Little david wilkins biography examples

Johnny Russell (singer)

American country music singer-songwriter (1940–2001)

For other people named Johnny Russell, see John Russell.

Johnny Russell

Birth nameJohn Bright Russell
Born(1940-01-23)January 23, 1940
Moorhead, Mississippi, U.S.
DiedJuly 3, 2001(2001-07-03) (aged 61)
Nashville, Tennessee, U.S.
GenresCountry
OccupationSinger-songwriter
InstrumentGuitar
Years active1965–2000

Musical artist

John Bright Russell (January 23, 1940 – July 3, 2001) was an American country music singer, songwriter, and comedian best known for his song "Act Naturally", which was made famous by Buck Owens, who recorded it in 1963, and The Beatles in 1965. His songs have been recorded by Gene Watson, Burl Ives, Jim Reeves, Jerry Garcia, Dolly Parton, Emmylou Harris, Loretta Lynn, and Linda Ronstadt.

Biography

Born in Moorhead, Mississippi, United States, he moved with his family at age 11 to Fresno, California. He began writing songs and entering talent contests while still attending Fresno High School, from which he graduated in 1958. He had his first song published that year, "In a Mansion Stands My Love," which was recorded by Jim Reeves as the B side of his 1960 hit, "He'll Have to Go."

Russell's recording of his song, "Rednecks, White Socks and Blue Ribbon Beer", was his only top 10 hit, peaking at No. 4 on the BillboardHot Country Singles chart in October 1973. The song was nominated later that year for a Grammy Award. Russell is also known for the songs "The Baptism of Jesse Taylor", "Catfish John", and "Hello, I Love You".

Years later, George Strait topped the BillboardHot Country Songs chart with Russell's song "Let's Fall to Pieces Together".

In 1987, Russell hosted his first annual concert in Moorhead, at the Mississippi Delta Community College Coliseum. These went on for 13 years, his final on April 29, 2000.

Schoolboy, Servant, GWR Apprentice: The Memoirs of Alfred Plumley 1880–1892

About this ebook

Alfred Plumley, son of a coachman, was born in 1874 in Somerset’s Mendip Hills. Written in his old age, this memoir of his youth was discovered in an auction sale. In it, Alfred vividly describes his country childhood and first job as a serving boy at the grand house on the hill above his village. At age 16, Alfred decides to improve his prospects by ‘going on the railway’ and is sent to a tiny village station on the Somerset coast. He quickly comes to love his new life and, undeterred by an unhappy temporary posting to the grim and chaotic engine yards of Bristol, ends up spending forty-five years as a GWR employee. Alfred writes charmingly, and always with the authentic voice of a West Country lad. His memoir has been edited by David Wilkins who adds just the right amount of detail to place the story in its proper historical context.

Biographies & memoirs
  • Little David Wilkins (born
  • Little David Wilkins

    American singer-songwriter

    Musical artist

    Little David Wilkins (born May 18, 1945) is an American country music singer, songwriter, and pianist. Between 1969 and 1977, he recorded for MCA Records with whom he released his greatest number of chart hits.

    Wilkins performed at a nightclub in Parsons, Tennessee during the 1960s. He rose to fame as the writer of many songs that were performed by other artists; his first was Brenda Lee's 1966 hit single "Coming on Strong". Other artists who have recorded his songs include Charley Pride, Billy "Crash" Craddock, Jack Greene, Leroy Van Dyke, Stonewall Jackson, Sonny James, Ronnie Dove, Barbara Mandrell, and Percy Sledge.

    He was also the inspiration behind Elvis Presley's 1975 single "T-R-O-U-B-L-E".

    One of Wilkins' songs, "Georgia Keeps Pulling on My Ring", was later covered by Conway Twitty.

    After his success in songwriting for other artists brought him attention, Wilkins began recording his own songs, beginning with a 1969 single "Just Blow In His Ear".

    Discography

    Albums

    Singles

    Year Single Chart Positions Album
    US CountryCAN Country
    1969 "Just Blow in His Ear" (as David Wilkins)54 singles only
    1973 "Love in the Back Seat" 63
    "Too Much Hold Back" 41 60 Little David Wilkins
    1974 "Georgia Keeps Pulling on My Ring" 50
    "Not Tonight" 77
    "Whoever Turned You On Forgot to Turn You Off" 14 8
    1975 "One Monkey Don't Stop No Show" 11 48 King of All the Taverns
    1976 "The Good Night Special" 18 14
    "Disco-Tex"/"Half the Way In, Half the Way Out" 75
    "The Greatest Show on Earth" 88
    1977 "He'll Play the Music (But You Can't Make Him Dance)" 21 36 singles only
    "Is Everybody Ready" 60
    "Agree to Disagree" 21 32
    1978 "Don't Stop the Music (You're Playing My S
  • Little David Wilkins discography and songs:
  •  

    Little David Wilkins is an American country music singer, songwriter, and
    pianist. The first thing you notice about Little David Wilkins is he’s certainly
    not little. He is over 280 pounds of fun and entertainment. His greatest love
    is entertaining people, seeing them smile and making them happy with his
    music. Little David lives in Nashville, Tennessee, where his career started
    with a song, which he wrote for Brenda Lee, “Comin On Strong”. The song
    has been recorded by twenty-six artists and has sold over five million records
    and counting. Wilkins has written almost one hundred songs, which have
    been recorded and released by such stars as Brenda Lee, Barbara Mandrell,
    Charlie Pride, Billy “Crash” Craddock, Loretta Lynn, Conway Twitty, Jack
    Greene, Leroy Van Dyke, Stonewall Jackson, Sonny James, Jerry Lee Lewis,
    Percy Sledge, Mickey Gilley, and many more.

    Little David was happy writing songs and entertaining in a Nashville Nitery
    until Producer Owen Bradley and MCA Records offered him a recording
    contract which produced him four National Top Ten Hits and several Top
    Twenty Hits such as, “One Monkey Don’t Stop No Show”, Butterbeans” and
    “The Good Night Special”. Little David has always attracted some of the
    greatest record producers, including his first producer and the father of Rockn-Roll,
    Sam Phillips of Sun Records in Memphis, when David was twenty
    years old.

    Sam Phillips discovered Elvis, Jerry Lee Lewis, Johnny Cash, Carl Perkins,
    and Roy Orbison, to name a few. David feels so blessed to have been put in
    this stable of stars. Wilkins has recorded eight albums including the CD
    album “Boogie Woogie Man,” a must for anyone’s music library. In 2014
    JAM Record’s A&R Director, Cal Freeman, started producing Little David.
    The CD album “Farther Down The Road,” was their first collaboration
    marking the beginning of his comeback after a 25 year hiatus.