Show 2006" - and went through five tour managers [ [http://www.flyingmusic.com/ss06_book.shtml Flyingmusic.com Flyingmusic.com] ] - throughout much of the UK, which ended atThe London Palladium. [ [http://web.telia.com/~u83903814/Palladium.html Web.telia] ]

In 2002, Van Morrison recorded a song for his album, "Down the Road", entitled "Whatever Happened to P.J. Proby?"

Following this in 2006 Proby toured the UK in the 'Ring of Fire..Johnny Cash Show' giving a performance that received fair notices.Fact|date=February 2007

2007 saw him embark on a small solo tour and is set to continue with additional UK dates in 2008, after which he is touring with "Oh Boy - It's the Non-Stop Sixties" (June and July 2008) alongside Chris Farlowe, Vanity Fare, Brian Poole and Mike Pender.

In July 2007, Proby was arrested on suspicion of a £50,000 benefit fraud. The Department of Work and Pensions are believed to be looking into whether the singer has undeclared concert earnings. He is alleged to have collected benefits whilst still performing around the country. Proby has denied the allegations saying: "I don't know anything about any benefit fraud. There is nothing in these allegations whatsoever."

In November 2008, Proby celebrates his 70th birthday. To commemorate the year, EMI has released a new 25-track retrospective, "Best Of The EMI Years 1961-1972". This features hit A-side and B-side singles, eight rarities that debut on CD format, and two previously unreleased recordings (which are Les Reed and Barry Mason's "Delilah"; and Jim Ford's "I'm Ahead If I Can Quit While I'm Behind"). Les Reed notably wrote the song "Delilah" especially for Proby's 1968 studio album "Believe It Or Not" but it was omitted from the finished release.

Discography

Albums

* "I Am P. J. Proby" (1964)
* "P. J. Proby" (1965)
* "P. J. Proby In Town" (1965)
* "Enigma" (1966)
* "Phenomenon" (1967)
* "Believe It or Not" (1968)
* "Three Week Hero" (1969)
* "California License (1970)
* "I'm Yours" (1972)
* "The Hero" (1981)
* "Clown Shoes" (1987)
* "Thanks" (1991)
* "The Savoy Sessions" (1995) (compilation)
* "Legend" (1996)
* "Memories" (2003)
* "Sentimental Journeys" (2003)
* "Wanted" (2003)
* "20th Century Hits" (2005)
* "Best Of The EMI Years 1961-1972" (2008 CD features previously unreleased songs)

ingles

* "Hold Me" (1964) - Number 3
* "Together" (1964) - Number 8
* "Somewhere" (1964) - Number 6
* "I Apologise" (1965) - Number 11
* "Let The Water Run Down" (1965) - Number 19
* "That Means A Lot" (1965) - Number 30
* "Maria" (1965) - Number 8
* "You've Come Back" (1966) - Number 25
* "To Make A Big Man Cry" (1966) - Number 34
* "I Can't Make It Alone" (1966) - Number 37
* "It's Your Day Today" (1968) - Number 32
* "The Day That Lorraine Came Down" (1968)
* "Hanging From Your Loving Tree" (1969)
* "We'll Meet Again" (1972)
* "Stage Of Fools" (1990) - (J'Ace Records)
* "Yesterday Has Gone" (1996) - Number 58. (Credited to P. J. Proby and Marc Almond featuring the My Life Story Orchestra).
* "Love Me Tender" (2004)
* "Oh My Papa" (2004)

References

* British Hit Singles - 14th Edition - ISBN 0-85156-156-X
* The Guinness Book Of British Hit Albums - 7th Edition - ISBN 0-85112-619-7

External links

* [http://www.pjproby.net P.J. Proby's Official Website] (includes soundclips, downloads, bookings information & press kit)
* [http://www.pjproby.co.uk Informative P.J. Proby Homepage] (created by Proby's long-time friend John Morris)
* [http://www.houseofproby.co.uk House of Proby - Artist Approved Website]
* [http://www.myspace.com/pjproby P.J. Proby's MySpace profile]
* [http://web.telia.com/~u42210721/index.htm Blue Velvet - The Complete PJP - Discography Site]
* [http://web.telia.com/~u42210721/songwriter.htm P. J. Proby as a songwriter]
* [http://web.comhem.se/beargrove/ BearGrove´s P.J. Proby Sites]
* [http://www.last.fm/music/P.J.+Proby P.J. Proby At LastFM.com]
* [http://rateyourmusic.com/artist/p_j__proby P.J.Proby At RateYourMusic]
* [http://www.youtube.com/group/proby The P.J. Proby Group At YouTube.com]
* [http://www.ukwebwonders.com/proby The Best of the EMI Years: 1961-72 (2008 CD album from EMI)]