Robert Knight (musician)
Encyclopedia
Robert Knight is an America
n singer best known for the 1967 recording of the song "Everlasting Love
".
quintet
consisting of schoolfriends. Signed to Dot Records
in 1960, they recorded "Free Me" in 1961, a US R&B
hit single
that outsold a rival version by Johnny Preston
.
After this initial success, their subsequent releases flopped, resulting in a breakup of the group. They also broke their recording contract
with Dot and were prevented from recording for years. Knight continued his studies in chemistry
at Tennessee State University
, where he formed the vocal trio the Fairlanes.
In 1967, Knight was spotted performing with the Fairlanes in Nashville
, Tennessee, and was offered a contract as a solo artist
by the Rising Sons label
. His first recording, "Everlasting Love
", written by label owners Buzz Cason
and Mac Gayden
, was an immediate success, reaching number 14 on the US R&B
chart
and 13 on the Billboard Hot 100
. This enduring song was an even bigger success in the UK the following year when a version by Love Affair
reached No. 1, ironically preventing Knight's version from progressing further than No. 40 there.
Knight scored two further pop hits at home, "Blessed Are The Lonely" and "Isn't It Lonely Together". In 1973, he hit the UK Singles Chart
again with "Love On A Mountain Top", also written by Cason and Gayden, whilst the re-issued "Everlasting Love" went even higher in the UK the following year, reaching the Top 20.
"Everlasting Love" has been revived as a hit status several times over the years, including versions by Carl Carlton
in 1974, as a duet by Rex Smith
and Rachel Sweet
in 1981, and by Gloria Estefan
in 1995. In the UK, the issues of "Everlasting Love" by CBS
represent the only time that there have been as many as three chart versions of a song from the same record company.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
n singer best known for the 1967 recording of the song "Everlasting Love
Everlasting Love
"Everlasting Love" is a song written by Buzz Cason and Mac Gayden that has been a hit for various artists, including Robert Knight, Carl Carlton, Love Affair, and Gloria Estefan.- Overview :...
".
Career
Born in Franklin, Tennessee, Knight made his professional vocal debut with the Paramounts, a harmonyHarmony
In music, harmony is the use of simultaneous pitches , or chords. The study of harmony involves chords and their construction and chord progressions and the principles of connection that govern them. Harmony is often said to refer to the "vertical" aspect of music, as distinguished from melodic...
quintet
Quintet
A quintet is a group containing five members.It is commonly associated with musical groups, such as a string quintet, or a group of five singers, but can be applied to any situation where five similar or related objects are considered a single unit....
consisting of schoolfriends. Signed to Dot Records
Dot Records
Dot Records was an American record label and company that was active between 1950 and 1977. It was founded by Randy Wood. In Gallatin, Tennessee, Wood had earlier started a mail order record shop, known for its radio ads on WLAC in Nashville and its R&B air personality Bill "Hoss" Allen...
in 1960, they recorded "Free Me" in 1961, a US R&B
Rhythm and blues
Rhythm and blues, often abbreviated to R&B, is a genre of popular African American music that originated in the 1940s. The term was originally used by record companies to describe recordings marketed predominantly to urban African Americans, at a time when "urbane, rocking, jazz based music with a...
hit single
Hit single
A hit single is a recorded song or instrumental released as a single that has become very popular. Although it is sometimes used to describe any widely-played or big-selling song, the term "hit" is usually reserved for a single that has appeared in an official music chart through repeated radio...
that outsold a rival version by Johnny Preston
Johnny Preston
Johnny Preston was an American pop music singer, who was best known for his international number one hit in 1960, "Running Bear".-Life and career:...
.
After this initial success, their subsequent releases flopped, resulting in a breakup of the group. They also broke their recording contract
Recording contract
A recording contract is a legal agreement between a record label and a recording artist , where the artist makes a record for the label to sell and promote...
with Dot and were prevented from recording for years. Knight continued his studies in chemistry
Chemistry
Chemistry is the science of matter, especially its chemical reactions, but also its composition, structure and properties. Chemistry is concerned with atoms and their interactions with other atoms, and particularly with the properties of chemical bonds....
at Tennessee State University
Tennessee State University
Tennessee State University is a land-grant university located in Nashville, Tennessee. TSU is the only state-funded historically black university in Tennessee.-History:...
, where he formed the vocal trio the Fairlanes.
In 1967, Knight was spotted performing with the Fairlanes in 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...
, Tennessee, and was offered a contract as a solo artist
Musician
A 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....
by the Rising Sons 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,...
. His first recording, "Everlasting Love
Everlasting Love
"Everlasting Love" is a song written by Buzz Cason and Mac Gayden that has been a hit for various artists, including Robert Knight, Carl Carlton, Love Affair, and Gloria Estefan.- Overview :...
", written by label owners Buzz Cason
Buzz Cason
Buzz Cason is an American rock singer, songwriter, producer and author....
and Mac Gayden
Mac Gayden
McGavock Gayden better known as Mac Gayden born in Nashville, Tennessee is an American rock and country singer, songwriter, musician and producer. He is also president of Wild Child Records formed in 2004....
, was an immediate success, reaching number 14 on the US R&B
Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs
Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs, is a chart released weekly by Billboard in the United States.The chart, initiated in 1942, is used to track the success of popular music songs in urban, or primarily African American, venues. Dominated over the years at various times by jazz, rhythm and blues, doo-wop, soul,...
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....
and 13 on the Billboard Hot 100
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...
. This enduring song was an even bigger success in the UK the following year when a version by Love Affair
Love Affair (band)
Love Affair were a London based pop, soul, R&B group formed in 1966. They had several UK Singles Chart Top 10 hits, including the number one success "Everlasting Love".-Personnel:The band primarily featured the following —...
reached No. 1, ironically preventing Knight's version from progressing further than No. 40 there.
Knight scored two further pop hits at home, "Blessed Are The Lonely" and "Isn't It Lonely Together". In 1973, he hit the UK Singles Chart
UK Singles Chart
The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...
again with "Love On A Mountain Top", also written by Cason and Gayden, whilst the re-issued "Everlasting Love" went even higher in the UK the following year, reaching the Top 20.
"Everlasting Love" has been revived as a hit status several times over the years, including versions by Carl Carlton
Carl Carlton
Carl Carlton is an American R&B, soul, and funk singer and songwriter, best known for his hits "Everlasting Love" and "She's a Bad Mama Jama ".-Career:...
in 1974, as a duet by Rex Smith
Rex Smith
Rex Smith is an American actor and singer. Smith debuted in the Broadway play Grease in 1978. He is noted for his role as Jesse Mach in the 1985 television series Street Hawk, as well as being a singer and stage actor. During the late 1970s, Smith was popular as a teen idol...
and Rachel Sweet
Rachel Sweet
Rachel Sweet is an American singer, television writer and actress.-Biography:After beginning her singing career at the age of three, when she won an electric garage door opener in a singing contest, she began recording commercials at the age of six, toured with Mickey Rooney, and performed in Las...
in 1981, and by Gloria Estefan
Gloria Estefan
Gloria María Milagrosa Fajardo García de Estefan; known professionally as Gloria Estefan is a Cuban-born American singer, songwriter, and actress. Known as the "Queen Of Latin Pop", she is in the top 100 best selling music artists with over 100 million albums sold worldwide, 31.5 million of those...
in 1995. In the UK, the issues of "Everlasting Love" by CBS
CBS
CBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of...
represent the only time that there have been as many as three chart versions of a song from the same record company.