Eddie Noack

Eddie Noack (April 29, 1930 – February 5, 1978), was an American country and western singer, songwriter and music industry executive best known for his 1968 recording of the serial killer song Psycho written by Leon Payne, on K-ark Record Label and Produced by John Capps. Eddie was born De Armand A. Noack, Jr. in Houston, Texas. He attended Baylor University, where he earned a bachelor of arts degree in English and journalism.

According to Bob Dylan on the Theme Time Radio Hour broadcast on January 24, 2007, "He wanted to be a journalist. But we have enough journalists, but not enough people who could sing and write like Eddie Noack. Eddie recorded the song called Psycho, written by Leon Payne, a song about a serial killer and quite understandably, it never got a lot of airplay, but has become quite a bit of a cult favorite, as is Eddie Noack himself..."

Eddie Noack decided on a career in music after winning a talent contest in 1947. A honky tonk singer influenced by Hank Williams, he appeared frequently on radio and was signed by Gold Star Records in 1949. That same year, Gold Star released his song Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, which was not a cover of the eponymous song from the 1949 musical but a parody of it. He also recorded the single “Have Blues Will Travel/The Price of Love” for Gold Star in 1959 but recorded for many labels during the decade of the 1950s.

He began recording for Four Star in 1951 as part of , a band specializing in the honky tonk, country swing, and country boogie styles, and later rockabilly. (The band later recorded Noack's song We Smiled as a B-side in 1956 for Starday.)Too Hot To Handle, his own composition, was leased by Four Star to the TNT label, establishing his reputation as a songwriter. In 1953, he was signed by Starday, which was owned by record producer Pappy Daily, with whom he would work for the bulk of his professional career.

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