Bobby Bare
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Bobby Bare (born Robert Joseph Bare on April 7, 1935 in Ironton, Ohio) is an American country music singer and songwriter. He won a "Song of the Year" Grammy in 1963 for "Detroit City."
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[edit] Early career
Bare had many failed attempts to sell his songs in the 1950s.[citation needed] He finally signed with Capitol Records and recorded a few rock and roll songs without much chart success.[citation needed] Just before he was drafted into the Army, he wrote a song called "The All American Boy" and did a demo for his friend, Bill Parsons, to learn and record. Instead of using the version Bill Parsons did later, the record company, Fraternity Records, decided to use the original demo done by Bobby Bare. The record reached number 2 on the Billboard Hot 100, but they made an error: the singles' labels all credited the artist as being "Bill Parsons."[citation needed]
[edit] Career at RCA (1962-1970)
Bare's big break in country music came when RCA Records' Chet Atkins signed him. The first song he released on the label, "Shame On Me," sold nearly a million copies in 1962.[citation needed] His second RCA release, "Detroit City," won him a Grammy Award for the best song of the year in 1963.[citation needed] Then a surge of hits followed, including "500 Miles Away From Home" (his only Pop Top 10 with his name credited on the record label) and Ian Tyson's "Four Strong Winds." He also recorded two successful albums with Skeeter Davis[citation needed]. Additionally, he had a major hit in 1966 as part of a trio with Norma Jean (singer) and Liz Anderson, "The Game of Triangles". In 1968, he recorded an album with a group from England called The Hillsiders. In 1969, he had a Top 5 hit with Tom T. Hall's "Margie's At The Lincoln Park Inn."
[edit] Career at Mercury (1970-1972)
Bare moved to Mercury Records in 1970 and immediately scored a Top 3 hit with "That's How I Got To Memphis" and had two Top 10 hits from early Kris Kristofferson compositions, "Come Sundown" (1970) and "Please Don't Tell Me How The Story Ends," (1971)[citation needed]. He also scored a #12 hit in 1972 with a version of Dr. Hook and the Medicine Show's pop hit "Sylvia's Mother" written by Shel Silverstein.
[edit] Second Career at RCA (1973-1977)
After a couple of years at Mercury, Bobby returned to RCA Records in 1973 and immediately scored with Billy Joe Shaver's "Ride Me Down Easy" which nearly made the Top 10.
Bobby Bare is a versatile singer, and in the 1970s, he started to release novelty songs recorded live with selected audiences. One such song, "Marie Laveau," reached the number one position on the country chart in 1974; it was his only number one hit. This song was co-written by his friends Shel Silverstein and Baxter Taylor, who received a BMI Award for the song in 1975.
Silverstein penned other songs for Bare including a Grammy-nominated hit, "Daddy What If," which he recorded with his five year old son, Bobby Bare, Jr. The song was an immediate success as well not only reaching #2 on the country charts but nearly reaching the Top 40 on the Pop charts. Bare's album, "Lullabyes, Legends and Lies" became his most commercially successful album and Bobby had a new audience with pop radio once again playing his songs and a new following with college kids. Surprisingly, these two songs would become Bobby's last Top 10 hits. Bare later recorded a very successful album with his family, written mainly by Silverstein, called "Singin' in The Kitchen." It was nominated for best group category in Grammy Awards, but was declined by Bobby himself.[citation needed] He continued to record critically acclaimed albums and singles. His biggest hits during this time were "Alimony" (1975), "The Winner" (1976), and "Drop Kick Me Jesus (Through The Goalposts Of Life)" (the world's only Christian football waltz, and a 1976 Grammy nominee). In 1977 he recorded the controversial, expletive-drive, "Redneck Hippie Romance"[citation needed] and "Vegas" (a duet with his wife Jeannie).
Concept albums were nothing new for Bobby, In 1967, Bare came up with a concept album called "Bird Named Yesterday," which was very successful.[citation needed] His most successful concept album is "Lullabyes, Legends and Lies". He also is the first to be given full control of his work and thus the very first Outlaw.[citation needed]
[edit] Career at Columbia Records (1978-1983)
Bobby signed with Columbia Records and continued to have hits like "Sleep Tight Good Night Man" a near Top 10 in 1978 and releasing critically acclaimed albums like "Bare" and "Sleeper Whereever I Fall". In 1979, he started off Roseanne Cash's career in a big way by singing a duet with her called "No Memories Hangin' Round" which went Top 20 for them. In 1980, he scored a near Top 10 with "Numbers" which came from his album "Down and Dirty" where Bare started to experiment with Southern Rock and continued this with his next album "Drunk and Crazy". In 1981, Bobby released an album entitled "As Is" which was produced by Rodney Crowell and returned Bobby back to his country roots with songs like "New Cut Road". Bare was still doing well chartwise into the early 1980s. In 1983, he released a Top 30 duet with Lacy J. Dalton called "It's A Dirty Job". His last trip into the Top 30 came that summer with the novelty song "The Jogger".
[edit] Film career
Bobby Bare was also given an opportunity to star in the movies. He acted in a Western with Troy Donahue, A Distant Trumpet, and a few episodes of the TV series No Time for Sergeants. He turned his back on Hollywood to pursue his career in Country Music.
[edit] Later career in country music and today
From 1983 to 1988, Bobby hosted Bobby Bare and Friends on The Nashville Network which featured Bobby interviewing songwriters who sang their hit songs on the show.
In 1985, Bobby signed with EMI America Records where he scored 3 charted singles, but none of these reached the upper regions of the charts.
In 1998, he formed the band, Old Dogs, with his friends Jerry Reed, Mel Tillis and Waylon Jennings.
In nearly 50 years of making music, Bobby has made many firsts in country music. Bare is credited for introducing Waylon Jennings to RCA.[citation needed] He is also one of the first to record from many well- known song writers such as Jack Clement, Harlan Howard, Billy Joe Shaver, Mickey Newbury, Tom T. Hall, Shel Silverstein, Baxter Taylor and Kris Kristofferson.[citation needed] In 2006, he recorded a new album after over 20 years, called The Moon Was Blue, produced by his son[citation needed] Bobby Bare, Jr., who is also a musician. He continues to tour today.
[edit] Discography
[edit] Charted Singles
| Year | Single | US Pop Singles | US Country Singles | US A.C. Singles | Album |
| 1959 | "The All-American Boy" (as "Bill Parsons") | 2 | - | - | Detroit City |
| 1962 | "Shame on Me" | 23 | 18 | - | Detroit City |
| 1963 | "Detroit City" | 16 | 6 | 4 | Detroit City |
| 1963 | "500 Miles Away From Home" | 10 | 5 | 4 | 500 Miles Away From Home |
| 1964 | "Miller's Cave" | 33 | 4 | - | The Best of Bobby Bare |
| 1964 | "I Have Stayed Away Too Long" | 94 | 47 | - | (Single Only) |
| 1964 | "Four Strong Winds" | 60 | 3 | - | The Best of Bobby Bare |
| 1965 | "A Dear John Letter" (with Skeeter Davis) | - | 11 | - | Tunes For Two (with Skeeter Davis) |
| 1965 | "Times Are Gettin' Hard" | - | 30 | - | Constant Sorrow |
| 1965 | "It's All Right" | - | 7 | - | Constant Sorrow |
| 1965 | "Just to Satisfy You" | - | 31 | - | Constant Sorrow |
| 1965 | "Talk Me Some Sense" | - | 26 | - | Talk Me Some Sense |
| 1966 | "In the Same Old Way" | - | 34 | - | (Single Only) |
| 1966 | "Streets of Baltimore" | - | 5 | - | Streets of Baltimore |
| 1966 | "The Game of Triangles" (with Liz Anderson & Norma Jean) | - | 5 | - | The Game of Triangles (with Liz Anderson & Norma Jean) |
| 1966 | "Homesick" | - | 38 | - | The Game of Triangles (with Liz Anderson & Norma Jean) |
| 1967 | "Charlestown Railroad Tavern" | - | 16 | - | The Best of Bobby Bare; Vol. 2 |
| 1967 | "Come Kiss Me Love" | - | 14 | - | The Best of Bobby Bare; Vol. 2 |
| 1968 | "Find Out What's Happening" (with The Hillsiders) | - | 15 | - | English Country Side (with The Hillsiders) |
| 1968 | "Little Bit Later on Down the Line" | - | 14 | - | Talk Me Some Sense |
| 1968 | "Town That Broke My Heart" | - | 16 | - | (Single Only) |
| 1969 | "(Margie's At) The Lincoln Park Inn" | - | 4 | - | Margie's At the Lincoln Park Inn |
| 1969 | "Which One Will It Be" | - | 19 | - | (Single Only) |
| 1969 | "God Bless America Again" | - | 16 | - | This Is Bobby Bare |
| 1970 | "Your Husband, My Wife" (with Skeeter Davis) | - | 22 | - | Your Husband, My Wife (with Skeeter Davis) |
| 1970 | "That's How I Got to Memphis" | - | 3 | - | This Is Bare Country |
| 1970 | "Come Sundown" | - | 7 | - | This Is Bare Country |
| 1971 | "Please Don't Tell Me How the Story Ends" | - | 8 | - | Where Have All the Seasons Gone |
| 1971 | "Short and Sweet" | - | 57 | - | I Need Some Good News Bad |
| 1972 | "What Am I Gonna Do" | - | 13 | - | What Am I Gonna Do |
| 1972 | "Sylvia's Mother" | - | 12 | - | What Am I Gonna Do |
| 1973 | "I Hate Goodbyes" | - | 25 | - | I Hate Goodbyes/Ride Me Down Easy |
| 1973 | "Ride Me Down Easy" | - | 11 | - | I Hate Goodbyes/Ride Me Down Easy |
| 1973 | "You Know Who" | - | 30 | - | I Hate Goodbyes/Ride Me Down Easy |
| 1974 | "Daddy, What If" (with Bobby Bare Jr.) | 41 | 2 | - | Lullabyes, Legends and Lies |
| 1974 | "Marie Laveau" | - | 1 | - | Lullabyes, Legends and Lies |
| 1975 | "Singin' In The Kitchen" (with His Family) | - | 29 | - | Singin' In The Kitchen |
| 1975 | "Back In Huntsville Again" | - | 23 | - | Hard Time Hungries |
| 1975 | "Alimony" | - | 18 | - | Hard Time Hungries |
| 1975 | "Cowboys and Daddys" | - | 29 | - | Cowboys and Daddys |
| 1976 | "The Winner" | - | 13 | - | The Winner and Other Losers |
| 1976 | "Put A Little Lovin' On Me" | - | 23 | - | The Winner and Other Losers |
| 1976 | "Drop Kick Me Jesus" | - | 17 | - | The Winner and Other Losers |
| 1977 | "Vegas" (with Jeannie Bare) | - | 30 | - | The Essential Bobby Bare |
| 1977 | "Look Who I'm Cheatin' On Tonight" | - | 21 | - | Me and McDill |
| 1978 | "Sleep Tight Good Night Man" | - | 11 | - | Bare |
| 1979 | "No Memories Hangin' Round (with Roseanne Cash) | - | 17 | - | Bobby Bare: The Columbia Years |
| 1980 | "Numbers" | - | 11 | - | Down and Dirty |
| 1982 | "New Cut Road" | - | 18 | - | As Is |
| 1983 | "It's A Dirty Job" (with Lacy J. Dalton) | - | 30 | - | Bobby Bare: The Columbia Years |
| 1983 | "The Jogger" | - | 29 | - | Drinkin' From The Bottle |
[edit] RCA Victor (1963 - 1970)
- "Detroit City" (9/119) RCA Victor LSP-2776 1963
- "500 Miles Away From Home"(9/133) RCA Victor LSP-2835 1963
- "Travelin' Bare"(14/-) RCA Victor LSP-2955 1964
- "Tunes For Two" with Skeeter Davis (8/-) RCA Victor LSP-3336 1965
- "Constant Sorrow" RCA Victor LSP-3395 1965
- The Best RCA Victor LSP-3479 1966
- "Talk Me Some Sense" (6/-) RCA Victor LSP-3515 1966
- "Streets of Baltimore" (7/-) RCA Victor LSP-3618 1966
- "This I Believe" (17/-) RCA Victor LSP-3688 1966
- "Game Of Triangles" with Liz Anderson & Norma Jean (18/-) RCA Victor LSP-3764 1967
- "Bird Named Yesterday" (20/-) RCA Victor LSP-3831 1967
- "English Country Side" with The Hillsiders (29/-) RCA Victor LSP-3896 1967
- The Best, Volume 2 (33/-) RCA Victor LSP-3994 1968
- Folsom Prison Blues RCA Camden CAS-2289 1968
- Margie's at the Lincoln Park Inn (39/-) RCA Victor LSP-4177 1969
- "Your Husband, my Wife" with Skeeter Davis RCA Victor LSP-4335 1970
- Real Thing RCA Victor LSP-4422 1970
- I'm a Long Long Way from Home RCA Camden CAS-2465 1971
- This is Bobby Bare RCA Victor VPS-6090 1972
- Memphis, Tennessee RCA Camden ACL1-0150 1973
- Sunday Mornin' Comin' Down RCA Camden ANL1-0560 1974
[edit] Mercury (1970 - 1972)
- "This is Bare Country" (37/-) Mercury SR-61290 1970
- "Where Have All the Seasons Gone" (44/-) Mercury SR-61316 1971
- I Need Some Good News Bad Mercury SR-61342 1971
- "What Am I Gonna Do" (19/-) Mercury SR-61363 1972
- High and Dry Mercury INT-145031 1972
- Greatest Hits Sun 136 1974
- Very Best United Artists 427F 1975
- This is Bare Country United Artists 621G 1976
[edit] RCA Victor (1973 - 1977)
- "I Hate Goodbyes / Ride MW Down Easy" (31/-) RCA Victor APL1-0040 1973
- Lullabys, Lengends, and Lies (5/-) RCA Victor CPL2-0290 1973
- "Singin' in the Kitchen" with Family (27/-) RCA Victor APL1-0700 1974
- Hard Time Hungrys (33/-) RCA Victor APL1-0906 1975
- Cowboys and Daddys (21/-) RCA Victor APL1-1222 1975
- Winner and Other Losers (18/205) RCA Victor APL1-1786 1976
- Me and McDill (27/-) RCA Victor APL1-2179 1977
- Greatest Hits RCA Victor AYL1-4118 1981
[edit] Columbia (1978 - 1983)
- Bare (44/-) Columbia KC-35314 1978
- Sleeper Wherever I Fall Columbia KC-35645 1978
- Down and Dirty (21/-) Columbia JC-36323 1980
- Drunk and Crazy (47/-) Columbia JC-36785 1980
- As Is (43/204) Columbia FC-37157 1981
- Encore Columbia FC-37350 1981
- Ain't Got Nothin' To Lose (29/-) Columbia FC-37719 1982
- Biggest Hits Columbia FC-38311 1982
- Drinkin' From the Bottle Columbia FC-38670 1983
[edit] References
- Vinicur, Dale. (1998). "Bobby Bare". In The Encyclopedia of Country Music. Paul Kingsbury, Editor. New York: Oxford University Press. pp. 28-29.
