Johnny Carver
| Johnny Carver | |
|---|---|
| Born | November 24, 1940 |
| Origin | Jackson, Mississippi, United States |
| Genres | Country |
| Occupation(s) | Singer, Songwriter |
| Instruments | Vocals |
| Years active | 1959–present |
| Labels | Imperial, Epic, ABC/Dot, Monument Records, United Artists Records |
| Associated acts | Tony Orlando |
| Website | Official Website |
Johnny Carver (born November 24, 1940 in Jackson, Mississippi) is an American country music artist. Between 1968 and 1977, he charted fifteen Top 40 hits on the Billboard country charts. His highest-charting single was a cover of Tony Orlando's "Tie a Yellow Ribbon Round the Ole Oak Tree", a cover that reached No. 1 for him in 1974. He also had cover success with his version of the Starland Vocal Band's "Afternoon Delight." Carver lives today in rural Wilson County, Tennessee.
Biography
Early life
Carver grew up in a rural area near Jackson, MS, and sang in a local country gospel quartet with his family. He went on to form his own band, the Capital Cowboys, which were sponsored by an ice-cream company. Carver embarked on his first national tour in 1959, playing at clubs and fairs, and moved to Los Angeles in 1965, where he made regular appearances on local television and led the house band at the Palomino Club with such performers as Buck Owens, Johnny Cash, Patsy Cline, Linda Ronstadt, The Flying Burrito Brothers, Hoyt Axton, Willie Nelson, Merle Haggard, and Jerry Lee Lewis.
Rise to fame
Carver was discovered by rock and roll musician, Del Shannon, who got Carver a deal with Imperial Records. His debut single, for Imperial, was "Think About Her All The Time" b / w "One Way Or The Other" (Imperial 66173) in mid-1966. Both sides were written, produced and arranged by Shannon, who was a longtime fan of Country music. Carver's composition "New Lips" was recorded by Roy Drusky in 1967. His self-titled debut album was released later that year, and contained the minor hit "Your Lily White Hands"; he had a few more modest successes with country pop offerings like 1968's "I Still Didn't Have the Sense to Go" and 1969's "That's Your Hang Up."
Later career
In 1972, he moved to ABC and had a major country hit with a version of Tony Orlando and Dawn's "Tie A Yellow Ribbon 'Round the Ole Oak Tree." A string of Top 40 country hits followed over the next five years, including the Top Tens "You Really Haven't Changed" (1973), "Don't Tell (That Sweet Old Lady of Mine)" (1974), and another country cover of a pop hit, the Starland Vocal Band's "Afternoon Delight" (1976). Carver's last Top 40 hit was 1977's "Living Next Door to Alice", and his final charting single was a 1981 cover of ABBA's "S.O.S." He subsequently became a regular performer in Branson, MO.
Discography
Albums
| Year | Album | US Country |
|---|---|---|
| 1967 | Really Country | — |
| 1968 | You're in Good Hands with Johnny Carver | 31 |
| 1969 | Leaving Again | 41 |
| Sweet Wine/Hold Me Tight | — | |
| 1973 | I Start Thinking About You | — |
| Tie a Yellow Ribbon Around the Old Oak Tree | 8 | |
| 1974 | Double Exposure | 37 |
| Please Don't Tell (That Sweet Ole Lady of Mine) | 23 | |
| 1975 | Strings | — |
| 1976 | Afternoon Delight | 28 |
| 1977 | The Best of Johnny Carver | 46 |
Singles
| Year | Single | Chart Positions | Album | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US Country | CAN Country | |||
| 1968 | "Your Lily White Hands" | 21 | — | You're in Good Hands with Johnny Carver |
| "I Still Didn't Have the Sense to Go" | 48 | — | Leaving Again | |
| 1969 | "Hold Me Tight" | 32 | — | Singles only |
| "Sweet Wine" | 26 | — | ||
| "That's Your Hang Up" | 41 | — | ||
| 1970 | "Willie and the Hand Jive" | 43 | — | |
| "Harvey Harrington IV" | 68 | — | ||
| 1971 | "If You See My Baby" | 73 | — | |
| "If You Think That It's All Right" | 34 | — | I Start Thinking About You | |
| 1972 | "I Start Thinking About You" | 27 | — | |
| "I Want You" | 35 | — | ||
| 1973 | "Yellow Ribbon" | 5 | 1 | Tie a Yellow Ribbon Around the Old Oak Tree |
| "You Really Haven't Changed" | 6 | 11 | ||
| 1974 | "Tonight Someone's Falling in Love" | 12 | 19 | |
| "Country Lullabye" | 27 | — | Double Exposure | |
| "Don't Tell (That Sweet Ole Lady of Mine)" | 10 | 47 | Please Don't Tell (That Sweet Ole Lady of Mine) | |
| 1975 | "January Jones" | 39 | — | |
| "Strings" | 64 | — | Strings | |
| "Start All Over Again" | 74 | — | ||
| 1976 | "Snap, Crackle and Pop" | 77 | — | Afternoon Delight |
| "Afternoon Delight" | 9 | 16 | ||
| "Love Is Only Love (When Shared by Two)" | 47 | — | ||
| 1977 | "Sweet City Woman" | 48 | — | |
| "Living Next Door to Alice" | 29 | 32 | The Best of Johnny Carver | |
| "Down at the Pool" | 36 | — | Single only | |
| "Apartment" | 72 | — | You're in Good Hands with Johnny Carver | |
| 1980 | "Fingertips" | 90 | — | Singles only |
| 1981 | "S.O.S." | 73 | — | |
Awards
Johnny Carver has received positive critical response, and has been given several awards:
- The Arkansas Traveler Award
- The Country Music Association (CMA) "Broader Acceptance & Progress of Couuntry Music" Award
- The State of Mississippi Executive Department Merit Award
- The Broadcast Music Citation of Achievement Award
- Four American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers (ASCAP) Merit Awards
- Mississippi's First Number One Country Artist
- Mississippi's Annual "Johnny Carver Day"—August 10