Philip Claypool
Encyclopedia
Philip Claypool is an American country music
artist. Between 1995 and 1999, he recorded two studio albums for the Curb Records
label (1995's A Circus Leaving Town and 1999's Perfect World), in addition to charting four singles on the Billboard
Hot Country Singles & Tracks (now Hot Country Songs
) charts. His highest-charting single was a cover of Bad Company
's 1975 hit "Feel Like Makin' Love."
. His mother, a church organist
, influenced him to take interest in gospel music
. By the time he was in high school
, Claypool had begun writing songs as well, and by age 21, he had made his first professional performance.
By 1995, Claypool had signed to Curb Records
as a recording artist. Working with producer Jerry Crutchfield, he released his debut album A Circus Leaving Town that same year. This album produced four chart singles on the Billboard
Hot Country Singles & Tracks charts (now Hot Country Songs
). Among these were the title track (which was later recorded by Travis Tritt
on his 2004 album My Honky Tonk History) and Claypool's highest-charting hit, a cover of British band Bad Company
's 1975 single "Feel Like Makin' Love".
Claypool's debut album received a three-star rating from Stephen Thomas Erlewine
of Allmusic, who called it "a diverse collection [b]uilding on a solid contemporary base", with "intriguing" production that "sav[ed] even the weakest tracks". Dan Kuchar of Country Standard Time
noted Claypool's "leather and velvet" voice but said that, except for the Bad Company cover and one other song, the material was largely "tired, cliché-laden… [and] devoid of any hooks". Claypool himself described the album as being "left of center". In a 1996 interview with Modern Screen's Country Music magazine, he called it "more mature" but "a little distanced from what is happening radio-wise".
Claypool also recorded a song for the soundtrack to the 1998 film Major League: Back to the Minors
His self-produced second album, Perfect World, was released in 1999, although it contained no chart singles and mostly comprised material from his first album. He has not recorded anything else since.
Country music
Country music is a popular American musical style that began in the rural Southern United States in the 1920s. It takes its roots from Western cowboy and folk music...
artist. Between 1995 and 1999, he recorded two studio albums for the Curb Records
Curb Records
Curb Records is a record label started by Mike Curb originally as Sidewalk Records in 1963...
label (1995's A Circus Leaving Town and 1999's Perfect World), in addition to charting four singles on the Billboard
Billboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
Hot Country Singles & Tracks (now Hot Country Songs
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...
) charts. His highest-charting single was a cover of Bad Company
Bad Company
Bad Company were an English rock supergroup founded in 1973, consisting of two former Free band members — singer Paul Rodgers and drummer Simon Kirke — as well as Mott the Hoople guitarist Mick Ralphs and King Crimson bassist Boz Burrell. Peter Grant, who, in years prior, was a key component of...
's 1975 hit "Feel Like Makin' Love."
Biography
Philip Claypool was born and raised in Memphis, TennesseeMemphis, Tennessee
Memphis is a city in the southwestern corner of the U.S. state of Tennessee, and the county seat of Shelby County. The city is located on the 4th Chickasaw Bluff, south of the confluence of the Wolf and Mississippi rivers....
. His mother, a church organist
Organist
An organist is a musician who plays any type of organ. An organist may play solo organ works, play with an ensemble or orchestra, or accompany one or more singers or instrumental soloists...
, influenced him to take interest in gospel music
Gospel music
Gospel music is music that is written to express either personal, spiritual or a communal belief regarding Christian life, as well as to give a Christian alternative to mainstream secular music....
. By the time he was in high school
High school
High school is a term used in parts of the English speaking world to describe institutions which provide all or part of secondary education. The term is often incorporated into the name of such institutions....
, Claypool had begun writing songs as well, and by age 21, he had made his first professional performance.
By 1995, Claypool had signed to Curb Records
Curb Records
Curb Records is a record label started by Mike Curb originally as Sidewalk Records in 1963...
as a recording artist. Working with producer Jerry Crutchfield, he released his debut album A Circus Leaving Town that same year. This album produced four chart singles on the Billboard
Billboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
Hot Country Singles & Tracks charts (now Hot Country Songs
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...
). Among these were the title track (which was later recorded by Travis Tritt
Travis Tritt
James Travis Tritt is an American country music singer from Marietta, Georgia. He signed to Warner Bros. Records in 1989, releasing seven studio albums and a greatest hits package for the label between then and 1999. In the 2000s, he released two albums on Columbia Records and one for the defunct...
on his 2004 album My Honky Tonk History) and Claypool's highest-charting hit, a cover of British band Bad Company
Bad Company
Bad Company were an English rock supergroup founded in 1973, consisting of two former Free band members — singer Paul Rodgers and drummer Simon Kirke — as well as Mott the Hoople guitarist Mick Ralphs and King Crimson bassist Boz Burrell. Peter Grant, who, in years prior, was a key component of...
's 1975 single "Feel Like Makin' Love".
Claypool's debut album received a three-star rating from Stephen Thomas Erlewine
Stephen Thomas Erlewine
Stephen Thomas Erlewine is a senior editor for Allmusic. He is the author of many artist biographies and record reviews for Allmusic, as well as a freelance writer, occasionally contributing liner notes. He is also frontman and guitarist for the Ann Arbor-based band Who Dat?Erlewine is the nephew...
of Allmusic, who called it "a diverse collection [b]uilding on a solid contemporary base", with "intriguing" production that "sav[ed] even the weakest tracks". Dan Kuchar of Country Standard Time
Country Standard Time
Country Standard Time is a website dedicated to country music and related genres such as Bluegrass and Rockabilly. It provides news and musical reviews pertaining to the genre. It was established in 1992 by Jeffrey B. Remz as a print magazine, which was first published only in New England but went...
noted Claypool's "leather and velvet" voice but said that, except for the Bad Company cover and one other song, the material was largely "tired, cliché-laden… [and] devoid of any hooks". Claypool himself described the album as being "left of center". In a 1996 interview with Modern Screen's Country Music magazine, he called it "more mature" but "a little distanced from what is happening radio-wise".
Claypool also recorded a song for the soundtrack to the 1998 film Major League: Back to the Minors
Major League: Back to the Minors
Major League: Back to the Minors is a 1998 film, distributed by Warner Bros., directed and written by John Warren, with David S. Ward taking the co-writer duties. It is the third film in the Major League series.-Cast:...
His self-produced second album, Perfect World, was released in 1999, although it contained no chart singles and mostly comprised material from his first album. He has not recorded anything else since.
Albums
| Title | Album details |
|---|---|
| A Circus Leaving Town |
|
| Perfect World |
|
Singles
| Year | Single | Peak 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... |
|||
| 1995 | "Swingin' on My Baby's Chain" | 71 | A Circus Leaving Town |
| "Feel Like Makin' Love Feel Like Makin' Love (Bad Company song) "Feel Like Makin' Love" is a song by British supergroup Bad Company. The song originally appeared on the LP Straight Shooter in April 1975 and was released as a single in August of the same year... " |
60 | ||
| 1996 | "The Strength of a Woman" | 73 | |
| "Circus Leaving Town" | 70 | ||
| 1998 | "Looking Up from a Long Way Down" | — | Major League: Back to the Minors Major League: Back to the Minors Major League: Back to the Minors is a 1998 film, distributed by Warner Bros., directed and written by John Warren, with David S. Ward taking the co-writer duties. It is the third film in the Major League series.-Cast:... (soundtrack) |
| "—" denotes releases that did not chart | |||
Music videos
| Year | Video | Director |
|---|---|---|
| 1995 | "Swingin' on My Baby's Chain" | Roger Pistole |
| "The Strength of a Woman" | ||
| 1998 | "Looking Up from a Long Way Down" |