Elton Britt (born James Elton Baker; June 27, 1913 – June 22, 1972)[1] was an American country music singer, songwriter, and musician, who was best known for his western ballads and yodelling songs.
Elton Britt | |
|---|---|
 Britt in March 1950 | |
| Background information | |
| Birth name | James Elton Baker |
| Born | June 27, 1913 Marshall, Arkansas, U.S. |
| Died | June 22, 1972 (aged 58) McConnellsburg, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
| Genres | Country |
| Occupations |
|
| Instrument | Guitar |
| Years active | 1942–1970 |
Biography
editBritt was born on a farm near Marshall, Arkansas.[2] His father was James Baker, and he had two younger sisters, Gretta Sanders and Druse Baker, and a younger brother Arl Baker.
Britt was born incredibly sick, and therefore wasn’t named until he was over a year old. James after his father and Elton after the man who looked after his health as a baby. Because of his poor health, Britt was allegedly spoiled copiously as a baby and was given the nickname “cute.”
Britt started playing guitar aged 10, most likely inspired by his family who were all also had an interest in music, and eventually Britt would discover Jimmie Rodgers, which inspired him to learn to yodel, which he learned to do exceptionally well, his breath control being so good that he could often hold his breath for minutes at a time underwater.
Britt’s career kickstarted in 1930 when Britt was hired to replace Hugh Ashley (or Hobart Walton) in singing group The Beverly Hill Billies. Britt came up with his stage name after someone hired at The Beverly Hill Billies production company said that James Baker didn’t sound “hill-billy enough.”
Britt recorded over 600 sides and 60 albums for RCA Victor and other labels in more than a 30-year span, and is best known for such hit songs (several of which he wrote or co-wrote) as "Someday (You'll Want Me to Want You)", "Detour", "Chime Bells", "Maybe I'll Cry Over You", "Pinto Pal", and the million-selling wartime hit "There's a Star-Spangled Banner Waving Somewhere".[2] The recording had sold a million discs by 1944 and it was awarded a gold disc by the RIAA.[3] Britt became the first country artist to be awarded a gold disc.[2] He would also partner with fellow yodeller and country singer, Rosalie Allen, going on to record multiple songs and albums together.
A singer, bandleader, radio and television performer, songwriter and yodeler, he starred in at least two films in the late 1940s, and had hit records as late as 1968 with "The Jimmie Rodgers Blues".[2] In 1960, as part of a publicity stunt, Britt briefly ran for the Democratic presidential nomination,[4] something many believe was a stunt pulled by his then-manager, Aubrey Mayhew. Britt would take frequent but temporary retirements, during one of which he briefly made a career mining uranium in Western America, leading his then wife, Penny to write Uranium Fever which he would go on to sing.
On June 22, 1972, five days before his 59th birthday, Britt suffered a heart attack while driving his car and died in a McConnellsburg, Pennsylvania, hospital the next day.[4] He was buried in the Odd Fellows Cemetery in Broad Top, Pennsylvania.
In popular culture
editHis song "Uranium Fever" is featured in the Bethesda Softworks video game Fallout 4 on the in-game radio; "Diamond City Radio."[5]
Discography
editAlbums
edit| Year | Album | US Country [6] |
Label |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1956 | Yodel Songs | RCA Victor | |
| 1959 | The Wandering Cowboy | ABC | |
| 1960 | Beyond the Sunset | ||
| I Heard a Forest Praying | |||
| 1963 | The Best 1 | RCA Victor | |
| 1965 | Singing Hills | ABC | |
| 1966 | Somethin' for Everyone | 31 | |
| 1968 | The Jimmie Rodgers Blues | RCA Camden | |
| 1970 | Sings Modern Country | Certron | |
| 1972 | The Best 2 | RCA Victor | |
| 16 Great Country Performances | ABC | ||
| 1983 | Days of the Yodeling Cowboys | Cowgirlboy | |
| 1984 | More Days of the Yodeling Cowboys | ||
| 1986 | Star Spangled Stardust |
Singles
edit| Year | Single | Chart Positions | |
|---|---|---|---|
| US Country | US | ||
| 1942 | "There's a Star-Spangled Banner Waving Somewhere" | 7 | |
| 1945 | "I'm a Convict with Old Glory in My Heart" | 7 | |
| 1946 | "Someday (You'll Want Me to Want You)" | 2 | |
| "Wave to Me, My Lady" | 3 | 19 | |
| "Blueberry Lane" | 4 | ||
| "Detour" | 5 | ||
| "Blue Texas Moonlight" (w/ The Skytoppers) | 6 | ||
| "Gotta Get Together with My Gal" | 4 | ||
| 1947 | "Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain" (w / The Skytoppers) | ||
| 1948 | "Bells" (w/ The Skytoppers) | 6 | |
| 1949 | "Candy Kisses" (w/ The Skytoppers) | 4 | |
| 1950 | "Beyond the Sunset" (w/ The Three Suns & Rosalie Allen) | 7 | |
| "Quicksilver" (w/ Rosalie Allen) | 3 | ||
| 1952 | "The Rovin' Gambler"[7] | ||
| 1956 | "Cannonball Yodel" | - | |
| 1966 | "Homesweet Homesick Blues" | - | |
| 1968 | "The Jimmie Rodgers Blues" | 26[6] | |
| 1969 | "The Bitter Taste" | 71[6] | |
References
edit- ^ "Elton Britt | Biography & History". AllMusic. Retrieved August 4, 2021.
- ^ a b c d Colin Larkin, ed. (1993). The Guinness Who's Who of Country Music (First ed.). Guinness Publishing. p. 48/9. ISBN 0-85112-726-6.
- ^ Murrells, Joseph (1978). The Book of Golden Discs (2nd ed.). London: Barrie and Jenkins Ltd. p. 27. ISBN 0-214-20512-6.
- ^ a b "Elton Britt's big break". Arkansasonline.com. 15 May 2016. Retrieved August 4, 2021.
- ^ Chism, Carlos (10 November 2015). "The Full Diamond City Radio Playlist From Fallout 4". Gameranx.com. Retrieved 4 August 2021.
- ^ a b c https://www.billboard.com/artist/elton-britt/chart-history/
- ^ "Elton Britt - The Rovin' Gambler (1952)". YouTube. Archived from the original on 2021-12-21. Retrieved 2015-08-27.
External links
edit- Elton Britt at AllMusic
- Elton Britt discography at Discogs
- Elton Britt at IMDb
