Singer Billy Joe Royal dies Aged 73

Previous plays on Marie Crichton Country show:

28 March 2011: Billy Joe Royal - Mama’s Song (CD-Down In The Boondocks  (Birth 3 April-1942 )

2 April 2012: Billy Joe Royal - Those Railroad Tracks In Between  CD -Down In The Boondocks / Cherry Hill Park

Billy Joe Royal 1942-2015

Born April 3, 1942 Valdosta, Georgia, US | Died October 6, 2015 (aged 73) Morehead City, North Carolina, US

Instruments: Vocals, acoustic guitar, piano

Billy Joe Royal - Montage
CLICK to ENLARGE

Country and Pop artist Billy Joe Royal, passed away Tuesday October 6, 2015 at his home in North Carolina.  He was 73.

Even as a kid, he knew music was central to his personality. Like many of his peers, he recognized that it could also be his source of income after he saw Elvis Presley—another guy who mixed, pop, country and R&B—on The Tommy Dorsey Show.  “When he made it so big,” Royal reflected, “all us Southern boys thought maybe we had a shot, too.”

Initially Royal found recognition as a star at the Bamboo Ranch during the 1950s and 1960s in Savannah.

Royal first gained notoriety in 1965 with “Down In The Boondocks,” a top 10 Pop hit (#9 Billboard Hot 100; UK: #38 on the Record Retailer chart).

Watch Mr. Billie Joe Royal perform “Down in the Boondocks” (Live) recorded in 1999 on Rock -n- Roll Graffiti.

The song helped Royal earn a spot on the Dick Clark Caravan Of Stars, a grueling package tour that bonded him to such fellow performers as Herman’s Hermits, Jackie DeShannon and Peter & Gordon, with a backing band that featured several future members of Chicago. Clark’s end-of-the-tour wrap party required that all the guests dress like another artist on the bill, and the results bonded a number of the performers.

“Tom Jones, Mel Carter, Peter Asher and myself dressed up as The Shirelles,” Royal shared. “We showed up in chiffon dresses and threw some wigs on. It was really crazy. Somebody took a picture and I’ve still got it.”

Follow up hits included “I Knew You When” and “Cherry Hill Park,” (>> YouTube; Top 20, 1965; #15 Billboard Hot 100) the latter of which was his last Pop success in 1969. ‘I Knew You When’ was in theme and vocal delivery similar to Gene Pitney's hits. Royal’s subsequent records were not as successful, but he failed to appreciate the potential of ‘Rose Garden’, as it later became a hit for Lynn Anderson.

“Cherry Hill Park” along with "Hush" (1967; >> YouTube Audio), were written and produced by Joe South.

"Hush" was subsequently recorded by Britian hard rock band Deep Purple (>> YouTube Audio) for their 1968 debut album SHADES OF DEEP PURPLE. The track became the group's first hit single peaking at #4 on the Billboard Hot 100 (dated 21–28 Sept, 1968) and #2 in Canada while going largely unnoticed in the UK.

Another South composition, "Yo-Yo," just missed the top 40 in Canada and charted poorly in the U.S. when Royal released it in 1967, but a later remake by The Osmonds was a much greater success.

Country fans probably remember Mr. Royal best from his late 1985 single, “Burned Like A Rocket” (>> YouTube audio; written by Gary Burr), which shot up the charts and had landed in the top 10 by January of 1986. But late in that month, the Space Shuttle Challenger exploded shortly after liftoff, killing the entire crew. Sensitivity over the title of the record forced radio to back off airplay, and the song quietly went away.

“We thought we had a number one record. It was selling so well,” Royal recalled. “I remember that I was in (producer) Nelson Larkin’s office watching TV, and we saw the shuttle go down. For some reason, it didn’t dawn on me that it would affect my record, but radio dropped it like a hot potato.” But, it wasn’t the end of his country career. “By that time, it was in the top ten, so the song really led to a great period for me.”

"I'll Pin a Note on Your Pillow" (>> YouTube ; written by Carol W. Berzas Jr., Don Goodman and Nelson Larkin) released by Atlantic in October 17, 1987 as the first single from Billy Joe's album THE ROYAL TREATMENT reached #5 on Billboard's Hot Country Singles chart. The Royal Treatment LP (Amazon UK) was certified Gold.

Royal was back in 1989, covering the 1966 classic “Tell It Like It Is” (>> YouTube Audio writers George Davis and Lee Diamond) which reached #2 on the Country chart. His 1989 remake of the Aaron Neville hit "Tell It Like It Is" just missed the chart summit, landing at No.2 and that same year, he bagged a second #2 country single with "Till I Can't Take It Anymore." (>>YouTube Audio)

He was inducted into the Georgia Music Hall of Fame in 1988.

He experienced a late and unexpected resurgence among millennials in the 2000s.

This significant, and what some consider second major period in his music popularity, was due to regular airplay on oldies stations. 

In recent years, he toured with longtime friend and fellow crossover artist B.J. Thomas, releasing the 2007 LP GOING BY DAYDREAMS, on Thomas's Raindrops Records label… Read more: Rollingstone.com

Royal's most recent project, His First Gospel Album: Hard Rock to Roll, was released in Dec, 2009 (Gusto Records (2) - GT7-2125-2 | Amazon UK | Amazon.com)

Mr. Royal is survived by his ex-wife Michelle Royal, daughter Savannah Royal and setpsons Trey and Joey Riverbank.

Tributes

Singer BJ Thomas was among the first to share the news with fans. “My best friend Billy Joe Royal, died this morning,” he tweeted. “He was a sweet and talented man. Never a bad word. One of a kind.”

My best friend Billy Joe Royal, died this morning. He was a sweet and talented man. Never a bad word. One of a kind.

— BJ Thomas (@TheBJThomas) October 7, 2015

The men of Shenandoah also shared a kind word about Royal, saying their former tourmate was a “sweet guy.” Little information has been released about the 73-year-old’s death, but WSMV-TV in Nashville reported it happened in his North Carolina home. Singer Ronnie McDowell also confirmed the news. The two were touring partners who were set to return to the road in November.

MUSIC

Billy Joe Royal - Greatest Hits (Feb 1991): Twenty years after his first pop hit, Billy become a country star on Atlantic.

Here are 10 key moments from his '80s rebirth: his Top 10s Burned Like a Rocket; I'll Pin a Note on Your Pillow; Out of Sight and on My Mind; Tell It Like It Is; Love Has No Right; Till I Can't Take It Anymore , and more!

Amazon UK | Amazon.com | UK iTunes

Top Albums by Billy Joe Royal Amazon UK | Amazon.com

UK iTunes discography | Spotify Artist Link

The Complete Early Recordings 1961-1966 (Dynamic Voice Records) is to be released 30 Oct. 2015 Amazon UK

Greatest Hits:

SOURCES

www.billyjoeroyal.com | Discogs.com

OBITUARIES

Associated Press/ Daily Mail

Billboard (by Chuck Dauphin): Billy Joe Royal Dies at 73

Rollingstone: Billy Joe Royal, Country and Pop Singer, Dead at 73

Country Weekly: Billy Joe Royal Dies at Age 73

Taste Of Country: Billy Joe Royal Dead at 73 |

The Mirror – Ultimate Classic Rock.com

Chattanooga Radiotv.com: Billy Joe Royal 1942-2015 

Red Lane Award-winning songwriter has died

Red Lane (9 February 1939 – 1 July 2015)

Award-winning songwriter Red Lane died Wednesday evening (July 1, 2015) following a lengthy illness with cancer. He was 76.

A member of the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame since 1993 (inducted Sept 27, 1993), Mr. Lane wrote or co-wrote such country classics as:

• Tammy Wynette’s >> “Till I Get It Right,” (#1 Billboard Hot Country Singles on March 10, 1973; co-written with Larry Henley)
• Merle Haggard’s >> “My Own Kind of Hat” (#4 Billboard Hot Country Singles)
• John Conlee’s >> “MissEmily’s Picture”  (1981; #2 Hot Country Songs) 
• George Strait’s >> “Tell Me Something Bad About Tulsa” (July 2003; #11 Billboard Hot Country Singles)
• Willie Nelson’s >> “Blackjack County Chain” (May 1967; #21 Hot Country Songs; banned by radio stations, the song depicts the killing of a Georgia sheriff by members of a black chaingang).
• Eddy Arnold’s >> “They Don’t Make Love Like They Used To” (1968; #10 Hot Country Songs)
• B.J. Thomas’ >> “New Looks From an Old Lover.” (1983; #1 Hot Country Songs; writers: Red Lane, Gloria Thomas, Lathan Hudson).

Lane was born Hollis Rudolph DeLaughter in Zona, Louisiana, on Feb. 9, 1939 (CMT report his birth date as Feb 2nd?).

His family later moved to northern Indiana. Instructed by his father, he began learning to play the guitar when he was 10.

Lane moved to Nashville in the early 60s, where he worked with Justin Tubb and as a session musician. In 1967, he became frontman for Dottie West’s band and co-wrote with West her 1968 hit >> ‘Country Girl’ (1968; #15 Hot Country Singles)

In the early 70s, he recorded for RCA Records and charted four minor hits (1971-72), the biggest being ‘The World Needs A Melody’ and the last, ‘It Was Love While It Lasted’, in 1972, none of them reaching the Top 20.  

Since then he had remained active as a session musician and toured as a guitarist with Merle Haggard.

Some of his songs have been recorded by top artists but he failed to achieve further chart successes of his own. However, Lane was acknowledged in 1993 when he was inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame.

In 1971 Red cut an album for RCA, THE WORLD NEEDS A MELODY, the title track becoming something of a minor classic in recent years with dozens of versions cropping up on various albums. Having always been a good musician and composer, this album did nothing more than re-affirm Lane’s great talent. The songs were very strong and often unique in an oddly familiar way. It was country without apologies and without gimmicks. "Mississippi Woman", a hit for Waylon Jennings, is an earthy bayou song about the eternal triangle which ends in a gruesome murder. "Valley Of The Never Done Good" is an original look at the life of a poor man with only dreams and plenty of work to be done. In contrast "It Always Rains On Tuesday" is an unusual twist on a love affair which only two writers like Red Lane and Hank Cochran could have unravelled…. (Source: * Alan Cackett read more Website Red Lane Profile ; View the Original Article Image which was first published in Country Music People, June 1976. * Highly respected Mr Cackett won the Wesley Rose Media Achievement Award as editor and founder of Maverick Magazine (2008), he contributed regularly to Country Music People magazine from 1970 through to 1992, on a freelance basis and also with Country Music International from 1994 until 2001)

Other album cuts of note written by Red Lane:

• Little Jimmy Dickens recorded “(You've Been Quite a Doll) Raggedy Ann” in 1970 (#75 Hot Country Singles)
• Reba McEntire recorded "I've Seen Better Days" (writers: Red Lane / Danny Morrison) on her 1986 album WHOEVER'S IN NEW ENGLAND
• In 1995 Daryle Singletary recorded >> "Would These Arms Be in Your Way" (writers: Hank Cochran / Vern Gosdin / Red Lane) on his SELF TITLED album
• Ricky Van Shelton recorded "Let Me Live With Love" (And Die with You) on his 1988 album LOVING PROOF
• In 2002 Lee Ann Womack recorded "He'll Be Back" (writers: Hank Cochran, Red Lane, Dale Dodson) on her fourth studio album SOMETHING WORTH LEAVING BEHIND (MCA). She >> performed it live at the Country Music Awards (CMA) 2003.
• In 2009 Lorrie Morgan cut "Til I Get It Right on her album A MOMENT IN TIME
• Mark Chesnutt recorded "Would These Arms Be in Your Way" (Hank Cochran / Vern Gosdin / Red Lane) on his 2004 set SAVIN' THE HONKY TONK
• Jamey Johnson recorded "Would These Arms Be in Your Way" (Hank Cochran / Vern Gosdin / Red Lane) and "She'll Be Back" (Hank Cochran / Dale Dodson / Red Lane) on his 2012 album Living for a Song: A Tribute to Hank Cochran

Watch John Conlee perform Red Lane's  “Miss Emily’s Picture”:

Teea Goans recorded "Same Ol' Song and Dance" (writers: Rick Holt / Red Lane) on her 2010 album THE WAY I REMEMBER IT.

Reference: Song Credits

Watch the Mr. Red Lane perform in a special Country Music Hall of Fame Songwriter Session (circa March 2013)


Suzy Bogguss tweeted: RIP Red Lane. Thank you for sharing your beautiful thoughts and music.

Bogguss recorded >> "Burning Down" (Red Lane, Madeline Stone) on her album MOMENT OF TRUTH released August 21, 1990.

RIP Red Lane. Thank you for sharing your beautiful thoughts and music.

— Suzy Bogguss (@SuzyBogguss) July 2, 2015

Suzy's Wine, Women & Song pal Matraca Berg grew up around songwriters like Sonny Throckmorton, Red Lane and Larry Henley. "That was normal life, my normal world. Writing songs was normal. they were songwriters, and that was really neat" she told Billboard magazines Chet Flippo back in August 1997.

"He was my first big hero," said singer-songwriter Matraca, who first met Mr. Lane through her aunt and uncle when she was just 4 years old. "He came to the house, pulled up a chair, got out his guitar and started making up melodies to nursery rhymes, and he'd sing them with me." "He was thoughtful, highly intelligent and very kind," she adds. "And so funny. 
He was so dry and quick that I was always fighting to keep up."

Berg praised Mr. Lane's economy of words, his beautiful melodies and skill as a guitarist. The two of them wrote their first song together about a year and a half ago. It was called "An Easy Way to Say Goodbye." (SOURCE: The Tennessean)

Obituaries: CMT - The Tennessean - Facebook Fan Page

Sources: Alan Cackett Website - Red Lane Profile