Carson Parks
Encyclopedia
Clarence Carson Parks II (26 April 1936 - 22 June 2005), often known as C. Carson Parks, was an American songwriter, music publisher, musician and singer, best known for writing the hit song "Somethin' Stupid
".
in Andover, Massachusetts
, the University of Miami
and then Carnegie Mellon University
, he began working in Los Angeles
. In 1959, with college friend Bernie Armstrong, he formed the Steeltown Two and first recorded for the small Gini label. The duo also worked as one half of a reformed version of Terry Gilkyson
's band, The Easy Riders
, and in 1960 they performed on the soundtrack of the John Wayne
film The Alamo. The pair also worked as The Kinsmen with singer Bud Dashiell, before Parks left in 1962. He then formed a new version of the Steeltown Two, with his younger brother, Van Dyke Parks
, occasionally adding singer Pat Peyton as the Steeltown Three and the Southcoasters.
Following the success of The New Christy Minstrels, Gilkyson and the Parks brothers then formed a choral group, The Greenwood County Singers, featuring five boys and two girls. They released four albums on Kapp Records
between 1963 and 1965, later becoming known as The Greenwood Singers and finally The Greenwoods. The group had two minor hits, "Please Don't Sell My Daddy No More Wine" reaching #64 on the Billboard Hot 100
in 1966, and included singer Gaile Foote, who Carson Parks married.
". Through a contact in Frank Sinatra
's organisation, Parks ensured that Sinatra heard the song. Sinatra played it to his daughter Nancy
's producer, Lee Hazlewood
, who recalled "He asked me, 'Do you like it?' and I said, 'I love it, and if you don't sing it with Nancy, I will.' He said, 'We're gonna do it, book a studio.'" The recording by Frank and Nancy Sinatra spent four weeks at #1 on the US
Billboard Hot 100
chart and also reached #1 on the UK Singles Chart
.
, but with less success. He receded from performing and writing to focus on publishing, owning and operating the Waynesville, North Carolina
-based music publishing firms Greenwood Music and Br'er Rab Music. He died in 2005 in St. Marys, Georgia
.
Somethin' Stupid
"Somethin' Stupid" is a song written by C. Carson Parks and originally recorded in 1966 by Parks and his wife Gaile Foote, as "Carson and Gaile". It is best known in the hit version by Frank Sinatra and his daughter, Nancy Sinatra....
".
Early life and career
Parks was born in Philadelphia, the son of a psychiatrist. After attending Phillips AcademyPhillips Academy
Phillips Academy is a selective, co-educational independent boarding high school for boarding and day students in grades 9–12, along with a post-graduate year...
in Andover, Massachusetts
Andover, Massachusetts
Andover is a town in Essex County, Massachusetts, United States. It was incorporated in 1646 and as of the 2010 census, the population was 33,201...
, the University of Miami
University of Miami
The University of Miami is a private, non-sectarian university founded in 1925 with its main campus in Coral Gables, Florida, a medical campus in Miami city proper at Civic Center, and an oceanographic research facility on Virginia Key., the university currently enrolls 15,629 students in 12...
and then Carnegie Mellon University
Carnegie Mellon University
Carnegie Mellon University is a private research university in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States....
, he began working in Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
. In 1959, with college friend Bernie Armstrong, he formed the Steeltown Two and first recorded for the small Gini label. The duo also worked as one half of a reformed version of Terry Gilkyson
Terry Gilkyson
Hamilton H. Gilkyson III , better known as Terry Gilkyson, was an American folk singer, composer, and lyricist.-Biography:...
's band, The Easy Riders
The Easy Riders (American band)
The Easy Riders were an American folk music band, that operated from 1956 to 1959, consisting of Terry Gilkyson, Richard Dehr, and Frank Miller. Their career was guided by Mitch Miller, who had them under contract for Columbia Records....
, and in 1960 they performed on the soundtrack of the John Wayne
John Wayne
Marion Mitchell Morrison , better known by his stage name John Wayne, was an American film actor, director and producer. He epitomized rugged masculinity and became an enduring American icon. He is famous for his distinctive calm voice, walk, and height...
film The Alamo. The pair also worked as The Kinsmen with singer Bud Dashiell, before Parks left in 1962. He then formed a new version of the Steeltown Two, with his younger brother, Van Dyke Parks
Van Dyke Parks
Van Dyke Parks is an American composer, arranger, producer, musician, singer, author and actor. Parks is perhaps best known for his contributions as a lyricist on the Beach Boys album Smile....
, occasionally adding singer Pat Peyton as the Steeltown Three and the Southcoasters.
Following the success of The New Christy Minstrels, Gilkyson and the Parks brothers then formed a choral group, The Greenwood County Singers, featuring five boys and two girls. They released four albums on Kapp Records
Kapp Records
Kapp Records was an independent record label started in 1954 by David Kapp, brother of Jack Kapp . David Kapp founded his own label after stints with Decca Records and RCA Victor Records. Kapp licensed its records to London Records for release in the UK.In 1967, David Kapp sold his label to MCA Inc...
between 1963 and 1965, later becoming known as The Greenwood Singers and finally The Greenwoods. The group had two minor hits, "Please Don't Sell My Daddy No More Wine" reaching #64 on the Billboard Hot 100
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
in 1966, and included singer Gaile Foote, who Carson Parks married.
"Somethin' Stupid"
Before the Greenwoods disbanded, Parks and Foote also began performing as a duo, Carson and Gaile, and in 1966 recorded an album for Kapp Records, San Antonio Rose. This mostly included Parks' own songs, one of which was the track "Something StupidSomething Stupid
Something Stupid was a short-lived Australian sketch comedy series which aired in 1998 on the Seven Network. The program was produced, written and performed by much the same team that was behind the Fast Forward series...
". Through a contact in Frank Sinatra
Frank Sinatra
Francis Albert "Frank" Sinatra was an American singer and actor.Beginning his musical career in the swing era with Harry James and Tommy Dorsey, Sinatra became an unprecedentedly successful solo artist in the early to mid-1940s, after being signed to Columbia Records in 1943. Being the idol of the...
's organisation, Parks ensured that Sinatra heard the song. Sinatra played it to his daughter Nancy
Nancy Sinatra
Nancy Sandra Sinatra is an American singer and actress. She is the daughter of singer/actor Frank Sinatra, and remains best known for her 1966 signature hit "These Boots Are Made for Walkin'"....
's producer, Lee Hazlewood
Lee Hazlewood
Lee Hazlewood , born Barton Lee Hazlewood was an American country and pop singer, songwriter, and record producer, most widely known for his work with guitarist Duane Eddy during the late 1950s and singer Nancy Sinatra in the 1960s.Hazlewood had a distinctive baritone voice that added an ominous...
, who recalled "He asked me, 'Do you like it?' and I said, 'I love it, and if you don't sing it with Nancy, I will.' He said, 'We're gonna do it, book a studio.'" The recording by Frank and Nancy Sinatra spent four weeks at #1 on the US
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
Billboard Hot 100
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
chart and also reached #1 on the UK Singles Chart
UK Singles Chart
The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...
.
Later career
Following the success of "Somethin' Stupid", Parks wrote songs for other artists including The Mills Brothers and Jack JonesJack Jones (singer)
John Allan "Jack" Jones is an American jazz and pop singer. He was one of the most popular vocalists of the 1960s.-Overview:...
, but with less success. He receded from performing and writing to focus on publishing, owning and operating the Waynesville, North Carolina
Waynesville, North Carolina
Waynesville is a town in and the county seat of Haywood County, North Carolina, United States. It is the largest town in Haywood County and the largest in Western North Carolina west of Asheville. Waynesville is located about or 50 km southwest of Asheville between the Great Smoky and Blue...
-based music publishing firms Greenwood Music and Br'er Rab Music. He died in 2005 in St. Marys, Georgia
St. Marys, Georgia
-See also:*Cumberland Island*St. Marys Historic District*St. Marys Railroad-External links:***...
.
The Steeltown Two
- 45 1959 The Wolves / Tarrytown (Gini Records)
- 45 1959 The Potters Wheel / The Straw Carol (Neophon Records)
The Easy Riders
- LP 1960 Rollin' (Kapp Records)
- LP 1961 Remember The Alamo (Kapp Records)
- LP 1963 The Cry of the Wild Goose (Kapp Records)
- 45 1961? Deep Blue Sea / Nite Life (Montclare Records)
The Greenwood County Singers
- LP 1964 The First Recording by the Joyful... (Kapp Records)
- 45 1964 Frankie and Johnny (aka The New Frankie and Johnnie Song) / Climb Up Sunshine Mountain (Kapp # 591) (BillboardBillboard Hot 100The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
# 75 pop) - LP 1964 Have You Heard... (Kapp Records)
- LP 1965 The Ballad of Cat Ballou (Kapp Records)
- 45 1965 Anne / Cake Walking Babies From Home (Kapp Records)
The Greenwoods
- 45 1966 Please Don't Sell My Daddy No More Wine / Southbound (Kapp # 742) (Billboard # 64 pop)
Carson and Gaile
- LP 1966 San Antonio Rose (Kapp Records)
- 45 1966 The Wild Side of Life / How Much Is That Doggie... (Congress Records)
- 45 1967 Something Stupid / Chapter One (Kapp Records)