Mickey Newbury
Encyclopedia
Mickey Newbury was an American
songwriter
, a critically acclaimed recording artist, and a member of the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame
.
. As a teenager, Mickey Newbury sang tenor in a moderately successful vocal group called The Embers. The group opened for several famous performers, such as Sam Cooke
and Johnny Cash
. Although Newbury tried to make a living from his music by singing in clubs, he put his musical career on hold at age 19 when he joined the Air Force. After four years in the military, Newbury again set his sights on making a living as a songwriter. Before long, he moved to Nashville and signed to the prestigious publishing company Acuff-Rose Music
.
For a time, he was one of the most influential creative minds in Nashville and it's arguable that he was the first real "outlaw" of the outlaw country
movement of the 1970s. Ralph Emery
referred to him as the first "hippie-cowboy" and along with Johnny Cash
and Roger Miller
, he was one of the first to rebel against the conventions of the Nashville music society. After being disappointed by the production methods used by Felton Jarvis
on his debut album, Newbury got himself released from his contract with RCA
and signed the first offer he received to comply with his condition that he could either produce his own albums or choose the producer.
He went on to record three musically revolutionary albums in Wayne Moss's garage-turned-studio just outside Nashville. The influence of the production methods can be heard in the albums Waylon Jennings
went on to record in the 1970s (with instrumentation highly unconventional for country music) and his poetically sophisticated style of songwriting was highly influential on Kris Kristofferson
. It was Newbury who convinced Roger Miller to record Kristofferson's "Me & Bobby McGee", which went on to launch Kristofferson as country music's top songwriter. Newbury is also responsible for getting Townes Van Zandt
and Guy Clark
to move to Nashville and pursue careers as songwriters. However, he had no desire to cash-in on the Outlaw movement.
In 1974, he moved to a house on the McKenzie River
in Oregon
with his wife, Susan, and new born son, Chris, where they welcomed three more children over the years. He recorded several albums throughout the 1970s for Elektra
and ABC/Hickory, all of them critically praised, but financially unsuccessful. In 1980, he was given the distinction of being the youngest songwriter ever inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame
. Although he spent much of the 1980s retired from performing and recording music, he returned both to recording and touring in the late 1980s before he died, in Springfield, Oregon
, following a prolonged battle with pulmonary fibrosis
on September 29, 2002, aged 62.
, Roy Orbison
, Tennessee Ernie Ford
, Bill Monroe
, Johnny Rodriguez
, Hank Snow
, Ray Charles
, Tony Rice
, Jerry Lee Lewis
, Tammy Wynette
, Ray Price
, Don Gibson
, Brenda Lee
, Charlie Rich
, David Allan Coe
, Sammi Smith
, Joan Baez
, Tom Jones
, Willie Nelson
, Waylon Jennings
, John Denver
, Kenny Rogers
, Steve Von Till
, B.B. King, Linda Ronstadt
, Dax Riggs
and Bobby "Blue" Bland, among many others.
Although his songs have been recorded by hundreds of performers from a wide variety of musical genres, he is most remembered for his creation of "An American Trilogy
", a medley that was recorded
by many, including symphony orchestras, and Elvis Presley
.
He is also often praised for simultaneously having four Top 10 singles on four different charts in the late 60s. Eddy Arnold
had a #1 Country hit with "Here Comes the Rain, Baby", Andy Williams
had a #4 Easy Listening hit with "Sweet Memories
", and Kenny Rogers
and the First Edition had a #5 Pop/Rock hit with "Just Dropped In (To See What Condition My Condition Was In)
".
Shortly before his death, Newbury was interviewed by John Kruth, who was writing a biography on Townes Van Zandt, where he stated "How many people have listened to my songs and thought, 'He must have a bottle of whiskey in one hand and a pistol in the other'. Well, I don't. I write my sadness."
Many of Newbury's songs, such as "The Thirty-Third Of August", "The Future Is Not What It Used To Be", and "Just Dropped In", delve into the dark recesses of the human psyche. “You’ve Always Got The Blues” was used as the soundtrack
for the Australian Broadcasting Corporation
’s 8-part TV series, Stringer.
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...
, a critically acclaimed recording artist, and a member of the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame
Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame
The Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame was established by the Nashville Songwriters Foundation, Inc. in Nashville, Tennessee, United States. A non-profit organization, its objective is to honor and preserve the songwriting legacy that is uniquely associated with music community in the city of...
.
Biography
Born Milton Sims Newbury, Jr. in Houston, TexasTexas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
. As a teenager, Mickey Newbury sang tenor in a moderately successful vocal group called The Embers. The group opened for several famous performers, such as Sam Cooke
Sam Cooke
Samuel Cook, , better known under the stage name Sam Cooke, was an American gospel, R&B, soul, and pop singer, songwriter, and entrepreneur. He is considered to be one of the pioneers and founders of soul music. He is commonly known as the King of Soul for his distinctive vocal abilities and...
and Johnny Cash
Johnny Cash
John R. "Johnny" Cash was an American singer-songwriter, actor, and author, who has been called one of the most influential musicians of the 20th century...
. Although Newbury tried to make a living from his music by singing in clubs, he put his musical career on hold at age 19 when he joined the Air Force. After four years in the military, Newbury again set his sights on making a living as a songwriter. Before long, he moved to Nashville and signed to the prestigious publishing company Acuff-Rose Music
Acuff-Rose Music
Acuff-Rose Music was an American music publishing firm formed by Roy Acuff and Fred Rose in Nashville, Tennessee. Acuff-Rose's honest behavior towards their writers set them apart from other music publishing firms at the time and lead them to fame throughout the 50's, 60's, 70's.-History:Acuff-Rose...
.
For a time, he was one of the most influential creative minds in Nashville and it's arguable that he was the first real "outlaw" of the outlaw country
Outlaw country
Outlaw country is a subgenre of country music, most popular during the late 1960s and the 1970s , sometimes referred to as the outlaw movement or simply outlaw music...
movement of the 1970s. Ralph Emery
Ralph Emery
Walter Ralph Emery is a country music disc jockey and television host from Nashville, Tennessee. He gained national fame hosting the syndicated television music series, Pop! Goes the Country, from 1974 to 1980 and the nightly Nashville Network television program, Nashville Now, from 1983 to 1993...
referred to him as the first "hippie-cowboy" and along with Johnny Cash
Johnny Cash
John R. "Johnny" Cash was an American singer-songwriter, actor, and author, who has been called one of the most influential musicians of the 20th century...
and Roger Miller
Roger Miller
Roger Dean Miller was an American singer, songwriter, musician and actor, best known for his honky tonk-influenced novelty songs...
, he was one of the first to rebel against the conventions of the Nashville music society. After being disappointed by the production methods used by Felton Jarvis
Felton Jarvis
Felton Jarvis, , produced most of Elvis Presley's recordings from 1966-1977.He also released several singles in the late 1950s and early 1960s...
on his debut album, Newbury got himself released from his contract with RCA
RCA
RCA Corporation, founded as the Radio Corporation of America, was an American electronics company in existence from 1919 to 1986. The RCA trademark is currently owned by the French conglomerate Technicolor SA through RCA Trademark Management S.A., a company owned by Technicolor...
and signed the first offer he received to comply with his condition that he could either produce his own albums or choose the producer.
He went on to record three musically revolutionary albums in Wayne Moss's garage-turned-studio just outside Nashville. The influence of the production methods can be heard in the albums 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...
went on to record in the 1970s (with instrumentation highly unconventional for country music) and his poetically sophisticated style of songwriting was highly influential on 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"...
. It was Newbury who convinced Roger Miller to record Kristofferson's "Me & Bobby McGee", which went on to launch Kristofferson as country music's top songwriter. Newbury is also responsible for getting Townes Van Zandt
Townes Van Zandt
John Townes Van Zandt , best known as Townes Van Zandt, was an American Texas Country-folk music singer-songwriter, performer, and poet...
and Guy Clark
Guy Clark
Guy Clark is an American Texas Country artist. In his career, he has released more than twenty albums, primarily on major labels. He has also written singles for other artists, including Ricky Skaggs, Steve Wariner and Rodney Crowell....
to move to Nashville and pursue careers as songwriters. However, he had no desire to cash-in on the Outlaw movement.
In 1974, he moved to a house on the McKenzie River
McKenzie River
The McKenzie River is a tributary of the Willamette River in western Oregon in the United States. It drains part of the Cascade Range east of Eugene and flows into the southernmost end of the Willamette Valley. It is named for Donald MacKenzie, a Scottish Canadian fur trader...
in Oregon
Oregon
Oregon is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is located on the Pacific coast, with Washington to the north, California to the south, Nevada on the southeast and Idaho to the east. The Columbia and Snake rivers delineate much of Oregon's northern and eastern...
with his wife, Susan, and new born son, Chris, where they welcomed three more children over the years. He recorded several albums throughout the 1970s for Elektra
Elektra Records
Elektra Records is an American record label owned by Warner Music Group. In 2004, it was consolidated into WMG's Atlantic Records Group. After five years of dormancy, the label was revived by Atlantic in 2009....
and ABC/Hickory, all of them critically praised, but financially unsuccessful. In 1980, he was given the distinction of being the youngest songwriter ever inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame
Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame
The Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame was established by the Nashville Songwriters Foundation, Inc. in Nashville, Tennessee, United States. A non-profit organization, its objective is to honor and preserve the songwriting legacy that is uniquely associated with music community in the city of...
. Although he spent much of the 1980s retired from performing and recording music, he returned both to recording and touring in the late 1980s before he died, in Springfield, Oregon
Springfield, Oregon
Springfield is a city in Lane County, Oregon, United States. Located in the Southern Willamette Valley, it is within the Eugene-Springfield Metropolitan Statistical Area. Separated from Eugene to the west, mainly by Interstate 5, Springfield is the second-most populous city in the metropolitan area...
, following a prolonged battle with pulmonary fibrosis
Pulmonary fibrosis
Pulmonary fibrosis is the formation or development of excess fibrous connective tissue in the lungs. It is also described as "scarring of the lung".-Symptoms:Symptoms of pulmonary fibrosis are mainly:...
on September 29, 2002, aged 62.
Legacy
Newbury wrote many songs that would be recorded by singers and songwriters such as Johnny CashJohnny Cash
John R. "Johnny" Cash was an American singer-songwriter, actor, and author, who has been called one of the most influential musicians of the 20th century...
, Roy Orbison
Roy Orbison
Roy Kelton Orbison was an American singer-songwriter, well known for his distinctive, powerful voice, complex compositions, and dark emotional ballads. Orbison grew up in Texas and began singing in a rockabilly/country & western band in high school until he was signed by Sun Records in Memphis...
, Tennessee Ernie Ford
Tennessee Ernie Ford
Ernest Jennings Ford , better known as Tennessee Ernie Ford, was an American recording artist and television host who enjoyed success in the country and Western, pop, and gospel musical genres...
, Bill Monroe
Bill Monroe
William Smith Monroe was an American musician who created the style of music known as bluegrass, which takes its name from his band, the "Blue Grass Boys," named for Monroe's home state of Kentucky. Monroe's performing career spanned 60 years as a singer, instrumentalist, composer and bandleader...
, Johnny Rodriguez
Johnny Rodriguez
Johnny Rodriguez is an American country music singer. He was the first famous Latin American country music singer, infusing his music with Latin sounds, and even singing verses of songs in Spanish....
, Hank Snow
Hank Snow
Clarence Eugene "Hank" Snow was a Canadian-American country music artist. He charted more than 70 singles on the Billboard country charts from 1950 until 1980...
, Ray Charles
Ray Charles
Ray Charles Robinson , known by his shortened stage name Ray Charles, was an American musician. He was a pioneer in the genre of soul music during the 1950s by fusing rhythm and blues, gospel, and blues styles into his early recordings with Atlantic Records...
, Tony Rice
Tony Rice
Tony Rice is an American acoustic guitarist and bluegrass musician. He is considered one of the most influential acoustic guitar players in bluegrass, progressive bluegrass, newgrass and acoustic jazz.Rice spans the range of acoustic music, from traditional bluegrass to jazz-influenced New...
, Jerry Lee Lewis
Jerry Lee Lewis
Jerry Lee Lewis is an American rock and roll and country music singer-songwriter and pianist. An early pioneer of rock and roll music, Lewis's career faltered after he married his young cousin, and he afterwards made a career extension to country and western music. He is known by the nickname 'The...
, Tammy Wynette
Tammy Wynette
Virginia Wynette Pugh, known professionally as Tammy Wynette , was an American country music singer-songwriter and one of the genre's best-known artists and biggest-selling female vocalists....
, Ray Price
Ray Price (musician)
Ray Price is an American country music singer, songwriter and guitarist. His wide-ranging baritone has often been praised as among the best male voices of country music...
, Don Gibson
Don Gibson
Donald Eugene "Don" Gibson was an American songwriter and country musician. A Country Music Hall of Fame inductee, Gibson penned such country standards as "Sweet Dreams" and "I Can't Stop Loving You", and enjoyed a string of country hits from 1957 into the early 1970s.-Biography:Don Gibson was...
, Brenda Lee
Brenda Lee
Brenda Mae Tarpley , known as Brenda Lee, is an American performer who sang rockabilly, pop and country music, and had 37 US chart hits during the 1960s, a number surpassed only by Elvis Presley, The Beatles, Ray Charles and Connie Francis...
, Charlie Rich
Charlie Rich
Charles Rich was an American country music singer and musician. A Grammy Award winner, his eclectic-style of music was often hard to classify in a single genre, playing in the rockabilly, jazz, blues, country, and gospel genres.In the latter part of his life, Rich acquired the nickname The Silver...
, David Allan Coe
David Allan Coe
David Allan Coe is an American outlaw country music singer who achieved popularity in the 1970s and 1980s. He has written and performed over 280 original songs throughout his career...
, Sammi Smith
Sammi Smith
Sammi Smith was an American country music singer and songwriter. Born Jewel Faye Smith, she is best known for her 1971 country/pop crossover hit, "Help Me Make It Through the Night", which was written by Kris Kristofferson...
, Joan Baez
Joan Baez
Joan Chandos Baez is an American folk singer, songwriter, musician and a prominent activist in the fields of human rights, peace and environmental justice....
, Tom Jones
Tom Jones (singer)
Sir Thomas John Woodward, OBE , known by his stage name Tom Jones, is a Welsh singer.Since the mid 1960s, Jones has sung many styles of popular music – pop, rock, R&B, show tunes, country, dance, techno, soul and gospel – and sold over 100 million records...
, Willie Nelson
Willie Nelson
Willie Hugh Nelson is an American country music singer-songwriter, as well as an author, poet, actor, and activist. The critical success of the album Shotgun Willie , combined with the critical and commercial success of Red Headed Stranger and Stardust , made Nelson one of the most recognized...
, 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...
, John Denver
John Denver
Henry John Deutschendorf, Jr. , known professionally as John Denver, was an American singer/songwriter, activist, and humanitarian. After growing up in numerous locations with his military family, Denver began his music career in folk music groups in the late 1960s. His greatest commercial success...
, Kenny Rogers
Kenny Rogers
Kenneth Donald "Kenny" Rogers is an American singer-songwriter, photographer, record producer, actor, and entrepreneur...
, Steve Von Till
Steve Von Till
Steve von Till is best known as singer and guitarist for the atmospheric metal band Neurosis, replacing Chad Salter in 1989. He is also in Tribes of Neurot and Culper Ring, and records solo work under both his given name and the moniker Harvestman...
, B.B. King, Linda Ronstadt
Linda Ronstadt
Linda Ronstadt is an American popular music recording artist. She has earned eleven Grammy Awards, two Academy of Country Music awards, an Emmy Award, an ALMA Award, numerous United States and internationally certified gold, platinum and multiplatinum albums, in addition to Tony Award and Golden...
, Dax Riggs
Dax Riggs
Dax David Riggs , is an American musician from Houma, Louisiana, most well known for formerly fronting the sludge band Acid Bath in the 1990s. Dax has been a part of many projects since then, including Agents of Oblivion and Deadboy & the Elephantmen. In 2007 he began releasing material under his...
and Bobby "Blue" Bland, among many others.
Although his songs have been recorded by hundreds of performers from a wide variety of musical genres, he is most remembered for his creation of "An American Trilogy
An American Trilogy
"An American Trilogy" is a song arranged by country songwriter Mickey Newbury and made popular by Elvis Presley, who began including the song as part of his regular concert routine in the 1970s, thereby making the song a showstopper...
", a medley that was recorded
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...
by many, including symphony orchestras, and 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"....
.
He is also often praised for simultaneously having four Top 10 singles on four different charts in the late 60s. Eddy Arnold
Eddy Arnold
Richard Edward Arnold , known professionally as Eddy Arnold, was an American country music singer who performed for six decades. He was a so-called Nashville sound innovator of the late 1950s, and scored 147 songs on the Billboard country music charts, second only to George Jones. He sold more...
had a #1 Country hit with "Here Comes the Rain, Baby", Andy Williams
Andy Williams
Howard Andrew "Andy" Williams is an American singer who has recorded 18 Gold- and three Platinum-certified albums. He hosted The Andy Williams Show, a TV variety show, from 1962 to 1971, as well as numerous television specials, and owns his own theater, the Moon River Theatre in Branson, Missouri,...
had a #4 Easy Listening hit with "Sweet Memories
Sweet Memories (song)
"Sweet Memories" is a single by American country music artist Willie Nelson. Released in January 1979, it was the second single from his album Sweet Memories. The song peaked at number 4 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles chart. It also reached number 1 on the RPM Country Tracks chart in...
", and Kenny Rogers
Kenny Rogers
Kenneth Donald "Kenny" Rogers is an American singer-songwriter, photographer, record producer, actor, and entrepreneur...
and the First Edition had a #5 Pop/Rock hit with "Just Dropped In (To See What Condition My Condition Was In)
Just Dropped In (To See What Condition My Condition Was In)
"Just Dropped In " is a song written by Mickey Newbury. Said to reflect the LSD experience, the song was intended to be a warning against the danger of using LSD. First recorded in 1967 by Jerry Lee Lewis, who rejected it, it was a hit for The First Edition in 1968...
".
Shortly before his death, Newbury was interviewed by John Kruth, who was writing a biography on Townes Van Zandt, where he stated "How many people have listened to my songs and thought, 'He must have a bottle of whiskey in one hand and a pistol in the other'. Well, I don't. I write my sadness."
Many of Newbury's songs, such as "The Thirty-Third Of August", "The Future Is Not What It Used To Be", and "Just Dropped In", delve into the dark recesses of the human psyche. “You’ve Always Got The Blues” was used as the soundtrack
Soundtrack
A soundtrack can be recorded music accompanying and synchronized to the images of a motion picture, book, television program or video game; a commercially released soundtrack album of music as featured in the soundtrack of a film or TV show; or the physical area of a film that contains the...
for the Australian Broadcasting Corporation
Australian Broadcasting Corporation
The Australian Broadcasting Corporation, commonly referred to as "the ABC" , is Australia's national public broadcaster...
’s 8-part TV series, Stringer.
Selected list of songs
- 1968 "Funny, Familiar, Forgotten Feelings" - Tom JonesTom Jones (singer)Sir Thomas John Woodward, OBE , known by his stage name Tom Jones, is a Welsh singer.Since the mid 1960s, Jones has sung many styles of popular music – pop, rock, R&B, show tunes, country, dance, techno, soul and gospel – and sold over 100 million records...
, Don GibsonDon GibsonDonald Eugene "Don" Gibson was an American songwriter and country musician. A Country Music Hall of Fame inductee, Gibson penned such country standards as "Sweet Dreams" and "I Can't Stop Loving You", and enjoyed a string of country hits from 1957 into the early 1970s.-Biography:Don Gibson was... - 1968 "Sweet MemoriesSweet Memories (song)"Sweet Memories" is a single by American country music artist Willie Nelson. Released in January 1979, it was the second single from his album Sweet Memories. The song peaked at number 4 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles chart. It also reached number 1 on the RPM Country Tracks chart in...
" - Willie NelsonWillie NelsonWillie Hugh Nelson is an American country music singer-songwriter, as well as an author, poet, actor, and activist. The critical success of the album Shotgun Willie , combined with the critical and commercial success of Red Headed Stranger and Stardust , made Nelson one of the most recognized...
, Andy WilliamsAndy WilliamsHoward Andrew "Andy" Williams is an American singer who has recorded 18 Gold- and three Platinum-certified albums. He hosted The Andy Williams Show, a TV variety show, from 1962 to 1971, as well as numerous television specials, and owns his own theater, the Moon River Theatre in Branson, Missouri,... - 1968 "Time Is A Thief" - Solomon BurkeSolomon BurkeSolomon Burke was an American singer-songwriter, entrepreneur, mortician, and an archbishop of the United House of Prayer For All People. Burke was known as "King Solomon", the "King of Rock 'n' Soul", and as the "Bishop of Soul", and described as "the Muhammad Ali of soul", and as "the most...
, B.B. King - 1968 "Here Comes The Rain Baby" - Eddy ArnoldEddy ArnoldRichard Edward Arnold , known professionally as Eddy Arnold, was an American country music singer who performed for six decades. He was a so-called Nashville sound innovator of the late 1950s, and scored 147 songs on the Billboard country music charts, second only to George Jones. He sold more...
, Roy OrbisonRoy OrbisonRoy Kelton Orbison was an American singer-songwriter, well known for his distinctive, powerful voice, complex compositions, and dark emotional ballads. Orbison grew up in Texas and began singing in a rockabilly/country & western band in high school until he was signed by Sun Records in Memphis... - 1968 "Weeping Annaleah" - Tom Jones
- 1968 "Mister Can't You SeeMister Can't You See"Mister Can't You See" is a song written by Mickey Newbury and Townes Van Zandt that first appeared on Newbury's 1968 debut album Harlequin Melodies. Newbury's original version was slow and dominated by strings and a very simple drumbeat, with his voice telling a tale of nature's power and beauty...
" - Buffy Sainte-MarieBuffy Sainte-MarieBuffy Sainte-Marie, OC is a Canadian Cree singer-songwriter, musician, composer, visual artist, educator, pacifist, and social activist. Throughout her career in all of these areas, her work has focused on issues of Indigenous peoples of the Americas. Her singing and writing repertoire includes...
(her only Top 75 hit) - 1968 "Just Dropped In (To See What Condition My Condition Was In)Just Dropped In (To See What Condition My Condition Was In)"Just Dropped In " is a song written by Mickey Newbury. Said to reflect the LSD experience, the song was intended to be a warning against the danger of using LSD. First recorded in 1967 by Jerry Lee Lewis, who rejected it, it was a hit for The First Edition in 1968...
" - The First EditionThe First EditionThe First Edition was a country music/rock band. Its stalwart members being Kenny Rogers , Mickey Jones and Terry Williams... - 1969 "She Even Woke Me Up to Say GoodbyeShe Even Woke Me Up to Say Goodbye"She Even Woke Me Up to Say Goodbye" is the title of a song written by Doug Gilmore and Mickey Newbury, and recorded by American country music artist Jerry Lee Lewis. Released in September 1969, it was the first single from his album She Even Woke Me Up to Say Goodbye. The song peaked at number 2...
" - Jerry Lee Lewis - 1969 "San Francisco Mabel JoySan Francisco Mabel Joy"San Francisco Mabel Joy" is a song written by Mickey Newbury, and is one of Newbury's most notable songs, an opinion shared by the artist himself. The song first appeared on Newbury's 1969 concept album Looks Like Rain, a milestone album in the burgeoning songwriter movement in Nashville at the...
" - Waylon JenningsWaylon JenningsWaylon 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...
, Kenny RogersKenny RogersKenneth Donald "Kenny" Rogers is an American singer-songwriter, photographer, record producer, actor, and entrepreneur...
, Joan BaezJoan BaezJoan Chandos Baez is an American folk singer, songwriter, musician and a prominent activist in the fields of human rights, peace and environmental justice.... - 1969 "The 33rd of August" - David Allen Coe
- 1969 "I Don't Think Much About Her No More" - Johnny CashJohnny CashJohn R. "Johnny" Cash was an American singer-songwriter, actor, and author, who has been called one of the most influential musicians of the 20th century...
, George Hamilton IVGeorge Hamilton IVGeorge Hege Hamilton IV is an American country musician. He began performing in the late 1950s as a teen idol, later switching to country music in the early 1960s.-Biography:Hamilton was born in Winston-Salem, North Carolina...
, Bobby BareBobby BareRobert Joseph Bare is an American country music singer and songwriter. He is the father of Bobby Bare, Jr., also a musician.-Early career:... - 1970 "Are My Thoughts With You" - Linda RonstadtLinda RonstadtLinda Ronstadt is an American popular music recording artist. She has earned eleven Grammy Awards, two Academy of Country Music awards, an Emmy Award, an ALMA Award, numerous United States and internationally certified gold, platinum and multiplatinum albums, in addition to Tony Award and Golden...
- 1971 "An American TrilogyAn American Trilogy"An American Trilogy" is a song arranged by country songwriter Mickey Newbury and made popular by Elvis Presley, who began including the song as part of his regular concert routine in the 1970s, thereby making the song a showstopper...
" - Elvis PresleyElvis PresleyElvis 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".... - 1971 "Mobile Blue" - Ian MatthewsIain MatthewsIain Matthews is an English musician and songwriter. He was born Iain Matthew McDonald, in Scunthorpe, Lincolnshire, England. He was known in the 1960s first as Ian McDonald, then as the 1960s progressed, as Ian Matthews...
- 1971 "How I Love Them Old Songs" - Tompall GlaserTompall GlaserTompall Glaser is an American country music artist. Active since the 1950s, he has recorded both as a solo artist and with his brothers Chuck and Jim in the trio Tompall & the Glaser Brothers...
, Bill MonroeBill MonroeWilliam Smith Monroe was an American musician who created the style of music known as bluegrass, which takes its name from his band, the "Blue Grass Boys," named for Monroe's home state of Kentucky. Monroe's performing career spanned 60 years as a singer, instrumentalist, composer and bandleader... - 1971 "Frisco Depot" - Waylon Jennings, Roberta FlackRoberta FlackRoberta Flack is an American singer, songwriter, and musician who is notable for jazz, soul, R&B, and folk music...
- 1973 "Why You Been Gone So Long" - Carl PerkinsCarl PerkinsCarl Lee Perkins was an American rockabilly musician who recorded most notably at Sun Records Studio in Memphis, Tennessee, beginning during 1954...
, Gene ClarkGene ClarkGene Clark, born Harold Eugene Clark was an American singer-songwriter, and one of the founding members of the folk-rock group The Byrds.... - 1974 "If You See Her" - Waylon Jennings, Johnny RodriguezJohnny RodriguezJohnny Rodriguez is an American country music singer. He was the first famous Latin American country music singer, infusing his music with Latin sounds, and even singing verses of songs in Spanish....
- 1975 "Lovers" - Charlie RichCharlie RichCharles Rich was an American country music singer and musician. A Grammy Award winner, his eclectic-style of music was often hard to classify in a single genre, playing in the rockabilly, jazz, blues, country, and gospel genres.In the latter part of his life, Rich acquired the nickname The Silver...
, Olivia Newton-JohnOlivia Newton-JohnOlivia Newton-John AO, OBE is a singer and actress. She is a four-time Grammy award winner who has amassed five No. 1 and ten other Top Ten Billboard Hot 100 singles and two No. 1 Billboard 200 solo albums. Eleven of her singles and 14 of her albums have been certified gold by the RIAA... - 1977 "Makes Me Wonder If I Ever Said Goodbye" - Kenny Rogers
- 1978 "Wish I Was" - Sammi SmithSammi SmithSammi Smith was an American country music singer and songwriter. Born Jewel Faye Smith, she is best known for her 1971 country/pop crossover hit, "Help Me Make It Through the Night", which was written by Kris Kristofferson...
- 1979 "Darlin' Take Care of Yourself" - Tammy WynetteTammy WynetteVirginia Wynette Pugh, known professionally as Tammy Wynette , was an American country music singer-songwriter and one of the genre's best-known artists and biggest-selling female vocalists....
- 1980 "That Was The Way It Was Then" - Brenda LeeBrenda LeeBrenda Mae Tarpley , known as Brenda Lee, is an American performer who sang rockabilly, pop and country music, and had 37 US chart hits during the 1960s, a number surpassed only by Elvis Presley, The Beatles, Ray Charles and Connie Francis...
, Jerry Lee Lewis
Newbury tribute albums (in order of release)
- Thirteen coversCover versionIn popular music, a cover version or cover song, or simply cover, is a new performance or recording of a contemporary or previously recorded, commercially released song or popular song...
by as many artistsMusicianA 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....
make up the first Newbury tribute album, Frisco Mabel Joy Revisited - Manowar cover "An American Trilogy" on their 2002 album, Warriors of the World
- Cowboy Johnson included 12 covers on his 2004 tribute, A Grain of Sand
- Toni Jolene Clay covered 15 Newbury songs, 11 on her 2005 album, Amen For Old Friends
- Jonmark Stone & Marie Rhines covered 10 songs on their 2005 album, When I Heard Newbury Sing
- Kacey JonesKacey JonesKacey Jones is an American singer-songwriter, producer and humorist. After co-writing the Mickey Gilley hit I'm the One Mama Warned You About, she found success as a performer through the band Ethel & The Shameless Hussies, with whom she released her first album...
covers 15 songs on her 2006 tribute album, Kacey Jones Sings Mickey Newbury. - Ronny CoxRonny CoxDaniel Ronald "Ronny" Cox is an American character actor, singer-songwriter and guitarist.-Personal life:Cox, the third of five children, was born in Cloudcroft, New Mexico, the son of Lounette and Bob P. Cox, a carpenter who also worked at a dairy. He grew up in Portales, New Mexico...
sings 12 Newbury songs on his 2007 album, How I love them old songs... - Will OldhamWill OldhamWill Oldham , better known by the stage name Bonnie 'Prince' Billy, is an American singer-songwriter and actor. From 1993 to 1997, he performed and recorded under variations of the Palace name, including the Palace Brothers, Palace Songs, and Palace Music...
covers "I Came to Hear the Music" on his 2007 album, Ask Forgiveness
Albums
| Year | Album | Chart Positions | Label | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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... |
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| 1968 | Harlequin Melodies Harlequin Melodies Harlequin Melodies is the 1968 debut album by singer-songwriter Mickey Newbury. At the time, Newbury was a making an impact as an incredible and successful songwriter in Nashville, signed by Acuff-Rose Publishing, at one point he had four #1 hits on different charts for Eddy Arnold, Solomon Burke,... |
— | — | RCA Victor |
| 1969 | Looks Like Rain Looks Like Rain Looks Like Rain is the 1969 concept album by singer-songwriter Mickey Newbury. After recording his debut album with RCA, Newbury was dissatisfied with the resulting album and left RCA to pursue a style closer to his tastes... |
— | — | Mercury |
| 1971 | Frisco Mabel Joy Frisco Mabel Joy Frisco Mabel Joy is the 1971 concept album by Country singer-songwriter Mickey Newbury. This was the second of three albums Newbury recorded at Cinderella Sound. The album includes the original version of "An American Trilogy", which Elvis Presley later performed in his Las Vegas shows with much... |
29 | 58 | Elektra |
| 1972 | Sings His Own Sings His Own Sings His Own is the 1972 compilation album by singer-songwriter Mickey Newbury, a revised edition of his debut Harlequin Melodies, released by RCA Records in 1972, after the critical notice of Newbury's highly acclaimed Looks Like Rain and Frisco Mabel Joy... |
— | — | RCA Victor |
| 1973 | Heaven Help The Child Heaven Help the Child Heaven Help The Child is the 1973 album by Country singer-songwriter Mickey Newbury. The album was Newbury's third consecutive release recorded at Cinderella Studios... |
— | 173 | Elektra |
| Live At Montezuma Hall Live at Montezuma Hall Live At Montezuma Hall is the first live album from singer-songwriter Mickey Newbury recorded at Montezuma Hall at San Diego State University in 1973. Featuring Newbury performing solo with an acoustic guitar, the album is notable for touching renditions of many of Newbury's excellent songs and... |
— | — | ||
| 1974 | I Came to Hear the Music I Came to Hear the Music I Came to Hear the Music is the 1974 album by singer-songwriter Mickey Newbury, his fourth release on Elektra Records.I Came to Hear the Music was collected for CD issue on the eight-disc Mickey Newbury Collection from Mountain Retreat, Newbury's own label in the mid-1990s, along with nine other... |
— | 209 | |
| 1975 | Lovers Lovers (Mickey Newbury album) Lovers is the 1975 album by singer-songwriter Mickey Newbury. The album is noted for the inclusion of the epic trilogy "Apples Dipped In Candy" and the title track... |
— | 172 | |
| 1977 | Rusty Tracks Rusty Tracks Rusty Tracks is the 1977 album by singer-songwriter Mickey Newbury, released by Hickory Records. The record is noted for Newbury's stunning interpretations of four traditional songs "Shenandoah," "That Lucky Old Sun," "Danny Boy," and "In The Pines."... |
— | — | Hickory |
| 1978 | His Eye Is on the Sparrow | — | — | |
| 1979 | The Sailor The Sailor The Sailor is the 1979 album by singer-songwriter Mickey Newbury. The album features a contemporary country production style.The Sailor was collected for CD issue on the eight-disc Mickey Newbury Collection from Mountain Retreat, Newbury's own label in the mid-1990s, along with nine other Newbury... |
— | — | |
| 1981 | After All These Years | — | — | Mercury |
| 1988 | In a New Age In a New Age In a New Age was released in 1988, the first recording released by singer-songwriter Mickey Newbury since 1981's After All These Years... |
— | — | Airborne |
| 1994 | Nights When I Am Sane | — | — | Winter Harvest |
| 1996 | Lulled by the Moonlight | — | — | Mountain Retreat |
| 1998 | Live in England | — | — | Roadhouse |
| 1999 | It Might as Well Be the Moon | — | — | Mountain Retreat |
| 2000 | Stories from the Silver Moon Cafe | — | — | |
| 2002 | A Long Road Home A Long Road Home A Long Road Home is the 2002 concept album by singer-songwriter Mickey Newbury, released on his Mountain Retreat label. The album was recorded while Newbury was receiving full-time oxygen treatments for emphysema... |
— | — | |
| Winter Winds | — | — | ||
| 2003 | Blue to This Day | — | — | |
| 2011 | An American Trilogy An American Trilogy (album) An American Trilogy is a box set of three remastered albums by Mickey Newbury recorded between 1969 and 1973 at Cinderella Sound studio, in Madison, Tennessee, alongside an additional album of rare and unreleased recordings, entitled "Better Days". It was released in 2011 on Saint Cecilia Knows, in... |
— | — | Saint Cecilia Knows/Mountain Retreat |
Singles
| Year | Single | Chart Positions | Album | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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... |
CAN Country | CAN Canadian Singles Chart The Canadian Singles Chart is currently compiled by the U.S.-based music sales tracking company, Nielsen SoundScan . The chart is compiled every Wednesday, and is published by Jam! Canoe on Thursdays.... |
CAN AC | |||
| 1968 | "Weeping Annaleah" | — | — | — | — | — | Harlequin Melodies |
| "Got Down on Saturday (Sunday in the Rain)" | — | — | — | — | — | Sings His Own | |
| 1969 | "Queen" | — | — | — | — | — | |
| "San Francisco Mabel Joy" | — | — | — | — | — | Looks Like Rain | |
| 1970 | "Sad Satin Rhyme" | — | — | — | — | — | single only |
| 1972 | "An American Trilogy An American Trilogy "An American Trilogy" is a song arranged by country songwriter Mickey Newbury and made popular by Elvis Presley, who began including the song as part of his regular concert routine in the 1970s, thereby making the song a showstopper... " |
— | 26 | — | 76 | — | Frisco Mabel Joy |
| "Remember the Good" | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1973 | "Heaven Help the Child" | — | — | — | — | — | Heaven Help the Child |
| "Sunshine" | 53 | 87 | 50 | — | 41 | ||
| 1974 | "If I Could Be" | — | — | — | — | — | I Came to Hear the Music |
| "Baby's Not Home" | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1975 | "Lovers" | — | — | — | — | — | Lovers |
| "Sail Away" | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1977 | "Hand Me Another of Those" | 94 | — | — | — | — | Rusty Tracks |
| "Makes Me Wonder If I Ever Said Goodbye" | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1978 | "Gone to Alabama" | 94 | — | — | — | — | His Eye Is on the Sparrow |
| "It Doesn't Matter Anymore" | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1979 | "Looking for the Sunshine" | 82 | — | — | — | — | Sailor |
| "Blue Sky Shinin'" | 81 | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1980 | "America the Beautiful America the Beautiful "America the Beautiful" is an American patriotic song. The lyrics were written by Katharine Lee Bates and the music composed by church organist and choirmaster Samuel A. Ward.... " |
82 | — | — | — | — | single only |
| 1981 | "Country Boy Saturday Night" | — | — | — | — | — | After All These Years |
| 1988 | "An American Trilogy" | 93 | — | — | — | — | In a New Age |
External links
- Official Website
- Notice of Newbury's death in Rolling Stone
- http://www.mickeynewbury.com/pdf/MicklistPrint.pdf List of Newbury's songs covered by other artists