Joe South

Joe South
Born	February 28, 1940 (1940-02-28) Atlanta, Georgia, US
Genres	Country, folk, rock
Occupations	Musician
Instruments	Guitar
Years active	1958–present
Labels	Capitol
Website	www.joesouth.com

Joe South (born Joseph Alfred Souter, February 28, 1940, in Atlanta, Georgia) is a multi-talented American singer-songwriter and guitarist.

Career

South opened his pop career in July 1958 with the novelty hit "The Purple People Eater Meets the Witch Doctor". Thereafter South's music grew increasingly serious.

In 1959, South wrote two songs which were recorded by Gene Vincent: "I Might Have Known", which was on the album Sounds Like Gene Vincent (Capitol Records, 1959) and "Gone Gone Gone" which was included on the album The Crazy Beat of Gene Vincent (Capitol Records, 1963).

He had met and was encouraged by Bill Lowery,^{[citation needed]} an Atlanta music publisher and radio personality. He began his recording career in Atlanta with National Recording Corporation, where he served as staff guitarist along with other NRC artists Ray Stevens and Jerry Reed. South's earliest recordings have been re-released by NRC on CD.

South was also a prominent sideman, playing guitar on Aretha Franklin's "Chain of Fools", Tommy Roe's "Sheila", and Bob Dylan's Blonde on Blonde album. Some list South on the electric guitar part that was added to Simon & Garfunkel's first hit, "The Sound of Silence", although others credit Al Gorgoni and/or Vinnie Bell instead.

Responding to late 1960s issues, South's style changed radically, most evident in his biggest single, 1969's pungent, no-nonsense "Games People Play" (purportedly inspired by Dr. Eric Berne's book), a hit on both sides of the Atlantic. Accompanied by a lush string sound, an organ, and brass, the production won the Grammy Award for Best Contemporary Song and the Grammy Award for Song of the Year. South followed up with "Birds Of A Feather" (originally "Bubbled Under" at #106 on February 10–17, 1968, more successful as a cover by The Raiders that peaked on the Hot 100 at #23 on October 23–30, 1971) and two other soul-searchers, "Don't It Make You Want To Go Home" (also covered eight months later by Brook Benton With The Dixie Flyers) and the provocative "Walk A Mile In My Shoes" (also covered by Elvis Presley in a Las-Vegas era version, Bryan Ferry, and Coldcut).

South's compositions have been recorded by many other artists as well, including Billy Joe Royal's songs "Down in the Boondocks", "I Knew You When", "Yo-Yo" (later a hit for the Osmonds), and "Hush" (later a hit for Deep Purple and Kula Shaker). South's most commercially successful composition is Lynn Anderson's 1971 country/pop monster hit "(I Never Promised You A) Rose Garden", which was a hit in 16 countries worldwide and translated into many languages. Anderson won a Grammy Award for her vocals, and South won a Grammy Award for writing the song. South would go on to write more hits for Anderson, such as "How Can I Unlove You" (Billboard Country #1) and "Fool Me" (Billboard Country #3).

The 1971 suicide of his brother, Tommy, drove South into a deep depression. Tommy had been his backing band's drummer and accompanied South not only in live performances but also on recording sessions when South produced hits for other artists, including Royal, Sandy Posey, and Friend and Lover.

South was inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1979.

In 1988 Dutch DJ Jan Donkers interviewed South for VPRO-radio. The radio show that aired the interview also played four new songs by South, but a new record was not released.

On September 13, 2003 South was inducted into Georgia Music Hall of Fame and played together with Buddy Buie, James B. Cobb, Jr. and Chips Moman at the induction ceremony.

Discography

Albums

Year	Album	Chart Positions			Label
		US	US Country	CAN
1969	Introspect	117	—	—	Capitol
	Games People Play	—	—	—
1970	Don't It Make You Want to Go Home?	60	39	36
	Greatest Hits	125	—	88
1971	Joe South	207	—	—
	Joe South Story	—	—	—	MGM
	So the Seeds Are Growing	—	—	—	Capitol
1972	A Look Inside	—	—	—
1975	Midnight Rainbows	—	—	—	Island
1976	You're the Reason	—	—	—	Gusto
1990	The Best of Joe South	—	—	—	Rhino
1999	Retrospect: The Best of Joe South	—	—	—	Koch
2001	Anthology: A Mirror of His Mind	—	—	—	Raven
2002	Classic Masters	—	—	—	Capitol

Singles

Year	Single	Chart Positions						Album(s)
		US	US Country	US AC	CAN	CAN Country	CAN AC
1958	"The Purple People Eater Meets the Witch Doctor"	47	—	—	—	—	—	singles only
1961	"You're the Reason"	87	16	—	—	—	—
1969	"Games People Play"	12	—	—	7	—	—	Introspect, Games People Play
	"Birds of a Feather"	96	—	—	—	—	—	Introspect
	"Leaning on You"	—	—	—	69	—	—	single only
	"Don't It Make You Want to Go Home" (with The Believers)	41	27	—	42	11	18	Don't It Make You Want to Go Home?
1970	"Walk a Mile in My Shoes" (with The Believers)	12	56	3	10	6	2
	"Children"	51	—	—	33	—	31
	"Why Does a Man Do What He Has to Do"	—	—	—	47	—	—	singles only
1971	"Fool Me"	78	—	—	—	—	—

External links

• Official website
• Joe South at Allmusic
• Nashvillesongwriters Foundation