1961 Bobby Edwards – You’re The Reason
Bobby served in the Navy for a spell and began performing country music full time when he mustered out. He released a few records as Bobby Moncrief, and when those failed to chart, he moved to California and began playing at clubs there. Crest Records signed him to a recording contract, and he began playing and singing with members of the group Four Young Men.
Bobby wrote and recorded the song You’re The Reason with the Four Young Men singing backup vocals. The single reached #4 on the Country chart in 1961, but more surprisingly, the record also reached #11 on the Hot 100. Joe South and Hank Locklin recorded covers of the song. Joe’s version was more country than you would expect based on his later career and peaked at #16 on the Country chart. Hank’s single was much more country (as would be expected) and peaked at #14. Johnny Tillotson covered the song in 1968, but his version only reached #49 on the Country chart.
The success of the single enabled Bobby to move to Capitol Records.
While some have claimed that Bobby’s next record was a carbon-copy of his hit, it was actually a cover of the 1957 single What’s The Reason I’m Not Pleasing You by Fats Domino. Fats’ version was similar to many of his other hits, while Bobby’s had a clear Country sound. Fats’ version was the B-side of his top-ten hit Blue Monday and only reached #50 on the Hot 100 and #12 on the R&B chart. Bobby didn’t do that well; they shortened the title of his single to just What’s The Reason, and it peaked at #71 on the Hot 100 in 1962 and completely missed the Country chart.
Bobby also co-wrote his last charting single with Jerry and Rose Russell. Don’t Pretend reached #23 on the Country chart in 1963.
Bobby appeared on the Grand Ole Opry and toured with other Country performers. He opened his own recording studio in the late sixties and recorded a few gospel albums. By 1972, it was clear that his career had run its course and he retired from the music scene.
Bobby still lived in Smyrna, Tennessee, when he died in 2012.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bobby_Edwards
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