Grayson Hugh
Encyclopedia
Grayson Hugh is an American
singer-songwriter
, pianist
, Hammond B3 organ
player and composer
born in Hartford, Connecticut
. He was the first generation of his family to be born in the United States
. Hugh grew up surrounded by classical music, his father being the classical music
radio host Ivor Hugh (born in Hammersmith
, England
). His mother was born in Shanghai
, the daughter of missionary
Dr. Frank Rawlinson (born in Bath, England). Dr. Rawlinson's nine books, including a life of Christ
in Chinese
, are in the Yale University
Divinity Library.
Hugh began playing the piano at three years old. In his early teens, however, rock and roll
and soul
won out. He played for a year as the pianist in an African-American gospel
church and studied African drumming. He also studied piano
with jazz pianist Jaki Byard
and avant garde pianist
Ran Blake
. During his twenties, Hugh supplemented his income as a rock and soul musician
by accompanying modern dance
classes. This began his association as composer
for several well-known choreographers, notably the late Viola Farber
of New York, Prometheus Dance and Christine Bennett of Cambridge, Massachusetts. He also briefly attended film school at the University of Bridgeport
.
In 1980, Hugh released a self-titled album (One in Nineteen Records, 1980). This album was produced by the late Ron Scalise, winner of fourteen Emmy Awards for audio work with ESPN
.
In 1987, Hugh was signed to RCA Records
. He broke into the Billboard Hot 100
in 1989 with three singles
from his album
Blind to Reason (RCA Records
, 1988). "Talk It Over", a song written by Sandy Linzer and Irwin Levine
that Hugh arranged, reached the Top 20. After Hugh had arranged and recorded this song, Olivia Newton-John
was given rights of first release, then recorded it herself and released it as a single under the name "Can't We Talk It Over In Bed". Hugh subsequently released his version which became a hit. His two other singles "Bring It All Back" and "How 'Bout Us" (a remake of the 1981 Champaign
hit recorded with Betty Wright
) were also radio
hits. Blind to Reason eventually went gold
in Australia
.
Hugh's second major label album Road to Freedom (MCA Records
, 1992) was voted "one of the year's top-ten albums" by Billboard Magazine and received rave reviews. Leonard Pitts
, Jr. of the Miami Herald said: "Have I heard any newcomer in the last decade who excites me as much as this guy? No."
Director
Ridley Scott
heard an advance pressing of Road to Freedom and wanted to put Hugh's music in his film Thelma & Louise (1991). They eventually settled on two: "I Can't Untie You From Me" and "Don't Look Back". Hugh's gospel-tinged arrangement of Bob Dylan
's "I'll Remember You" was the featured end-title song for the film Fried Green Tomatoes
(1991).
In 1993, the A&R
man who signed Grayson to MCA Records
(the late Paul Atkinson) was fired, and Hugh was dropped from the label, along with the other acts Atkinson had signed. After a few years living and writing songs in rural North Carolina
he wound up teaching songwriting at Berklee College of Music
in Boston
.
In August, 2008 Hugh married his backup singer Polly Messer, Best Female Vocalist of CT (1981 - The Hartford Advocate), and former singer with the Connecticut swing band Eight To The Bar. Hugh's eagerly-awaited recording "An American Record", his first in fifteen years, was released on May 1, 2010.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
singer-songwriter
Singer-songwriter
Singer-songwriters are musicians who write, compose and sing their own musical material including lyrics and melodies. As opposed to contemporary popular music singers who write their own songs, the term singer-songwriter describes a distinct form of artistry, closely associated with the...
, pianist
Pianist
A pianist is a musician who plays the piano. A professional pianist can perform solo pieces, play with an ensemble or orchestra, or accompany one or more singers, solo instrumentalists, or other performers.-Choice of genres:...
, Hammond B3 organ
Hammond organ
The Hammond organ is an electric organ invented by Laurens Hammond in 1934 and manufactured by the Hammond Organ Company. While the Hammond organ was originally sold to churches as a lower-cost alternative to the wind-driven pipe organ, in the 1960s and 1970s it became a standard keyboard...
player and composer
Composer
A composer is a person who creates music, either by musical notation or oral tradition, for interpretation and performance, or through direct manipulation of sonic material through electronic media...
born in Hartford, Connecticut
Hartford, Connecticut
Hartford is the capital of the U.S. state of Connecticut. The seat of Hartford County until Connecticut disbanded county government in 1960, it is the second most populous city on New England's largest river, the Connecticut River. As of the 2010 Census, Hartford's population was 124,775, making...
. He was the first generation of his family to be born in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. Hugh grew up surrounded by classical music, his father being the classical music
Classical music
Classical music is the art music produced in, or rooted in, the traditions of Western liturgical and secular music, encompassing a broad period from roughly the 11th century to present times...
radio host Ivor Hugh (born in Hammersmith
Hammersmith
Hammersmith is an urban centre in the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham in west London, England, in the United Kingdom, approximately five miles west of Charing Cross on the north bank of the River Thames...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
). His mother was born in Shanghai
Shanghai
Shanghai is the largest city by population in China and the largest city proper in the world. It is one of the four province-level municipalities in the People's Republic of China, with a total population of over 23 million as of 2010...
, the daughter of missionary
Missionary
A missionary is a member of a religious group sent into an area to do evangelism or ministries of service, such as education, literacy, social justice, health care and economic development. The word "mission" originates from 1598 when the Jesuits sent members abroad, derived from the Latin...
Dr. Frank Rawlinson (born in Bath, England). Dr. Rawlinson's nine books, including a life of Christ
Christ
Christ is the English term for the Greek meaning "the anointed one". It is a translation of the Hebrew , usually transliterated into English as Messiah or Mashiach...
in Chinese
Standard Mandarin
Standard Chinese or Modern Standard Chinese, also known as Mandarin or Putonghua, is the official language of the People's Republic of China and Republic of China , and is one of the four official languages of Singapore....
, are in the Yale University
Yale University
Yale University is a private, Ivy League university located in New Haven, Connecticut, United States. Founded in 1701 in the Colony of Connecticut, the university is the third-oldest institution of higher education in the United States...
Divinity Library.
Hugh began playing the piano at three years old. In his early teens, however, rock and roll
Rock and roll
Rock and roll is a genre of popular music that originated and evolved in the United States during the late 1940s and early 1950s, primarily from a combination of African American blues, country, jazz, and gospel music...
and soul
Soul music
Soul music is a music genre originating in the United States combining elements of gospel music and rhythm and blues. According to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, soul is "music that arose out of the black experience in America through the transmutation of gospel and rhythm & blues into a form of...
won out. He played for a year as the pianist in an African-American gospel
Gospel
A gospel is an account, often written, that describes the life of Jesus of Nazareth. In a more general sense the term "gospel" may refer to the good news message of the New Testament. It is primarily used in reference to the four canonical gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John...
church and studied African drumming. He also studied piano
Piano
The piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal...
with jazz pianist Jaki Byard
Jaki Byard
Jaki Byard was an American jazz pianist and composer who also played trumpet and saxophone, among several other instruments. He was noteworthy for his eclectic style, incorporating everything from ragtime and stride to free jazz...
and avant garde pianist
Pianist
A pianist is a musician who plays the piano. A professional pianist can perform solo pieces, play with an ensemble or orchestra, or accompany one or more singers, solo instrumentalists, or other performers.-Choice of genres:...
Ran Blake
Ran Blake
Ran Blake is an American pianist and composer from Springfield, Massachusetts. In a career that spans five decades, Blake has created a unique niche in improvised music as an artist and educator...
. During his twenties, Hugh supplemented his income as a rock and soul musician
Musician
A musician is an artist who plays a musical instrument. It may or may not be the person's profession. Musicians can be classified by their roles in performing music and writing music.Also....* A person who makes music a profession....
by accompanying modern dance
Modern dance
Modern dance is a dance form developed in the early 20th century. Although the term Modern dance has also been applied to a category of 20th Century ballroom dances, Modern dance as a term usually refers to 20th century concert dance.-Intro:...
classes. This began his association as composer
Composer
A composer is a person who creates music, either by musical notation or oral tradition, for interpretation and performance, or through direct manipulation of sonic material through electronic media...
for several well-known choreographers, notably the late Viola Farber
Viola Farber
Viola Farber was an American choreographer and dancer.-Biography:Viola Farber was born on February 25, 1931 in Heidelberg, Germany. In Germany, Farber began dancing. However, at the age of six she was told by her parents, “No, you cannot do this anymore”. At the age of seven, Farber and her...
of New York, Prometheus Dance and Christine Bennett of Cambridge, Massachusetts. He also briefly attended film school at the University of Bridgeport
University of Bridgeport
The University of Bridgeport is a private, independent, non-sectarian, coeducational university located on the Long Island Sound in the South End neighborhood of Bridgeport, Connecticut. The University is fully Accredited by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges...
.
In 1980, Hugh released a self-titled album (One in Nineteen Records, 1980). This album was produced by the late Ron Scalise, winner of fourteen Emmy Awards for audio work with ESPN
ESPN
Entertainment and Sports Programming Network, commonly known as ESPN, is an American global cable television network focusing on sports-related programming including live and pre-taped event telecasts, sports talk shows, and other original programming....
.
In 1987, Hugh was signed to RCA Records
RCA Records
RCA Records is one of the flagship labels of Sony Music Entertainment. The RCA initials stand for Radio Corporation of America , which was the parent corporation from 1929 to 1985 and a partner from 1985 to 1986.RCA's Canadian unit is Sony's oldest label...
. He broke into 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 1989 with three 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...
from his album
Album
An album is a collection of recordings, released as a single package on gramophone record, cassette, compact disc, or via digital distribution. The word derives from the Latin word for list .Vinyl LP records have two sides, each comprising one half of the album...
Blind to Reason (RCA Records
RCA Records
RCA Records is one of the flagship labels of Sony Music Entertainment. The RCA initials stand for Radio Corporation of America , which was the parent corporation from 1929 to 1985 and a partner from 1985 to 1986.RCA's Canadian unit is Sony's oldest label...
, 1988). "Talk It Over", a song written by Sandy Linzer and Irwin Levine
Irwin Levine
Irwin Levine is a composer who co-wrote the song Tie a Yellow Ribbon Round the Ole Oak Tree with L. Russell Brown.The song was a world-wide hit for Tony Orlando and Dawn as it reached number one on both the US and UK charts for four weeks in April 1973 and number one on the Australian charts for...
that Hugh arranged, reached the Top 20. After Hugh had arranged and recorded this song, Olivia Newton-John
Olivia Newton-John
Olivia Newton-John AO, OBE is a singer and actress. She is a four-time Grammy award winner who has amassed five No. 1 and ten other Top Ten Billboard Hot 100 singles and two No. 1 Billboard 200 solo albums. Eleven of her singles and 14 of her albums have been certified gold by the RIAA...
was given rights of first release, then recorded it herself and released it as a single under the name "Can't We Talk It Over In Bed". Hugh subsequently released his version which became a hit. His two other singles "Bring It All Back" and "How 'Bout Us" (a remake of the 1981 Champaign
Champaign (band)
Champaign was a 1980s United States R&B band with adult contemporary leanings, best known for their 1981 hit, "How 'Bout Us."-Career:The mixed-race septet, who named themselves after their hometown of Champaign, Illinois, included Pauli Carman and Rena Jones on vocals; Michael Day and Dana Walden...
hit recorded with Betty Wright
Betty Wright
Bessie Regina Norris, better known by her stage name, Betty Wright , is a Grammy winning Miami-based soul and R&B singer-songwriter, who won fame in the 1970s with hits such as "Clean Up Woman" and "Tonight Is the Night"...
) were also radio
Radio
Radio is the transmission of signals through free space by modulation of electromagnetic waves with frequencies below those of visible light. Electromagnetic radiation travels by means of oscillating electromagnetic fields that pass through the air and the vacuum of space...
hits. Blind to Reason eventually went gold
Gold
Gold is a chemical element with the symbol Au and an atomic number of 79. Gold is a dense, soft, shiny, malleable and ductile metal. Pure gold has a bright yellow color and luster traditionally considered attractive, which it maintains without oxidizing in air or water. Chemically, gold is a...
in Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
.
Hugh's second major label album Road to Freedom (MCA Records
MCA Records
MCA Records was an American-based record company owned by MCA Inc., which later gave way to the larger MCA Music Entertainment Group , of which MCA Records was still part. MCA Records was absorbed by Geffen Records in 2003...
, 1992) was voted "one of the year's top-ten albums" by Billboard Magazine and received rave reviews. Leonard Pitts
Leonard Pitts
Leonard Pitts Jr. is a politically progressive African American commentator, journalist and novelist. He is a nationally-syndicated columnist and winner of the 2004 Pulitzer Prize for Commentary...
, Jr. of the Miami Herald said: "Have I heard any newcomer in the last decade who excites me as much as this guy? No."
Director
Film director
A film director is a person who directs the actors and film crew in filmmaking. They control a film's artistic and dramatic nathan roach, while guiding the technical crew and actors.-Responsibilities:...
Ridley Scott
Ridley Scott
Sir Ridley Scott is an English film director and producer. His most famous films include The Duellists , Alien , Blade Runner , Legend , Thelma & Louise , G. I...
heard an advance pressing of Road to Freedom and wanted to put Hugh's music in his film Thelma & Louise (1991). They eventually settled on two: "I Can't Untie You From Me" and "Don't Look Back". Hugh's gospel-tinged arrangement of Bob Dylan
Bob Dylan
Bob Dylan is an American singer-songwriter, musician, poet, film director and painter. He has been a major and profoundly influential figure in popular music and culture for five decades. Much of his most celebrated work dates from the 1960s when he was an informal chronicler and a seemingly...
's "I'll Remember You" was the featured end-title song for the film Fried Green Tomatoes
Fried Green Tomatoes (film)
Fried Green Tomatoes is a 1991 comedy-drama film based on the novel Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe by Fannie Flagg. It was released in the UK under the novel's full title. Directed by Jon Avnet and written by Fannie Flagg and Carol Sobieski, it stars Kathy Bates, Jessica Tandy,...
(1991).
In 1993, the A&R
A&R
Artists and repertoire is the division of a record label that is responsible for talent scouting and overseeing the artistic development of recording artists. It also acts as a liaison between artists and the record label.- Finding talent :...
man who signed Grayson to MCA Records
MCA Records
MCA Records was an American-based record company owned by MCA Inc., which later gave way to the larger MCA Music Entertainment Group , of which MCA Records was still part. MCA Records was absorbed by Geffen Records in 2003...
(the late Paul Atkinson) was fired, and Hugh was dropped from the label, along with the other acts Atkinson had signed. After a few years living and writing songs in rural North Carolina
North Carolina
North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
he wound up teaching songwriting at Berklee College of Music
Berklee College of Music
Berklee College of Music, located in Boston, Massachusetts, is the largest independent college of contemporary music in the world. Known primarily as a school for jazz, rock and popular music, it also offers college-level courses in a wide range of contemporary and historic styles, including hip...
in Boston
Boston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
.
In August, 2008 Hugh married his backup singer Polly Messer, Best Female Vocalist of CT (1981 - The Hartford Advocate), and former singer with the Connecticut swing band Eight To The Bar. Hugh's eagerly-awaited recording "An American Record", his first in fifteen years, was released on May 1, 2010.
Studio Albums
- Grayson Hugh (One of Nineteen Records, 1980)
- Blind to Reason (RCA RecordsRCA RecordsRCA Records is one of the flagship labels of Sony Music Entertainment. The RCA initials stand for Radio Corporation of America , which was the parent corporation from 1929 to 1985 and a partner from 1985 to 1986.RCA's Canadian unit is Sony's oldest label...
, 1988) U.S. Billboard Top 200 peak #71 - Road to Freedom (MCA RecordsMCA RecordsMCA Records was an American-based record company owned by MCA Inc., which later gave way to the larger MCA Music Entertainment Group , of which MCA Records was still part. MCA Records was absorbed by Geffen Records in 2003...
, 1992) - An American Record (Swamp Yankee Music, 2010)
Contributions
- Cab Calloway Stands in For the Moon, (American Clave, 1995, recorded in 1987) Kip HanrahanKip HanrahanKip Hanrahan is an American jazz music impresario, record producer and percussionist.-Biography:Hanrahan was born in a Puerto Rican neighborhood in the Bronx to an Irish-Jewish family. He has an unusual role in the albums released under his name, one which he has analogized to that of a film...
, producer. (vocals)
- Cashmere Dreams, (Grudge RecordsGrudge RecordsGrudge Records is an Australian record label. Grudge is mostly known for its rock artists, most notably Grinspoon, Skunkhour and Powderfinger. Other artists include H-Block101 and Sean Ikin.-Artists:Current*Powderfinger*Sean Ikin*H-Block 101Previous...
, 1989), Fernando SaundersFernando SaundersFernando Saunders is a musician, performer, vocalist and bass player from Detroit, Michigan.-Biography:Fernando Saunders has performed all around the world with music legends such as Marianne Faithfull, Joan Baez, Slash, Tori Amos, Jimmy Page, Luciano Pavarotti and Jeff Beck...
. (keyboards)
- Nightlife, (Rhino Records, 1997), Jeff GolubJeff GolubJeff Golub is an American jazz guitarist.- Biography :Jeff Golub is a contemporary jazz guitarist with 11 solo albums and 3 CD's as the leader of the instrumental band "Avenue Blue"...
. (vocals)
- Hiding Out In Plain Sight, (Elba Records, 1993), Caroline Doctorow. (piano & vocals)
Compilations
- Thelma & Louise - Original Soundtrack, (MCA RecordsMCA RecordsMCA Records was an American-based record company owned by MCA Inc., which later gave way to the larger MCA Music Entertainment Group , of which MCA Records was still part. MCA Records was absorbed by Geffen Records in 2003...
, 1991) - "I Can't Untie You From Me" - Fried Green Tomatoes - Original Soundtrack, (MCA RecordsMCA RecordsMCA Records was an American-based record company owned by MCA Inc., which later gave way to the larger MCA Music Entertainment Group , of which MCA Records was still part. MCA Records was absorbed by Geffen Records in 2003...
, 1992) - "I'll Remember You" - Pretty Girls Everywhere: Beach Classics Vol.1, (RCA RecordsRCA RecordsRCA Records is one of the flagship labels of Sony Music Entertainment. The RCA initials stand for Radio Corporation of America , which was the parent corporation from 1929 to 1985 and a partner from 1985 to 1986.RCA's Canadian unit is Sony's oldest label...
, 1992) - "Talk It Over" - Do You Love Me? All-Time Best Love Songs, (RCA RecordsRCA RecordsRCA Records is one of the flagship labels of Sony Music Entertainment. The RCA initials stand for Radio Corporation of America , which was the parent corporation from 1929 to 1985 and a partner from 1985 to 1986.RCA's Canadian unit is Sony's oldest label...
, 1996) - "How 'Bout Us?" - Duets: A Woman and A Man, (DCC Records, 1996) - "How 'Bout Us?"
- Hits of the 80s, (Columbia River Records, 1998) - "Talk It Over"
- Sexy Soul, (K-Tel Records, 1998) - "Talk It Over"
- All For Love, (Amherst Records, 2000) - "How 'Bout Us?"
- Beach Music Anthology, Vol.3, (Ripete RecordsRipete RecordsRipete Records is a small, independently distributed record label specializing in the reissue of Carolina Beach Music compilations for shag dance enthusiasts, mainly in the Southeastern US, as well as providing an outlet for newer recordings by R&B artists, such as The Drifters, The Clovers, and...
, 2000) - "Talk It Over" - Chart Hits of the 80s, (Columbia River Records, 2001) - "Talk It Over"
Singles
| Year | Title | Chart Positions | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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... |
U.S. Adult Contemporary | U.S. Hot R&B/Hip Hop Singles | Australia Aria Charts | ||
| 1989 1989 in music This is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 1989.-Events:*January 14 – Paul McCartney releases Снова в СССР exclusively in the USSR... |
"Talk it Over" | #19 | #9 | - | #4 |
| 1989 1989 in music This is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 1989.-Events:*January 14 – Paul McCartney releases Снова в СССР exclusively in the USSR... |
"Bring it All Back" | #87 | #9 | - | - |
| 1990 1990 in music This is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 1990.-Events:*January 21 – MTV's Unplugged premieres on cable television with British band Squeeze... |
"How 'Bout Us How 'Bout Us "How 'Bout Us" is a 1981 hit single recorded by R&B music group Champaign and composed by band keyboardist Dana Walden. Originally released on the band's debut album of the same name, the title track peaked at #12 on the Hot 100... ?" (duet with Betty Wright Betty Wright Bessie Regina Norris, better known by her stage name, Betty Wright , is a Grammy winning Miami-based soul and R&B singer-songwriter, who won fame in the 1970s with hits such as "Clean Up Woman" and "Tonight Is the Night"... ) |
#67 | - | #30 |