Charlie Louvin, Country Singer, Dies at 83
By Helena Zhu
Epoch Times Staff
Charlie Louvin, who formed the country music duo The Louvin Brothers with his older brother, Ira Louvin, died at age 83 on Wednesday, Jan. 26, at his home in Wartrace, Tenn.
Louvin died due to complications from pancreatic cancer, which he was diagnosed with in July 2010, according to The Associated Press and CBS.
Even though he underwent an unsuccessful surgery to remove the tumor, he still scheduled performances and released an album, The Battles Rage On in November.
"I'm not afraid of dying," Louvin told The Associated Press a few days after the diagnosis. "We're all going to do that. And I've had 83 years of almost uninterrupted good health, so I know that's not by accident. So I've been blessed that long, and I could use a couple more."
Louvin was admitted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2001 for the works he produced with his brother since the 1940s, including "I Don’t Believe You’ve Met My Baby", "When I Stop Dreaming", "Cash on the Barrel Head", "Hoping That You’re Hoping", and "You’re Running Wild".
The brothers broke up in 1963, two years before Ira Louvin died in a car accident in Williamsburg. Mo.
Following his separation with his brother, Louvin still recorded regularly, putting out hits such as "I Don’t Love You Anymore" (1964), "See the Big Man Cry" (1965), and "The Only Way Out (Is to Walk Over Me)" (1967).
By: Johnny Cash (born J. R. Cash February 26, 1932 in Kingsland, Arkansas, died of complications from diabetes September 12, 2003 in Nashville, Tennessee.) He was named J. R. because his parents could only agree on his initials, not a particular name. He adopted John R. Cash as his legal name when he joined the US Air Force as a radio operator.
The Man in Black is considered one of the most influential and important American musicians of all time, known for his distinctive voice and famous introduction: "Hello, I'm Johnny Cash." Cash sold over 50 million records in his nearly 50 year career.
As Cash's popularity grew in the early 1960s, he drank heavily and became addicted to amphetamines (to stay awake during tours) and barbiturates (to fall asleep). Cash shared an apartment with fellow singer Waylon Jennings, who was also addicted to amphetamines. Friends joked about his erratic behavior, ignoring the signs of his escalating drug problem.
Though he kept having country hits, he hadn't had a US Top 20 hit since 1958's "Big River". He recorded "Ring of Fire" on March 25, 1963. He added the somewhat incongruous mariachi horn arrangement himself. (He later said that the horn part came to him in a dream.)
It was released that year on the album Ring of Fire: The Best of Johnny Cash, despite not being solely a "greatest hits" album. Six of the songs on that album became Top 20 US Country hit singles, with "Ring of Fire" achieving the biggest success on both the Country and Pop charts.
He caused a literal "ring of fire" two years later in June 1965, while camping at Los Padres National Forest in California, when a defective exhaust on Cash's trailer caused a fire that destroyed over 500 acres of forest, the foliage of three nearby mountains, and killed 49 endangered condors. He was sued by the federal government. (He paid them $82,000 in a settlement.) When the judge asked Cash why he did it, Cash said, "I didn't do it, my truck did, and it's dead, so you can't question it."
Chart position: #17 (US), #1 (US Country).
It was #1 on the US Country chart for 7 weeks in July, August, and September 1963. It was preceded at #1 by "Act Naturally" (Buck Owens) and succeeded by "Abilene" (George Hamilton IV).
The Top Ten Songs: September 7, 1963 (US Billboard Hot Country Singles).
"Ring of Fire" (Johnny Cash)
"Abilene" (George Hamilton IV)
"Talk Back Tremblin' Lips" (Ernest Ashworth)
"Six Days On the Road" (Dave Dudley)
"Guilty" (Jim Reeves)
"Detroit City" (Bobby Bare)
"You Comb Her Hair" (George Jones)
"Act Naturally" (Buck Owens)
"Sands of Gold" (Webb Pierce)
"Tips of My Fingers" (Roy Clark)
Written by: June Carter, later June Carter Cash (born June 23, 1929, died May 15, 2003) and Merle Kilgore (born August 9, 1934, died February 6, 2005.)
June was born into The Carter Family (her mother was Maybelle Carter,) a pioneering country music group, becoming a performing member in 1939. In 1950, the family became part of the Grand Ole Opry, along with accompanying guitarist Chet Atkins, where they befriended Hank Williams, Elvis Presley, to whom they were distantly related, and Johnny Cash. She also wrote such songs as "I'm a Worried Man", "If Today Were Yesterday", and "The Kneeling Drunkard's Plea".
The song was written by June (who later married Johnny Cash,) describe Carter's struggle with her love for Cash as she dealt with his alcoholism and drug addiction, hence, the Ring of Fire. (Johnny later said that June saved his life by helping him to get off of drugs.)
Merle Kilgore also wrote such songs as "Wolverton Mountain", "Johnny Reb", and "The Folk Singer".
Originally by: Anita Carter, June Carter Cash's sister, as "(Love's) Ring of Fire", in 1962.
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This was written by Martin Smith, son of Myrna Smith of the Sweet Inspirations. She passed away on December 24, 2010:
To all the fans of my mother Myrna Smith,
I wanted to give you all a great big THANK YOU from the bottom of my heart for all that you did for my mother. Not only when she was ill, but all the support you gave her during the years of touring, as well as, listening and purchasing her music. Many of you followed her closely and she loved you for that.
My mother was a wonderful lady. My life with her will never be forgotten. I have watched my mom from day one of her time with Elvis and the people from Graceland, showing many people what a great entertainer should project. My mom, although had friends by her side all the way to the end, always understood our special relationship. I will always love and respect my mother for who she is and what she became. Her grandson had the opportunity to sit with his Grandmother long before she became too ill and shared with her his aspirations to follow her entertainment footsteps.
Thank you all for the respect while the family was grieving and we appreciate your well wishes and condolences. I have included the memorial information below and would love to hear from you or see you there.
For people who cannot make it to the memorial, we will be taking all emails and posting them at the memorial for people to read. We may even read a few there.
Sincerely,
Martin Smith
Myrna's Memorial:
First Christian Church of North Hollywood
4390 Colfax Ave.
North Hollywood, CA 91604
818-763-8218
(please send flowers directly to the church)
Please RSVP at myrnasmemorial at hotmail dot com.
Time: 11:00 AM - 1:00PM
Date: 1/29/2010
Refreshment will follow.
We appreciate the fans that had done so much for Myrna and a special thank you to Carole Drexler who has been a valuable friend of the family.
The initial lineup of Jay and the Americans consisted of John "Jay" Traynor, Howard Kane, Kenny Vance, and Sandy Deanne. Their greatest success came after Traynor had been replaced by singer David Blatt, whose stage name was David Black, then Jay Black.
With Black, they had such hits as "Only In America", a song originally meant for the Drifters, "Come a Little Bit Closer", (#3 US) and "Cara Mia" (#4 US).
In the November 30, 1968 issue of Billboard magazine, Jay and the Americans' version of "This Magic Moment" was featured in their Special Merit Spotlight section: "The past hit of the Drifters is brought up to date in what could easily prove a hot chart item for this group. One of their most commercial contenders in some time.
Chart position: #6 (US).
The Top Ten Songs: (US Billboard Hot 100).
"Everyday People" (Sly and the Family Stone)
"Proud Mary" (Creedence Clearwater Revival)
"Build Me Up Buttercup" (Foundations)
"Dizzy" (Tommy Roe)
"Crimson and Clover" (Tommy James and the Shondells)
"This Magic Moment" (Jay and the Americans)
"This Girl's in Love with You" (Dionne Warwick)
"Baby, Baby Don't Cry" (Smokey Robinson and the Miracles)
"Touch Me" (Doors)
"Indian Giver" (1910 Fruitgum Co.)
Written by: Doc Pomus (born January 27, 1925, died of cancer March 14, 1991) and Mort Shuman (born November 12, 1936, died November 2, 1991.)
Pomus and Shuman were one of the most important songwriting duos of the late 1950s and early 1960s, second only to Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller, with more than 500 songs written between 1958 and 1965.
They also wrote/co-wrote such hit songs as "Youngblood", "Turn Me Loose", "Hushabye", "A Teenager in Love", "Save the Last Dance for Me", "Sweets for My Sweet", "Can't Get Used to Losing You", "Surrender", "Little Sister", "Suspicion", "(Marie's the Name of) His Latest Flame", "Viva Las Vegas", "Little Children", and "She's Not You".
Originally by: The Drifters, with Ben E. King on lead vocals and elaborate production work by Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller. Their version reached #16 (US) and #4 (US R&B) in 1960.
Mike Stoller recalled that a producer went into a music store to find the kind of drum kit used on the Drifters' version of "This Magic Moment". After listening to the record, the clerk at the store said, "What I get is that these guys used every drum in this store, plus a half-dozen drums that don't even exist.
By:Dion And The Belmonts, led by Dion DiMucci (born July 18, 1939 in the Bronx, New York.)
The Belmonts were named after Dion's Bronx neighborhood of Belmont.
In 1959, the same year "A Teenager In Love" was released, Dion and the Belmonts were the fourth headliner on "The Winter Dance Party" tour, with Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens, and J.P. "The Big Bopper" Richardson.
Dion was approached to join their fateful flight, but he thought the price of $36 was too much. Growing up, he had heard his parents argue for years over the $36 rent for their apartment and could not bring himself to pay a month's rent for a short plane ride.
After the success of "A Teenager In Love", Dion began a solo career in the early 1960s and continued to have hits (with songs like "Runaround Sue", "The Wanderer", and "Ruby Baby") until 1964 when changing public tastes and heroin addiction caused his career to decline.
After getting off drugs in the late 1960s, he switched to protest songs. In 1968 he recorded his best known song as a soloist, "Abraham, Martin & John", a response to the 1968 assassinations of Martin Luther King and Robert F. Kennedy.
In 1989, Dion was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
In between his occasional current forays into music, Dion pursues prison ministry. He reaches out to those going through drug addiction recovery.
Chart position: #5 (US), #28.
The song held three positions in the British Top 20, the other two versions being by Marty Wilde and Craig Douglas.
The Top Ten Songs: May 18, 1959.
"Kansas City" (Wilbert Harrison)
"Sorry, I Ran All The Way Home" (Impalas)
"The Happy Organ" (Dave Baby Cortez)
"Kookie, Kookie (Lend Me Your Comb)" (Edward Byrnes with Connie Stevens)
"A Teenager In Love" (Dion and the Belmonts)
"Dream Lover" (Bobby Darin)
"The Battle Of New Orleans" (Johnny Horton)
"Quiet Village" (Martin Denny)
"Turn Me Loose" (Fabian)
"Pink Shoe Laces" (Dodie Stevens)
Written by: Doc Pomus (born January 27, 1925, died of cancer March 14, 1991) and Mort Shuman (born November 12, 1936, died November 2, 1991.)
Pomus and Shuman were one of the most important songwriting duos of the late 1950s and early 1960s, second only to Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller, with more than 500 songs written between 1958 and 1965.
They also wrote/co-wrote such hit songs as "Youngblood", "Turn Me Loose", "Hushabye", "This Magic Moment", "Save the Last Dance for Me", "Sweets for My Sweet", "Can't Get Used to Losing You", "Surrender", "Little Sister", "Suspicion", "(Marie's the Name of) His Latest Flame", "Viva Las Vegas", "Little Children", and "She's Not You".
in November.
