Information AboutCarl Perkins |
Carl Lee Perkins ( April 9 , 1932 – January 19 , 1998 ) was an American pioneer of Rockabilly music, a mix of Rhythm And Blues and Country Music , recorded most notably at Sun Records in Memphis , beginning in 1954. EARLY LIFE Perkins was the son of poor sharecroppers near sung by whites in church and by Black field workers when he started working in the cotton fields at age six. On Saturday nights he would listen to the radio along with his father and hear music from the Grand Ole' Opry. Roy Acuff 's broadcast performances on the Opry inspired Perkins to ask his parents for a guitar. The Rockabilly Legends; They Called It Rockabilly Long Before they Called It Rock and Roll by Jerry Naylor and Steve Halliday ISBN-13;: 978-I-4234-2042-2 By age seven, he was playing a guitar made by his father to sign Perkins to his Sun Records label.) Perkins formed a group with brothers Jay and Clayton, the Perkins Brothers(soon joined by drummer W. B. Holland), and began to perform at a local honkytonk known as the El Rancho Club in 1947 and 1948. They appeared on WDXT radio in his hometown of Jackson, Tennessee from 1950 to 1952. Meanwhile, Carl spent many years working during the day at Colonial Baking Company in Jackson, Tennessee, as a baker. {Link without Title} SUN RECORDS Perkins successfully auditioned for Sam Phillips at Sun Records early in October of 1954. his original song "Movie Magg" having sold Phillips. "Movie Magg" and "Turn Around" were released on the Phillips owned Flip label (151) March 19, 1955. {Link without Title} In late Country Music charts (the only #1 hit he would have), to #2 on Billboard's Best Sellers pop music chart, and to #3 on the Rhythm & Blues charts. In the United Kingdom , it became a Top Ten hit. It was the first record by a Sun label artist to sell a million copies. Rockabilly Legends by Jerry Naylor page 137 ISBN-13:978-I-4234-2042-2 On , also had success with a cover version of "Blue Suede Shoes", which was a follow-up to Presley's first hit, " Heartbreak Hotel ". Presley's version became far more famous than the original, although it only reached #20 on the Best Sellers chart. LIFE AFTER SUN Intentionally or not, the Elvis cover stole Perkins' thunder, and he never had another Top 40 hit. In 1958 , Perkins moved to Columbia Records , where he unsuccessfully embraced the Nashville Sound and developed a dependency on alcohol. However, his earlier Sun songs were kept in the public eye by such groups as The Beatles , who covered " Matchbox ", "Honey Don't", and "Everybody's Trying To Be My Baby". Perkins felt that Sam Phillips owed him royalties for the songs that the Beatles had recorded, plus the reissues of " Blue Suede Shoes ". Perkins was in an unusually dark mood. At the studio meeting, Sam said he no longer owned the copyrights. T.L. Meade, aka Franz Douskey , a mutual friend of both Perkins and Phillips, tried to ease the situation by telling Perkins that if it wasn't for Sam Phillips, Perkins would still be behind a Plow following a Jackass in Tiptonville instead of driving a Cadillac . Perkins finally started to receive his royalties in 1982 . In 1968 , Johnny Cash took the Perkins-written "Daddy Sang Bass" (based upon the American standard "Will The Circle Be Unbroken") to #1 on the country music charts. "Daddy Sang Bass" was also a Country Music Association nominee for Song of the Year. At Cash's behest, Perkins defeated his Addiction , and spent a decade in the singer's touring revue. One of his TV appearances with Cash was on the popular country series " Hee Haw " in an episode aired February 16 , 1974 . In 1982 , Perkins made a guest appearance on Paul McCartney 's chart-topping album '' Tug Of War '', duetting with the former Beatle on the song "Get It". The rockabilly revival of the 1980s helped bring Perkins back into the limelight. In 1985 , he re-recorded "Blue Suede Shoes" with two members of the Stray Cats , as part of the soundtrack for the movie, Porky's Revenge . The next year, George Harrison , Eric Clapton , and Ringo Starr appeared with him on a television special taped in London , England , called "Carl Perkins and Friends: A Rockabilly Session". Perkins and his friends ended the session by singing his signature song, 30 years after its writing, which brought Perkins to tears. 1980S In 1985 , Perkins' was inducted to the Nashville Songwriters Hall Of Fame , and in 1987 , wider recognition of his contribution to music came with his induction to the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame . In addition, "Blue Suede Shoes" was chosen as one of The Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame's 500 Songs That Shaped Rock And Roll , and as a Grammy Hall Of Fame Award recipient. His pioneering contribution to the genre has been recognized by the Rockabilly Hall Of Fame . In 1989 , he co-wrote and played guitar on The Judd's #1 country hit, "Let Me Tell You About Love". In 1986 , he returned to the Sun Studios in Memphis, joining Johnny Cash , Jerry Lee Lewis and Roy Orbison on the album '' Class Of '55 ''. The record was a tribute to their early years at Sun and, specifically, the Million Dollar Quartet Jam Session involving Perkins, Presley, Cash, and Lewis on December 4 , 1956 . LAST YEARS In 1989 , Perkins met Rudy Maldonado (Rudy Wild), a local Detroit musician and business owner, backstage at the Meadowbrook concert facility, where he was opening for the Everly Brothers . Wild and Perkins developed a very close friendship, and in 1990 , Wild started a record label called Platinum Records LTD out of Oak Park, Michigan , signing Carl to a record deal. The final product was titled ''Friends, Family, and Legends'', featuring performances by Chet Atkins , Travis Tritt , Steve Warner , Joan Jett , Charlie Daniels , along with Paul Schafer and Will Lee. Unfortunately, in 1992 , Perkins developed Throat Cancer during the production of this CD. There were many nights that Wild and Perkins would talk for hours about this CD and that it was keeping Carl strong and giving him hope through his Chemotheropy Sessions . Perkins returned to Sun Studio in Memphis to record a CD with Scotty Moore , Presley's first guitar player. The CD was called '' 706 ReUNION '', released on Belle Meade Records, and featured D.J. Fontana , Marcus Van Storey and The Jordanaires . Perkins' last album, ''Go Cat Go!'', was released in 1996 , and featured new collaborations with many of the above artists, as well as Paul Simon , John Fogerty , Tom Petty , and Bono . It was released by the independent label Dinosaur Records , and distributed by BMG . Regrettably, Carl's contributions have consistently received short shrift in the numerous biographical films about the other members of the ' Million Dollar Quartet ' (Presley, Cash & Lewis). His only notable film performance as an actor was in John Landis ' 1985 film "Into the Night", a cameo-laden film that includes a scene where characters played by Carl and David Bowie die at each other's hand. His last major concert appearance was the " Music For Monserrat " all-star charity concert at Royal Albert Hall on November 15 , 1997 . DEATH AND LEGACY Two months later at Jackson-Madison County Hospital, Jackson , Tennessee , Carl Perkins died at the age of 65 from throat Cancer after suffering several Stroke s. Among those in attendance at the funeral in 1998 were Ex-Beatle George Harrison , Jerry Lee Lewis, Wynonna Judd , Johnny Cash and June Carter Cash . He is interred at Ridgecrest Cemetery in Jackson, Tennessee . In 2004, '' Rolling Stone '' ranked him #69 on their list of the 100 Greatest Artists of All Time .1 Carl Perkins' wife, Valda deVere Perkins, died November 15 , 2005 in Jackson, Tennessee . The Drive-By Truckers , on their album The Dirty South , recorded a song " Carl Perkins' Cadillac " that gives a poignant history of the artist and his relationships. Perkins is the subject of an acclaimed biography, ''Go, Cat, Go'', by noted New York-based music writer David McGee. REFERENCES
SEE ALSO EXTERNAL LINKS
|
|
|