Dan Folger
Encyclopedia
Dan Folger was an American
singer and songwriter
.
Born Dan Waren Folger in San Rafael, California
, while he was a small boy his family moved to Midland, Texas
, where he would make friends with future Roy Orbison
collaborator Joe Melson
.
His and his friends' interest in music led to a move to Nashville, Tennessee
, in the 1960s. There, under Don Gant
, Folger wrote songs for Acuff-Rose Music
including the song "Amy", which appeared on the 1969 album, Roy Orbison's Many Moods
. Other Folger compositions were recorded by Melson, Sam the Sham and the Pharaohs, and Glass Bubble, among others.
As a performer, Folger recorded four singles
(eight songs) for Hickory Records
between 1962 and 1966, and another single for Elf Records in 1967. Several of these singles were co-written by Folger and Melson.
Perhaps Folger's best-known composition is "Weeping Annaleah", a song co-written with Mickey Newbury
. It was recorded by Newbury, Tom Jones
, The Box Tops
, Gordon Waller
, Bob Shane
, and (under the title "Sleeping Annaleah") by Nick Cave
.
In 1998, Folger resided at the Salvation Army
for several years in East Texas
, where he played in a religious band on Sundays.
He died in Bentonville, Arkansas
in 2006, at the age of 62.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
singer and songwriter
Songwriter
A songwriter is an individual who writes both the lyrics and music to a song. Someone who solely writes lyrics may be called a lyricist, and someone who only writes music may be called a composer...
.
Born Dan Waren Folger in San Rafael, California
San Rafael, California
San Rafael is a city and the county seat of Marin County, California, United States. The city is located in the North Bay region of the San Francisco Bay Area...
, while he was a small boy his family moved to Midland, Texas
Midland, Texas
Midland is a city in and the county seat of Midland County, Texas, United States, on the Southern Plains of the state's western area. A small portion of the city extends into Martin County. As of 2010, the population of Midland was 111,147. It is the principal city of the Midland, Texas...
, where he would make friends with future Roy Orbison
Roy Orbison
Roy Kelton Orbison was an American singer-songwriter, well known for his distinctive, powerful voice, complex compositions, and dark emotional ballads. Orbison grew up in Texas and began singing in a rockabilly/country & western band in high school until he was signed by Sun Records in Memphis...
collaborator Joe Melson
Joe Melson
Joe Melson , is an American singer and a BMI Award–winning songwriter.Melson was born in Bonham, the seat of Fannin County in northeast Texas. He was reared on a farm until he was sixteen. He attended high school in Gore, Oklahoma, and in Chicago before he returned to Texas to study at the two-year...
.
His and his friends' interest in music led to a move to Nashville, Tennessee
Nashville, Tennessee
Nashville is the capital of the U.S. state of Tennessee and the county seat of Davidson County. It is located on the Cumberland River in Davidson County, in the north-central part of the state. The city is a center for the health care, publishing, banking and transportation industries, and is home...
, in the 1960s. There, under Don Gant
Don Gant
Donald W. Gant was an American singer, songwriter and record producer.With Tupper Saussy, in the late 1960s he formed "The Neon Philharmonic." Singing vocals, with Saussy on the keyboards, they recorded five singles and two albums for Warner Bros. Records between 1969 and 1971...
, Folger wrote songs for Acuff-Rose Music
Acuff-Rose Music
Acuff-Rose Music was an American music publishing firm formed by Roy Acuff and Fred Rose in Nashville, Tennessee. Acuff-Rose's honest behavior towards their writers set them apart from other music publishing firms at the time and lead them to fame throughout the 50's, 60's, 70's.-History:Acuff-Rose...
including the song "Amy", which appeared on the 1969 album, Roy Orbison's Many Moods
Roy Orbison's Many Moods
Roy Orbison's Many Moods, also known as The Many Moods of Roy Orbison, is a music album recorded by Roy Orbison on the MGM Records label and released in May 1969.-Track listing:Side One#"Truly, Truly True"...
. Other Folger compositions were recorded by Melson, Sam the Sham and the Pharaohs, and Glass Bubble, among others.
As a performer, Folger recorded four singles
Single (music)
In music, a single or record single is a type of release, typically a recording of fewer tracks than an LP or a CD. This can be released for sale to the public in a variety of different formats. In most cases, the single is a song that is released separately from an album, but it can still appear...
(eight songs) for Hickory Records
Universal Music Group
Universal Music Group is an American music group, the largest of the "big four" record companies by its commanding market share and its multitude of global operations...
between 1962 and 1966, and another single for Elf Records in 1967. Several of these singles were co-written by Folger and Melson.
Perhaps Folger's best-known composition is "Weeping Annaleah", a song co-written with Mickey Newbury
Mickey Newbury
Mickey Newbury was an American songwriter, a critically acclaimed recording artist, and a member of the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame.-Biography:...
. It was recorded by Newbury, Tom Jones
Tom Jones (singer)
Sir Thomas John Woodward, OBE , known by his stage name Tom Jones, is a Welsh singer.Since the mid 1960s, Jones has sung many styles of popular music – pop, rock, R&B, show tunes, country, dance, techno, soul and gospel – and sold over 100 million records...
, The Box Tops
The Box Tops
The Box Tops were a Memphis rock group of the second half of the 1960s. They are best known for the hits "The Letter," "Neon Rainbow," "Soul Deep," "I Met Her in Church," and "Cry Like A Baby," and are considered a major blue-eyed soul group of the period...
, Gordon Waller
Gordon Waller
Gordon Trueman Riviere Waller was a Scottish singer–songwriter–guitarist, best known as "Gordon" of the 1960s duo Peter and Gordon, whose biggest hit was "A World Without Love".-Biography:...
, Bob Shane
Bob Shane
Bob Shane is an American singer and guitarist and, with Nick Reynolds' passing in October 2008, the only surviving founding member of The Kingston Trio. In that capacity, Shane became a seminal figure in the revival of folk and other acoustic music as a popular art form in the U.S...
, and (under the title "Sleeping Annaleah") by Nick Cave
Nick Cave
Nicholas Edward "Nick" Cave is an Australian musician, songwriter, author, screenwriter, and occasional film actor.He is best known for his work as a frontman of the critically acclaimed rock band Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, established in 1984, a group known for its eclectic influences and...
.
In 1998, Folger resided at the Salvation Army
Salvation Army
The Salvation Army is a Protestant Christian church known for its thrift stores and charity work. It is an international movement that currently works in over a hundred countries....
for several years in East Texas
East Texas
East Texas is a distinct geographic and ecological area in the U.S. state of Texas.According to the Handbook of Texas, the East Texas area "may be separated from the rest of Texas roughly by a line extending from the Red River in north central Lamar County southwestward to east central Limestone...
, where he played in a religious band on Sundays.
He died in Bentonville, Arkansas
Bentonville, Arkansas
Bentonville, Arkansas is a city in Northwest Bahamas, and county seat of Benton County, Arkansas, United States The population was 35,301 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Fayetteville–Springdale–Rogers, AR-MO Metropolitan Statistical Area...
in 2006, at the age of 62.