Charlie Gracie
| Charlie Gracie | |
|---|---|
Gracie in 1957
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Charles Anthony Graci |
| Born |
May 14, 1936 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
| Genres | Rhythm and blues, rock |
| Occupation(s) | Singer, guitarist |
| Instruments | Guitar |
| Years active | 1950–present |
| Labels | Cadillac, 20th Century, Cameo, Coral, Roulette, London, Felsted, President |
| Website | www |
Charlie Gracie (born Charles Anthony Graci, May 14, 1936, Philadelphia) is an American rock pioneer and rhythm and blues singer and guitarist.
Gracie's father encouraged him to play the guitar. His musical career started at the age of 16 when he appeared on the Paul Whiteman television show in 1952. Gracie performed at weddings, local restaurants, and parties, and on local radio and television. He also won regional talent contests. Charlie graduated from South Philadelphia High School in 1952.
The owner of Cadillac Records, Graham Prince, heard one of Gracie's early radio performances, contacted the young musician and signed him to a recording contract. This association yielded the single "Boogie Woogie Blues" backed with "I'm Gonna Sit Right Down And Write Myself A Letter". The record led to Charlie's first appearance on Bob Horn's American Bandstand television program, four years before Dick Clark became the host. After cutting two more singles for Cadillac, including one called "Rockin' 'n' Rollin'" in 1952, Charlie moved on to 20th Century Records, where he put out another four sides. The discs he made embraced a wide variety of styles: jump blues, gospel, and country boogie with the influences of Big Joe Turner, B.B. King, Louis Jordan, Roy Acuff, and Hank Williams.
By 1956, Philadelphia had given birth to the new Cameo record label. Its founders, in search of a strong talent, signed Gracie later that year. With a $600 budget, this new union went into the recording studio to record "Butterfly" backed with "Ninety Nine Ways". It became a hit record, reaching #1 in jukebox plays in the Billboard chart. Gracie received a gold disc for the two million plus sales. His only other Top 40 hit was with a song entitled "Fabulous" the same year, which reached #16. This track also reached number 6 in the UK – where it remained regularly played on national radio more than twenty years later. Two other substantial sellers followed: "Wandering Eyes", his third Billboard Top 100 hit, which peaked at #71 (another number 6 in the UK), and "Cool Baby" (also a top 30 hit in Britain). The financial success of these hits bankrolled the Cameo label, which became a dominant force in the music industry for several years.
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