AC Artist Spotlight: Brook Benton
Jul 18, 2011 10:20:35 GMT -5
Post by johnm1120 on Jul 18, 2011 10:20:35 GMT -5
in honor of 50 years of Adult Contemporary radio, let's also do a look at some of the artists that have shaped up the chart's history whether past, present or both. In this edition, we take a look at the man who scored the very first AC hit, Brook Benton.
Brook Benton was born Benjamin Peay on September 19, 1931 in South Carolina. he was a singer-songwriter, and began his career writing hits for other artists, most notably Nat King Cole. He made his first Billboard chart appearance in 1958 with "A Million Miles from Nowhere." The song flopped and it was nearly the end of his recording career. However, his songwriting partner Clyde Otis at the time became a manager at Mercury Records and signed Benton to the label. He scored his breakthrough in 1959 when his single "It's Just A Matter of Time" peaked at #3. The follow-up single "Endlessly" became a top 20 hit
Before the AC chart debuted, Benton hit the Hot 100 17 times, 14 of those making the top 40 and 5 making the top 10. His biggest hit on the pop chart came with his #1 Easy Listening Hit "The Boll Weevil Song." It reached #2 on the Hot 100.
After "Going Going Gone" reached #35 on the Hot 100 in 1964, Benton had several minor hits, but did not hit the top 40 again until "Rainy Nights in Georgia" peaked at #4 6 years later, but had 11 41-100 hits in between.
Between 1961 and 1971, Benton made 19 total appearances on the Easy Listening chart. Of those, 8 reached the top 10, his last top 10 being "Rainy Nights in Georgia" which peaked at #2 back in 1970. His final AC appearance was "Shoes" which peaked at #18 back in 1971.
Overall, Benton scored 47 hits on the Hot 100, 23 of them making the top 40. He also scored 6 #1 hits on the R&B chart, including 2 duets with Dinah Washington.
Benton continued to record after his time on pop had ended. He made one more appearance on the R&B chart in 1978 with "Making Love is Good for You."
Brook Benton died on April 9th, 1988 from spinal meningitis. He was 55 years old.
Brook's Easy Listening Chart History:
#1 The Boll Weevil Song (1961)
#2 Rainy Nights in Georgia (1970)
#4 Don't It Make You Want to Go Home (1970)
#6 Frankie & Johnny (1961)
#8 it's Just A House Without You (1961)
#8 My True Confession (1963)
#8 Two Tickets to Paradise (1963)
#9 Mother Nature, Father Time (1965)
#13 Another Cup of Coffee (1964)
#13 A House is Not A Home (1964)
#14 I Got What I Wanted (1963)
#14 Too Late To Turn Back Now (1964)
#15 Lumberjack (1964)
#18 Shoes (1971)
#26 Do Your Own Thing (1968)
#35 My Way (1970)
#36 Weakness of a Man (1968)
#37 Love Me Now (1965)
#37 Laura (What's He Got That I Ain't Got) (1967)
Brook Benton was born Benjamin Peay on September 19, 1931 in South Carolina. he was a singer-songwriter, and began his career writing hits for other artists, most notably Nat King Cole. He made his first Billboard chart appearance in 1958 with "A Million Miles from Nowhere." The song flopped and it was nearly the end of his recording career. However, his songwriting partner Clyde Otis at the time became a manager at Mercury Records and signed Benton to the label. He scored his breakthrough in 1959 when his single "It's Just A Matter of Time" peaked at #3. The follow-up single "Endlessly" became a top 20 hit
Before the AC chart debuted, Benton hit the Hot 100 17 times, 14 of those making the top 40 and 5 making the top 10. His biggest hit on the pop chart came with his #1 Easy Listening Hit "The Boll Weevil Song." It reached #2 on the Hot 100.
After "Going Going Gone" reached #35 on the Hot 100 in 1964, Benton had several minor hits, but did not hit the top 40 again until "Rainy Nights in Georgia" peaked at #4 6 years later, but had 11 41-100 hits in between.
Between 1961 and 1971, Benton made 19 total appearances on the Easy Listening chart. Of those, 8 reached the top 10, his last top 10 being "Rainy Nights in Georgia" which peaked at #2 back in 1970. His final AC appearance was "Shoes" which peaked at #18 back in 1971.
Overall, Benton scored 47 hits on the Hot 100, 23 of them making the top 40. He also scored 6 #1 hits on the R&B chart, including 2 duets with Dinah Washington.
Benton continued to record after his time on pop had ended. He made one more appearance on the R&B chart in 1978 with "Making Love is Good for You."
Brook Benton died on April 9th, 1988 from spinal meningitis. He was 55 years old.
Brook's Easy Listening Chart History:
#1 The Boll Weevil Song (1961)
#2 Rainy Nights in Georgia (1970)
#4 Don't It Make You Want to Go Home (1970)
#6 Frankie & Johnny (1961)
#8 it's Just A House Without You (1961)
#8 My True Confession (1963)
#8 Two Tickets to Paradise (1963)
#9 Mother Nature, Father Time (1965)
#13 Another Cup of Coffee (1964)
#13 A House is Not A Home (1964)
#14 I Got What I Wanted (1963)
#14 Too Late To Turn Back Now (1964)
#15 Lumberjack (1964)
#18 Shoes (1971)
#26 Do Your Own Thing (1968)
#35 My Way (1970)
#36 Weakness of a Man (1968)
#37 Love Me Now (1965)
#37 Laura (What's He Got That I Ain't Got) (1967)