Gene Cotton
Encyclopedia
Gene Cotton is a pop and folk singer-songwriter
. He is best known for his four Billboard Top 40 entries during the years 1976–1978.
, Tennessee
since the late 1970s. In recent years, Cotton has scaled back his career
as a singer and songwriter
and spent much of his savings on a legal battle against the construction of a state highway
(State Route 840) which would surround Nashville
. Cotton, the father of two adopted
children and one biological child, has devoted himself to helping the underprivileged
of his area by motivating them in their studies and activities through a program called Kids On Stage (KOS). KOS brings in Nashville artist
s to run summer classes that open the doors to the arts
to kids who might otherwise never see greatness or think about greatness in their arts. Most notably, Grammy Award
winner Michael McDonald
has performed numerous times to bring awareness and raise donation
s for this program under Cotton's leadership
, besides producing independent film
s about the plight of the poor
around the world.
Cotton was instrumental in 1980s pop singer Michael Johnson
's career.
In 2001, Cotton lost a race for a seat in the Tennessee House of Representatives
to Republican
Glen Casada
. Casada won 3,185 votes to Cotton's 1,554 in a special election
in which only 13 percent of registered voters cast ballot
s. Both Casada and Cotton campaigned on strong opposition to proposals for a state income tax
.
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...
. He is best known for his four Billboard Top 40 entries during the years 1976–1978.
History
Cotton has been a resident of Leiper's ForkLeiper's Fork, Tennessee
Leiper's Fork is an unincorporated village in Williamson County, Tennessee, United States. It is located at .The village, located on the Natchez Trace Parkway, is listed on the National Register of Historic Places as a historic district containing examples of late 19th century architecture.The area...
, Tennessee
Tennessee
Tennessee is a U.S. state located in the Southeastern United States. It has a population of 6,346,105, making it the nation's 17th-largest state by population, and covers , making it the 36th-largest by total land area...
since the late 1970s. In recent years, Cotton has scaled back his career
Career
Career is defined by the Oxford English Dictionary as a person's "course or progress through life ". It is usually considered to pertain to remunerative work ....
as a singer and 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 spent much of his savings on a legal battle against the construction of a state highway
State highway
State highway, state road or state route can refer to one of three related concepts, two of them related to a state or provincial government in a country that is divided into states or provinces :#A...
(State Route 840) which would surround 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...
. Cotton, the father of two adopted
Adoption
Adoption is a process whereby a person assumes the parenting for another and, in so doing, permanently transfers all rights and responsibilities from the original parent or parents...
children and one biological child, has devoted himself to helping the underprivileged
Economic inequality
Economic inequality comprises all disparities in the distribution of economic assets and income. The term typically refers to inequality among individuals and groups within a society, but can also refer to inequality among countries. The issue of economic inequality is related to the ideas of...
of his area by motivating them in their studies and activities through a program called Kids On Stage (KOS). KOS brings in Nashville artist
Artist
An artist is a person engaged in one or more of any of a broad spectrum of activities related to creating art, practicing the arts and/or demonstrating an art. The common usage in both everyday speech and academic discourse is a practitioner in the visual arts only...
s to run summer classes that open the doors to the arts
The arts
The arts are a vast subdivision of culture, composed of many creative endeavors and disciplines. It is a broader term than "art", which as a description of a field usually means only the visual arts. The arts encompass visual arts, literary arts and the performing arts – music, theatre, dance and...
to kids who might otherwise never see greatness or think about greatness in their arts. Most notably, Grammy Award
Grammy Award
A Grammy Award — or Grammy — is an accolade by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences of the United States to recognize outstanding achievement in the music industry...
winner Michael McDonald
Michael McDonald (singer)
Michael McDonald is a five-time Grammy Award winning American singer and songwriter. McDonald is known for a soulful baritone singing style and a multi-octave range. He began his career singing back-up vocals with Steely Dan...
has performed numerous times to bring awareness and raise donation
Donation
A donation is a gift given by physical or legal persons, typically for charitable purposes and/or to benefit a cause. A donation may take various forms, including cash, services, new or used goods including clothing, toys, food, and vehicles...
s for this program under Cotton's leadership
Leadership
Leadership has been described as the “process of social influence in which one person can enlist the aid and support of others in the accomplishment of a common task". Other in-depth definitions of leadership have also emerged.-Theories:...
, besides producing independent film
Film
A film, also called a movie or motion picture, is a series of still or moving images. It is produced by recording photographic images with cameras, or by creating images using animation techniques or visual effects...
s about the plight of the poor
Poverty
Poverty is the lack of a certain amount of material possessions or money. Absolute poverty or destitution is inability to afford basic human needs, which commonly includes clean and fresh water, nutrition, health care, education, clothing and shelter. About 1.7 billion people are estimated to live...
around the world.
Cotton was instrumental in 1980s pop singer Michael Johnson
Michael Johnson (singer)
Michael Johnson , is an American pop, country and folk singer-songwriter and guitarist. He is best known for his 1978 hit song "Bluer Than Blue". To date, he has charted four hits on the Billboard Hot 100 charts, and nine more on the Hot Country Songs charts, including two Number One country hits...
's career.
In 2001, Cotton lost a race for a seat in the Tennessee House of Representatives
Tennessee House of Representatives
The Tennessee House of Representatives is the lower house of the Tennessee General Assembly, the state legislature of the U.S. state of Tennessee.-Constitutional requirements:...
to Republican
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
Glen Casada
Glen Casada
Glen Casada is a Republican member of the Tennessee House of Representatives, in which he has served as Assistant Floor Leader for the Republican caucus. He represents District 63 .-Biography:...
. Casada won 3,185 votes to Cotton's 1,554 in a special election
Election
An election is a formal decision-making process by which a population chooses an individual to hold public office. Elections have been the usual mechanism by which modern representative democracy operates since the 17th century. Elections may fill offices in the legislature, sometimes in the...
in which only 13 percent of registered voters cast ballot
Ballot
A ballot is a device used to record choices made by voters. Each voter uses one ballot, and ballots are not shared. In the simplest elections, a ballot may be a simple scrap of paper on which each voter writes in the name of a candidate, but governmental elections use pre-printed to protect the...
s. Both Casada and Cotton campaigned on strong opposition to proposals for a state income tax
Income tax
An income tax is a tax levied on the income of individuals or businesses . Various income tax systems exist, with varying degrees of tax incidence. Income taxation can be progressive, proportional, or regressive. When the tax is levied on the income of companies, it is often called a corporate...
.
Discography
- "Sunshine Roses" (US Pop # 79 - December 1974 - AC # 30, 1974)
- "Damn It All" (US Pop # 73 - May 1975)
- "You've Got Me Runnin'" (US Pop # 33 - January 1977 - AC # 7, 1976)
- "Before My Heart Finds Out" (US Pop # 23 - April 1978 - AC # 3, 1978)
- "You're A Part Of Me" (w/Kim CarnesKim CarnesKim Carnes is an American singer-songwriter. She is a two-time Grammy Award winner noted for her distinctive raspy vocal style. Some people have called her "The Female Rod Stewart" due to her raspy voice....
) (US Pop # 36 - August 1978) - "Like A Sunday In Salem (The Amos & Andy Song)" ( US Pop # 40 - November 1978 - AC # 35, 1978)
- "If I Could Get You Into My Life" (US Pop # 76, 1982 - AC # 22, 1982)