Eddy Raven
| Eddy Raven | |
|---|---|
| Birth name | Edward Garvin Futch[1] |
| Born | August 19, 1944 |
| Origin | Lafayette, Louisiana, USA |
| Genres | Country |
| Occupations | Singer-songwriter |
| Instruments | Vocals |
| Years active | 1962, 1974–present |
| Labels | Cosmos La Louisianne Monument ABC/Dot Dimension Elektra RCA Capitol Intersound K-Tel RMG |
| Associated acts | The Oak Ridge Boys |
| Website | EddyRaven.com |
Edward Garvin Futch (born August 19, 1944, in Lafayette, Louisiana) is an American country music artist known professionally as Eddy Raven. Known for his Cajun-influenced country music, Raven has been a recording artist since 1962. He has charted more than thirty-five singles in his career, including the Number One hits "I Got Mexico", "Shine, Shine, Shine", "I'm Gonna Get You", "Joe Knows How to Live", "In a Letter to You" and "Bayou Boys", as well as several more Top Ten hits, including seventeen consecutive Top Tens between 1984 and 1990.
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[edit] Biography
Edward Garvin Futch was born in Lafayette, Louisiana, on August 19, 1944, as one of 11 children. Influenced by Cajun music, the country music sounds from popular radio broadcasts such as the Louisiana Hayride, New Orleans blues, and the new sounds of rock and roll, Raven first played in a band at age thirteen.[2] Raven later went to work for a radio station in Georgia, where in 1962 he self-released the single "Once a Fool" under the name Eddy Raven.[2] When his family moved back to Louisiana, Raven worked at a record store called La Louisianne, where he recorded and released his first album, That Cajun Country Sound.[1]
Raven's record was heard by Jimmy C. Newman, who helped him sign to a publishing contract with Acuff-Rose Music. There, he wrote hit tunes for Don Gibson, Connie Smith, Jeannie C. Riley, and many others. He also wrote The Oak Ridge Boys' 1982 single "Thank God for Kids". Eventually, he moved to Nashville, Tennessee where he started recording for himself in 1974, having charted hits on ABC Records, including three albums and the #27 single "Good News, Bad News."[1] He later recorded for Monument Records and then Dimension Records, where he released the album Eyes, although none of its chart singles were major hits.
[edit] 1980s
1981 saw the release of Raven's breakthrough album for Elektra Records, Desperate Dreams. This album accounted for five singles, including his first Top Ten, "She's Playing Hard to Forget." Due to management issues, however, he left Elektra after only one album and switched to RCA Records.
Raven had his first Number One country hit in 1984 with "I Got Mexico", the first single from his RCA debut I Could Use Another You. This album also produced consecutive #9 hits in its title track and "She's Gonna Win Your Heart."[1] Continuing his streak of hit singles was 1985's Love & Other Hard Times, which also accounted for three more Top Ten hits. Right Hand Man followed in 1985, producing his second #1 in "Shine, Shine, Shine" in 1987. His final RCA album, The Best of Eddy Raven, accounted for two more Number Ones in "I'm Gonna Get You" and "Joe Knows How to Live" before he exited the label.
In 1989, he switched to Universal, with Temporary Sanity being released in 1989. Its first two singles ("In a Letter to You" and "Bayou Boys") both topped the charts. In 1990, Universal merged into Capitol Nashville. Temporary Sanity was re-released on Capitol Nashville followed by two more top ten songs (the #6 "Sooner or Later" and #10 "Island"). After it came "Zydeco Lady" which stopped at #56. Another album for Capitol Nashville, Right for the Flight, produced two charted singles, "Rock Me In The Rhythm Of Your Love" and "Two Much Candy For A Dime". Raven left the label after its release.
He continued to record for independent labels throughout the 1990s and into the 2000s, including a guest appearance alongside Jo-El Sonnier on The Bellamy Brothers' "Catahoula" and the 2001 single from his Living In Black And White release (RMG), "Cowboys Don't Cry" which spent one week at #60. In 2007, Raven could be found again on Joe Rucker's Untangle My Mind album on the song "Bermuda Shorts". According to his web site, Raven is still performing concert dates.[3]
[edit] Discography
[edit] Studio albums
| Year | Album | Chart Positions | Label | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US Country | CAN Country | |||
| 1969 | That Cajun Country Sound | — | — | La Louisianne |
| 1972 | Bayou Boys | — | — | ABC/Dot |
| Thank God for Kids | — | — | ||
| 1975 | This Is Eddy Raven | — | — | |
| 1980 | Eyes | 55 | — | Dimension |
| 1981 | Desperate Dreams | 26 | — | Elektra |
| 1984 | I Could Use Another You | 41 | 8 | RCA |
| 1985 | Love & Other Hard Times | 64 | — | |
| 1987 | Right Hand Man | 18 | — | |
| 1988 | The Best of Eddy Raven | 36 | — | |
| 1989 | Temporary Sanity | 31 | 25 | Capitol |
| 1991 | Right for the Flight | — | — | |
| 1994 | Wild Eyed and Crazy | — | — | Intersound |
| 1996 | Cookin' Cajun | — | — | K-Tel |
| 2000 | That Cajun Country Soung (re-release) | — | — | La Louisianne |
| 2001 | Living in Black and White | — | — | Row Music |
| 2005 | Knowin' How to Live | — | — | Intersound |
[edit] Compilation albums
| Year | Album | Label |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | Greatest Country Hits | Curb |
| Greatest Hits | Warner Bros. | |
| 1996 | I Got Mexico | Kingfisher |
| 1998 | 20 Favorites | Capitol |
| 1999 | Live at Billy Bob's Texas | Billy Bob's |
| 2002 | Live in Concert | Row Music |
[edit] Singles
| Year | Single | Chart Positions | Album | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US Country | CAN Country | |||
| 1962 | "Once a Fool" | — | — | singles only |
| 1969 | "Lied to Judy" | — | — | |
| 1973 | "Colinda" | — | — | That Cajun Country Sound |
| "Arkansas Sun" | — | — | singles only | |
| "Sam" | — | — | ||
| 1974 | "Last of the Sunshine Cowboys" | 63 | — | Thank God for Kids |
| "Carolina Country Morning" | — | — | single only | |
| "Ain't She Somethin' Else" | 46 | 34 | This Is Eddy Raven | |
| 1975 | "Good News, Bad News" | 27 | 40 | Thank God for Kids |
| "You're My Rainy Day Woman" | 68 | — | ||
| "Free to Be" | 34 | 46 | ||
| 1976 | "I Wanna Live" | 87 | — | This Is Eddy Raven |
| "Curse of a Woman" | 94 | — | single only | |
| "I'm Losing It All" | 90 | — | ||
| 1978 | "Colinda" (re-release) | — | — | That Cajun Country Sound |
| "You're a Dancer" | 71 | — | single only | |
| 1979 | "Sweet Mother Texas" | 44 | — | |
| 1980 | "Dealin' with the Devil" | 25 | — | Eyes |
| "You've Got Those Eyes" | 30 | — | ||
| "Another Texas Song" | 34 | — | ||
| "Peace of Mind" | 23 | — | ||
| 1981 | "I Should've Called" | 13 | — | Desperate Dreams |
| "Who Do You Know in California" | 11 | — | ||
| 1982 | "Blue Christmas" | — | — | single only |
| "A Little Bit Crazy" | 14 | 43 | Desperate Dreams | |
| "She's Playing Hard to Forget" | 10 | — | ||
| "San Antonio Nights" | 25 | — | ||
| 1984 | "I Got Mexico" | 1 | 1 | I Could Use Another You |
| "I Could Use Another You" | 9 | 6 | ||
| "She's Gonna Win Your Heart" | 9 | 5 | ||
| 1985 | "Operator, Operator" | 9 | 8 | Love & Other Hard Times |
| "I Wanna Hear It from You" | 8 | 6 | ||
| "You Should Have Been Gone By Now" | 3 | 3 | ||
| 1986 | "Sometimes a Lady" | 3 | 2 | Right Hand Man |
| "Right Hand Man" | 3 | 5 | ||
| 1987 | "You're Never Too Old for Young Love" | 3 | 6 | |
| "Shine, Shine, Shine" | 1 | 1 | ||
| 1988 | "I'm Gonna Get You" | 1 | 1 | The Best of Eddy Raven |
| "Joe Knows How to Live" | 1 | 1 | ||
| "'Til You Cry" | 4 | * | ||
| 1989 | "In a Letter to You" | 1 | 1 | Temporary Sanity |
| "Bayou Boys" | 1 | 1 | ||
| 1990 | "Sooner or Later" | 6 | 18 | |
| "Island" | 10 | 6 | ||
| "Zydeco Lady" | 56 | 44 | ||
| 1991 | "Rock Me in the Rhythm of Your Love" | 60 | 80 | Right for the Flight |
| "Too Much Candy for a Dime" | 68 | 35 | ||
| "Hot Pink" | — | — | ||
| 2001 | "Cowboys Don't Cry" | 60 | — | Living in Black and White |
| 2005 | "Tequila Tells" | — | — | Knowin' How to Live |
[edit] Guest singles
| Year | Single | Artist | Album |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1998 | "Catahoula" | The Bellamy Brothers (with Jo-El Sonnier) | Over the Line |
[edit] References
- ^ a b c d Roland, Tom. "Eddy Raven biography". Allmusic. http://www.allmusic.com/artist/p1779/biography. Retrieved 2009-05-25.
- ^ a b "Eddy Raven biography". Oldies.com. http://www.oldies.com/artist-biography/Eddy-Raven.html. Retrieved 2009-05-25.
- ^ http://www.eddyraven.com
