Bobby Durham (Country musician)
Encyclopedia
Bobby Durham is an American country music
ian associated with the Bakersfield sound
. His hits include Do You Still Drink Margaritas; Playboy; Let’s Start a Rumor Today and the classic song penned by Merle Haggard
My Past Is Present.
's TV show. He performed on local shows such as Town Hall Party, Trading Post, and Cliffie Stone
's Hometown Jamboree
, and in 1953 he joined Cousin Ebb's Squirrel Shooters, which was the house band for the Pumpkin Center Barn Dance. Following this he played with Jolly Judy and the Go-Daddies and with Gene Davis
's Palomino Riders.
and released several singles, including his take on the Merle Haggard
song "My Past Is Present". In 1965 he was nominated for Most Promising Male Vocalist for the Academy of Country Music Awards
and again in 1966 as Most Promising Vocal Group for a duet recording he did with Jeanie O'Neal. In 1968, he released a self-titled album, which was produced by Chet Atkins
.
Later Bobby joined The Crickets
, onetime backing band for Buddy Holly
; He would spend the next five years touring with them.
in 1972 and performed there for 11 years, operating a nightclub in Colorado Springs during 1975-78.
In 1983 he returned to Bakersfield, California
to take care of his family. He released an album that featured the song Do You Still Drink Margaritas, the song became another hit and reached number 1 in Australia. He was invited to play on the bill at The Grand Ole Opry in 1984. He took his Mother to the performance. "That was the thrill of my lifetime," Durham says. "I just wish my daddy had been around to see it."
In 1987 Bobby signed a deal with Hightone Records
and released Where I Grew Up. Distribution of the album was also picked up in the UK by Demon Records. The album went Gold
and featured the songs Playboy and Let's Start A Rumor Today.' written by Wayne Durham.
's Crystal Palace with his band The Durham Band. August 24, 2010 was officially marked "Bobby Durham Day" in Bakersfield, CA for his contributions to the Bakersfield Sound; they held a celebration and concert at the Buck Owens
's Crystal Palace.
1966 Most Promising Vocal Group - Bobby Durham & Jeanie O'Neal * Nomination
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...
ian associated with the Bakersfield sound
Bakersfield sound
The Bakersfield sound was a genre of country music developed in the mid- to late 1950s in and around Bakersfield, California. The many hit singles were largely produced by Capitol Records country music head, Ken Nelson. Bakersfield country was a reaction against the slickly produced, string...
. His hits include Do You Still Drink Margaritas; Playboy; Let’s Start a Rumor Today and the classic song penned by Merle Haggard
Merle Haggard
Merle Ronald Haggard is an American country music singer, guitarist, fiddler, instrumentalist, and songwriter. Along with Buck Owens, Haggard and his band The Strangers helped create the Bakersfield sound, which is characterized by the unique twang of Fender Telecaster guitars, vocal harmonies,...
My Past Is Present.
Past
Durham first performed professionally at age 11, appearing on Billy MizeBilly Mize
Billy Mize is a steel guitarist, band leader, vocalist, songwriter, and TV show host.-Biography:...
's TV show. He performed on local shows such as Town Hall Party, Trading Post, and Cliffie Stone
Cliffie Stone
Cliffie Stone , born Clifford Gilpin Snyder, was an American country singer, musician, record producer, music publisher, and radio and TV personality who was pivotal in the development of California’s thriving country music scene after World War II during a career that lasted six decades...
's Hometown Jamboree
Hometown Jamboree
Hometown Jamboree was an American country music radio and television show broadcast each Saturday night by KXLA radio, Pasadena, California and KTLA-TV, Los Angeles, California. The show was hosted by Cliffie Stone and first held at the American Legion Stadium in El Monte, California, and later at...
, and in 1953 he joined Cousin Ebb's Squirrel Shooters, which was the house band for the Pumpkin Center Barn Dance. Following this he played with Jolly Judy and the Go-Daddies and with Gene Davis
Gene Davis
Gene or Eugene Davis may refer to:*Gene Davis , US painter, from Washington, DC*Gene Davis , born Eugene M. Davis, US actor*Gene Davis , American Olympic wrestler...
's Palomino Riders.
1960s
In the 1960s Durham signed to Capitol RecordsCapitol Records
Capitol Records is a major United States based record label, formerly located in Los Angeles, but operating in New York City as part of Capitol Music Group. Its former headquarters building, the Capitol Tower, is a major landmark near the corner of Hollywood and Vine...
and released several singles, including his take on the Merle Haggard
Merle Haggard
Merle Ronald Haggard is an American country music singer, guitarist, fiddler, instrumentalist, and songwriter. Along with Buck Owens, Haggard and his band The Strangers helped create the Bakersfield sound, which is characterized by the unique twang of Fender Telecaster guitars, vocal harmonies,...
song "My Past Is Present". In 1965 he was nominated for Most Promising Male Vocalist for the Academy of Country Music Awards
Academy of Country Music
The Academy of Country Music was founded in 1964 in Los Angeles, California as the Country & Western Music Academy. Whereas the Country Music Association, founded in 1958, was based in Nashville, the Academy sought to promote country music in the western states. Among those involved in the...
and again in 1966 as Most Promising Vocal Group for a duet recording he did with Jeanie O'Neal. In 1968, he released a self-titled album, which was produced by Chet Atkins
Chet Atkins
Chester Burton Atkins , known as Chet Atkins, was an American guitarist and record producer who, along with Owen Bradley, created the smoother country music style known as the Nashville sound, which expanded country's appeal to adult pop music fans as well.Atkins's picking style, inspired by Merle...
.
Later Bobby joined The Crickets
The Crickets
The Crickets are a rock & roll band from Lubbock, Texas, formed by singer/songwriter Buddy Holly in the 1950s. Their first hit record was "That'll Be the Day", released in 1957....
, onetime backing band for Buddy Holly
Buddy Holly
Charles Hardin Holley , known professionally as Buddy Holly, was an American singer-songwriter and a pioneer of rock and roll...
; He would spend the next five years touring with them.
1970s & 1980s
After his tenure with the Crickets, Durham began working in Las VegasLas Vegas Strip
The Las Vegas Strip is an approximately stretch of Las Vegas Boulevard in Clark County, Nevada; adjacent to, but outside the city limits of Las Vegas proper. The Strip lies within the unincorporated townships of Paradise and Winchester...
in 1972 and performed there for 11 years, operating a nightclub in Colorado Springs during 1975-78.
In 1983 he returned to Bakersfield, California
Bakersfield, California
Bakersfield is a city near the southern end of the San Joaquin Valley in Kern County, California. It is roughly equidistant between Fresno and Los Angeles, to the north and south respectively....
to take care of his family. He released an album that featured the song Do You Still Drink Margaritas, the song became another hit and reached number 1 in Australia. He was invited to play on the bill at The Grand Ole Opry in 1984. He took his Mother to the performance. "That was the thrill of my lifetime," Durham says. "I just wish my daddy had been around to see it."
In 1987 Bobby signed a deal with Hightone Records
HighTone Records
HighTone Records was an independent record label based in Oakland, California. Hightone specialized in American roots music including, country, rockabilly, western swing, blues and gospel. The label was created by Larry Sloven and Bruce Bromberg in 1983...
and released Where I Grew Up. Distribution of the album was also picked up in the UK by Demon Records. The album went Gold
Music recording sales certification
Music recording sales certification is a system of certifying that a music recording has shipped or sold a certain number of copies, where the threshold quantity varies by type and by nation or territory .Almost all countries follow variations of the RIAA certification categories,...
and featured the songs Playboy and Let's Start A Rumor Today.' written by Wayne Durham.
Present
Bobby has recorded his latest CD Last of the Golden Era, which released in 2010. He continues to make appearances including at Buck OwensBuck Owens
Alvis Edgar Owens, Jr. , better known as Buck Owens, was an American singer and guitarist who had 21 No. 1 hits on the Billboard country music charts with his band, the Buckaroos...
's Crystal Palace with his band The Durham Band. August 24, 2010 was officially marked "Bobby Durham Day" in Bakersfield, CA for his contributions to the Bakersfield Sound; they held a celebration and concert at the Buck Owens
Buck Owens
Alvis Edgar Owens, Jr. , better known as Buck Owens, was an American singer and guitarist who had 21 No. 1 hits on the Billboard country music charts with his band, the Buckaroos...
's Crystal Palace.
Academy of Country Music Awards
- 1965 Most Promising Mail Vocalist
Singles
- 1964 My Past Is Present (Capitol RecordsCapitol RecordsCapitol Records is a major United States based record label, formerly located in Los Angeles, but operating in New York City as part of Capitol Music Group. Its former headquarters building, the Capitol Tower, is a major landmark near the corner of Hollywood and Vine...
) - 1964 Queen of Snob Hill (Capitol RecordsCapitol RecordsCapitol Records is a major United States based record label, formerly located in Los Angeles, but operating in New York City as part of Capitol Music Group. Its former headquarters building, the Capitol Tower, is a major landmark near the corner of Hollywood and Vine...
) - 1965 It’s Too Much Like Lonesome (Capitol RecordsCapitol RecordsCapitol Records is a major United States based record label, formerly located in Los Angeles, but operating in New York City as part of Capitol Music Group. Its former headquarters building, the Capitol Tower, is a major landmark near the corner of Hollywood and Vine...
) - 1965 So Welcome to the Club (Capitol RecordsCapitol RecordsCapitol Records is a major United States based record label, formerly located in Los Angeles, but operating in New York City as part of Capitol Music Group. Its former headquarters building, the Capitol Tower, is a major landmark near the corner of Hollywood and Vine...
) - 1965 Let the Sad Times Roll On (Capitol RecordsCapitol RecordsCapitol Records is a major United States based record label, formerly located in Los Angeles, but operating in New York City as part of Capitol Music Group. Its former headquarters building, the Capitol Tower, is a major landmark near the corner of Hollywood and Vine...
) - 1965 Let That Be a Lesson to You, Heartache (Capitol RecordsCapitol RecordsCapitol Records is a major United States based record label, formerly located in Los Angeles, but operating in New York City as part of Capitol Music Group. Its former headquarters building, the Capitol Tower, is a major landmark near the corner of Hollywood and Vine...
) - 1966 Home Is Where I Hang My Head (Capitol RecordsCapitol RecordsCapitol Records is a major United States based record label, formerly located in Los Angeles, but operating in New York City as part of Capitol Music Group. Its former headquarters building, the Capitol Tower, is a major landmark near the corner of Hollywood and Vine...
) - 1966 Why Don’t You Just Be You (Capitol RecordsCapitol RecordsCapitol Records is a major United States based record label, formerly located in Los Angeles, but operating in New York City as part of Capitol Music Group. Its former headquarters building, the Capitol Tower, is a major landmark near the corner of Hollywood and Vine...
) - 1987 Playboy (Hightone RecordsHighTone RecordsHighTone Records was an independent record label based in Oakland, California. Hightone specialized in American roots music including, country, rockabilly, western swing, blues and gospel. The label was created by Larry Sloven and Bruce Bromberg in 1983...
) - 1987 Let's Start A Rumor Today (Hightone RecordsHighTone RecordsHighTone Records was an independent record label based in Oakland, California. Hightone specialized in American roots music including, country, rockabilly, western swing, blues and gospel. The label was created by Larry Sloven and Bruce Bromberg in 1983...
)
Discography
- 1968 Bobby Durham (Capitol RecordsCapitol RecordsCapitol Records is a major United States based record label, formerly located in Los Angeles, but operating in New York City as part of Capitol Music Group. Its former headquarters building, the Capitol Tower, is a major landmark near the corner of Hollywood and Vine...
) - 1987 Where I Grew Up (Hightone RecordsHighTone RecordsHighTone Records was an independent record label based in Oakland, California. Hightone specialized in American roots music including, country, rockabilly, western swing, blues and gospel. The label was created by Larry Sloven and Bruce Bromberg in 1983...
) *Gold Record StatusMusic recording sales certificationMusic recording sales certification is a system of certifying that a music recording has shipped or sold a certain number of copies, where the threshold quantity varies by type and by nation or territory .Almost all countries follow variations of the RIAA certification categories,... - 1987 Where I Grew Up (UK Release) (Demon Records)
- 2007 Greatest Hits (Songs from the early 80s) (Independent)
- 2007 My Past Is Present (Songs from 1964–1968) (Independent)
- 2010 Last Of The Golden Era (Independent)