Oliver (singer)
| Oliver | |
|---|---|
1972 publicity photo
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| Born |
William Oliver Swofford February 22, 1945 North Wilkesboro, North Carolina, U.S. |
| Died | February 12, 2000 (aged 54) Shreveport, Louisiana, U.S. |
| Cause of death | Cancer |
| Resting place | Laurel Land Memorial Park Dallas, Texas, U.S. |
| Education | Wilkes Central High School |
| Alma mater | University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill |
| Occupation | Singer |
| Spouse(s) |
Margaret Hicks Ramspacher (m. 1974–88) Rebecca Jean Alexander (m. 1991–2000) |
| Musical career | |
| Genres | Pop |
| Instruments | Vocals |
| Years active | 1969–77 |
William Oliver Swofford (February 22, 1945 – February 12, 2000), known professionally as Oliver, was an American pop singer, best known for his 1969 song "Good Morning Starshine" from the musical Hair as well as "Jean" (the theme from the film The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie).
William Oliver Swofford was born on February 22, 1945, in North Wilkesboro, North Carolina, to Jack and Helen Swofford. . He was a recipient of the prestigious Morehead Scholarship and attended the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill starting in 1963 and began singing as an undergraduate. He was a member of two popular music groups — The Virginians and, later, The Good Earth — and was then known as Bill Swofford.
His clean-cut good looks and soaring tenor voice were the perfect vehicle for the uptempo single entitled "Good Morning Starshine" from the pop/rock musical Hair, which reached No. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100 in July 1969, sold over one million copies, and was awarded a gold disc by the R.I.A.A. a month later. Later that fall, a softer, ballad single entitled "Jean" (the theme from the Oscar-winning film The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie) bested his previous effort by one, reaching No. 2 on the Hot 100 and No. 1 on the Billboard Easy Listening chart. Written by poet Rod McKuen, "Jean" also sold over one million copies, garnering Oliver his second gold disc in as many months. Performing both hits on a number of TV variety shows and specials in the late 1960s, including The Ed Sullivan Show, helped both songs.
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