More Info on Bruce ChannelSimilar Undetermined MusicSearch Artistopia
Biography
Infobox musical artist | name = Bruce Channel| image =| caption =| image_size = | background = solo_singer| birth_name = Bruce McMeans| alias =| birth_date = birth date and age|1940|11|28|mf=ycite web |first= |last= |url=Allmusic|class=artist|id=p16385|pure_url=yes |title=Biography by Richie Unterberger |publisher=Allmusic.com |accessdate=21 January 2009|birth_place = Jacksonville, Texas|Jacksonville , Texas , United States | death_date =| origin =| instrument = Human voice|Vocals | genre = Rock and roll , Pop music|pop | occupation = Singing|Singer , songwriter | years_active = 1959 – early 1970s| label = Smash Records , Collectables Records , Mercury Records ( United Kingdom|UK )| associated_acts =| website =| notable_instruments = Bruce Channel (pronounced "shu-NELL") (born Bruce McMeans , November 28, 1940) is an American singing|singer , known for his 1962 million selling record chart|number one hit record|hit , " Hey& #33; Baby ".
Career
Channel originally performed on the Louisiana Hayride radio show, and then joined up with harmonica player Delbert McClinton singing country music . Channel songwriter|wrote " Hey& #33; Baby " with Margaret Cobb in 1959 and performed the song for two years before recording it for Fort Worth record producer Bill Smith. It was originally released on Bill Smith's LeCam label, but as it started to sell well it was picked up for distribution by Smash Records|Smash . The song reached #1 in the United States|US in March 1962 and remained in that position for 3 weeks. Besides topping the Billboard Hot 100|U.S. pop charts , it became #2 in the United Kingdom in 1962 as well.cite book | first= David | last= Roberts | year= 2006 | title= British Hit Singles & Albums | edition= 19th | publisher= Guinness World Records Limited | location= London | isbn= 1-904994-10-5 | page= 100 It sold over one million copies, and was awarded a music recording sales certification|gold disc .cite book | first= Joseph | last= Murrells | year= 1978 | title= The Book of Golden Discs | edition= 2nd | publisher= Barrie and Jenkins Ltd | location= London | page= 143 | isbn= 0-214-20512-6 While Channel is often regarded as a one-hit wonder , he did chart four more singles on the Billboard Hot 100 , including "Number One Man" which peaked at #52.
Channel toured Europe and was supported at one gig by The Beatles , who were then still unknown. John Lennon , who had "Hey& #33; Baby" on John Lennon's jukebox|his jukebox , was fascinated by McClinton's harmonica. A popular urban legend has it that Lennon was taught to play harmonica by McClinton, but by that time, Lennon had already been playing the instrument live for some time. The harmonica break in "Hey& #33; Baby" inspired Lennon's playing on The Beatles' first single, 1962's " Love Me Do ", as well as later Beatles records, and the harmonica break on Frank Ifield 's " I Remember You (1941 song)|I Remember You ."
The key to the appeal of "Hey& #33; Baby" is the sustained first note, with a rhythmic shuffle in the background. This device appeared later in 1962 on the hit, " Sherry (song)|Sherry " (1962) by The Four Seasons (group)|The Four Seasons , and recurred on the Beatles', " I Should Have Known Better " (on '' A Hard Day's Night (album)|A Hard Day's Night - 1964).
Channel's only other Top 40 recording in the UK Singles Chart was June 1968's "Keep On" reaching no.12, which was written by Wayne Carson Thompson and produced by Dale Hawkins . Channel disliked concert tour|touring , so he settled in as a songwriter in Nashville, Tennessee|Nashville , Tennessee , scoring a number of Broadcast Music Incorporated|BMI Award-winning songs in the 1970s and 1980s - "As Long As I'm Rockin' With You" for John Conlee ; " Don't Worry 'bout Me Baby " for Janie Fricke ; "Party Time" for T. G. Sheppard ; "You're the Best" (co-written with and recorded by Kieran Kane ); and "Stand Up" for Mel McDaniel .
In 1995 Channel recorded his own cover version|version of "Stand Up" for the Memphis, Tennessee|Memphis , Tennessee based Ice House record label|label . Delbert McClinton reprised his role on harmonica on it, and several other tracks including a heavy duty version of "My& #33; Babe." Channel then recorded a project in 2002 with singer-songwriter Larry Henley (ex- The Newbeats ), billed as Original Copy.
Channel has been inducted into the Rockabilly Hall of Fame . "Hey& #33; Baby" is in the repertoire of several U.S. marching band s. The song has even entered into Pennsylvania State University football tradition by being sung by the entire stadium in the third quarter of every home game.
See also
List of 1960s one-hit wonders in the United States
List of artists who reached number one in the United States
List of performers on Top of the Pops
References
reflist
External links
Allmusic|class=artist|id=p16385|pure_url=yes Biography at Allmusic.com
Persondata | NAME = Channel, Bruce | ALTERNATIVE NAMES = | SHORT DESCRIPTION = | DATE OF BIRTH = November 28, 1940 | PLACE OF BIRTH = Jacksonville, Texas|Jacksonville , Texas , United States | DATE OF DEATH = | PLACE OF DEATH = DEFAULTSORT:Channel, Bruce Category:American male singers Category:1940 births Category:Living people Category:American singer-songwriters Category:People from Cherokee County, Texas Category:Rockabilly Hall of Fame inductees Category:Charay Records artists Category:Apex Records artists Category:Smash Records artists Category:King Records artists
