Red Foley
Red Foley was one of the biggest stars in country during the post-war era, a silky-voiced singer who sold some 25 million records between 1944 and 1965 and whose popularity went far in making country music a viable mainstream commodity. Born Clyde Julian Foley on June 17, 1910, in Blue Lick, KY, he began playing guitar and harmonica at a young age, and by the time he was 17 had taken first prize in a statewide talent competition. While attending college in 1930, he was spotted by a talent scout from Chicago's WLS radio and was tapped to sing with producer John Lair's Cumberland Ridge Runners, the house band on the program National Barn Dance.
After seven years with the Ridge Runners, Lair created a new show, Renfro Valley Barn Dance, especially to showcase Foley's talents. The singer remained with the program until late 1939, performing everything from ballads to boogie to blues. At the same time, he became the first country artist to host his own network radio program, Avalon Time (co-hosted by comedian Red Skelton), and performed extensively in theaters and clubs and at fairs. After exiting the Renfro Valley Barn Dance, Foley returned for another seven-year stint at the National Barn Dance show. In 1941, the same year he made his film debut with Tex Ritter in the Western The Pioneers, he signed a lifetime contract with Decca Records. His first chart single, 1944's "Smoke on the Water," topped the charts for 13 consecutive weeks; in 1945, he was the first major performer to record in Nashville.
In 1946, Foley signed on to emcee and perform on The Prince Albert Show, a segment of the Grand Ole Opry program broadcast on NBC; his popularity with listeners is often credited with establishing the Opry as country's pre-eminent radio show. Beginning in 1947, he began recording with his backing band, the Cumberland Valley Boys, earning another number one single with "New Jolie Blonde (New Pretty Blonde)." With the group, he recorded seven Top Five hits between 1947 and 1949, including "Tennessee Saturday Night," a chart-topper in 1948. Again recording solo in 1950, he issued the song that would become his trademark tune, "Chattanoogie Shoe Shine Boy," which stayed in the number one position for 13 weeks.
In 1951, Foley's second wife, Judy Martin (born Eva Overstake), committed suicide, reportedly over the singer's affair with another woman. In order to devote the majority of his time to raising a family, he cut back considerably on his performing commitments, although he continued to release hit after hit in a variety of musical styles, including rockabilly and R&B; "(There'll Be) Peace in the Valley (For Me)," a 1951 smash, was the first record ever to sell one million copies on the gospel charts. In the same year, he also released his first LP, Red Foley Souvenir Album. After several years spent in virtual retirement, in 1954 Foley was named to host The Ozark Jubilee, a country showcase for ABC television; the show was a hit, and ran through 1960. Also in 1954, he recorded the chart-topping "One By One," the first of many duets with Kitty Wells.
After The Ozark Jubilee went off the air, he spent one season co-starring with Fess Parker in the program Mr. Smith Goes to Washington. Although Foley continued recording throughout most of the 1960s, his hit-making days were largely behind him. In 1967, he was elected to the Country Music Hall of Fame. After a performance in Fort Wayne, IN, on September 19, 1968, Foley died of a heart attack. Among the survivors were his daughter Betty, a popular country vocalist in her own right, and another daughter Shirley, the wife of pop crooner Pat Boone.
© Jason Ankeny /TiVo
-
Sing A Song Of Christmas (Expanded Edition)
Christmas Music - Lançado por MCA Nashville em 01/11/1950
Qualidade de CD de 16 bits 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
The Country Music Hall Of Fame
Country - Lançado por Geffen* em 01/01/1991
Qualidade de CD de 16 bits 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Mr. Country Music (Remastered)
Country - Lançado por Master Tape Records em 31/01/2020
Qualidade de CD de 16 bits 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Mr. Country Music
Gospel - Lançado por White Room Music em 15/04/2020
Qualidade de CD de 16 bits 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Red Foley Selected Favorites, Vol. 7
Country - Lançado por Charly Records em 21/03/2011
Qualidade de CD de 16 bits 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
The Very Best Of
Country - Lançado por Brownbeats Records em 01/04/2009
Qualidade de CD de 16 bits 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Presenting Red Foley
Country - Lançado por Universal Digital Enterprises em 25/02/1950
Qualidade de CD de 16 bits 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Hillbilly
Blues - Lançado por Mocking Bird em 24/07/2011
Qualidade de CD de 16 bits 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Have a Little Talk with Jesus (Recordings of 1951 - 1952)
Sister Rosetta Tharpe, Red Foley, The Anita Kerr Singers
Gospel - Lançado por Gospel Train em 15/12/2022
Qualidade de CD de 16 bits 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
The Greatest Country Music Recordings Of All Time Vol. 1
Country - Lançado por Planet Blue Records USA em 01/01/1982
Qualidade de CD de 16 bits 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Chattanoogie Shoe Shine Boy
Rock - Lançado por Decca em 06/03/1953
Qualidade de CD de 16 bits 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Red Foley Selected Favorites Volume 6
Country - Lançado por Charly Records em 20/06/2006
Qualidade de CD de 16 bits 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
The Red Foley Show
Country - Lançado por Old Stars em 16/05/2019
Qualidade de CD de 16 bits 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
One By One
Blues - Lançado por Mocking Bird em 18/07/2011
Qualidade de CD de 16 bits 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Ultimate Collection
Country - Lançado por Burning Fire em 18/08/2009
Qualidade de CD de 16 bits 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Red and Ernie
Country - Lançado por Lumi Entertainment em 01/01/2013
Qualidade de CD de 16 bits 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Souvenir Album
Country - Lançado por RedDirt em 01/01/2000
Qualidade de CD de 16 bits 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Red and Ernie
Country - Lançado por Supreme Media em 01/01/2013
Qualidade de CD de 16 bits 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Country Man
Folk - Lançado por Beth Montana em 28/07/2023
Qualidade de CD de 16 bits 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
He Walks with Thee
Red Foley, The Anita Kerr Singers
Country - Lançado por MVE em 22/01/2013
Qualidade de CD de 16 bits 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Red Foley Goodnight Irene
Pop - Lançado por Mocking Bird em 25/11/2013
Qualidade de CD de 16 bits 44.1 kHz - Stereo