Carroll Baker (singer)
Encyclopedia
Carroll Baker, CM
(member of the Order of Canada), (born March 4, 1949), is a Juno Award
winning Canadian
country music
singer and songwriter.
, Nova Scotia
. The nearby fishing village of Port Medway, Nova Scotia
displays a sign near the village entry claiming the community to be "The Home of Carroll Baker." She left Port Medway and moved to Toronto
with her family when she was 16.
She was discovered by songwriter, George Petralia , and promoted and produced by country hall of famer, Don Grashey
. Her first single in 1970, 'Mem-ries of Home,' written by George Petralia, for the Gaiety label (owned by Don Grashey), was a minor hit, staying on the charts for a record breaking 26 weeks.
With the success of the very first recording, Mr. Grashey contacted several record companies regarding a recording contract for her and finally settled on Columbia Records
.
She recorded two albums for Columbia but had only limited commercial success. Eventually she went back to Mr. Grashey's record label, Gaiety Records. She then was signed to RCA Records where she sold records in the millions receiving Gold and Platinum record status. From RCA, she joined Tembo records where she was again awarded platinum record status for her record sales.
Carroll decided to quit the music business in 1973 when she became pregnant with her first and only child.
Don Grashey convinced her to take one more shot at the brass ring and off to Nashville they went to record four songs. Her first top ten record came from that session, "Ten Little Fingers", a song about a little girl, written by Don Grashey; this song remains one of her most popular songs to this day.
for Country Female Vocalist of the Year five times, including awards in 1977, 1978 and 1979. She had her own series on CBC
television in the summer of 1983 and frequently appeared on Tommy Hunter
's show.
She was inducted into the Canadian Country Music Hall of Fame
in 1992. In 2009, she was made a Member of the Order of Canada
"for her achievements as a Canadian country music singer and songwriter".
Baker performed at the Quyon Country JanFest on July 2, 2005 playing many of her most popular songs, including one French song.
From October 1970 through August 1982, Carroll Baker was on the country hit charts for a total of 528 weeks. 31 consecutive singles reached the charts, 20 of them reaching Top 10, with 14 of those hitting #1, including 12 consecutive #1 hits. No one in Canadian country music has been able to top that remarkable string, orchestrated by Carroll Baker with Don Grashey
.
On July 1, 2009 Carroll Baker was appointed to the Order of Canada
by the Governor General of Canada.
Order of Canada
The Order of Canada is a Canadian national order, admission into which is, within the system of orders, decorations, and medals of Canada, the second highest honour for merit...
(member of the Order of Canada), (born March 4, 1949), is a Juno Award
Juno Award
The Juno Awards are presented annually to Canadian musical artists and bands to acknowledge their artistic and technical achievements in all aspects of music...
winning Canadian
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
country music
Country music
Country music is a popular American musical style that began in the rural Southern United States in the 1920s. It takes its roots from Western cowboy and folk music...
singer and songwriter.
Biography
Carroll Baker was born in BridgewaterBridgewater, Nova Scotia
Bridgewater is a town in Lunenburg County, Nova Scotia, Canada, at the navigable limit of the LaHave River. It is the largest town in the South Shore region. While the majority of the South Shore's economy is based upon the tourist trade, Bridgewater is more a commercial and industrial centre and...
, Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia is one of Canada's three Maritime provinces and is the most populous province in Atlantic Canada. The name of the province is Latin for "New Scotland," but "Nova Scotia" is the recognized, English-language name of the province. The provincial capital is Halifax. Nova Scotia is the...
. The nearby fishing village of Port Medway, Nova Scotia
Port Medway, Nova Scotia
Port Medway is a community in the Canadian province of Nova Scotia, located in the Region of Queens Municipality .-References:*Located along Nova Scotia’s scenic on the South Shore in Queens County, Port Medway is a small coastal community, founded on a once-thriving shipping industry and...
displays a sign near the village entry claiming the community to be "The Home of Carroll Baker." She left Port Medway and moved to Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
with her family when she was 16.
She was discovered by songwriter, George Petralia , and promoted and produced by country hall of famer, Don Grashey
Don Grashey
Don Grashey was a song writer and music producer, owner of Zero Records and Gaiety Records.-Early life:...
. Her first single in 1970, 'Mem-ries of Home,' written by George Petralia, for the Gaiety label (owned by Don Grashey), was a minor hit, staying on the charts for a record breaking 26 weeks.
With the success of the very first recording, Mr. Grashey contacted several record companies regarding a recording contract for her and finally settled on Columbia Records
Columbia Records
Columbia Records is an American record label, owned by Japan's Sony Music Entertainment, operating under the Columbia Music Group with Aware Records. It was founded in 1888, evolving from an earlier enterprise, the American Graphophone Company — successor to the Volta Graphophone Company...
.
She recorded two albums for Columbia but had only limited commercial success. Eventually she went back to Mr. Grashey's record label, Gaiety Records. She then was signed to RCA Records where she sold records in the millions receiving Gold and Platinum record status. From RCA, she joined Tembo records where she was again awarded platinum record status for her record sales.
Carroll decided to quit the music business in 1973 when she became pregnant with her first and only child.
Don Grashey convinced her to take one more shot at the brass ring and off to Nashville they went to record four songs. Her first top ten record came from that session, "Ten Little Fingers", a song about a little girl, written by Don Grashey; this song remains one of her most popular songs to this day.
Awards
She received the Juno AwardJuno Award
The Juno Awards are presented annually to Canadian musical artists and bands to acknowledge their artistic and technical achievements in all aspects of music...
for Country Female Vocalist of the Year five times, including awards in 1977, 1978 and 1979. She had her own series on CBC
Canadian Broadcasting Corporation
The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, commonly known as CBC and officially as CBC/Radio-Canada, is a Canadian crown corporation that serves as the national public radio and television broadcaster...
television in the summer of 1983 and frequently appeared on Tommy Hunter
Tommy Hunter
Thomas James "Tommy" Hunter, CM, O.Ont is a Canadian country music performer, known as "Canada's Country Gentleman".-Career:...
's show.
She was inducted into the Canadian Country Music Hall of Fame
Canadian Country Music Hall of Fame
The Canadian Country Music Hall of Fame, located in Merritt, British Columbia, was established in 1984 to honour Canadian country music artists, builders or broadcasters, living or deceased...
in 1992. In 2009, she was made a Member of the Order of Canada
Order of Canada
The Order of Canada is a Canadian national order, admission into which is, within the system of orders, decorations, and medals of Canada, the second highest honour for merit...
"for her achievements as a Canadian country music singer and songwriter".
Baker performed at the Quyon Country JanFest on July 2, 2005 playing many of her most popular songs, including one French song.
From October 1970 through August 1982, Carroll Baker was on the country hit charts for a total of 528 weeks. 31 consecutive singles reached the charts, 20 of them reaching Top 10, with 14 of those hitting #1, including 12 consecutive #1 hits. No one in Canadian country music has been able to top that remarkable string, orchestrated by Carroll Baker with Don Grashey
Don Grashey
Don Grashey was a song writer and music producer, owner of Zero Records and Gaiety Records.-Early life:...
.
On July 1, 2009 Carroll Baker was appointed to the Order of Canada
Order of Canada
The Order of Canada is a Canadian national order, admission into which is, within the system of orders, decorations, and medals of Canada, the second highest honour for merit...
by the Governor General of Canada.
Albums
| Year | Title | Chart Positions | CRIA Canadian Recording Industry Association Music Canada is a Toronto-based, non-profit trade organization that was founded 9 April 1963 to represent the interests of companies that record, artists, manufacture, production, promotion and distribution of music in Canada... |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CAN Country | CAN Canadian Albums Chart The Canadian Albums Chart is the official album sales chart in Canada. It is compiled every Wednesday by U.S.-based music sales tracking company Nielsen Soundscan, and published every Thursday by Jam! Canoe and Billboard, along with its sister charts the Canadian Singles Chart and the Canadian BDS... |
|||
| 1970 | Mem'ries of Home | — | — | — |
| 1971 | Carroll Baker | — | — | — |
| 1974 | I'd Go Through It All Again | — | — | — |
| 1977 | Carroll Baker | — | 26 | Platinum |
| Sweet Sensation | 8 | 41 | — | |
| 1978 | 20 Country Classics | — | — | Platinum |
| If It Wasn't for You | 2 | — | — | |
| 1979 | Hollywood Love | 2 | — | — |
| 1980 | All for the Love of a Song | 6 | — | — |
| 1983 | Carroll Baker's Greatest Hits | — | — | Gold |
| 1984 | A Step in the Right Direction | 19 | — | — |
| 1986 | Hymns of Gold | — | 88 | Platinum |
| Heartbreak to Happiness | — | — | — | |
| 1987 | At Home in the Country | — | — | — |
| 1989 | Christmas Carroll | — | 96 | — |
| 1990 | Today & Yesterday | — | — | — |
| 1991 | Her Finest Collection | — | — | — |
Singles
| Year | Title | Chart Positions | Album | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CAN Country | CAN AC | CAN Canadian Singles Chart The Canadian Singles Chart is currently compiled by the U.S.-based music sales tracking company, Nielsen SoundScan . The chart is compiled every Wednesday, and is published by Jam! Canoe on Thursdays.... |
US Country Hot Country Songs Hot Country Songs is a chart published weekly by Billboard magazine in the United States.This 60-position chart lists the most popular country music songs, calculated weekly mostly by airplay and occasionally commercial sales... |
|||
| 1970 | "Mem'ries of Home" | 21 | — | — | — | Mem'ries of Home |
| 1971 | "Love Now and Pay Later" | 15 | — | — | — | Carroll Baker (1971) |
| "A Hit in Any Language" | 40 | — | — | — | ||
| "It's Late (And I Have to Go) It's Late (And I Have to Go) "It's Late " is a single by Canadian country music artist Carroll Baker. Released in 1971, it was the second single from her album Mem'ries of Home and peaked at number forty-four on the RPM Country Tracks chart. The song was re-released in 1977 and reached number one on the RPM Country Tracks... " |
44 | — | — | — | Mem'ries of Home | |
| 1972 | "That's How My Heart Beats for You" | 16 | — | — | — | single only |
| "The World I Know Is Now" | 16 | — | — | — | ||
| 1973 | "Wichita" | 27 | — | — | — | I'd Go Through It All Again |
| "All Them Irons in the Fire" | 67 | — | — | — | ||
| 1974 | "Ten Little Fingers" | 3 | — | — | — | |
| "Little Boy Blue" | 16 | — | — | — | ||
| "I'd Go Through It All Again" | 10 | — | 97 | — | ||
| 1975 | "I've Never Been This Far Before I've Never Been This Far Before "I've Never Been This Far Before" is a single by Canadian country music artist Carroll Baker. Released in 1975, it was the first single from her album Carroll Baker. The song reached number one on the RPM Country Tracks chart in Canada in May 1975.... " |
1 | — | — | — | Carroll Baker (1977) |
| "The Hungry Fire of Love The Hungry Fire of Love "The Hungry Fire of Love" is a single by Canadian country music artist Carroll Baker. Released in 1975, it was the second single from her album Carroll Baker. The song reached number one on the RPM Country Tracks chart in Canada in August 1975.... " |
1 | — | — | — | ||
| "One Night of Cheatin' One Night of Cheatin' "One Night of Cheatin" is a single by Canadian country music artist Carroll Baker. Released in 1975, it was the third single from her album Carroll Baker. The song reached number one on the RPM Country Tracks chart in Canada in March 1976.... " |
1 | — | — | — | ||
| 1976 | "Tonight with Love Tonight with Love "Tonight with Love" is a single by Canadian country music artist Carroll Baker. Released in 1976, it was the fourth single from her album Carroll Baker. The song reached number one on the RPM Country Tracks chart in Canada in July 1976.... " |
1 | — | — | — | |
| "Why I Had to Pass This Way Why I Had to Pass This Way "Why I Had to Pass This Way" is a single by Canadian country music artist Carroll Baker. Released in 1976, it was the fifth single from her album Carroll Baker. The song reached number one on the RPM Country Tracks chart in Canada in November 1976.... " |
1 | — | 67 | — | ||
| 1977 | "It's My Party It's My Party (song) "It's My Party" is a song most famously sung by American singer Lesley Gore in 1963. This song hit #1 on the pop and rhythm and blues charts in the United States. "It's My Party", peaked at #9 in the United Kingdom, becoming Gore's only major hit there... " |
1 | — | — | — | Sweet Sensation |
| "It's Late (And I Have to Go)" (re-release) | 1 | — | — | — | ||
| "The Morning After Baby Let Me Down The Morning After Baby Let Me Down "The Morning After Baby Let Me Down" is a single by Canadian country music artist Carroll Baker. Released in 1977, it was the third single from her album Sweet Sensation. The song reached number one on the RPM Country Tracks chart in Canada in November 1977.-Chart performance:... " |
1 | — | 79 | — | ||
| "I Might as Well Believe (I'll Live Forever) I Might as Well Believe (I'll Live Forever) "I Might As Well Believe "" is a single by Canadian country music artist Carroll Baker. Released in 1977, it was the fourth single from her album Sweet Sensation. The song reached number one on the RPM Country Tracks chart in Canada in April 1978.-Chart performance:... " |
1 | — | — | — | ||
| 1978 | "Portrait in the Window Portrait in the Window "Portrait in the Window" is a single by Canadian country music artist Carroll Baker. Released in 1978, it was the fifth single from her album Sweet Sensation. The song reached number one on the RPM Country Tracks chart in Canada in July 1978.... " |
1 | — | — | — | |
| "Hooked on a Feeling Hooked on a Feeling "Hooked on a Feeling" is a 1968 pop song written by Mark James and originally performed by B. J. Thomas. Featuring the sound of the electric sitar, the song reached number five in 1969 on the Billboard Hot 100.-History:... " |
1 | 15 | — | — | If It Wasn't for You | |
| 1979 | "I'm Getting High Remembering I'm Getting High Remembering "I'm Getting High Remembering" is a single by Canadian country music artist Carroll Baker. Released in 1979, it was the second single from her album If It Wasn't for You. The song reached number one on the RPM Country Tracks chart in Canada in May 1979.... " |
1 | 41 | — | — | |
| "Build My Life Around You" | 5 | — | — | — | ||
| "My Turn" | 5 | 23 | — | — | Hollywood Love | |
| 1980 | "Hollywood Love Hollywood Love "Hollywood Love" is a single by Canadian country music artist Carroll Baker. Released in 1980, it was the second single from her album Hollywood Love. The song reached number one on the RPM Country Tracks chart in Canada in August 1980.... " |
1 | 14 | — | — | |
| "Still Falling in Love Still Falling in Love "Still Falling in Love" is a single by Canadian country music artist Carroll Baker. Released in 1980, it was the third single from her album Hollywood Love. The song reached number one on the RPM Country Tracks chart in Canada in December 1980.... " |
1 | 11 | — | — | ||
| 1981 | "Breaking and Entering" | 15 | 12 | — | — | All for the Love of a Song |
| "Mama What Does Cheatin' Mean" | 12 | — | — | 82 | ||
| "Brand New Tears (For an Old Heartache)" | 6 | — | — | — | ||
| 1982 | "The Second Time Around" | 4 | — | — | — | Hollywood Love |
| "I'm So Excited" | — | 26 | — | — | single only | |
| 1983 | "Love Hangover" | 8 | — | — | — | |
| "Too Hot to Sleep Tonight" (with Eddie Eastman Eddie Eastman Eddie Eastman is a Canadian country music singer-songwriter. Twenty-five of Eastman's singles made the RPM Country Tracks charts, including five which reached the Top Ten... ) |
35 | — | — | — | ||
| "Right or Wrong" | 18 | 12 | — | — | ||
| 1984 | "A Step in the Right Direction" | 30 | — | — | — | A Step in the Right Direction |
| "Heart on the Run" | 10 | — | — | — | ||
| "You Are My Everything" | 44 | — | — | — | ||
| 1985 | "I'm an Old Rock and Roller" | 38 | — | — | — | single only |
| "It Always Hurts the First Time" | 5 | — | — | 95 | ||
| "If You Can't Stand the Heat" | 9 | — | — | — | ||
| "How Close Am I to Losing You" (with Eddie Eastman) | 49 | — | — | — | The Winning Side (Eddie Eastman album) | |
| 1986 | "A Star in Mamma's Eyes" | 24 | — | — | — | Heartbreak to Happiness |
| "I'm Taking Care of Myself" | 9 | 16 | — | — | ||
| "Arms That Love (Hearts That Don't)" | 6 | — | — | — | ||
| 1987 | "Death and Taxes and Me Lovin' You" | 10 | — | — | — | At Home in the Country |
| "Cheater's Moon" | 7 | — | — | — | ||
| 1988 | "You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin' You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin' "You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin" is a 1964 song by The Righteous Brothers which became a number-one hit single in the United States and the United Kingdom the following year. In 1999, the performing-rights organization Broadcast Music, Inc. ranked the song as having had more radio and television... " |
7 | 7 | — | — | |
| 1989 | "As Long as We Both Shall Love" | 10 | — | — | — | |
| 1990 | "Dreamin' Ain't Cheatin'" | 10 | — | — | — | |
| "It's Only Make Believe It's Only Make Believe "It's Only Make Believe" is the title of a song written by Jack Nance and American country music artist Conway Twitty, released by Twitty as a single in July 1958. The single topped both U.S... " |
28 | — | — | — | Today & Yesterday | |
| 1991 | "I Should Have Put a Hold on Love" | 16 | — | — | — | Her Finest Collection |
| "It's How You Make Love" | 47 | — | — | — | ||
| 1992 | "Burning Bridges" (with Jack Scott) | 55 | — | — | — | single only |