Del Reeves
| Del Reeves | |
|---|---|
 |
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Franklin Delano Reeves |
| Born | July 14, 1932 |
| Origin | Sparta, North Carolina |
| Died | January 1, 2007 (aged 74) |
| Genres | country |
| Occupation(s) | singer, songwriter |
| Years active | 1961–2006 |
| Labels | United Artists, Decca Records, Columbia Records, Capitol Records, Reprise Records |
| Associated acts | Dick Curless, Red Simpson, Red Steagall, Bobby Goldsboro, Penny DeHaven, Billie Jo Spears |
Franklin Delano Reeves (July 14, 1932 – January 1, 2007), better known as Del Reeves, was an American country music singer, best known for his "girl-watching" novelty songs of the 1960s including "Girl on the Billboard" and "The Belles of Southern Bell". He is also known for his 1968 trucker's anthem, "Looking At The World Through A Windshield", which demonstrated he was capable of more than just novelty songs. He became one of the most successful male country singers of the 1960s.
Reeves was born in Sparta, North Carolina, on July 14, 1932. He was named after Franklin Delano Roosevelt, who had been nominated by the Democratic Party to be their presidential nominee just a few days before he was born. He graduated from Piney Creek High School in 1951.
In 1954, he signed on with Capitol Records. Later in the 1950s, he recorded for Decca Records, as well as Reprise Records and Columbia Records.
Everything began to change when Reeves signed with United Artists Records. The work he did for United Artists is probably his best-known work. He finally scored big in 1961 with the hit song "Be Quiet Mind". Later in 1965, he had his first number-one hit with "The Girl On The Billboard". His follow-up, "The Belles of the Southern Bell", made the country top five. During this time, his wife and he became a songwriting team and wrote songs for the likes of Rose Maddox, Carl Smith, and Roy Drusky, to name a few.
His success continued throughout the rest of the 1960s. Songs that became hits during this time are "Be Glad" and "Good Time Charlie's". In the late 1960s, he recorded an album paying tribute to Jim Reeves (no relation) and also appeared in several Hollywood films, including a starring role in Cottonpickin' Chickenpickers, and a supporting role in Burt Reynolds' first big movie Sam Whiskey.
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