Billy "Crash" Craddock
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
For other artists by this name, see Crash.
| Billy "Crash" Craddock | ||
|---|---|---|
| Background information | ||
| Birth name | Bill Craddock | |
| Born | June 16, 1938 | |
| Origin | Greensboro, North Carolina | |
| Genre(s) | Country music, pop music | |
| Occupation(s) | country music singer | |
| Years active | 1957-Present | |
| Label(s) | Sky Castle Records, Colonial Records, Date Records, Columbia Records, Mercury Records, King Records, Chart Records, Cartwheel Records, ABC Records, Capitol Records, Atlantic Records | |
| Associated acts |
Elvis Presley, Conway Twitty, Jerry Lee Lewis, Mickey Gilley, Charlie Rich | |
Billy "Crash" Craddock (b. 16 June 1939 in Greensboro, North Carolina) is an American country music singer who gained popularity in the 1970s with a string of country music hits.
Known to fans as "Mr. Country Rock" for his uptempo, rock-influenced style of country, he was the youngest of 13 children. He began his career in the 1950s, recording rockabilly and pop tunes, being marketed as a teen idol by his label Columbia records. He appeared twice on American Bandstand but failed to have a hit in the states. He recorded one album on King Records in 1964. He also recorded on Chart Records between 1966 and 1968.
After several years out of the music business, he returned to recording, now as a country singer. Signed with Cartwheel Records, his first #1 hit was 1971's "Knock Three Times," a cover of the Tony Orlando and Dawn pop hit. The song also reached the top five of the Billboard magazine Hot Country Singles chart that spring, beginning a streak of hits that continued throughout the 1970s. Other hits he had for Cartwheel, all during 1971-1972, included "Dream Lover", "You Better Move On", "Ain't Nothin' Shakin' (But the Leaves on The Trees)", and "I'm Gonna Knock on Your Door", were all top 10 hits in 1971 and 1972.
In 1973, Craddock signed with ABC-Dot Records, where he enjoyed his biggest hits. One was "Sweet Magnolia Blossom", but his biggest hit, 1974's "Rub It In", was also a modest pop hit. Today, several bars from the song are featured in commercials for Glade Plug-In products. He recorded a total of nine #1 hits.
Craddock was consistently hit the country top ten in the 1970's and he became one of country music's first male sex symbols, unusually handsome for a male country star of the era and dressed in stage clothes exposing his hairy, muscular chest as he growled his way through rockin' numbers and love songs with a stage persona strongly influenced by Elvis Presley.
By the late 1970s, Craddock was recording for Capitol Records, where he had his last two top 10 hits: "I Cheated on a Good Woman's Love" (1978) and "If I Could Write a Song as Beautiful as You" (1979). He later recorded for Atlantic Records in the late 1980's.
Contents |
[edit] In Australia
Although he had no hits in America during his "Columbia" period (1958-1962), Crash Craddock was one of the most loved teen idols of the early sixties in Australia. In mid 1960, "Boom Boom Baby" hit the top of the Sydney Top 40 charts, and stayed there for 11 weeks. Soon after came the impressive song "Well, Don't You Know" which also hit the top for about 7 weeks. Crash was invited out to Australia to sing with Bobby Rydell, Chubby Checker, Santo & Johnny and Johnny Restivo in an "All Twist Show" at the Sydney Stadium. He stole the show by miles, getting the whole stadium reved up and wanting more. A few singles, such as "Since She Turned Seventeen" reached the Top 40, but it wasn't until very early 1961 that he had another #1 Hit. "One Last Kiss" stayed a number one hit for 8 weeks, and Crash was invited once again out to Australia, and although not as popular this time as last time, he still got a very loud scream from Sydney and another hit single. His next hit was "Blabbermouth" which was re-released in Australia only to cash in on Crash's success, it was first released in 1958, when Crash was virtually unknown. It reached #3 in May of 1961 - which was his last big hit during the 1950's. His last charting single in Australia was "Good Time Billy" in early 1962, it reached #16.
[edit] Greatest Hits
| Record | Year | Billboard | |
|---|---|---|---|
| "Knock Three Times" | 1971 | 1 | |
| "Dream Lover" | 1971 | 1 | |
| "I'm Gonna Knock On Your Door | 1972 | 5 | |
| "Ain't Nothin' Shakin' (But The Leaves On The Trees) | 1972 | 1 | |
| "Sweet Magnolia Blossom" | 1974 | 1 | |
| "Rub it In" | 1974 | 1 | |
| "Ruby Baby" | 1974 | 1 | |
| "Still Thinkin' About You | 1975 | 1 | |
| "Easy as Pie" | 1975 | 1 | |
| "You Rubbed it in All Wrong" | 1976 | 4 | |
| "Broken Down in Tiny Pieces" | 1976 | 1 | |
| "I Cheated on a Good Woman's Love | 1978 | 4 | |
| If I Could Write a Song As Beautiful as You" | 1979 | 4 |
[edit] Albums
[edit] King Records
- I'm Tore Up - 1964
[edit] Cartwheel Records
- Knock Three Times - 1971
- You Better Move On - 1972
[edit] Chart Records
- The Best Of Billy "Crash" Craddock - 1973
[edit] ABC Records
- Knock Three Times - 1973 This is the same album that was released on Cartwheel Records in 1971.
- You Better Move On - 1973 This is the same album that was released on Cartwheel Records in 1972
- Mr. Country Rock - 1973
- Two Sides of "Crash" - 1973
- Rub It In - 1974
- Still Thinkin' 'Bout You - 1975
- Greatest Hits Vol. 1 - 1975
[edit] Starday Records
- Billy "Crash" Craddock 16 Favorite Hits - 1977
[edit] ABC/Dot Records
- Easy As Pie - 1976
- Crash - 1976
- Live! - 1977
- The First Time - 1978
- Sings His Greatest Hits - 1978
[edit] Capitol Records
- Turning Up And Turning On - 1978
- Laughing and Crying, Living and Dying - 1979
- Changes - 1980
- Crash Craddock - 1981
- The New Will Never Wear Off Of You - 1982
- Greatest Hits - 1983
[edit] MCA Records
These albums were first released on the ABC and ABC/Dot labels. The albums that were released on MCA are reissues.
- Greatest Hits Vol. 1 - 1981
- Sings His Greatest Hits - 1981
- Easy As Pie - 1981
- Live! - 1981
- The First Time - 1981
- The Best Of Billy "Crash" Craddock - 1982 Two record set
[edit] MCA Dot Records
- Crash Craddock - 1986
[edit] Colonial Records
- Crash's Greatest Hits - 1986
[edit] Atlantic Records
- Back On Track - 1989
[edit] Bear Family Records
- Boom Boom Baby - 1992
[edit] Razor & Tie Records
- Crash's Smashes - 1996
[edit] Singles
[edit] Sky Castle Records
- Smacky-Mouth/How Does It Feel (1957) Recorded as Billy Graddock
[edit] Colonial Records
- Birddoggin'/Millionaire (1957) Recorded as Bill Craddock with The Bluenotes
[edit] Date Records
- LuLu Lee/Ah, Poor Little Baby (1958) Recorded as Bill Craddock
[edit] Columbia Records
- Am I To Be The One/I Miss You So Much (1959) Recorded as Billy Craddock
- Sweetie Pie/Blabbermouth (1959) Recorded as Billy Craddock
- Don't Destroy Me/Boom Boom Baby (1959) Recorded as Crash Craddock
Sleeve for 45 record (Don't Destroy Me-1959)
- I Want That/Since She Turned Seventeen (1960) Recorded as Crash Craddock
- All I Want Is You/Letter Of Love (1960) Recorded as Crash Craddock
- One Last Kiss/Is It True Or False (1960) Recorded as Crash Craddock
- Heavenly Love/Good Time Billy (1961)
[edit] Mercury Records
- Truly True/How Lonely He Must Be (1961)
- A Diamond Is Forever/Ole King Cole (1962)
[edit] King Records
- Betty, Betty/Right Around The Corner (1964) Recorded as Crash Craddock
- My Baby's Got Flat Feet/One Heartache To Many (1964) Recorded as Crash Craddock
- Teardrops On Your Letter/Love You More And More Everyday (1964) Recorded as Crash Craddock
[edit] Chart Records
- There Ought To Be A Law/Two Arms Full Of Lonely (1966)
- Whipping Boy/The Love We Live Without (1967)
- Go On Home Girl/Learning To Live Without You (1967)
- Your Love Is What Is/Anything That's Part Of You (1968)
- Go On Home Girl/Whipping Boy (1971)
- Your Love Is What Is/Whipping Boy (1972)
[edit] Cartwheel Records
- Knock Three Times/The Best I Ever Had (1971)
- Dream Lover/I Ran Out Of Time (1971)
- You Better Move On/Confidence And Common Sense (1971)
- Ain't Nothin' Shakin' (But The Leaves On Trees/She's My Angel (1972)
- I'm Gonna Knock On Your Door/What He Don't Know (1972)
- Afraid I'll Want To Love Her One More Time/Treat Her Right (1972)
[edit] ABC Records
- Afraid I'll Want To Love Her One More Time/Treat Her Right (1972)
- Don't Be Angry (1973)
- Slippin' And Slidin'/Living Example (1973)
- 'Till The Water Stops Runnin'/What Does A Loser Say (1973)
- Sweet Magnolia Blossom/Home Is Such A Lonely Place To Go (1973)
- Rub It In/It's Hard To Love A Hungry, Worried Man (1974)
- Ruby, Baby/Walk When Love Walks (1974)
- Still Thinkin' 'Bout You/Stay A Little Longer In Your Bed (1975)
- I Love The Blues And The Boogie Woogie/No Deposit, No Return (1975)
- Another Woman/The Words Still Rhyme (1978)
- I Think I'll Go Somewhere And Cry Myself To Sleep/It All Came Back (1978)
- Don Juan/Things Are Mostly Fine (1978)
[edit] Abc/Dot Records
- Easy As Pie/She's Mine (1975)
- Walk Softly/She's About A Mover (1976)
- You Rubbed It In All Wrong/I Need Somebody To Love Me (1976)
- Broken Down In Tiny Pieces/Shake It Easy (1976)
- Just A Little Thing/The First Time (1977)
- A Tear Fell/A Piece Of The Rock (1977)
- The First Time/Walk When Love Walks (1977)
[edit] Capitol Records
- I Cheated On A Good Woman's Love/Not A Day Goes By (1978)
- I've Been To Long Lonely Baby/Jailhouse Rock (1978)
- Hubba Hubba/Let's Go Back To The Beginning (1978)
- If I Could Write A Song As Beautiful As You/Never Ending (1978)
- My Mama Never Heard Me Sing/As Long As I Live (1979)
- Robinhood/We Never Made It To Chicago (1979)
- Till I Stop Shakin'/Sneak Out Of Love With You (1979)
- I Just Had You On My Mind/You Just Wanta Be Mine (1980)
- Sea Cruise/She's Got Legs (1980)
- A Real Cowboy (You Say You're/One Dream Coming, One Dream Going (1980)
- It Was You/Betty Ruth (1981)
- I Just Need You For Tonight/Leave Your Love A Smokin' (1981)
- Now That The Feelings Gone/She's Good To Me (1981)
- Love Busted/Darlin' Take Of Yourself (1982)
- The New Will Never Wear Off Of You/Hold Me Tight (1982)
[edit] Cee Cee Records
- Tell Me When I'm Hot/When The Feeling Is Right (1983)
[edit] Atlantic Records
- Just Another Miserable Day (Here In Paradise)/Softly Diana (1989)
