Joe Dowell
Bloomington, Indiana-born pop singer Joe Dowell had, what he calls, his "fourteen-and-a-half-minutes of fame," when his first recording session yielded a number one hit, "Wooden Heart", in 1961. Elvis Presley had included the song, a centuries old German folk tune, on the soundtrack of his film, GI Blues, and it had become a big hit in Europe, but, RCA Victor had failed to release it as a single in the United States. Recorded at the suggestion of country producer Shelby Singleton, Dowell's version, featuring Ray Stevens on organ, became a phenomenal success. The first single to be released on Mercury's Smash subsidiary, "Wooden Heart" reached the top slot on the Billboard charts within ninety days. Although he had a second hit, "Little Red Rented Rowboat", which reached the twenty-third chart position, during the summer of 1963, Dowell was a victim of the music industry's darker side. Although he prided himself on being a "singer-songwriter", he was forced to record inferior material owned by Mercury. Thus, his debut album, Wooden Heart, was a disappointing showcase of forgettable cover tunes. When he rebelled against the practice, Dowell's recording contract was dropped. Playing the guitar and writing songs from the age of thirteen, Dowell made his debut in an amateur talent show in the ninth grade. He was a senior at the University of Illinois when "Wooden Heart" topped the charts. The popularity of Dowell's version of "Wooden Heart" allowed him to remain active as an entertainer. Launching a radio commercial production company, he built an extremely successful career as spokesperson for banks and financial institutions across the United States. Dowell's future plans include re-recording, "Wooden Heart", with an all-star group of guest musicians. German record collector label, Bear Family, is scheduled to release a compilation of all of Dowell's recordings.
© Craig Harris /TiVo
Discography
10 album(s) • Sorted by Bestseller
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The Best Of Joe Dowell
Pop - Released by Island Def Jam on 1 Jan 2009
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Anthology: The Deluxe Collection (Remastered)
Pop - Released by Master Tape Records on 19 Mar 2021
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Les Idoles De La Musique Américaine: Joe Dowell, Vol. 1
Pop - Released by Mpm on 25 Dec 2020
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Morgen
Jazz - Released by Black & Partner Licenses LLC on 28 May 2019
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Wooden Heart
Jazz - Released by Black Sheep Music on 22 Oct 2014
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Wooden Heart
Jazz - Released by Stars and Stripes on 22 Oct 2014
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
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Little Red Rented Rowboat
Jazz - Released by Stars and Stripes on 13 Oct 2014
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Little Red Rented Rowboat
Jazz - Released by Black Sheep Music on 13 Oct 2014
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -