Charles Rich American country musician and singer Date of Birth: 14.12.1932 Country: USA

Biography of Charlie Rich

Charlie Rich was an American musician and singer, known for his work in the country genre. He was born in Colt, Arkansas, into a family of cotton farmers. Rich began his professional music career in the 1950s while serving in the United States Air Force. He formed a jazz and blues band called 'Velvetones,' with his fiancée Margaret Ann as the lead vocalist.

In 1955, Rich left the military and attempted to become a farmer. Around the same time, he started performing in clubs in Memphis, Tennessee, where he played jazz and R&B. It was during this time that Charlie began writing music for himself. He collaborated with 'Judd Records,' owned by Jud Phillips, the brother of 'Sun Records' founder Sam Phillips. Rich recorded several songs for both 'Sun Records' and 'Phillips International Records.' However, Sam Phillips believed that Rich had little chance of commercial success and famously gave him a stack of Jerry Lee Lewis records as an example to follow.

By 1958, Charlie Rich was working with 'Sun Records,' and his music could be heard on recordings by artists such as Jerry Lee Lewis, Johnny Cash, Bill Justis, Warren Smith, Billy Lee Riley, Carl Mann, and Ray Smith. He also wrote music for Cash and Lewis. Rich's third single under the 'Phillips International Records' label, "Lonely Weekends," became a top thirty hit in 1960, featuring hints of Elvis Presley in his vocal style. Unfortunately, his next seven singles did not achieve the same level of success, although some received airplay.

Rich's career hit a slump, and in 1963, he left 'Sun Records' and joined 'Groove,' a subsidiary of 'RCA Records.' His first single with the new label, "Big Boss Man," was moderately successful, but subsequent releases in the style of Chet Atkins did not fare well. In early 1965, Rich moved to 'Smash Records' and was advised by his new producer, Jerry Kennedy, to focus on country and rock music. Rich, who had always considered himself a jazz pianist, dedicated more attention to these genres. His first single for 'Smash,' the R&B-rock track "Mohair Sam," reached the top thirty. However, his later singles failed to achieve the same level of success, prompting Rich to switch labels once again.

Rich briefly worked with 'Hi Records,' but he was unable to achieve significant success there. In 1967, he was fortunate enough to be noticed by 'Epic Records' despite his reputation. Rumor has it that producer Billy Sherrill played a big role in this decision. It was Sherrill who helped Rich find a new direction and become one of the main figures in the new era of music.

The peak of Charlie Rich's career came in the 1970s, particularly in 1973 when his album 'Behind Closed Doors' was released. The title track became the biggest hit of the year. Rich continued to release albums that pleased his audience until 1979, after which his star began to slowly fade. He changed labels several times and released numerous singles and albums with varying degrees of success. In 1992, Rich released his final album, 'Pictures and Paintings.' He passed away three years later from a blood clot in the lung.