Bobby Bare: Difference between revisions

{{Short description|American country singer-songwriter}}

| originbirth_place = [[Ironton, Ohio]], U.S.

| past_member_of = [[Old Dogs (group)|Old Dogs]]

| website = {{urlURL|www.bobbybare.com}}

'''Robert Joseph Bare Sr.''' (born April 7, 1935) is an American [[country music|country]] singer and songwriter, best known for the songs "[[Marie Laveau (song)|Marie Laveau]]", "[[Detroit City (song)|Detroit City]]" and "[[500 Miles Away from Home]]".<ref name="Larkin">{{cite book|title=[[Encyclopedia of Popular Music|The Virgin Encyclopedia of Popular Music]]|editor=Colin Larkin|editor-link=Colin Larkin (writer)|publisher=[[Virgin Books]]|date=1997|edition=Concise|isbn=1-85227-745-9|page=91}}</ref> He is the father of [[Bobby Bare Jr.]], also a musician.

Bare was born in [[Ironton, Ohio]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Bobby Bare Biography, Songs, & Albums |url=https://www.allmusic.com/artist/bobby-bare-mn0000066429/biography |access-date=2023-08-04 |website=AllMusic |language=en}}</ref> In the 1950s, Barehe repeatedly tried and failed to sell his songs.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.oldies.com/artist-biography/Bobby-Bare.html|title=Bobby Bare Biography|website=Oldies.com|access-date=October 18, 2019}}</ref> He finally got a record deal, with [[Capitol Records]], and recorded a few unsuccessful [[rock and roll]] singles.<ref name="Larkin"/> Just before he was drafted into the [[United States Army]], he wrote a song called "[[The All American Boy]]"<ref name=pc7>{{Gilliland |url=https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc19754/m1/ |title=Show 7 – The All American Boy: Enter Elvis and the rock-a-billies. [Part 1] }}</ref> and did a demo for his friend, Bill Parsons, to learn how to record. Instead of using Parsons' later version, the record company, [[Fraternity Records]], decided to go with Bare's original demo.<ref name="Larkin"/> The record reached No. 2 on the [[Billboard Hot 100|''Billboard'' Hot 100]], but Fraternity erroneously credited Bill Parsons on the label.<ref name="jwpop">Whitburn, Joel (2000). ''The Billboard Book of Top 40 Hits'', p.49. {{ISBN|0-8230-7690-3}}.</ref><ref name="jwcntry">Whitburn, Joel (1996). ''The Billboard Book of Top 40 Country Hits'', p.38-39. {{ISBN|0-8230-7632-6}}.</ref> The same track, with the same billing error, peaked at No.&nbsp;22 in the [[UK Singles Chart]] in April 1959.<ref name="British Hit Singles & Albums">{{cite book|first=David|last=Roberts|year=2006|title=British Hit Singles & Albums|edition=19th|publisher=Guinness World Records Limited|location=London|isbn=1-904994-10-5|page=419}}</ref> In 1965, an album of older recorded material, ''Tender Years'' (JM-6026), was released on the Hilltop label. That same year, the material was repackaged by Sears and released under the title ''Bobby In Song'' (SPS-115). These albums are not usually included in Bare's published discographies.

Bare's big break in [[country music]] came when [[Chet Atkins]] signed him to [[RCA Victor]]. His debut single for the label was 1962's "Shame On Me". Follow-up "[[Detroit City (song)|Detroit City]]" reached No. 6 Country,<ref name="jwcntry"/> No. 16 Hot 100,<ref name="jwpop"/> and in 1964 earned him a [[Grammy Award for Best Country & Western Recording]]. Then a surge of hits followed, including "[[500 Miles Away from Home]]" (based on a traditional folk ballad written by [[Hedy West]] as "500 Miles")<ref name="jwpop"/> and [[Ian Tyson]]'s "[[Four Strong Winds]]". In 1965 he received two further Grammy nominations for Best Country & Western Vocal Performance and Best Country & Western single for the latter song. In 1966, he received a yet another Grammy Nomination for Best Country & Western Male Vocal Performance for his song "Talk Me Some Sense". He also recorded two duet albums with [[Skeeter Davis]]<ref name="Larkin"/> and recorded six tracks as a trio with [[Norma Jean (singer)|Norma Jean]] and [[Liz Anderson]], which produced a major hit with "[[The Game of Triangles]]", a wife-husband-other woman drama that hit No. 5 on the ''Billboard'' chart and earned the trio a Grammy nomination. In 1968, he recorded an album with a group from England called The Hillsiders.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://alancackett.com/bobby-bare|title=Alan Cackett – Bobby Bare|website=alancackett.com|access-date=14 March 14, 2019}}</ref><ref>The English Countryside, RCA Victor SF-7918 (LSP-3896)</ref> In 1969, he had a Top 5 hit with [[Tom T. Hall]]'s "[[(Margie's At) The Lincoln Park Inn]]".<ref name="jwcntry"/>

Bare returned to RCA in 1973, after two years at Mercury. <ref name="Larkin"/> and scored once more with [[Billy Joe Shaver]]'s "Ride Me Down Easy", which nearly made the Top 10.

BareIn later1975 Bare recorded a children's album with his family, mainly of Silverstein songs, called ''Singin' in the Kitchen''.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://countrymusichalloffame.org/artist/bobby-bare/|title=Bobby Bare &#124; Artist Bio}}</ref> It was nominated in Best Group category in Grammy Awards,.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://musicianguide.com/biographies/1608004064/Bobby-Bare.html|title=Bobby Bare Biography|website=musicianguide.com}}</ref> but was declined by Bare himself.

His biggest hits during this time included "Alimony" (1975), "The Winner" (1976), and "[[Drop kick|Drop Kick]] Me, Jesus (Through The Goalposts Of Life)" (an unusual [[Christians|Christian]]-[[American football|football]] [[waltz]], and a 1976 [[Grammy Award for Best Country Song|Grammy nominee for Best Country Song]]).<ref>{{cite news |last=Langer |first=Emily |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/goingoutguide/music/paul-craft-who-wrote-country-classics-including-dropkick-me-jesus-dies-at-76/2014/10/20/ca893f5e-5870-11e4-b812-38518ae74c67_story.html |title=Paul Craft, who wrote country classics including ‘Dropkick'Dropkick Me, Jesus,’' dies at 76 |date=October 20, 2014 |worknewspaper=[[The Washington Post]] |access-date=October 1, 2021}}</ref> In 1977 he recorded "Redneck Hippie Romance"<ref>{{cite news |last=Halsey |first=Derek |url=https://www.herald-dispatch.com/features_entertainment/george-jones-bobby-bare-to-headline-annual-concert-in-catlettsburg/article_c1d4e34c-8ff6-58d8-b08d-d536ee161446.html |title=George Jones, Bobby Bare to headline annual concert in Catlettsburg |date=September 5, 2010 |work=The Herald-Dispatch |access-date=October 1, 2021}}</ref> and "Vegas" (a duet with his wife Jeannie).

In 1998, he formed the band [[Old Dogs (group)|Old Dogs]], with [[Jerry Reed]], [[Mel Tillis]] and [[Waylon Jennings]]. As of 2023 he is the last surviving member of the group.

In 2005, he released his first new album in two decades, ''The Moon Was Blue'', produced<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.americanchronicle.com/articles/view/10095 |title=Bobby Bare: The Return Of The Quiet Outlaw |publisher=American Chronicle |date=2006-05-May 23, 2006 |access-date=2012-10-October 30, 2012}}</ref> by his son [[Bobby Bare Jr.]], who is also a musician. He continues to tour today.

On April 10, 2013, the CMA announced that Bare would be a 2013 inductee into the [[Country Music Hall of Fame]]. Other 2013 Inductees include [[Jack Clement|Cowboy Jack Clement]] and [[Kenny Rogers]].<ref name=cmt1304>{{cite web|title=Country Hall of Fame Elects Kenny Rogers, Bobby Bare, Jack Clement|url=http://www.cmt.com/news/country-music/1705310/country-hall-of-fame-elects-kenny-rogers-bobby-bare-jack-clement.jhtml|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130413171623/http://www.cmt.com/news/country-music/1705310/country-hall-of-fame-elects-kenny-rogers-bobby-bare-jack-clement.jhtml|url-status=dead|archive-date=April 13, 2013|website=Cmt.com|access-date=April 13, 2013|date=April 10, 2013}}</ref>

After being inducted in the 1960s but gradually drifting away, Bare was reinstated as a member of the [[Grand Ole Opry]] on April 7, 2018, by [[Garth Brooks]].<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.tennessean.com/story/entertainment/music/2018/04/07/garth-brooks-welcomes-bobby-bare-into-opry-membership/496748002/|title=Garth Brooks welcomes Bobby Bare into Opry membership|first=Cindy|last=Watts|newspaper=[[The Tennessean]]|access-date=14 March 14, 2019}}</ref>

*[http://www.namm.org/library/oral-history/bobby-bare-sr Bobby Bare Sr. Interview] at [[NAMM Oral History Program|NAMM Oral History LibraryCollection]] (2017)

* {{Discogs artist|Bobby Bare}}

[[Category:20th-century American singerssinger-songwriters]]

[[Category:21st-century American singerssinger-songwriters]]