Dick Campbell (singer-songwriter)
Encyclopedia
Richard S. "Dick" Campbell (January 25, 1944 April 25, 2002), was a US folk rock
singer-songwriter
and film producer
. He is best known for his 1966 album Dick Campbell Sings Where It’s At, rated as "the sole masterpiece of the fake-Dylan field"
, Campbell was a relatively obscure singer-songwiter, who had released a couple of singles and composed for others including Artie Sullivan and all 34 tracks on Ken Nordine
's album Colours. In 1965 he sent "a couple of Dylan-esque songs" to Mercury Records
. Mercury were looking for an artist to compete with Bob Dylan
who was signed to Columbia Records
, so Mercury asked Campbell "to write ten more, Come back in two weeks, and make an album."
Mercury teamed Campbell up with the then unknown producer Lou Reizner
, who used Mike Bloomfield and The Paul Butterfield Blues Band, who had previously backed Bob Dylan, to ensure the style was very similar to Dylan's sound. Artists appearing on the album include Mike Bloomfield
(guitar), Paul Butterfield
(harmonica), Sam Lay
(drums), Mark Naftalin
(organ) and Peter Cetera
(bass).
A single "Blues Peddlers"/"The People Planners" was released in 1965; with the album, entitled Dick Campbell Sings Where It’s At, released in 1966.
The album includes 12 tracks, all written by Campbell. As admitted in the sleeve notes, the album is heavily informed by his volatile relationship with his girlfriend, Sandi; with lines such as "I won’t be capitulating/ You’re going to lose a few points in your ratings” and tracks including "You've Got to Be Kidding", "Approximately Four Minutes of Feeling Sorry for Dick Campbell", "Girls Named Misery" and "Ask Me If I Care".
The LP has been out of print
for several years, and has yet to be released on compact disc
in the US, although there has been a CD release in Japan.
Richie Unterberger
's Allmusic review gives it 3*s despite comments such as "Although this LP approximated the instrumental sound of Dylan's early rock records ..... it was far inferior." "Campbell .... sounded like an amateurish Dylan copy, to the point where it's difficult to determine whether this was a sincere attempt to duplicate Dylan or a Dylan parody." before finally conceding "As a curio of the early folk-rock era, though, this rare record definitely has its interest."
Conversely, Gene Sculatti's "Top 10 'Next Dylans'" described it as "the sole masterpiece of the fake-Dylan field", particularly rating "The People Planners (proudly waving their propaganda banners)" where "Mike Bloomfield, Paul Butterfield and support staff kick up an electrical storm as DC spits fire at the enemies of us all:
".... worth any effort it takes to find. Never has thievery sounded so sweet."
One track "Patty Girl" was extensively covered, and was used by Lou Reizner for another of his acts 'Gary and the Hornets'
Dick Campbell wrote 398 songs as well as many poems, short stories, and screen plays.
Campbell became an A&R
manager at RCA Records
. Working with Gary Usher
they were involved with numerous artists, imcluding an unknown writer Jim Weatherly
who wrote "Midnight Plane To Houston". Originally recorded by Cissy Houston
, Gladys Knight and the Pips later changed the name to "Midnight Train To Georgia
" and it became a major hit.
With Gary Usher, Campbell co-wrote "Good Ole Rock & Roll Song" which appears on The Cowsills
1970 LP On My Side. The Cowsills also sang it on Dick Clark's American Bandstand
. Campbell also co-wrote all 21 tracks on Usher's posthumously released 2001 album Beyond a Shadow of a Doubt.
and Llana Lloyd.
Campbell ran his film production business until the late 1980s when he retired for health reasons, having discovered he had Alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency; an inherited genetic disorder, which leads to lung damage due to the lack of the protective protein, Alpha-1 antitrypsin.
Campbell lived in Los Angeles, California
and later in Mission Viejo, California
until 2000 when he moved to Wisconsin
. In February 2002 he received a lung transplant, but due to complications, did not recover consciousness and died on April 25, 2002. He was survived by his mother, three children, and 10 grandchildren and was buried in his family cemetery in Oakley, Wisconsin, about 10 miles north of the Illnois border.
A posthumous Dick Campbell CD called Blue Winds Only Know was released in 2003.
Folk rock
Folk rock is a musical genre combining elements of folk music and rock music. In its earliest and narrowest sense, the term referred to a genre that arose in the United States and the UK around the mid-1960s...
singer-songwriter
Singer-songwriter
Singer-songwriters are musicians who write, compose and sing their own musical material including lyrics and melodies. As opposed to contemporary popular music singers who write their own songs, the term singer-songwriter describes a distinct form of artistry, closely associated with the...
and film producer
Film producer
A film producer oversees and delivers a film project to all relevant parties while preserving the integrity, voice and vision of the film. They will also often take on some financial risk by using their own money, especially during the pre-production period, before a film is fully financed.The...
. He is best known for his 1966 album Dick Campbell Sings Where It’s At, rated as "the sole masterpiece of the fake-Dylan field"
Early career
Born in Boston Massachusetts and raised in Monroe, WisconsinMonroe, Wisconsin
Monroe, known as "the Swiss Cheese Capital of the USA", is a city in and the county seat of Green County, Wisconsin, United States. The population, was 10,843 at the 2000 census. The city is located partially within the Town of Monroe and partially in the Town of Clarno.-Geography:Monroe is located...
, Campbell was a relatively obscure singer-songwiter, who had released a couple of singles and composed for others including Artie Sullivan and all 34 tracks on Ken Nordine
Ken Nordine
Ken Nordine is an American voiceover and recording artist best known for his series of Word Jazz albums. His deep, resonant voice has also been featured in many commercial advertisements and movie trailers. One critic wrote that "you may not know Ken Nordine by name or face, but you'll almost...
's album Colours. In 1965 he sent "a couple of Dylan-esque songs" to Mercury Records
Mercury Records
Mercury Records is a record label operating as a standalone company in the UK and as part of the Island Def Jam Motown Music Group in the US; both are subsidiaries of Universal Music Group. There is also a Mercury Records in Australia, which is a local artist and repertoire division of Universal...
. Mercury were looking for an artist to compete with Bob Dylan
Bob Dylan
Bob Dylan is an American singer-songwriter, musician, poet, film director and painter. He has been a major and profoundly influential figure in popular music and culture for five decades. Much of his most celebrated work dates from the 1960s when he was an informal chronicler and a seemingly...
who was signed to Columbia Records
Columbia Records
Columbia Records is an American record label, owned by Japan's Sony Music Entertainment, operating under the Columbia Music Group with Aware Records. It was founded in 1888, evolving from an earlier enterprise, the American Graphophone Company — successor to the Volta Graphophone Company...
, so Mercury asked Campbell "to write ten more, Come back in two weeks, and make an album."
Mercury teamed Campbell up with the then unknown producer Lou Reizner
Lou Reizner
Lou Reizner was a record producer, A&R executive and head of Mercury Records European operations. As a producer, he is perhaps best known for Rod Stewart's first two solo albums, for the orchestral version of The Who's rock opera Tommy, and Rick Wakeman's Journey to the Centre of the Earth...
, who used Mike Bloomfield and The Paul Butterfield Blues Band, who had previously backed Bob Dylan, to ensure the style was very similar to Dylan's sound. Artists appearing on the album include Mike Bloomfield
Mike Bloomfield
Michael Bernard "Mike" Bloomfield was an American musician, guitarist, and composer, born in Chicago, Illinois, who became one of the first popular music superstars of the 1960s to earn his reputation almost entirely on his instrumental prowess, since he rarely sang before 1969–70...
(guitar), Paul Butterfield
Paul Butterfield
Paul Butterfield was an American blues vocalist and harmonica player, who founded the Paul Butterfield Blues Band in the early 1960s and performed at the original Woodstock Festival...
(harmonica), Sam Lay
Sam Lay
Sam Lay is an American drummer and vocalist, who has been performing since the late 1950s.-Life and career:...
(drums), Mark Naftalin
Mark Naftalin
Mark Naftalin is an American blues keyboardist, composer, and record producer.-Life:Born in Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States, Naftalin is the son of former Minneapolis mayor Arthur Naftalin; he is married to third wife Ellen Naftalin...
(organ) and Peter Cetera
Peter Cetera
Peter Paul Cetera is an American singer, songwriter, bassist and producer best known for being an original member of the rock band Chicago, before launching a successful solo career...
(bass).
A single "Blues Peddlers"/"The People Planners" was released in 1965; with the album, entitled Dick Campbell Sings Where It’s At, released in 1966.
The album includes 12 tracks, all written by Campbell. As admitted in the sleeve notes, the album is heavily informed by his volatile relationship with his girlfriend, Sandi; with lines such as "I won’t be capitulating/ You’re going to lose a few points in your ratings” and tracks including "You've Got to Be Kidding", "Approximately Four Minutes of Feeling Sorry for Dick Campbell", "Girls Named Misery" and "Ask Me If I Care".
The LP has been out of print
Out of print
Out of print refers to an item, typically a book , but can include any print or visual media or sound recording, that is in the state of no longer being published....
for several years, and has yet to be released on compact disc
Compact Disc
The Compact Disc is an optical disc used to store digital data. It was originally developed to store and playback sound recordings exclusively, but later expanded to encompass data storage , write-once audio and data storage , rewritable media , Video Compact Discs , Super Video Compact Discs ,...
in the US, although there has been a CD release in Japan.
Critical Reception
Although popular at the time, in retrospect, critical reception for Dick Campbell Sings Where It’s At has been more mixed.Richie Unterberger
Richie Unterberger
Richie Unterberger is a US author and journalist whose focus is popular music and travel writing.-Life and writing:Having worked as a DJ at WXPN in Philadelphia, he started reviewing records for Op magazine in 1983...
's Allmusic review gives it 3*s despite comments such as "Although this LP approximated the instrumental sound of Dylan's early rock records ..... it was far inferior." "Campbell .... sounded like an amateurish Dylan copy, to the point where it's difficult to determine whether this was a sincere attempt to duplicate Dylan or a Dylan parody." before finally conceding "As a curio of the early folk-rock era, though, this rare record definitely has its interest."
Conversely, Gene Sculatti's "Top 10 'Next Dylans'" described it as "the sole masterpiece of the fake-Dylan field", particularly rating "The People Planners (proudly waving their propaganda banners)" where "Mike Bloomfield, Paul Butterfield and support staff kick up an electrical storm as DC spits fire at the enemies of us all:
Hey there, don’t you scream
‘Cause I didn’t eat up all my ice cream
Or turn off the light when I came downstairs
Forgot to burn the rubbish or comb my hair
Just shut up!
".... worth any effort it takes to find. Never has thievery sounded so sweet."
Later Writings
Despite the success of Dick Campbell Sings Where It’s At Mercury Records dropped him, and his next album Demo Songs was released on Andrea Dawn in 1968. He continued writing and also recorded as 'Dick Campbell and the Scarlets', although the album was not released until 2009.One track "Patty Girl" was extensively covered, and was used by Lou Reizner for another of his acts 'Gary and the Hornets'
Dick Campbell wrote 398 songs as well as many poems, short stories, and screen plays.
Campbell became an A&R
A&R
Artists and repertoire is the division of a record label that is responsible for talent scouting and overseeing the artistic development of recording artists. It also acts as a liaison between artists and the record label.- Finding talent :...
manager at RCA Records
RCA Records
RCA Records is one of the flagship labels of Sony Music Entertainment. The RCA initials stand for Radio Corporation of America , which was the parent corporation from 1929 to 1985 and a partner from 1985 to 1986.RCA's Canadian unit is Sony's oldest label...
. Working with Gary Usher
Gary Usher
Gary Usher was an American surf rock musician, songwriter, and record producer.-Biography:Usher's early life was spent in Grafton, Massachusetts. He attended Norcross Grammar School with his sister, Sandra, who was in the same class and was likely his twin. Gary was kiddingly called "Chicken Feed"...
they were involved with numerous artists, imcluding an unknown writer Jim Weatherly
Jim Weatherly
James Dexter Weatherly is an American singer-songwriter. Weatherly played quarterback at the University of Mississippi and was an All-American before choosing songwriting over a football career...
who wrote "Midnight Plane To Houston". Originally recorded by Cissy Houston
Cissy Houston
Emily "Cissy" Houston is a Grammy Award–winning American soul and gospel singer. She led a very successful career as a backup singer for such artists as Elvis Presley, Mahalia Jackson, Wishbone Ash and Aretha Franklin, and is now primarily a solo artist...
, Gladys Knight and the Pips later changed the name to "Midnight Train To Georgia
Midnight Train to Georgia
"Midnight Train to Georgia" is a 1973 number-one hit single by Gladys Knight & the Pips, their second release after departing Motown Records for Buddah Records...
" and it became a major hit.
With Gary Usher, Campbell co-wrote "Good Ole Rock & Roll Song" which appears on The Cowsills
The Cowsills
The Cowsills are an American singing group from Newport, Rhode Island. They specialized in harmonies and the ability to sing and play music at an early age. The band was formed in the spring of 1965 by brothers Bill, Bob, and Barry, then shortly thereafter added John...
1970 LP On My Side. The Cowsills also sang it on Dick 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...
. Campbell also co-wrote all 21 tracks on Usher's posthumously released 2001 album Beyond a Shadow of a Doubt.
Later years
In the early 1970s Campbell started a film production business, producing films such as Glitter Goddess of the Sunset Strip starring Angela BowieAngela Bowie
Angela Bowie is an American cover girl, model, actress and musician. She is the former wife of English musician David Bowie and mother of film director Duncan Jones.-Early life:...
and Llana Lloyd.
Campbell ran his film production business until the late 1980s when he retired for health reasons, having discovered he had Alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency; an inherited genetic disorder, which leads to lung damage due to the lack of the protective protein, Alpha-1 antitrypsin.
Campbell lived in Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
and later in Mission Viejo, California
Mission Viejo, California
Mission Viejo is a city located in southern Orange County, California, U.S. in the Saddleback Valley. Mission Viejo is considered one of the largest master-planned communities ever built under a single project in the United States, and is rivaled only by Highlands Ranch, Colorado, in its size...
until 2000 when he moved to Wisconsin
Wisconsin
Wisconsin is a U.S. state located in the north-central United States and is part of the Midwest. It is bordered by Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake Michigan to the east, Michigan to the northeast, and Lake Superior to the north. Wisconsin's capital is...
. In February 2002 he received a lung transplant, but due to complications, did not recover consciousness and died on April 25, 2002. He was survived by his mother, three children, and 10 grandchildren and was buried in his family cemetery in Oakley, Wisconsin, about 10 miles north of the Illnois border.
A posthumous Dick Campbell CD called Blue Winds Only Know was released in 2003.
Discography
- "Greatest Girl"/"Happy-Go-Lucky" - (1960) - Performer (With Roger Hesseling) and composer
- "Debbie Darling"/"She's My Girl" - (1962) - Performer & composer
- "It's Time"/"Suzanne" - Artie Sullivan (1963) - Composer
- "Blues Peddlers"/"The People Planners" - (1965) - Performer & composer
- Colors - Ken NordineKen NordineKen Nordine is an American voiceover and recording artist best known for his series of Word Jazz albums. His deep, resonant voice has also been featured in many commercial advertisements and movie trailers. One critic wrote that "you may not know Ken Nordine by name or face, but you'll almost...
(1966) - Composer - Dick Campbell Sings Where It's At - (1966) - Performer & composer
- Demo Songs - (1968) - Performer & composer
- "Goin' to Hollywood Tomorrow"/"Sugar River Blues" - (1969) - Performer & composer
- On My Side - The CowsillsThe CowsillsThe Cowsills are an American singing group from Newport, Rhode Island. They specialized in harmonies and the ability to sing and play music at an early age. The band was formed in the spring of 1965 by brothers Bill, Bob, and Barry, then shortly thereafter added John...
(1971) - Composer - Beyond a Shadow of Doubt - Gary Usher (2001) Performer & composer
- Blue Winds Only Know - (2003) - Performer & composer
- You're Getting Better: The Word Jazz Dot Masters - Ken Nordine (2007) - Performer & composer