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Biography
Unreferenced|date=February 2008Infobox musical artist| name = Jud Strunk| image = Jud Strunk.jpg| caption =| image_size =| background = solo_singer| birth_name = Justin Strunk, Jr.| alias =| birth_date = birth date|1936|06|11| birth_place = Jamestown, New York | death_date = death date and age|1981|10|05|1936|06|11| death_place = Carrabassett Valley, Maine | instrument = Banjo | genre = Country music|Country , Pop music|pop | occupation = Singer-songwriter | years_active = 1973–1976| label = Columbia Records|Columbia , MGM Records|MGM , MCA Records|MCA | associated_acts =| website = Jud Strunk (June 11, 1936 - October 5, 1981) was an United States|American singing|singer , songwriter and comedian .
Biography
Born Justin Strunk, Jr. in Jamestown, New York|Jamestown , New York , he was raised in Buffalo, New York|Buffalo , New York, where as a small boy his showmanship became evident. After he learned to play the banjo , Strunk began entertaining locals and went on to wide recognition after appearances on national television network shows such as '' Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In and The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson .
In 1973, he wrote and recorded the song "A Daisy a Day," which made the Billboard magazine|Billboard Top 20 on both the country music|country and pop music charts. He also wrote and recorded three humorous songs that made it into the country music charts, and he toured with the Andy Williams|Andy Williams Road Show . One of these songs, which continues to be played on the Dr. Demento show, is "The Biggest Parakeets in Town," a tongue-in-cheek story of a woman who is a bird fancier. Its central joke is the unspoken pun of "parakeets/pair o' breasts|tits " used in the title and carried throughout the song. Other lesser singles, such as "Next Door Neighbor's Kid" and the patriotic "My Country," appeared on various Billboard surveys.
Although much of Strunk's material was humorous, his most popular song was not. "A Daisy a Day" is a gentle, sentimental ballad in 3/4 time, describing the relationship between a boy and girl as they grow up together and ultimately grow old together. For every single day of their joined lives, he gives her a daisy as a sign of their love. In the last verse, she has died but her widower husband continues to make daily visits to her grave... and he still gives her a daisy a day.
When Strunk performed this song on ''Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In (seated on a stool and accompanying himself on banjo), a bizarre decision was made to film his performance on a set resembling a lunar landscape, apparently to remind the audience that this song had been played on the moon. Jud Strunk was a regular member of the Laugh-In cast during its last season; he often reported fictitious sporting events direct "from Farmington, Maine."
Strunk became a folk hero of sorts in Maine and in 1970 he narrowly lost the election for a Senate seat in the State legislature (United States)|state legislature . He was also a private pilot and purchased a 1941 Fairchild PT-19|Fairchild M62-A . Unfortunately, on 5 October 1981, he suffered a myocardial infarction|heart attack while taking off in the aircraft at the Carrabassett Valley Airport in Maine and was killed instantly along with his passenger, local businessman Dick Ayotte. He was 45 years old.
Jud's sons continue to contribute to the Sugarloaf Community, with Jud's grandson performing onstage at The Rack on Sunday afternoons.
Discography
Albums
Year
Album
Chart Positions
Label
US Country
US
1970
Downeast Viewpoint
—
—
Columbia
1971
''Jones' General Store
—
—
MGM
1973
Daisy a Day
18
138
1977
A Semi-Reformed Tequila Crazed Gypsy Looks Back
—
—
MCA
Singles
Year
Single
Chart Positions
Album
US Country
US
US AC
CAN Country
CAN
CAN AC
1973
"Daisy a Day"
33
14
4
18
3
5
Daisy a Day
"Next Door Neighbor's Kid"
86
—
—
85
—
50
1974
"My Country"
—
59
—
—
—
—
singles only
1975
"The Biggest Parakeets in Town"
51
50
—
20
71
—
1976
"Pamela Brown"
88
—
—
—
—
—
Persondata | NAME = Strunk, Jud | ALTERNATIVE NAMES = | SHORT DESCRIPTION = American singer, songwriter and comedian | DATE OF BIRTH = 11 June 1936 | PLACE OF BIRTH = Jamestown, New York | DATE OF DEATH = 5 October 1981 | PLACE OF DEATH = Carrabassett Valley, Maine DEFAULTSORT:Strunk, Jud Category:1936 births Category:1981 deaths Category:American comedians Category:American country singers Category:American male singers Category:Songwriters from New York Category:Aviators killed in aviation accidents or incidents in the United States Category:People from Franklin County, Maine Category:People from Jamestown, New York Category:People from Buffalo, New York Category:Accidental deaths in Maine
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