Johnny Duncan (country music artist)
Encyclopedia
Johnny Richard Duncan was an American
country
singer. In his career, he released fourteen studio albums, including thirteen on Columbia Records
. These albums produced more than thirty chart singles, with three of those reaching Number One: "Thinkin' of a Rendezvous
" and "It Couldn't Have Been Any Better
", and "She Can Put Her Shoes Under my Bed (Anytime)
" from 1976, 1977, and 1978 respectively. Seven more of his singles were Top Ten hits.
. Before he went to Nashville
, Tennessee
, Duncan attended TCU (Texas Christian University
) in Fort Worth
, Texas
. He then spent a few years in Clovis
, New Mexico
. He was a cousin of Dan Seals
, who was also a major country performer.
, Perry Como
, Jim Reeves
, and Frank Sinatra
. Johnny was born into a musical family. He is very proud of his talented and famous cousins, including Eddie Seals, Jimmy Seals of Seals & Crofts, and country singer Dan Seals
. "He knew when he was 12 years old that playing music and singing songs was going to be his life," said his wife, Connie Duncan, 54.
"He grew up here in a small country town and loved music," Jim Harrell said. "His mother played herself and a lot of his cousins played with him." (Jim Harrell, owner and funeral director of Harrell Funeral Home in Dublin, which handled arrangements for his funeral)
His cousins became famous as well – Jimmy Seals of Seals & Crofts and country singer Dan Seals.
After playing and singing with his musically-gifted family for a few years, he decided to move where the bigger action was—Nashville, Tennessee.
Duncan wrote many songs recorded by artists such as, Charley Pride
, Marty Robbins
, Chet Atkins
, Conway Twitty
and Jim Ed Brown
.
, Duncan worked as a DJ and performed on local morning TV shows. He began to record for Columbia Records
in the late 1960s.
Between 1967 and 1973, Duncan's recordings never reached the top 20 until "Sweet Country Woman" entered at number six.
Duncan performed duets with Janie Fricke
in the 1970s, many of which were highly successful. Their songs "Stranger" and "Thinking of a Rendezvous" (both 1976); "It Couldn't Have Been Any Better" (1977); and "Come A Little Bit Closer" (1978, a remake of the song first made popular by Jay and the Americans
) were the most successful. In fact, "Thinking of a Rendezvous" and "It Couldn't Have Been Any Better" both went to No. 1 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles
chart, as did Duncan's solo 1978 single "She Can Put Her Shoes Under My Bed Anytime".
Duncan's string of Top 10 hits continued into 1979 – most notably a cover of Johnny Rivers
' "Swayin' to the Music" (released by Duncan as "Slow Dancing") and "The Lady in the Blue Mercedes" – and he even enjoyed another Top 20 hit with Fricke in 1980 with a duet version of Michael Jackson
's "She's out of My Life
". His star power faded in the early 1980s with changing musical tastes, although his biggest songs were popular country radio recurrents through the late 1980s and early 1990s.
on August 14, 2006, at the age of 67.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
country
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. In his career, he released fourteen studio albums, including thirteen 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...
. These albums produced more than thirty chart singles, with three of those reaching Number One: "Thinkin' of a Rendezvous
Thinkin' of a Rendezvous
"Thinkin' of a Rendezvous" is a country music song written by Bobby Braddock and Sonny Throckmorton, and recorded by Johnny Duncan.Featuring harmony vocals, and a solo line at a key point in the song's third verse by session vocalist Janie Fricke, "Thinkin' of a Rendezvous" became Duncan's first...
" and "It Couldn't Have Been Any Better
It Couldn't Have Been Any Better
"It Couldn't Have Been Any Better" is a country music song written by Ray Griff, and made famous by Johnny Duncan.One of several Duncan singles to feature session vocalist Janie Fricke on harmony vocals, "It Couldn't Have Been Any Better" became his second No. 1 song to top the Billboard Hot...
", and "She Can Put Her Shoes Under my Bed (Anytime)
She Can Put Her Shoes Under my Bed (Anytime)
"She Can Put Her Shoes Under my Bed " is a 1978 single written by Aaron Schroeder and Bob Halley and recorded by Johnny Duncan. "She Can Put Her Shoes Under my Bed " would the third and final number one on the country chart for Johnny Duncan. The single stayed at number one for one week and spent...
" from 1976, 1977, and 1978 respectively. Seven more of his singles were Top Ten hits.
Biography
Duncan was born in Dublin, TexasDublin, Texas
Dublin is a city located in southwestern Erath County in Central Texas. The population was 3,754 at the time of the 2000 census.The town is the home of the world's oldest Dr Pepper bottling plant...
. Before he went to Nashville
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...
, Tennessee
Tennessee
Tennessee is a U.S. state located in the Southeastern United States. It has a population of 6,346,105, making it the nation's 17th-largest state by population, and covers , making it the 36th-largest by total land area...
, Duncan attended TCU (Texas Christian University
Texas Christian University
Texas Christian University is a private, coeducational university located in Fort Worth, Texas, United States and founded in 1873. TCU is affiliated with, but not governed by, the Disciples of Christ...
) in Fort Worth
Fort Worth, Texas
Fort Worth is the 16th-largest city in the United States of America and the fifth-largest city in the state of Texas. Located in North Central Texas, just southeast of the Texas Panhandle, the city is a cultural gateway into the American West and covers nearly in Tarrant, Parker, Denton, and...
, Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
. He then spent a few years in Clovis
Clovis, New Mexico
Clovis is the county seat of Curry County, New Mexico, United States. Its population was 32,667 at the 2000 census; according to 2010 Census Bureau estimates, the population had risen to 37,775....
, New Mexico
New Mexico
New Mexico is a state located in the southwest and western regions of the United States. New Mexico is also usually considered one of the Mountain States. With a population density of 16 per square mile, New Mexico is the sixth-most sparsely inhabited U.S...
. He was a cousin of Dan Seals
Dan Seals
Danny Wayland "Dan" Seals was an American musician. The younger brother of Seals & Crofts member Jim Seals, he first gained fame as the "England Dan" half of the soft rock duo England Dan and John Ford Coley, which charted nine pop and adult contemporary singles between 1976 and 1980, including...
, who was also a major country performer.
Early life and influences
Duncan's early life was steeped in West Texas music. He picked this up naturally as a boy listening to his mother play rhythm guitar in his uncle's country band. Later, he began sharpening his vocal skills, influenced by his early idols Eddy ArnoldEddy Arnold
Richard Edward Arnold , known professionally as Eddy Arnold, was an American country music singer who performed for six decades. He was a so-called Nashville sound innovator of the late 1950s, and scored 147 songs on the Billboard country music charts, second only to George Jones. He sold more...
, Perry Como
Perry Como
Pierino Ronald "Perry" Como was an American singer and television personality. During a career spanning more than half a century he recorded exclusively for the RCA Victor label after signing with them in 1943. "Mr...
, Jim Reeves
Jim Reeves
James Travis Reeves , better known as Jim Reeves, was an American country and popular music singer-songwriter. With records charting from the 1950s to the 1980s, he became well-known for being a practitioner of the Nashville sound...
, and 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...
. Johnny was born into a musical family. He is very proud of his talented and famous cousins, including Eddie Seals, Jimmy Seals of Seals & Crofts, and country singer Dan Seals
Dan Seals
Danny Wayland "Dan" Seals was an American musician. The younger brother of Seals & Crofts member Jim Seals, he first gained fame as the "England Dan" half of the soft rock duo England Dan and John Ford Coley, which charted nine pop and adult contemporary singles between 1976 and 1980, including...
. "He knew when he was 12 years old that playing music and singing songs was going to be his life," said his wife, Connie Duncan, 54.
"He grew up here in a small country town and loved music," Jim Harrell said. "His mother played herself and a lot of his cousins played with him." (Jim Harrell, owner and funeral director of Harrell Funeral Home in Dublin, which handled arrangements for his funeral)
His cousins became famous as well – Jimmy Seals of Seals & Crofts and country singer Dan Seals.
After playing and singing with his musically-gifted family for a few years, he decided to move where the bigger action was—Nashville, Tennessee.
Duncan wrote many songs recorded by artists such as, Charley Pride
Charley Pride
Charley Frank Pride is an American country music singer. His smooth baritone voice was featured on thirty-nine number-one hits on the Billboard Hot Country Songs charts. His greatest success came in the early- to mid-1970s, when he became the best-selling performer for RCA Records since Elvis...
, Marty Robbins
Marty Robbins
Martin David Robinson , known professionally as Marty Robbins, was an American singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist...
, Chet Atkins
Chet Atkins
Chester Burton Atkins , known as Chet Atkins, was an American guitarist and record producer who, along with Owen Bradley, created the smoother country music style known as the Nashville sound, which expanded country's appeal to adult pop music fans as well.Atkins's picking style, inspired by Merle...
, Conway Twitty
Conway Twitty
Conway Twitty , born Harold Lloyd Jenkins, was an American country music artist. He also had success in early rock and roll, R&B, and pop music. He held the record for the most number one singles of any act with 55 No. 1 Billboard country hits until George Strait broke the record in 2006...
and Jim Ed Brown
Jim Ed Brown
Jim Ed Brown is an American country music singer who achieved fame in the 1950s with his two sisters as a member of The Browns. He later had a successful solo career from 1965 to 1974, followed by a string of major duet hits with Helen Cornelius through 1981...
.
Career
In Franklin, TennesseeFranklin, Tennessee
Franklin is a city within and the county seat of Williamson County, Tennessee, United States. The population was 62,487 as of the 2010 census Franklin is located approximately south of downtown Nashville.-History:...
, Duncan worked as a DJ and performed on local morning TV shows. He began to record for 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...
in the late 1960s.
Between 1967 and 1973, Duncan's recordings never reached the top 20 until "Sweet Country Woman" entered at number six.
Duncan performed duets with Janie Fricke
Janie Fricke
Janie Fricke is an American country music singer, best remembered for a series of country music hits in the early to mid 1980s....
in the 1970s, many of which were highly successful. Their songs "Stranger" and "Thinking of a Rendezvous" (both 1976); "It Couldn't Have Been Any Better" (1977); and "Come A Little Bit Closer" (1978, a remake of the song first made popular by Jay and the Americans
Jay and the Americans
Jay and the Americans was a pop music group popular in the 1960s. Their initial lineup consisted of John "Jay" Traynor, Howard Kane , Kenny Vance and Sandy Deanne , though their greatest success on the charts came after Traynor had been replaced as lead singer by Jay Black.-Early years:They were...
) were the most successful. In fact, "Thinking of a Rendezvous" and "It Couldn't Have Been Any Better" both went to No. 1 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles
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...
chart, as did Duncan's solo 1978 single "She Can Put Her Shoes Under My Bed Anytime".
Duncan's string of Top 10 hits continued into 1979 – most notably a cover of Johnny Rivers
Johnny Rivers
Johnny Rivers is an American rock and roll singer, songwriter, guitarist, and record producer. His styles include folk songs, blues, and revivals of old-time rock 'n' roll songs and some original material...
' "Swayin' to the Music" (released by Duncan as "Slow Dancing") and "The Lady in the Blue Mercedes" – and he even enjoyed another Top 20 hit with Fricke in 1980 with a duet version of Michael Jackson
Michael Jackson
Michael Joseph Jackson was an American recording artist, entertainer, and businessman. Referred to as the King of Pop, or by his initials MJ, Jackson is recognized as the most successful entertainer of all time by Guinness World Records...
's "She's out of My Life
She's Out of My Life
"She's Out of My Life" is a song written by musical artist Tom Bahler. Although it has been claimed that Bahler wrote the song about Karen Carpenter, Bahler stated, "The fact is, I had already written that song by the time Karen and I became romantic. That song was written more about Rhonda Rivera...
". His star power faded in the early 1980s with changing musical tastes, although his biggest songs were popular country radio recurrents through the late 1980s and early 1990s.
Death
Duncan died of a heart attackMyocardial infarction
Myocardial infarction or acute myocardial infarction , commonly known as a heart attack, results from the interruption of blood supply to a part of the heart, causing heart cells to die...
on August 14, 2006, at the age of 67.
Family
Duncan has three daughters with his first wife, Betty Deisher and one son with wife Connie Duncan, who survives him.Studio albums
| Year | Album | Chart Positions | Label | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US Country | CAN Country | |||
| 1968 | Johnny One Time | 40 | — | Columbia |
| 1969 | Back to Back (w/ June Stearns) | — | — | |
| 1971 | There's Something About a Lady | — | — | |
| 1973 | Sweet Country Woman | 34 | — | |
| We're Gonna Need a Man | — | — | ||
| 1977 | Johnny Duncan | 21 | — | |
| Come a Little Bit Closer | 27 | — | ||
| 1978 | The Best Is Yet to Come | 42 | 8 | |
| 1979 | See You When the Sun Goes Down | — | — | |
| Straight from Texas | — | — | ||
| 1980 | In My Dreams | 61 | — | |
| Nice'n Easy (w/ Janie Fricke Janie Fricke Janie Fricke is an American country music singer, best remembered for a series of country music hits in the early to mid 1980s.... ) |
— | — | ||
| You're On My Mind | — | — | ||
| 1986 | Faraway Hideaway | — | — | Pharaoh |
Compilation albums
| Year | Album | US Country | Label |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1976 | The Best | 5 | Columbia |
| 1978 | Greatest Hits | 45 | |
| 1998 | Pure Country | — | |
| Classic Country | — | Simitar | |
| 2003 | It Couldn't Have Been Any Better | — | Collector's Choice |
Singles
| Year | Single | Chart Positions | Album | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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... |
CAN Country | |||
| 1967 | "Hard Luck Joe" | 54 | — | Johnny One Time |
| 1968 | "Baby Me Baby" | 67 | — | |
| "To My Sorrow" | 47 | — | ||
| "Jackson Ain't a Very Big Town" (w/ June Stearns) | 21 | — | Back to Back | |
| 1969 | "I Live to Love You" | 70 | — | Single only |
| "Back to Back (We're Strangers)" (w/ June Stearns) | 74 | — | Back to Back | |
| "When She Touches Me" | 30 | — | Johnny One Time | |
| 1970 | "Window Number Five" | 65 | — | We're Gonna Need a Man |
| "You're Gonna Need a Man" | 39 | — | There's Something About a Lady | |
| "My Woman's Love" | 68 | — | ||
| "Let Me Go (Set Me Free)" | 27 | 43 | ||
| 1971 | "There's Something About a Lady" | 19 | — | |
| "One Night of Love" | 39 | — | Sweet Country Woman | |
| "Baby's Smile, Woman's Kiss" | 12 | — | We're Gonna Need a Man | |
| 1972 | "Fools" | 19 | 16 | Sweet Country Woman |
| "Here We Go Again" | 66 | — | Single only | |
| 1973 | "Sweet Country Woman" | 6 | 8 | Sweet Country Woman |
| "Talkin' with My Lady" | 18 | 42 | The Best | |
| 1974 | "The Pillow" | 47 | — | The Best Is Yet to Come |
| "Scarlet Water" | 66 | — | The Best | |
| 1975 | "Charley Is My Name" | 57 | — | Single only |
| "Jo and the Cowboy" | 26 | 28 | The Best | |
| 1976 | "Gentle Fire" | 86 | — | |
| "Stranger" | 4 | 13 | ||
| "Thinkin' of a Rendezvous Thinkin' of a Rendezvous "Thinkin' of a Rendezvous" is a country music song written by Bobby Braddock and Sonny Throckmorton, and recorded by Johnny Duncan.Featuring harmony vocals, and a solo line at a key point in the song's third verse by session vocalist Janie Fricke, "Thinkin' of a Rendezvous" became Duncan's first... " |
1 | 1 | Greatest Hits | |
| 1977 | "It Couldn't Have Been Any Better It Couldn't Have Been Any Better "It Couldn't Have Been Any Better" is a country music song written by Ray Griff, and made famous by Johnny Duncan.One of several Duncan singles to feature session vocalist Janie Fricke on harmony vocals, "It Couldn't Have Been Any Better" became his second No. 1 song to top the Billboard Hot... " |
1 | 1 | |
| "A Song in the Night"A | 5 | 5 | Come a Little Bit Closer | |
| "Come a Little Bit Closer" (w/ Janie Fricke Janie Fricke Janie Fricke is an American country music singer, best remembered for a series of country music hits in the early to mid 1980s.... ) |
4 | 2 | ||
| 1978 | "She Can Put Her Shoes Under my Bed (Anytime) She Can Put Her Shoes Under my Bed (Anytime) "She Can Put Her Shoes Under my Bed " is a 1978 single written by Aaron Schroeder and Bob Halley and recorded by Johnny Duncan. "She Can Put Her Shoes Under my Bed " would the third and final number one on the country chart for Johnny Duncan. The single stayed at number one for one week and spent... " |
1 | 1 | The Best Is Yet to Come |
| "Hello Mexico (And Adios Baby to You)" | 4 | 7 | ||
| 1979 | "Slow Dancing" | 6 | 8 | See You When the Sun Goes Down |
| "The Lady in the Blue Mercedes" | 9 | 21 | Straight from Texas | |
| 1980 | "Play Another Slow Song" | 17 | 31 | |
| "I'm Gonna Love You Tonight (In My Dreams)" | 17 | 48 | In My Dreams | |
| "He's Out of My Life" (w/ Janie Fricke) | 17 | 20 | Nice'n Easy | |
| "Acapulco" | 16 | — | You're On My Mind | |
| 1981 | "All Night Long" | 40 | — | Single only |
| 1986 | "The Look of a Lady in Love" | 69 | — | Faraway Hideaway |
| "Texas Moon" | 81 | — | ||
- A"A Song in the Night" also peaked at #5 on Bubbling Under Hot 100 SinglesBubbling Under Hot 100 SinglesThe Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles is a chart published weekly by Billboard magazine in the United States. It lists the top 25 singles below number 100 that have not yet charted on the Billboard Hot 100. Sometimes, however, singles halt their progress on this chart, and never appear on the Hot 100...
.