Billy "Crash" Craddock
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| Billy "Crash" Craddock | |
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Bill Craddock |
| Also known as | Bill Craddock Crash Craddock Billy Craddock Billy Graddock |
| Born | June 16, 1939 |
| Origin | Greensboro, North Carolina |
| Genre(s) | Country music Rockabilly |
| Occupation(s) | country music singer |
| Years active | 1957-Present |
| Label(s) | Sky Castle Colonial Date Columbia Mercury King Chart Cartwheel ABC Capitol Cee Cee Atlantic |
| Associated acts | The Bluenotes Elvis Presley Conway Twitty Jerry Lee Lewis Mickey Gilley Charlie Rich |
| Website | Official Website |
Billy "Crash" Craddock (b. June 16, 1939 in Greensboro, North Carolina) is an American country music singer who gained popularity in the 1970s with a string of country music hits.
Known to fans as "Mr. Country Rock" for his uptempo, rock-influenced style of country, he was the youngest of 13 children. He began his career in the 1950s, recording rockabilly and pop tunes, being marketed as a teen idol by his label Columbia records. He appeared twice on American Bandstand but failed to have a hit in the states. He recorded one album on King Records in 1964. He also recorded on Chart Records between 1966 and 1968.
After several years out of the music business, he returned to recording, now as a country singer. Signed with Cartwheel Records, his first #1 hit was 1971's "Knock Three Times," a cover of the Tony Orlando and Dawn pop hit. The song also reached the top five of the Billboard magazine Hot Country Singles chart that spring, beginning a streak of hits that continued throughout the 1970s. Other hits he had for Cartwheel, all during 1971-1972, included "Dream Lover", "You Better Move On", "Ain't Nothin' Shakin' (But the Leaves on The Trees)", and "I'm Gonna Knock on Your Door", were all top 10 hits in 1971 and 1972.
In 1973, Craddock signed with ABC-Dot Records, where he enjoyed his biggest hits. One was "Sweet Magnolia Blossom", but his biggest hit, 1974's "Rub It In", was also a modest pop hit. Today, several bars from the song are featured in commercials for Glade Plug-In products. He recorded a total of nine #1 hits.
Craddock consistently hit the country top ten in the 1970s and he became one of country music's first male sex symbols, unusually handsome for a male country star of the era and dressed in stage clothes exposing his hairy, muscular chest as he growled his way through rockin' numbers and love songs with a stage persona strongly influenced by Elvis Presley.
By the late 1970s, Craddock was recording for Capitol Records, where he had his last two top 10 hits: "I Cheated on a Good Woman's Love" (1978) and "If I Could Write a Song as Beautiful as You" (1979). He later recorded for Atlantic Records in the late 1980s.
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[edit] In Australia
Although he had no hits in America during his "Columbia" period (1958-1961), Billy "Crash" Craddock (Known as "Crash" Craddock) was one of the most loved teen idols of the early sixties in Australia. In mid 1960, "Boom Boom Baby" hit the top of the Sydney Top 40 charts, and stayed there for 11 weeks. His next hit, "Well, Don't You Know", also hit the top for about 7 weeks. Crash was invited to Australia to sing with Bobby Rydell, Chubby Checker, Santo & Johnny and Johnny Restivo in an "All Twist Show" (promoted by Lee Gordon) at the Sydney Stadium. A few singles, such as "Since She Turned Seventeen" reached the Top 40, but it wasn't until very early 1961 that he had another #1 hit. "One Last Kiss" stayed a number one hit in Sydney for 8 weeks, and Crash was invited once again to Australia, and although not as popular this time as last time, he had another hit single. His next hit was "Blabbermouth" which was re-released in Australia only to cash in on Crash's success, it was first released in 1958, when Craddock was virtually unknown. It reached #3 in May of 1961. His last charting single in Australia was "Good Time Billy" in early 1961, it reached #16. These songs were rereleased in 1992 on the album Boom Boom Baby.[citation needed]
[edit] Greatest Hits
| Record | Year | Billboard | Album |
|---|---|---|---|
| "Don't Destroy Me" | 1959 | 94 | Boom Boom Baby |
| "Knock Three Times" | 1971 | 1 | Knock Three Times |
| "Dream Lover" | 1971 | 1 | You Better Move On |
| "I'm Gonna Knock On Your Door" | 1972 | 5 | Two Sides of "Crash" |
| "Ain't Nothin' Shakin' (But The Leaves On The Trees)" | 1972 | 1 | Two Sides of "Crash" |
| "Sweet Magnolia Blossom" | 1974 | 1 | Mr. Country Rock |
| "Rub It In" | 1974 | 1 | Rub It In |
| "Ruby Baby" | 1974 | 1 | Rub It In |
| "Still Thinkin' About You" | 1975 | 1 | Still Thinkin' 'Bout You |
| "Easy as Pie" | 1975 | 1 | Easy As Pie |
| "You Rubbed it in All Wrong" | 1976 | 4 | Easy As Pie |
| "Broken Down in Tiny Pieces" | 1976 | 1 | Crash |
| "I Cheated on a Good Woman's Love" | 1978 | 4 | Billy "Crash" Craddock |
| "If I Could Write a Song As Beautiful as You" | 1979 | 4 | Turning Up And Turning On |
[edit] Discography
See Billy "Crash" Craddock discography
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- Tucker, Stephen R. (1998). "Billy "Crash" Craddock". In The Encyclopedia of Country Music. Paul Kingsbury, Editor. New York: Oxford University Press. p. 117.
