B.W. Stevenson
Encyclopedia
B.W. Stevenson born Louis Charles Stevenson, was an American
country pop
artist
, working in a genre now called progressive country
. "B.W." stood for "Buckwheat." Stevenson is most famous for his song "My Maria
", co-written with Daniel Moore
.
He was born in Dallas, Texas
and attended W.H. Adamson High School with such other future noted musicians as Michael Martin Murphey
, Ray Wylie Hubbard
, and Larry Groce
.
As recorded by Stevenson, "My Maria" became a hit, reaching #9 on Billboard
s Hot 100 for the week ending September 29, 1973. The tune was covered
much later by the country duo
Brooks & Dunn
, for whom it was a three-week #1 country hit in mid 1996. Stevenson had several other successful chart
singles
, including "A Little Bit of Understanding" and the original version of Daniel Moore's "Shambala
", which in a cover version by Three Dog Night
reached #3. However, Stevenson never again regained the success he had with the release of "My Maria". Stevenson recorded one Contemporary Christian album "Lifeline" produced by Chris Christian that had success on Christian radio with the hit "Headed Home". During the time he recorded "Lifeline", he lived next door to Chris Christian in Beverly Hills, California.
Author Jan Reid devotes a chapter to Stevenson in his book The Improbable Rise of Redneck Rock, dubbing him "The Voice".
Stevenson died undergoing heart valve surgery at the age of 38. Since his death, Poor David's Pub in Dallas has held an annual songwriting competition in his memory.
1972 Lead Free (RCA)
1973 My Maria (RCA)
1973 Calabasas (RCA)
1975 We Be Sailin (Warner Bros)
1977 The Best of B.W. Stevenson (RCA)
1977 Lost Feeling (Warner Bros)
1980 Lifeline (Home Sweet Home Records)
1990 Rainbow Down the Road (Amazing Records)
2000 Very Best of B.W. Stevenson (Collectables)
2003 Lead Free/B. W. Stevenson (Collectables)
2003 My Maria/Calabasas (Collectables)
2005 We Be Sailin'/Lost Feeling (Collectables)
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
country pop
Country pop
Country pop, with roots in both the countrypolitan sound and in soft rock, is a subgenre of country music that first emerged in the 1970s. Although the term first referred to country music songs and artists that crossed over to Top 40 radio, country pop acts are now more likely to cross over to...
artist
Musician
A musician is an artist who plays a musical instrument. It may or may not be the person's profession. Musicians can be classified by their roles in performing music and writing music.Also....* A person who makes music a profession....
, working in a genre now called progressive country
Progressive country
Progressive country is a subgenre of Texas country music started in the early 1970s in Austin, Texas. The term was coined by programmers at Austin's KOKE-FM in 1972 as a way to differentiate the style of country music in Austin from that being made in Nashville...
. "B.W." stood for "Buckwheat." Stevenson is most famous for his song "My Maria
My Maria
"My Maria" is a song co-written by B. W. Stevenson and Daniel Moore. Stevenson released "My Maria" as a single in August 1973, and the song became a Top 10 hit, peaking at #9 on the US pop chart. It remained in the Top 40 for twelve weeks. In addition, "My Maria" spent one week at #1 on the US...
", co-written with Daniel Moore
Daniel Moore (Musician)
Daniel Moore is an American musician, singer and songwriter.He co-wrote the song "My Maria" with B. W. Stevenson. Recorded by the latter, the song was a pop hit in 1973. Moore also wrote the song "Shambala", a song which was a hit for both B. W. Stevenson and Three Dog Night that same year...
.
He was born in Dallas, Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
and attended W.H. Adamson High School with such other future noted musicians as Michael Martin Murphey
Michael Martin Murphey
Michael Martin Murphey is an American singer-songwriter best known for writing and performing Western music, Country music, and Popular music. A multiple Grammy nominee, Murphey has six gold albums, including Cowboy Songs, the first album of cowboy music to achieve gold status since Gunfighter...
, Ray Wylie Hubbard
Ray Wylie Hubbard
Ray Wylie Hubbard is an American Texas Country singer and songwriter.-Early life:Hubbard grew up in southeastern town of Hugo, Oklahoma. His family moved to Oak Cliff in south Dallas, Texas in 1954. He attended W. H. Adamson High School with Michael Martin Murphey, who had his own band at the time...
, and Larry Groce
Larry Groce
Larry Groce is an American singer-songwriter and radio host. Since 1983, Groce has served as the host and artistic director of Mountain Stage, a two-hour live music program produced by West Virginia Public Radio and distributed by NPR. He first entered the national spotlight in 1976 when his...
.
As recorded by Stevenson, "My Maria" became a hit, reaching #9 on Billboard
Billboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
s Hot 100 for the week ending September 29, 1973. The tune was covered
Cover version
In popular music, a cover version or cover song, or simply cover, is a new performance or recording of a contemporary or previously recorded, commercially released song or popular song...
much later by the country duo
Duet (music)
A duet is a musical composition for two performers. In classical music, the term is most often used for a composition for two singers or pianists; with other instruments, the word duo is also often used. A piece performed by two pianists performing together on the same piano is referred to as...
Brooks & Dunn
Brooks & Dunn
Brooks & Dunn was an American country music duo consisting of Kix Brooks and Ronnie Dunn, who were both vocalists and songwriters. They were paired by record producer Tim DuBois in 1990. Before the duo's foundation, both members of the duo were solo recording artists...
, for whom it was a three-week #1 country hit in mid 1996. Stevenson had several other successful chart
Record chart
A record chart is a ranking of recorded music according to popularity during a given period of time. Examples of music charts are the Hit parade, Hot 100 or Top 40....
singles
Single (music)
In music, a single or record single is a type of release, typically a recording of fewer tracks than an LP or a CD. This can be released for sale to the public in a variety of different formats. In most cases, the single is a song that is released separately from an album, but it can still appear...
, including "A Little Bit of Understanding" and the original version of Daniel Moore's "Shambala
Shambala (song)
"Shambala" is a song written by Daniel Moore and made famous by Three Dog Night whose cover reached number 3 on the Billboard Hot 100.-Three Dog Night:...
", which in a cover version by Three Dog Night
Three Dog Night
Three Dog Night is an American rock band best known for their music from 1968 to 1975. During that time the band charted 21 Billboard top 40 hits in America, three of which reached Number One...
reached #3. However, Stevenson never again regained the success he had with the release of "My Maria". Stevenson recorded one Contemporary Christian album "Lifeline" produced by Chris Christian that had success on Christian radio with the hit "Headed Home". During the time he recorded "Lifeline", he lived next door to Chris Christian in Beverly Hills, California.
Author Jan Reid devotes a chapter to Stevenson in his book The Improbable Rise of Redneck Rock, dubbing him "The Voice".
Stevenson died undergoing heart valve surgery at the age of 38. Since his death, Poor David's Pub in Dallas has held an annual songwriting competition in his memory.
Discography
- 1972
Collaborators
- Larry CarltonLarry CarltonLarry Carlton is an American jazz, smooth jazz, jazz fusion, pop, and rock guitarist and singer. He has divided his recording time between solo recordings and session appearances with various well-known bands...
: guitar - Layton DePenning: guitar
- Jim GordonJim Gordon (musician)James Beck "Jim" Gordon is an American recording artist, musician and songwriter. The Grammy Award winner was one of the most requested session drummers in the late 1960s and 1970s, recording albums with many well-known musicians of the time, and was the drummer in the blues-rock supergroup Derek...
: drums - Al DeBoe: drums
- Donny Dolan: drums
- Joe OsbornJoe OsbornJoe Osborn is an American bass guitar virtuoso, notable for his work as a session musician in Los Angeles and Nashville during the period from the 1960s through the 1980s. Osborn's work is widely admired by fellow musicians.Osborn began his career working in local clubs, then played on a hit...
: bass - Rod Garrison: bass
- Lorna Willard: backing vocals
- Venata Field: backing vocals
- Chris Christian: guitar, keyboards, backing vocals