Dale Houston
Encyclopedia
Dale Houston was an American
singer who, along with his performing partner, Grace Broussard, got to the top of the Billboard chart
as Dale & Grace with two rock and roll
hits
. The first was the gold record
one million seller "I'm Leaving It Up to You
" (#1) in 1963. "Stop and Think It Over" reached #8 in 1964. In his later years, Houston was reunited on stage several times with Broussard.
, a small town in Covington County
in southern Mississippi
. He was delivered by a midwife on the family's kitchen table. The Houstons thereafter moved to nearby Collins
, the seat of Covington County, where the senior Houston surrendered to the Christian
ministry. Young Dale began piano
lessons in 6th grade, but family financial difficulties halted his training after 3 months and he was self-taught from then on, honing his skills by playing and singing in church
.
At age 18, Houston recorded "Lonely Man," which reached #75 nationally. In 1960, while he was performing in Baton Rouge
, record executive Sam Montel (Sam Montalbano) caught Houston's act in a local bar. Montel declared Houston "a pretty good writer" and signed him to compose exclusively for his label. Houston then wrote and recorded "Lonely Man," "Bird With A Broken Wing," and "That's What I Like About You." None were particularly successful.
, a small town in Concordia Parish, Louisiana
along the Mississippi River
. Montel approached Houston about teaming up with a female singer, Grace Broussard (born 1939) of Prairieville
in Ascension Parish near Baton Rouge. Both had been singing in area bistros for several years - Grace with her brother, Van Broussard (who later released an album on the Bayou Boogie label
).
The two met and practiced on Montel's home piano
for 4 hours. When Houston began to play a song written and recorded in 1957 by African-American performers Don and Dewey
--"I'm Leaving it Up to You"--Montel, asleep in the next room, woke up screaming: “Play it again! That’s a hit!” The song was soon recorded and released locally on Montel's Michelle label.
According to The Billboard Book of Number One Hits by Fred Bronson
, the song broke at Top 40 radio station KNUZ in Houston, where it was unanimously voted the "pick hit of the week" by the station's panel of seven deejays. Montel wanted to change the key in which the violin
s were recorded, but was persuaded by the KNUZ deejays
to leave the recording
as it was. It was nationally distributed as Montel #921 by Philadelphia's Jamie/Guyden Records
after negotiations by producer Huey Meaux.
Montel's prophesy was vindicated when "I'm Leaving It Up To You" reached #1 on the U.S. chart
, where it remained for two weeks. The song was #1 during the week that Kennedy was assassinated and also reached #1 on the Billboard
Adult Contemporary
chart.
Houston appeared on Clark's American Bandstand
program. In autumn 1963, Houston and Broussard toured with Dick Clark's Caravan of Stars. The Clark caravan, which also included Brian Hyland
and Bobby Vee
, was standing on a street corner on Main Street in Dallas
waving at John F. Kennedy
on that fateful day
. Moments later, the Kennedy limousine turned right onto, ironically, Houston Street, then turned left onto Elm Street, after which the president was killed and Texas Governor
John B. Connally was seriously wounded. The group had gone back to their hotel rooms after waving to Kennedy and did not hear about the assassination until several hours later.
The follow-up release "Stop And Think It Over" went to #8 in 1964. However, the popularity of The Beatles
, combined with personal problems between the two performers, Broussard's homesickness, and a serious illness which landed Houston in the hospital, caused the duo to separate in 1965. Grace returned to singing with her brother.
. He was survived by four sons, two daughters, a brother and two sisters, seven grandchildren, and one great-grandchild. At his funeral Troy Shondell
gave a musical tribute, and interment was in Smyrna Cemetery in Collins, Mississippi
.
. Earlier, he was inducted into the Texas Music Hall of Fame and the Gulf Coast Music Hall of Fame, both in 1998.
In 2007, newly-elected Louisiana Secretary of State Jay Dardenne
announced that Houston and Broussard, along with John Fred and the Playboys were being named to the Delta Music Museum
Hall of Fame. To garner such an honor, one must have national or international recognition, said the museum director, Judith Bingham. Dale and Grace performed at the festival in Ferriday, where Houston had attended the ninth and tenth grades decades earlier at Ferriday High School. In October 2007, Dale and Grace were inducted into the Louisiana Music Hall of Fame
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
singer who, along with his performing partner, Grace Broussard, got to the top of the Billboard chart
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...
as Dale & Grace with two rock and roll
Rock and roll
Rock and roll is a genre of popular music that originated and evolved in the United States during the late 1940s and early 1950s, primarily from a combination of African American blues, country, jazz, and gospel music...
hits
Hit record
A hit record is a sound recording, usually in the form of a single or album, that sells a large number of copies or otherwise becomes broadly popular or well-known, through airplay, club play, inclusion in a film or stage play soundtrack, causing it to have "hit" one of the popular chart listings...
. The first was the gold record
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,...
one million seller "I'm Leaving It Up to You
I'm Leaving It Up to You
"I'm Leaving It All Up to You" is a song first put out by the Don & Dewey duo in 1957 andwritten by Dewey Terry and Donald Harris, the members of that duo. It was popularized by Dale and Grace, becoming a number-one hit for the duo in the United States on the Billboard Hot 100 for two weeks in late...
" (#1) in 1963. "Stop and Think It Over" reached #8 in 1964. In his later years, Houston was reunited on stage several times with Broussard.
Early years
Robert Dale Houston was born to Claude Houston and the former Essie Walters in SeminarySeminary, Mississippi
Seminary is a town in Covington County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 335 at the 2000 census.Seminary was the birthplace of rock and roll and Country singer Dale Houston , who rocketed to stardom in 1963 with a No. 1 hit song, "I'm Leaving It Up To You"...
, a small town in Covington County
Covington County, Mississippi
-2010 Census:As of the most recent census, 2010, the population of Covington County is 19,568, only a slight increase from 2000. Racially, the population was distributed with 62.7% being White, 34.7% Black/African American, 1.9% Hispanic/Latino, 0.2% Asian, 0.1% American Indian/Alaskan Native, and...
in southern Mississippi
Mississippi
Mississippi is a U.S. state located in the Southern United States. Jackson is the state capital and largest city. The name of the state derives from the Mississippi River, which flows along its western boundary, whose name comes from the Ojibwe word misi-ziibi...
. He was delivered by a midwife on the family's kitchen table. The Houstons thereafter moved to nearby Collins
Collins, Mississippi
Collins is a city in Covington County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 2,761 at the 2005 census. It is the county seat of Covington County....
, the seat of Covington County, where the senior Houston surrendered to the Christian
Christianity
Christianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus as presented in canonical gospels and other New Testament writings...
ministry. Young Dale began 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...
lessons in 6th grade, but family financial difficulties halted his training after 3 months and he was self-taught from then on, honing his skills by playing and singing in church
Church service
In Christianity, a church service is a term used to describe a formalized period of communal worship, often but not exclusively occurring on Sunday, or Saturday in the case of those churches practicing seventh-day Sabbatarianism. The church service is the gathering together of Christians to be...
.
At age 18, Houston recorded "Lonely Man," which reached #75 nationally. In 1960, while he was performing in Baton Rouge
Baton Rouge, Louisiana
Baton Rouge is the capital of the U.S. state of Louisiana. It is located in East Baton Rouge Parish and is the second-largest city in the state.Baton Rouge is a major industrial, petrochemical, medical, and research center of the American South...
, record executive Sam Montel (Sam Montalbano) caught Houston's act in a local bar. Montel declared Houston "a pretty good writer" and signed him to compose exclusively for his label. Houston then wrote and recorded "Lonely Man," "Bird With A Broken Wing," and "That's What I Like About You." None were particularly successful.
Partnership with Grace Broussard
In 1963, Houston was working in a bar in FerridayFerriday, Louisiana
Ferriday is a town in Concordia Parish in northeastern Louisiana, United States. The population, which is three-fourths African American, was 3,723 at the 2000 census....
, a small town in Concordia Parish, Louisiana
Louisiana
Louisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...
along the Mississippi River
Mississippi River
The Mississippi River is the largest river system in North America. Flowing entirely in the United States, this river rises in western Minnesota and meanders slowly southwards for to the Mississippi River Delta at the Gulf of Mexico. With its many tributaries, the Mississippi's watershed drains...
. Montel approached Houston about teaming up with a female singer, Grace Broussard (born 1939) of Prairieville
Prairieville, Louisiana
Prairieville is an unincorporated community in Ascension Parish, Louisiana, United States. It is south of Baton Rouge and north of Gonzales, Louisiana. The latitude of is 30.302N. The longitude is -90.971W. Elevation is ....
in Ascension Parish near Baton Rouge. Both had been singing in area bistros for several years - Grace with her brother, Van Broussard (who later released an album on the Bayou Boogie label
Record label
In the music industry, a record label is a brand and a trademark associated with the marketing of music recordings and music videos. Most commonly, a record label is the company that manages such brands and trademarks, coordinates the production, manufacture, distribution, marketing and promotion,...
).
The two met and practiced on Montel's home 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...
for 4 hours. When Houston began to play a song written and recorded in 1957 by African-American performers Don and Dewey
Don and Dewey
Don and Dewey were an American rock and roll duo, comprising Don "Sugarcane" Harris and Dewey Terry . Both were born and grew up in Pasadena, California....
--"I'm Leaving it Up to You"--Montel, asleep in the next room, woke up screaming: “Play it again! That’s a hit!” The song was soon recorded and released locally on Montel's Michelle label.
According to The Billboard Book of Number One Hits by Fred Bronson
Fred Bronson
Fredric M. Bronson is an American journalist, author and writer. He is best known for his appearances on American Idol, the weekly "Chart Beat" column in Billboard magazine, and as the author of books related to Billboard charts.Born to Irving and Mildred Bronson and raised in Culver City,...
, the song broke at Top 40 radio station KNUZ in Houston, where it was unanimously voted the "pick hit of the week" by the station's panel of seven deejays. Montel wanted to change the key in which the violin
Violin
The violin is a string instrument, usually with four strings tuned in perfect fifths. It is the smallest, highest-pitched member of the violin family of string instruments, which includes the viola and cello....
s were recorded, but was persuaded by the KNUZ deejays
Disc jockey
A disc jockey, also known as DJ, is a person who selects and plays recorded music for an audience. Originally, "disc" referred to phonograph records, not the later Compact Discs. Today, the term includes all forms of music playback, no matter the medium.There are several types of disc jockeys...
to leave the recording
Sound recording and reproduction
Sound recording and reproduction is an electrical or mechanical inscription and re-creation of sound waves, such as spoken voice, singing, instrumental music, or sound effects. The two main classes of sound recording technology are analog recording and digital recording...
as it was. It was nationally distributed as Montel #921 by Philadelphia's Jamie/Guyden Records
Jamie Records
Jamie Records was a record label founded in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1957 by Harold Lipsius.Their first 45rpm single, "It's Great To Fall In Love"/"Truly" by Marian Caruso , was issued in 1957. However, they really hit the big-time in 1958 with the release of Duane Eddy's "Rebel...
after negotiations by producer Huey Meaux.
Montel's prophesy was vindicated when "I'm Leaving It Up To You" reached #1 on the U.S. 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....
, where it remained for two weeks. The song was #1 during the week that Kennedy was assassinated and also reached #1 on the Billboard
Billboard charts
The Billboard charts tabulate the relative weekly popularity of songs or albums in the United States. The results are published in Billboard magazine...
Adult Contemporary
Adult contemporary music
Adult contemporary music is a broad style of popular music that ranges from lush 1950s and 1960s vocal music to predominantly ballad-heavy music with varying degrees of rock influence, as well as a radio format that plays such music....
chart.
Houston appeared on Clark's American Bandstand
American Bandstand
American Bandstand is an American music-performance show that aired in various versions from 1952 to 1989 and was hosted from 1956 until its final season by Dick Clark, who also served as producer...
program. In autumn 1963, Houston and Broussard toured with Dick Clark's Caravan of Stars. The Clark caravan, which also included Brian Hyland
Brian Hyland
Brian Hyland is an American pop recording artist who was particularly successful during the early 1960s. He continued recording into the 1970s...
and Bobby Vee
Bobby Vee
Robert Thomas Velline , known as Bobby Vee, is an American pop music singer. According to Billboard magazine, Vee has had 38 Hot 100 chart hits, 10 of which hit the Top 20.-Career:...
, was standing on a street corner on Main Street in Dallas
Dallas, Texas
Dallas is the third-largest city in Texas and the ninth-largest in the United States. The Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex is the largest metropolitan area in the South and fourth-largest metropolitan area in the United States...
waving at John F. Kennedy
John F. Kennedy
John Fitzgerald "Jack" Kennedy , often referred to by his initials JFK, was the 35th President of the United States, serving from 1961 until his assassination in 1963....
on that fateful day
John F. Kennedy assassination
John Fitzgerald Kennedy, the thirty-fifth President of the United States, was assassinated at 12:30 p.m. Central Standard Time on Friday, November 22, 1963, in Dealey Plaza, Dallas, Texas...
. Moments later, the Kennedy limousine turned right onto, ironically, Houston Street, then turned left onto Elm Street, after which the president was killed and Texas Governor
Governor of Texas
The governor of Texas is the head of the executive branch of Texas's government and the commander-in-chief of the state's military forces. The governor has the power to either approve or veto bills passed by the Texas Legislature, and to convene the legislature...
John B. Connally was seriously wounded. The group had gone back to their hotel rooms after waving to Kennedy and did not hear about the assassination until several hours later.
The follow-up release "Stop And Think It Over" went to #8 in 1964. However, the popularity of The Beatles
The Beatles
The Beatles were an English rock band, active throughout the 1960s and one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music. Formed in Liverpool, by 1962 the group consisted of John Lennon , Paul McCartney , George Harrison and Ringo Starr...
, combined with personal problems between the two performers, Broussard's homesickness, and a serious illness which landed Houston in the hospital, caused the duo to separate in 1965. Grace returned to singing with her brother.
Death
Houston died on September 27, 2007 of heart failure, at the Wesley Medical Center in Hattiesburg, MississippiHattiesburg, Mississippi
Hattiesburg is a city in Forrest County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 44,779 at the 2000 census . It is the county seat of Forrest County...
. He was survived by four sons, two daughters, a brother and two sisters, seven grandchildren, and one great-grandchild. At his funeral Troy Shondell
Troy Shondell
Troy Shondell is an American vocalist, who achieved a modicum of fame and recognition in the early 1960s. He became a transatlantic one-hit wonder, by releasing a single that made the record charts in both the US and the UK...
gave a musical tribute, and interment was in Smyrna Cemetery in Collins, Mississippi
Collins, Mississippi
Collins is a city in Covington County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 2,761 at the 2005 census. It is the county seat of Covington County....
.
Honors
In 1995, Dale and Grace, having been reunited, were honored in Mississippi through resolutions of the Covington County Board of Supervisors and the Town of Seminary. In 2000, Houston received the 'Louisiana Living Legends Award' from the Public Broadcasting ServicePublic Broadcasting Service
The Public Broadcasting Service is an American non-profit public broadcasting television network with 354 member TV stations in the United States which hold collective ownership. Its headquarters is in Arlington, Virginia....
. Earlier, he was inducted into the Texas Music Hall of Fame and the Gulf Coast Music Hall of Fame, both in 1998.
In 2007, newly-elected Louisiana Secretary of State Jay Dardenne
Jay Dardenne
John Leigh "Jay" Dardenne, Jr. , has been Louisiana's Republican lieutenant governor since November 22, 2010. He won a special election to the position held in conjunction with the regular November 2 general election. At the time, Dardenne was Louisiana secretary of state...
announced that Houston and Broussard, along with John Fred and the Playboys were being named to the Delta Music Museum
Delta Music Museum
The Delta Music Museum is a museum located in Ferriday, Louisiana. It offers exhibits on sixteen rock and roll and blues musicians from the Mississippi River delta country. The museum opened with a grant from the State of Louisiana and is operated by local volunteers. There is no admission charge;...
Hall of Fame. To garner such an honor, one must have national or international recognition, said the museum director, Judith Bingham. Dale and Grace performed at the festival in Ferriday, where Houston had attended the ninth and tenth grades decades earlier at Ferriday High School. In October 2007, Dale and Grace were inducted into the Louisiana Music Hall of Fame
Louisiana Music Hall of Fame
The Louisiana Music Hall of Fame is an IRS certified 501 non-profit organization based in the state capitol of Baton Rouge, La., that seeks to preserve Louisiana's rich music culture and heritage and to further educate its citizens and people worldwide about the state’s unique role contributing...
.
Sources
- Shane K. Bernard, Swamp Pop: Cajun and Creole Rhythm and Blues (Jackson: University Press of Mississippi, 1996)