Billy Swan
Encyclopedia
Billy Lance Swan is an American
songwriter
and singer, best known for his 1974 single
, "I Can Help
".
, Missouri
. As a child, he learned drums, piano
and guitar
, and began writing songs. His first big break was in 1962 when Clyde McPhatter
recorded "Lover Please", a song
written by Swan when he was in a local band called Mirt Mirly & the Rhythm Stoppers, and which had first been recorded by Bill Black
. McPhatter's version quickly became a #7 pop hit
.
Swan moved to Memphis
to work with Black, but this was cut short with Black's illness and subsequent death in 1965. He also for a time worked on Elvis Presley
's Graceland
estate. He then moved to Nashville
, which enabled him to write hit country
songs for numerous artists
, including Conway Twitty
, Waylon Jennings
, and Mel Tillis
. In 1969, Swan first took on the role of record producer
, producing Tony Joe White
's Top Ten hit "Polk Salad Annie". Swan also played bass guitar
for Kris Kristofferson
, and then signed a solo recording deal with Monument Records
.
His first album
included the song "I Can Help", a rockabilly
number that topped both the Billboard Hot 100
and country charts
in 1974, also becoming a hit in many other countries. Swan recorded the song in two takes (without overdubs) with an RMI organ that Kristofferson and singer Rita Coolidge
had bought for him as a wedding gift. However, other albums with Monument, A&M
, and Epic
did not have nearly the success of his first.
In 1979, Swan travelled to Havana
, Cuba
, to participate in the historic Havana Jam
festival that took place between 2–4 March, alongside Stephen Stills
, the CBS Jazz All-Stars, the Trio of Doom
, Fania All-Stars
, Weather Report
, Bonnie Bramlett
, Mike Finnegan, Kris Kristofferson, Rita Coolidge and Billy Joel
, plus an array of Cuban artists such as Irakere
, Pacho Alonso
, Tata Güines
and Orquesta Aragón
. His performance is captured on Ernesto Juan Castellanos
's documentary Havana Jam '79
.
Swan continued to tour as a member of Kristofferson's band, and has recorded two albums with Randy Meisner
of The Eagles. In 1990 he walked into a Californian studio (Bench Records) as part of a band called Black Tie
and along with Meisner, Jimmy Griffin (Bread), David Kemper
(drummer), David Miner and David Mansfield recorded an album called When the Night Falls. He recorded another solo album, Like Elvis Used to Do in 2000, and an album with Meisner and Alan Rich in 2002. , Swan remained a back-up and session musician
.
Swan was married to his late wife Marlu for 30 years. They had two daughters, recording artists Planet Swan & Sierra Swan
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
songwriter
Songwriter
A songwriter is an individual who writes both the lyrics and music to a song. Someone who solely writes lyrics may be called a lyricist, and someone who only writes music may be called a composer...
and singer, best known for his 1974 single
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...
, "I Can Help
I Can Help
"I Can Help" is a song written and performed by Billy Swan. Released in September 1974, the song was a big crossover smash, reaching #1 on both the Billboard Hot 100 and Hot Country Singles charts late that fall....
".
Life
Swan was born in Cape GirardeauCape Girardeau, Missouri
Cape Girardeau is a city located in Cape Girardeau and Scott counties in Southeast Missouri in the United States. It is located approximately southeast of St. Louis and north of Memphis. As of the 2010 census, the city's population was 37,941. A college town, it is the home of Southeast Missouri...
, Missouri
Missouri
Missouri is a US state located in the Midwestern United States, bordered by Iowa, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Kansas and Nebraska. With a 2010 population of 5,988,927, Missouri is the 18th most populous state in the nation and the fifth most populous in the Midwest. It...
. As a child, he learned drums, piano
Piano
The piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal...
and guitar
Guitar
The guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
, and began writing songs. His first big break was in 1962 when Clyde McPhatter
Clyde McPhatter
Clyde McPhatter was an American R&B singer, perhaps the most widely imitated R&B singer of the 1950s and 1960s, making him a key figure in the shaping of doo-wop and R&B. He is best known for his solo hit "A Lover's Question"...
recorded "Lover Please", a song
Song
In music, a song is a composition for voice or voices, performed by singing.A song may be accompanied by musical instruments, or it may be unaccompanied, as in the case of a cappella songs...
written by Swan when he was in a local band called Mirt Mirly & the Rhythm Stoppers, and which had first been recorded by Bill Black
Bill Black
William Patton "Bill" Black, Jr. was an American musician who is noted as one of the pioneers of rockabilly music. Black was the bassist in Elvis Presley's early trio and the leader of Bill Black's Combo....
. McPhatter's version quickly became a #7 pop hit
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
.
Swan moved to Memphis
Memphis, Tennessee
Memphis is a city in the southwestern corner of the U.S. state of Tennessee, and the county seat of Shelby County. The city is located on the 4th Chickasaw Bluff, south of the confluence of the Wolf and Mississippi rivers....
to work with Black, but this was cut short with Black's illness and subsequent death in 1965. He also for a time worked on Elvis Presley
Elvis Presley
Elvis Aaron Presley was one of the most popular American singers of the 20th century. A cultural icon, he is widely known by the single name Elvis. He is often referred to as the "King of Rock and Roll" or simply "the King"....
's Graceland
Graceland
Graceland is a large white-columned mansion and estate that was home to Elvis Presley in Memphis, Tennessee. It is located at 3764 Elvis Presley Boulevard in the vast Whitehaven community about 9 miles from Downtown and less than four miles north of the Mississippi border. It currently serves as...
estate. He then moved to Nashville
Nashville, Tennessee
Nashville is the capital of the U.S. state of Tennessee and the county seat of Davidson County. It is located on the Cumberland River in Davidson County, in the north-central part of the state. The city is a center for the health care, publishing, banking and transportation industries, and is home...
, which enabled him to write hit country
Country music
Country music is a popular American musical style that began in the rural Southern United States in the 1920s. It takes its roots from Western cowboy and folk music...
songs for numerous artists
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....
, including Conway Twitty
Conway Twitty
Conway Twitty , born Harold Lloyd Jenkins, was an American country music artist. He also had success in early rock and roll, R&B, and pop music. He held the record for the most number one singles of any act with 55 No. 1 Billboard country hits until George Strait broke the record in 2006...
, Waylon Jennings
Waylon Jennings
Waylon Arnold Jennings was an American country music singer, songwriter, and musician. Jennings began playing at eight. He began performing at twelve, on KVOW radio. Jennings formed a band The Texas Longhorns. Jennings worked as a D.J on KVOW, KDAV and KLLL...
, and Mel Tillis
Mel Tillis
Lonnie Melvin Tillis , known professionally as Mel Tillis, is an American country music singer. Although he recorded songs since the late 1950s, his biggest success occurred in the 1970s, with a long list of Top 10 hits....
. In 1969, Swan first took on the role of record producer
Record producer
A record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music...
, producing Tony Joe White
Tony Joe White
Tony Joe White is an American singer-songwriter and guitarist, best known for his 1969 hit "Polk Salad Annie"; "Rainy Night in Georgia", which he wrote but was first made popular by Brook Benton in 1970; and "Steamy Windows", a hit for Tina Turner in 1989...
's Top Ten hit "Polk Salad Annie". Swan also played bass guitar
Bass guitar
The bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
for Kris Kristofferson
Kris Kristofferson
Kristoffer "Kris" Kristofferson is an American musician, actor, and writer. He is known for hits such as "Me and Bobby McGee", "For the Good Times", "Sunday Mornin' Comin' Down", and "Help Me Make It Through the Night"...
, and then signed a solo recording deal with Monument Records
Monument Records
Monument Records was an American record label, Washington, D.C. named for the Washington Monument, founded in 1958, by Fred Foster and Buddy Deane . Buddy Deane soon left the company, and in the early 60's bought KOTN in Pine Bluff, Arkansas where he retired to until his death...
.
His first album
Album
An album is a collection of recordings, released as a single package on gramophone record, cassette, compact disc, or via digital distribution. The word derives from the Latin word for list .Vinyl LP records have two sides, each comprising one half of the album...
included the song "I Can Help", a rockabilly
Rockabilly
Rockabilly is one of the earliest styles of rock and roll music, dating to the early 1950s.The term rockabilly is a portmanteau of rock and hillbilly, the latter a reference to the country music that contributed strongly to the style's development...
number that topped both the Billboard Hot 100
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
and country charts
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....
in 1974, also becoming a hit in many other countries. Swan recorded the song in two takes (without overdubs) with an RMI organ that Kristofferson and singer Rita Coolidge
Rita Coolidge
Rita Coolidge is a multiple Grammy Award-winning American vocalist. During the 1970s and 1980s, she charted hits on Billboard's Pop, Country, Adult Contemporary and Jazz charts.-Career:...
had bought for him as a wedding gift. However, other albums with Monument, A&M
A&M Records
A&M Records is an American record label owned by Universal Music Group that operates under the mantle of its Interscope-Geffen-A&M division.-Beginnings:...
, and Epic
Epic Records
Epic Records is an American record label, owned by Sony Music Entertainment. Though it was originally conceived as a jazz imprint, it has since expanded to represent various genres. L.A...
did not have nearly the success of his first.
In 1979, Swan travelled to Havana
Havana
Havana is the capital city, province, major port, and leading commercial centre of Cuba. The city proper has a population of 2.1 million inhabitants, and it spans a total of — making it the largest city in the Caribbean region, and the most populous...
, Cuba
Cuba
The Republic of Cuba is an island nation in the Caribbean. The nation of Cuba consists of the main island of Cuba, the Isla de la Juventud, and several archipelagos. Havana is the largest city in Cuba and the country's capital. Santiago de Cuba is the second largest city...
, to participate in the historic Havana Jam
Havana Jam
Havana Jam was a three-day music festival that took place at the Karl Marx Theater, in Havana, Cuba, on 2-4 March, 1979. It was sponsored by Bruce Lundvall, the president of Columbia Records, Jerry Masucci, the president of Fania Records, and the Cuban Ministry of Culture.The festival included, on...
festival that took place between 2–4 March, alongside Stephen Stills
Stephen Stills
Stephen Arthur Stills is an American guitarist and singer/songwriter best known for his work with Buffalo Springfield and Crosby, Stills & Nash . He has performed on a professional level in several other bands as well as maintaining a solo career at the same time...
, the CBS Jazz All-Stars, the Trio of Doom
Trio of Doom
The Trio of Doom was a short-lived jazz fusion power trio consisting of John McLaughlin on guitar, Jaco Pastorius on bass, and Tony Williams on drums...
, Fania All-Stars
Fania All-Stars
The Fania All-Stars was a musical ensemble established in 1968 by the composer, Johnny Pacheco, as a showcase for the musicians on the record label Fania Records, the leading salsa record company of the time.-Beginnings:...
, Weather Report
Weather Report
Weather Report was an American jazz-rock band of the 1970s and early 1980s. The band was co-led by the Austrian-born keyboard player Joe Zawinul and the American saxophonist Wayne Shorter...
, Bonnie Bramlett
Bonnie Bramlett
Bonnie Bramlett is an American singer and sometime actress known for her distinctive vocals in rock and pop music. This began in the mid 1960s as a backing singer, forming the husband-and-wife team of Delaney & Bonnie, and continuing to the present day as a solo artist.-Life and career:Bramlett...
, Mike Finnegan, Kris Kristofferson, Rita Coolidge and Billy Joel
Billy Joel
William Martin "Billy" Joel is an American musician and pianist, singer-songwriter, and classical composer. Since releasing his first hit song, "Piano Man", in 1973, Joel has become the sixth best-selling recording artist and the third best-selling solo artist in the United States, according to...
, plus an array of Cuban artists such as Irakere
Irakere
Irakere is a Cuban band founded by Armando de Sequeira Romeu Music Director and composer, and by pianist Chucho Valdés in 1973...
, Pacho Alonso
Pacho Alonso
Pacho Alonso was a Cuban singer and bandleader from Santiago de Cuba who is attributed with creating the musical form Pilón....
, Tata Güines
Tata Güines
Tata Güines was a Cuban percussionist on the tumbadora, or conga drum, as well as a composer. He was important in the first generation of Afro-Cuban jazz....
and Orquesta Aragón
Orquesta Aragón
Orquesta Aragón was formed on 30 September 1939, by Orestes Aragón Cantero in Cienfuegos, Cuba. The band originally had the name Ritmica 39, then Ritmica Aragón before settling on its final form. Though they did not create the Cha-cha-cha, they were arguably the best charanga in Cuba during 1950s...
. His performance is captured on Ernesto Juan Castellanos
Ernesto Juan Castellanos
Ernesto Juan Castellanos, born in 1963, is a freelance author, translator, journalist, filmmaker and researcher who lives and works in Havana, Cuba. In 1996, he started organizing the Cuban Beatles conventions, which opened doors to the world of writing...
's documentary Havana Jam '79
Havana Jam '79
Havana Jam ’79 is an hour-long documentary written, produced and directed in 2009 by Cuban author, journalist and filmmaker Ernesto Juan Castellanos....
.
Swan continued to tour as a member of Kristofferson's band, and has recorded two albums with Randy Meisner
Randy Meisner
Randy Herman Meisner is an American musician and songwriter, best known as a founding member of Poco and the Eagles...
of The Eagles. In 1990 he walked into a Californian studio (Bench Records) as part of a band called Black Tie
Black Tie (band)
Black Tie was an American country rock supergroup composed of Jimmy Griffin, Randy Meisner and Billy Swan. The group's first album, When the Night Falls, was released in December 1990 by Bench Records...
and along with Meisner, Jimmy Griffin (Bread), David Kemper
David Kemper
David Kemper is a drummer. He was a long-time member of both the Jerry Garcia Band and Bob Dylan's band . He was with the Jerry Garcia Band for the last eleven years of Garcia's life...
(drummer), David Miner and David Mansfield recorded an album called When the Night Falls. He recorded another solo album, Like Elvis Used to Do in 2000, and an album with Meisner and Alan Rich in 2002. , Swan remained a back-up and session musician
Session musician
Session musicians are instrumental and vocal performers, musicians, who are available to work with others at live performances or recording sessions. Usually such musicians are not permanent members of a musical ensemble and often do not achieve fame in their own right as soloists or bandleaders...
.
Swan was married to his late wife Marlu for 30 years. They had two daughters, recording artists Planet Swan & Sierra Swan
Sierra Swan
Sierra Marie Swan is an American musician. Swan's father is singer and guitarist Billy Swan. She was part of the duo Dollshead with Graham Edwards. Currently, she is involved in releasing solo work.-Career:...
.
Albums
| Year | Album | Chart Positions | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US Country | US Billboard 200 The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists... |
CAN | NOR | ||
| 1974 | I Can Help | 1 | 21 | 34 | 3 |
| 1975 | Rock 'n' Roll Moon | 29 | — | — | 13 |
| 1976 | Billy Swan | 28 | — | — | — |
Singles
| Year | Single | Chart Positions | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US Country Hot Country Songs Hot Country Songs is a chart published weekly by Billboard magazine in the United States.This 60-position chart lists the most popular country music songs, calculated weekly mostly by airplay and occasionally commercial sales... |
US Billboard Hot 100 The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday... |
US AC Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks The Adult Contemporary chart is a weekly chart published in Billboard magazine that lists the most popular songs on adult contemporary and "lite-pop" radio stations in the United States... |
CAN Country | CAN | CAN AC | GER | AUS | UK UK Singles Chart The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ... |
||
| 1974 | "I Can Help I Can Help "I Can Help" is a song written and performed by Billy Swan. Released in September 1974, the song was a big crossover smash, reaching #1 on both the Billboard Hot 100 and Hot Country Singles charts late that fall.... " |
1 | 1 | 6 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 6 |
| 1975 | "I'm Her Fool" | — | 53 | — | — | 93 | — | — | — | — |
| "Don't Be Cruel Don't Be Cruel -Legacy:"Don't Be Cruel" went on to become Presley's biggest selling single recorded in 1956, with sales over six million by 1961. It became a regular feature of his live sets until his death in 1977, and was often coupled with "Jailhouse Rock" or "Teddy Bear" during performances from 1969.Many... " |
— | — | — | — | — | — | 26 | — | 42 | |
| "Everything's the Same (Ain't Nothing Changed) Everything's the Same (Ain't Nothing Changed) Everything's The Same is title of song written and recorded by American singer Billy Swan.-Chart positions:-Year-End Chart:... " |
17 | 91 | — | 29 | 62 | — | 36 | 84 | — | |
| 1976 | "Just Want to Taste Your Wine" (with The Jordanaires The Jordanaires The Jordanaires are an American vocal quartet, which formed as a gospel group in 1948. They are best known for providing vocal background for Elvis Presley, in live appearances and recordings from 1956 to 1972... ) |
45 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| "You're the One" | 75 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
| "Shake, Rattle and Roll Shake, Rattle and Roll "Shake, Rattle and Roll" is a prototypical twelve bar blues-form rock and roll song, written in 1954 by Jesse Stone under his assumed songwriting name Charles E. Calhoun. It was originally recorded by Big Joe Turner, and most successfully by Bill Haley & His Comets... " |
95 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
| 1978 | "Hello! Remember Me" | 30 | — | — | 46 | — | — | — | — | — |
| "No Way Around (It's Love)" | 97 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
| 1981 | "Do I Have to Draw a Picture" | 18 | — | — | 29 | — | — | — | — | — |
| "I'm into Lovin' You" | 18 | — | — | 28 | — | — | — | — | — | |
| "Stuck Right in the Middle of Your Love" | 19 | — | — | 35 | — | — | — | — | — | |
| 1982 | "With Their Kind of Money and Our Kind of Love" | 32 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| "Your Picture Still Loves Me (And I Still Love You)" | 56 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
| 1983 | "Rainbows and Butterflies" | 39 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| "Yes" | 67 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
| 1986 | "You Must Be Lookin' for Me" | 45 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1987 | "I'm Gonna Get You I'm Gonna Get You "I Gonna Get You" is a song written by Dennis Linde. It was first recorded by Billy Swan, whose version was released as a single in 1987 and went to #63 on the U.S. country singles charts.... " |
63 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
See also
- List of artists who reached number one in the United States
- List of 1970s one-hit wonders in the United States
- List of artists who reached number one on the Australian singles chart
- List of Billboard Hot Country Songs chart achievements
- List of performers on Top of the Pops