Elton Britt
Elton Britt | |
---|---|
Background information | |
Birth name | James Elton Baker |
Born | Marshall, Arkansas, U.S. | June 27, 1913
Died | June 22, 1972 McConnellsburg, Pennsylvania, U.S. | (aged 58)
Genres | Country |
Occupation(s) |
|
Instruments | Guitar |
Years active | 1942–1970 |
Elton Britt (born James Elton Baker; June 27, 1913 – June 22, 1972)[1] was an American country music singer, songwriter, and musician.
Biography[]
Britt was born[2] on a farm near to Marshall, Arkansas, United States.[3] His father was James Baker, and he had two sisters, Gretta Sanders and Druse Baker, and a brother Arl Baker.
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".[3] The recording had sold a million discs by 1944 and it was awarded a gold disc by the RIAA.[4] Britt became the first country artist to be awarded a gold disc.[3]
A singer, bandleader, radio and television performer, songwriter and standard-setting 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".[3] In 1960, as part of a publicity stunt, Britt briefly ran for the Democratic presidential nomination.[5]
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.[5] He was buried in the Odd Fellows Cemetery in Broad Top, Pennsylvania. He is survived by at least four children (three sons and one daughter).
In popular culture[]
His song "Uranium Fever" is featured in the 2015 video game Fallout 4 on the in-game radio.[6]
Discography[]
Albums[]
Year | Album | US Country | 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[]
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 | ||
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 | |
1969 | "The Bitter Taste" | 71 |
References[]
- ^ "Elton Britt | Biography & History". AllMusic. Retrieved August 4, 2021.
- ^ "Elton Britt". Findagrave.com. Retrieved 2014-07-02.
- ^ Jump up to: 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.
- ^ Jump up to: 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.
- ^ "Elton Britt - The Rovin' Gambler (1952)". YouTube. Retrieved 2015-08-27.
External links[]
- 1913 births
- 1972 deaths
- American country singer-songwriters
- Singers from Arkansas
- People from Searcy County, Arkansas
- RCA Victor artists
- Yodelers
- 20th-century American singers
- Songwriters from Arkansas
- Country musicians from Arkansas