Sixties hit-making pop star, turned country artist, turned gospel singer Billy Joe Royal has died. Royal, 73, passed away in his sleep on Tuesday (10/6) at his home in Morehead, SC.
His varied recording career spanned 35 years – from his debut pop album for Columbia Records in 1965 (above) to an album of gospel music he recorded in 2009 (below) appropriately titled His First Gospel Album.
He had performed at a concert this year as recently as September 24th, and had a full touring schedule lined up for the fall.
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Born in Valdosta GA, and raised north of Atlanta in Marietta, he performed on local radio shows before moving to Savannah to perform with the house band at the Bamboo Ranch. There, he became friends with Roy Orbison and performed with music greats such as Sam Cooke, Fats Domino and The Isley Brothers.
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[Note] Some audio song files may not play on smartphones, tablets or connected devices. A laptop, desktop PC or Mac may be required for optimal enjoyment.
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DOWN IN THE BOONDOCKS
Billy Joe Royal
[1965]
His best-known hit was Down In The Boondocks, the bitter lament of a boy from the wrong side of the tracks in love with a rich girl; it made the Top Ten of the Billboard Hot 100, reaching #9 on July 3rd of ’65.
https://youtu.be/ErUlrbUAYSE
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The song was just one of many penned in the 60’s and 70’s by prolific songwriter Joe South (his own Games People Play, Walk A Mile In My Shoes, Birds Of A Feather and These Are Not My People, plus Rose Garden by Lynn Anderson). South also produced ‘Boondocks’.
Royal’s followup single, I Knew You When (also written by South) didn’t fair quite as well, but did top out at #14 on August 18th of ’65.
CHERRY HILL PARK
Billy Joe Royal
[1969]
It would be over four years before Billy Joe Royal would again crack the Billboard Top 20 – 1969’s Cherry Hill Park reached #15 on November 29th’s Hot 100.
https://youtu.be/UJxIZ9QJLv0
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Royal was inducted into the Georgia Music Hall of Fame in 1988, and since then he toured with other performers from his era, including pop-turned-gospel singer B.J. Thomas (The Eyes Of A New York Woman, Hooked On A Feeling, Rock And Roll Lullaby, Mighty Clouds Of Joy and others).
Thomas mourned Royal’s death – “My best friend, Billy Joe Royal, died this morning. He was a sweet and talented man. Never a bad word. One of a kind.”
DEEP TRAK!
CHERRY HILL PARK
Billy Joe Royal
(Extended Version)
[1969]
For the oldies freaks, this is an longer version of ‘Cherry Hill Park’, from BJR’s hits compilation CD, The Best Of Billy Joe Royal.
https://youtu.be/XxaPVftqb1s
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Royal placed a total of 16 singles on the Hot 100 – 9 of which were written by Joe South.
DEEP(er) TRAX!
HUSH
Billy Joe Royal
[1967]
One of the more interesting ones was 1967’s Hush. Although only a mid-chart record – and yet another song written by Joe South – this was the original version of the 1968 debut hit in America by the England’s hard rock band Deep Purple.
https://youtu.be/y_xO8ir4WGU
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HUSH
Deep Purple
(Single Version)
[1968]
Deep Purple’s version of Hush was a big Top 5 hit on Billboard, peaking at #4 on September 21st of 1968.
https://youtu.be/LyFrajFXh6Q
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DEEP(est) TRAK!
TELL IT LIKE IT IS
Billy Joe Royal
[1980]
In the mid-80’s, Royal turned to a career in country music after signing a recording contract with Atlantic Records Nashville.
He placed 14 singles on the Billboard Country Chart, and this was his biggest hit during that period – a cover of the 1966 original by Aaron Neville called Tell It Like It It, which climbed to #2 in 1989.
https://youtu.be/jbyzipZo3fA
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Songs Source: The Music Vault of HouseoftheHits, Inc.
Billboard® Chart Data: Joel Whitburn’s Record Research (eBook Editions)
Record Sleeve & Label Graphics: Courtesy of 45cat
