Gene Cotton
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| Gene Cotton | |
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| Background information | |
| Born | June 30, 1944 |
| Origin | Columbus, Ohio, United States |
| Genre(s) | Pop Folk |
| Occupation(s) | Singer-songwriter |
| Instrument(s) | Vocals |
| Years active | 1974 – 1982 |
| Website | www.genecotton.com |
Gene Cotton (born June 30, 1944 in Columbus, Ohio) is a pop and folk singer-songwriter. He is best known for his four Billboard Top 40 entries during the years 1976–1978.
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[edit] History
Cotton has been a resident of Leiper's Fork, Tennessee since the late 1970s.[1] In recent years, Cotton has scaled back his career as a singer and songwriter and spent much of his savings on a legal battle against the construction of a state highway (State Route 840) which would surround Nashville.[2] Cotton, the father of two adopted children and one biological child, has devoted himself to helping the underprivileged of his area by motivating them in their studies and activities through a program called Kids On Stage (KOS). KOS brings in Nashville artists to run summer classes that open the doors to the arts to kids who might otherwise never see greatness or think about greatness in their arts. Most notably, Grammy Award winner Michael McDonald has performed numerous times to bring awareness and raise donations for this program under Cotton's leadership, besides producing independent films about the plight of the poor around the world.
[edit] Discography
- "Sunshine Roses" (US Pop # 79 - December 1974 - AC # 30, 1974)
- "Damn It All" (US Pop # 73 - May 1975)
- "You've Got Me Runnin'" (US Pop # 33 - January 1977 - AC # 7, 1976)
- "Before My Heart Finds Out" (US Pop # 23 - April 1978 - AC # 3, 1978)
- "You're A Part Of Me" (w/Kim Carnes) (US Pop # 36 - August 1978)
- "Like A Sunday In Salem (The Amos & Andy Song)" ( US Pop # 40 - November 1978 - AC # 35, 1978)
- "If I Could Get You Into My Life" (US Pop # 76, 1982 - AC # 22, 1982)
[edit] Trivia
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- Cotton's wife is a schoolteacher.[3]
- For more than a generation, Cotton has attended an inner-city church in Nashville.[3]
- In 2001, Cotton lost a race for a seat in the Tennessee House of Representatives to Republican Glen Casada. Casada won 3,185 votes to Cotton's 1,554 in a special election in which only 13 percent of registered voters cast ballots. Both Casada and Cotton campaigned on strong opposition to proposals for a state income tax.[4]
- Cotton was instrumental in 1980s pop singer Michael Johnson's career.[5]
- He originally recorded the song "Let Your Love Flow", a #1 hit in 1976 for the Bellamy Brothers.
- Cotton is one of nine children.[citation needed]
[edit] References
- ^ Karen Emerson-McPeakstaff. "Leiper's Fork residents say artists attract artists", Tennessean, The (Nashville, TN), November 3, 2004. Retrieved on 2006-08-04.
- ^ "On Outskirts Of Nashville, Foes Of Sprawl Attune Region", Boston Globe, May 3, 2003. Retrieved on 2006-08-04.
- ^ a b Tim Chavez. "Even Those Who Favor Income Tax Can't Overlook State's Poor Spending Habits", Tennessean, The (Nashville, TN), November 23, 1999. Retrieved on 2006-08-04.
- ^ Richard Locker. "Gop Gains Tenn. House Seat In Special Election", Commercial Appeal,, December 12, 2001. Retrieved on 2006-08-04.
- ^ Jack Hurst. "Hitmaker Starts Over and Makes New Fan", Chicago Tribune, June 20, 1986. Retrieved on 2006-08-04.
