Bobby Bare
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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 is the father of Bobby Bare, Jr., also a musician.
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." [1][2]
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 was "Shame On Me" in 1962. His second RCA release, "Detroit City," was his first top-ten Country single, reaching number six.[2] It also hit number 16 on the pop charts.[1]Then a surge of hits followed, including "500 Miles Away from Home" (based on a traditional folk ballad written by Hedy West as "500 Miles")[1] and Ian Tyson's "Four Strong Winds." He also recorded with Skeeter Davis, Norma Jean and Liz Anderson. In 1968, he recorded an album with a group from England called The Hillsiders[citation needed]. In 1969, he had a Top 5 hit with Tom T. Hall's "(Margie's At) The Lincoln Park Inn".[2]
Career at Mercury (1970–1972)
Bare moved to Mercury Records in 1970 and immediately scored a Top 3 hit with "How I Got To Memphis" and had two Top 10 hits from early Kris Kristofferson compositions, "Come Sundown" (1971) and "Please Don't Tell Me How The Story Ends," (1971).[2] 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.
Second Career at RCA (1973–1977)
After a couple of years at Mercury, Bobby returned to RCA Records in 1973 and scored with Billy Joe Shaver's "Ride Me Down Easy" which nearly made the Top 10.
Bobby Bare 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. These two songs, however, 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 included "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[citation needed]). In 1977 he recorded "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]
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 Wherever I Fall". In 1979, he started off Rosanne 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".
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.
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.
Discography
Albums
| Year | Album | Chart Positions | Label | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US Country | US | |||
| 1963 | "Detroit City" And Other Hits | 9 | 119 | RCA Victor |
| 500 Miles Away from Home | 9 | 133 | ||
| 1964 | The Travelin' Bare | 14 | — | |
| 1965 | Tunes for Two (w/ Skeeter Davis) | 8 | — | |
| Constant Sorrow | — | — | ||
| 1966 | The Best of Bobby Bare | — | — | |
| Talk Me Some Sense | 6 | — | ||
| The Streets of Baltimore | 7 | — | ||
| This I Believe | 17 | — | ||
| 1967 | The Game of Triangles (w/ Norma Jean & Liz Anderson) | 16 | — | |
| A Bird Named Yesterday | 20 | — | ||
| The English Country Side (w/ The Hillsliders) | 29 | — | ||
| 1968 | The Best of Bobby Bare - Volume 2 | 33 | — | |
| 1969 | (Margie's At) The Lincoln Park Inn (And Other Controversial Country Songs) |
39 | — | |
| 1970 | Your Husband My Wife (w/ Skeeter Davis) | — | — | |
| Real Thing | — | — | ||
| This Is Bare Country | 37 | — | Mercury | |
| 1971 | Where Have All the Seasons Gone | 44 | — | |
| I Need Some Good News Bad | — | — | ||
| 1972 | What Am I Gonna Do? | 19 | — | |
| High and Dry | — | — | ||
| 1973 | I Hate Goodbyes / Ride Me Down Easy | 31 | — | RCA Victor |
| Bobby Bare Sings Lullabies, Legends and Lies | 5 | — | ||
| 1974 | Singin' in the Kitchen (Bobby Bare and Family) | 27 | — | |
| 1975 | Hard Time Hungrys | 33 | — | |
| Cowboys and Daddys | 21 | — | ||
| 1976 | The Winner and Other Losers | 18 | — | |
| 1977 | Me and McDill | 27 | — | |
| 1978 | Bare | 44 | — | Columbia |
| Sleep Wherever I Fall | — | — | ||
| 1980 | Down & Dirty | 21 | — | |
| Drunk & Crazy | 47 | — | ||
| 1981 | As Is | 43 | — | |
| 1982 | Ain't Got Nothin' to Lose | 29 | — | |
| 1983 | Drinkin' from the Bottle | — | — | |
Singles
| Year | Single | Chart Positions | Album | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US Country | US | US AC | |||
| 1959 | "The All-American Boy" (as Bill Parsons) | — | 2 | — | Detroit City |
| 1962 | "Shame on Me" | 18 | 23 | — | |
| 1963 | "Detroit City" | 6 | 16 | 4 | |
| "500 Miles Away from Home" | 5 | 10 | 4 | 500 Miles Away From Home | |
| 1964 | "Miller's Cave" | 4 | 33 | — | The Best of Bobby Bare |
| "I Have Stayed Away Too Long" | 47 | 94 | — | single only | |
| "Four Strong Winds" | 3 | 60 | — | The Best of Bobby Bare | |
| 1965 | "A Dear John Letter" (with Skeeter Davis) | 11 | — | — | Tunes for Two |
| "Times Are Gettin' Hard" | 30 | — | — | Constant Sorrow | |
| "It's All Right" | 7 | — | — | ||
| "Just to Satisfy You" | 31 | — | — | ||
| "Talk Me Some Sense" | 26 | — | — | Talk Me Some Sense | |
| 1966 | "In the Same Old Way" | 34 | — | — | single only |
| "Streets of Baltimore" | 5 | — | — | Streets of Baltimore | |
| "The Game of Triangles" (with Liz Anderson and Norma Jean) | 5 | — | — | The Game of Triangles | |
| "Homesick" | 38 | — | — | ||
| 1967 | "Charlestown Railroad Tavern" | 16 | — | — | The Best of Bobby Bare Vol. 2 |
| "Come Kiss Me Love" | 14 | — | — | ||
| 1968 | "Find Out What's Happening" (with The Hillsiders) | 15 | — | — | English Country Side |
| "Little Bit Later on Down the Line" | 14 | — | — | Talk Me Some Sense | |
| "Town That Broke My Heart" | 16 | — | — | single only | |
| 1969 | "(Margie's At) The Lincoln Park Inn" | 4 | — | — | Margie's at the Lincoln Park Inn |
| "Which One Will It Be" | 19 | — | — | single only | |
| "God Bless America Again" | 16 | — | — | This Is Bobby Bare | |
| 1970 | "Your Husband, My Wife" (with Skeeter Davis) | 22 | — | — | Your Husband, My Wife |
| "That's How I Got to Memphis" | 3 | — | — | This Is Bare Country | |
| "Come Sundown" | 7 | — | — | ||
| 1971 | "Please Don't Tell Me How the Story Ends" | 8 | — | — | Where Have All the Seasons Gone |
| "Short and Sweet" | 57 | — | — | I Need Some Good News Bad | |
| 1972 | "What Am I Gonna Do" | 13 | — | — | What Am I Gonna Do |
| "Sylvia's Mother" | 12 | — | — | ||
| 1973 | "I Hate Goodbyes" | 25 | — | — | I Hate Goodbyes/Ride Me Down Easy |
| "Ride Me Down Easy" | 11 | — | — | ||
| "You Know Who" | 30 | — | — | ||
| 1974 | "Daddy, What If" (with Bobby Bare Jr.) | 2 | 41 | — | Lullabyes, Legends and Lies |
| "Marie Laveau" | 1 | — | — | ||
| 1975 | "Singin' in the Kitchen" (with His Family) | 29 | — | — | Singin' in the Kitchen |
| "Back in Huntsville Again" | 23 | — | — | Hard Time Hungries | |
| "Alimony" | 18 | — | — | ||
| "Cowboys and Daddys" | 29 | — | — | Cowboys and Daddys | |
| 1976 | "The Winner" | 13 | — | — | The Winner and Other Losers |
| "Put a Little Lovin' on Me" | 23 | — | — | ||
| "Drop Kick Me Jesus" | 17 | — | — | ||
| 1977 | "Vegas" (with Jeannie Bare) | 30 | — | — | The Essential Bobby Bare |
| "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 |
| "The Jogger" | 29 | — | — | Drinkin' from the Bottle | |
References
- Vinicur, Dale. (1998). "Bobby Bare". In The Encyclopedia of Country Music. Paul Kingsbury, Editor. New York: Oxford University Press. pp. 28–29.