| Carroll Baker | |
|---|---|
Songwriter George Petralia, Carroll Baker and producer Don Grashey |
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Carroll Anne Baker |
| Born | March 4, 1949 |
| Origin | Bridgewater, Nova Scotia, Canada |
| Genres | Country |
| Occupations | singer/songwriter |
| Years active | 1970–present |
| Labels | Gaiety Columbia Records |
| Associated acts | George Petralia Don Grashey |
Carroll (Anne) Baker, CM (member of the Order of Canada), (born March 4, 1949), is a Juno Award winning Canadian country music singer and songwriter.
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Carroll Baker was born in Bridgewater, Nova Scotia. The nearby fishing village of Port Medway, Nova Scotia displays a sign near the village entry claiming the community to be "The Home of Carroll Baker." She left Port Medway and moved to Toronto with her family when she was 16.
She was discovered by songwriter, George Petralia ,[1] and promoted and produced by country hall of famer, Don Grashey. Her first single in 1970, 'Mem-ries of Home,' written by George Petralia, for the Gaiety label (owned by Don Grashey), was a minor hit, staying on the charts for a record breaking 26 weeks. With the success of the very first recording, Mr. Grashey contacted several record companies regarding a recording contract for her and finally settled on Columbia Records.
She recorded two albums for Columbia but had only limited commercial success. Eventually she went back to Mr. Grashey's record label, Gaiety Records. She then was signed to RCA Records where she sold records in the millions receiving Gold and Platinum record status. From RCA, she joined Tembo records where she was again awarded platinum record status for her record sales.
Carroll decided to quit the music business in 1973 when she became pregnant with her first and only child.
Don Grashey convinced her to take one more shot at the brass ring and off to Nashville they went to record four songs. Her first top ten record came from that session, "Ten Little Fingers", a song about a little girl, written by Don Grashey; this song remains one of her most popular songs to this day.
She received the Juno Award for Country Female Vocalist of the Year five times, including awards in 1977, 1978 and 1979. She had her own series on CBC television in the summer of 1983 and frequently appeared on Tommy Hunter's show.
She was inducted into the Canadian Country Music Hall of Fame in 1992. In 2009, she was made a Member of the Order of Canada "for her achievements as a Canadian country music singer and songwriter".[2]
Baker performed at the Quyon Country JanFest on July 2, 2005 playing many of her most popular songs, including one French song.
From October 1970 through August 1982, Carroll Baker was on the country hit charts for a total of 528 weeks. 31 consecutive singles reached the charts, 20 of them reaching Top 10, with 14 of those hitting #1, including 12 consecutive #1 hits. No one in Canadian country music has been able to top that remarkable string, orchestrated by Carroll Baker with Don Grashey.
On July 1, 2009 Carroll Baker was appointed to the Order of Canada by the Governor General of Canada.
| Year | Title | Chart Positions | CRIA | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CAN Country | CAN | |||
| 1970 | Mem'ries of Home | — | — | — |
| 1971 | Carroll Baker | — | — | — |
| 1974 | I'd Go Through It All Again | — | — | — |
| 1977 | Carroll Baker | — | 26 | Platinum |
| Sweet Sensation | 8 | 41 | — | |
| 1978 | 20 Country Classics | — | — | Platinum |
| If It Wasn't for You | 2 | — | — | |
| 1979 | Hollywood Love | 2 | — | — |
| 1980 | All for the Love of a Song | 6 | — | — |
| 1983 | Carroll Baker's Greatest Hits | — | — | Gold |
| 1984 | A Step in the Right Direction | 19 | — | — |
| 1986 | Hymns of Gold | — | 88 | Platinum |
| Heartbreak to Happiness | — | — | — | |
| 1987 | At Home in the Country | — | — | — |
| 1989 | Christmas Carroll | — | 96 | — |
| 1990 | Today & Yesterday | — | — | — |
| 1991 | Her Finest Collection | — | — | — |
| Year | Title | Chart Positions | Album | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CAN Country | CAN AC | CAN | US Country | |||
| 1970 | "Mem'ries of Home" | 21 | — | — | — | Mem'ries of Home |
| 1971 | "Love Now and Pay Later" | 15 | — | — | — | Carroll Baker (1971) |
| "A Hit in Any Language" | 40 | — | — | — | ||
| "It's Late (And I Have to Go)" | 44 | — | — | — | Mem'ries of Home | |
| 1972 | "That's How My Heart Beats for You" | 16 | — | — | — | single only |
| "The World I Know Is Now" | 16 | — | — | — | ||
| 1973 | "Wichita" | 27 | — | — | — | I'd Go Through It All Again |
| "All Them Irons in the Fire" | 67 | — | — | — | ||
| 1974 | "Ten Little Fingers" | 3 | — | — | — | |
| "Little Boy Blue" | 16 | — | — | — | ||
| "I'd Go Through It All Again" | 10 | — | 97 | — | ||
| 1975 | "I've Never Been This Far Before" | 1 | — | — | — | Carroll Baker (1977) |
| "The Hungry Fire of Love" | 1 | — | — | — | ||
| "One Night of Cheatin'" | 1 | — | — | — | ||
| 1976 | "Tonight with Love" | 1 | — | — | — | |
| "Why I Had to Pass This Way" | 1 | — | 67 | — | ||
| 1977 | "It's My Party" | 1 | — | — | — | Sweet Sensation |
| "It's Late (And I Have to Go)" (re-release) | 1 | — | — | — | ||
| "The Morning After Baby Let Me Down" | 1 | — | 79 | — | ||
| "I Might as Well Believe (I'll Live Forever)" | 1 | — | — | — | ||
| 1978 | "Portrait in the Window" | 1 | — | — | — | |
| "Hooked on a Feeling" | 1 | 15 | — | — | If It Wasn't for You | |
| 1979 | "I'm Getting High Remembering" | 1 | 41 | — | — | |
| "Build My Life Around You" | 5 | — | — | — | ||
| "My Turn" | 5 | 23 | — | — | Hollywood Love | |
| 1980 | "Hollywood Love" | 1 | 14 | — | — | |
| "Still Falling in Love" | 1 | 11 | — | — | ||
| 1981 | "Breaking and Entering" | 15 | 12 | — | — | All for the Love of a Song |
| "Mama What Does Cheatin' Mean" | 12 | — | — | 82 | ||
| "Brand New Tears (For an Old Heartache)" | 6 | — | — | — | ||
| 1982 | "The Second Time Around" | 4 | — | — | — | Hollywood Love |
| "I'm So Excited" | — | 26 | — | — | single only | |
| 1983 | "Love Hangover" | 8 | — | — | — | |
| "Too Hot to Sleep Tonight" (with Eddie Eastman) | 35 | — | — | — | ||
| "Right or Wrong" | 18 | 12 | — | — | ||
| 1984 | "A Step in the Right Direction" | 30 | — | — | — | A Step in the Right Direction |
| "Heart on the Run" | 10 | — | — | — | ||
| "You Are My Everything" | 44 | — | — | — | ||
| 1985 | "I'm an Old Rock and Roller" | 38 | — | — | — | single only |
| "It Always Hurts the First Time" | 5 | — | — | 95 | ||
| "If You Can't Stand the Heat" | 9 | — | — | — | ||
| "How Close Am I to Losing You" (with Eddie Eastman) | 49 | — | — | — | The Winning Side (Eddie Eastman album) | |
| 1986 | "A Star in Mamma's Eyes" | 24 | — | — | — | Heartbreak to Happiness |
| "I'm Taking Care of Myself" | 9 | 16 | — | — | ||
| "Arms That Love (Hearts That Don't)" | 6 | — | — | — | ||
| 1987 | "Death and Taxes and Me Lovin' You" | 10 | — | — | — | At Home in the Country |
| "Cheater's Moon" | 7 | — | — | — | ||
| 1988 | "You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin'" | 7 | 7 | — | — | |
| 1989 | "As Long as We Both Shall Love" | 10 | — | — | — | |
| 1990 | "Dreamin' Ain't Cheatin'" | 10 | — | — | — | |
| "It's Only Make Believe" | 28 | — | — | — | Today & Yesterday | |
| 1991 | "I Should Have Put a Hold on Love" | 16 | — | — | — | Her Finest Collection |
| "It's How You Make Love" | 47 | — | — | — | ||
| 1992 | "Burning Bridges" (with Jack Scott) | 55 | — | — | — | single only |