Leon Ashley
Encyclopedia
Leon Walton is an American country music
artist, known profressionally as Leon Ashley. He is known mainly for his number 1 single "Laura (What's He Got That I Ain't Got)
", which topped the country singles charts in 1967. This single was distributed on his own label. Ashley wrote, recorded, released, distributed and published the single on his own. Besides this song, he released several other singles throughout the 1960s and 1970s.
. He first performed at age nine on a local radio show, and released his first single in 1960 on Goldband Records
. This single did not attract significant airplay, neither did later releases on Imperial Records
and Dot Records
. Ashley eventually married singer Margie Singleton
.
In 1967, Ashley founded his own label, Ashley Records. The label's releases proved more successful than his releases on Goldband and Imperial, with one Ashley Records release — "Laura (What's He Got That I Ain't Got)" — becoming his only number 1 country hit that year. This song made him the first country music artist "to write, record, release, distribute and publish his own material", according to Allmusic. An album, also entitled Laura (What's He Got That I Ain't Got), reached #10 on the Top Country Albums chart. He had several more hit singles soon afterward, including more duets with Singleton, as well as a duets album on the Ashley label. One single, "While Your Lover Sleeps," reached #1 on the Canadian country charts. His chart success waned by 1969, however, and he shifted his focus to songwriting for other artists. Brook Benton
and Frankie Laine
concurrently sent of "Laura" to the pop and A.C. charts in 1969, and Claude King
sent a version to the lower regions of the country charts shortly after Ashley's version fell from the top of the charts. Marty Robbins
also charted in 1973 with it, and Kenny Rogers
sent a cover to #19 three years later.
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...
artist, known profressionally as Leon Ashley. He is known mainly for his number 1 single "Laura (What's He Got That I Ain't Got)
Laura (What's He Got That I Ain't Got)
"Laura " is a song co-written and recorded by American country music singer Leon Ashley. Recorded in 1967 and released on his own Ashley Records label, the song became his only No. 1 single that September...
", which topped the country singles charts in 1967. This single was distributed on his own label. Ashley wrote, recorded, released, distributed and published the single on his own. Besides this song, he released several other singles throughout the 1960s and 1970s.
Biography
Leon Walton was born on May 18, 1936 in Covington, GeorgiaCovington, Georgia
Covington is a city in Newton County, Georgia, United States. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 13,118. The city is the county seat of Newton County...
. He first performed at age nine on a local radio show, and released his first single in 1960 on Goldband Records
Goldband Records
Goldband Records is an American record company based in Lake Charles, Louisiana, founded in 1945 and best known for its Cajun and R&B recordings in the 1950s and 1960s....
. This single did not attract significant airplay, neither did later releases on Imperial Records
Imperial Records
Imperial Records is a United States based label started in 1947 by Lew Chudd and reactivated in 2006 by label owner EMI.- The independent and Liberty Records years :...
and Dot Records
Dot Records
Dot Records was an American record label and company that was active between 1950 and 1977. It was founded by Randy Wood. In Gallatin, Tennessee, Wood had earlier started a mail order record shop, known for its radio ads on WLAC in Nashville and its R&B air personality Bill "Hoss" Allen...
. Ashley eventually married singer Margie Singleton
Margie Singleton
Margaret Louis Ebey , known professionally as Margie Singleton, is an American country music singer and songwriter. In the 1960s, she was a popular duet and solo recording artist, working with country stars George Jones and Faron Young. Singleton had her biggest hit with Young called "Keeping Up...
.
In 1967, Ashley founded his own label, Ashley Records. The label's releases proved more successful than his releases on Goldband and Imperial, with one Ashley Records release — "Laura (What's He Got That I Ain't Got)" — becoming his only number 1 country hit that year. This song made him the first country music artist "to write, record, release, distribute and publish his own material", according to Allmusic. An album, also entitled Laura (What's He Got That I Ain't Got), reached #10 on the Top Country Albums chart. He had several more hit singles soon afterward, including more duets with Singleton, as well as a duets album on the Ashley label. One single, "While Your Lover Sleeps," reached #1 on the Canadian country charts. His chart success waned by 1969, however, and he shifted his focus to songwriting for other artists. Brook Benton
Brook Benton
Brook Benton was an American singer and songwriter who was popular with rock and roll, rhythm and blues, and pop music audiences during the late 1950s and early 1960s, when he scored hits such as "It's Just A Matter Of Time" and "Endlessly", many of which he co-wrote.He made a comeback in 1970...
and Frankie Laine
Frankie Laine
Frankie Laine, born Francesco Paolo LoVecchio , was a successful American singer, songwriter, and actor whose career spanned 75 years, from his first concerts in 1930 with a marathon dance company to his final performance of "That's My Desire" in 2005...
concurrently sent of "Laura" to the pop and A.C. charts in 1969, and Claude King
Claude King
Claude King is an American country music singer and songwriter, best known for his million selling 1962 hit, "Wolverton Mountain".-Biography:...
sent a version to the lower regions of the country charts shortly after Ashley's version fell from the top of the charts. Marty Robbins
Marty Robbins
Martin David Robinson , known professionally as Marty Robbins, was an American singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist...
also charted in 1973 with it, and Kenny Rogers
Kenny Rogers
Kenneth Donald "Kenny" Rogers is an American singer-songwriter, photographer, record producer, actor, and entrepreneur...
sent a cover to #19 three years later.
Albums
| Year | Album | Chart Positions |
|---|---|---|
| US Country | ||
| 1967 | Laura (What's He Got That I Ain't Got) | 10 |
| 1968 | Ode to Billie Joe | — |
| 1969 | A New Brand of Country (with Margie Singleton) | — |
| 1970 | Ease Up: By Special Request | — |
Singles
| Year | Song | Chart Positions | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | ||
| 1960 | "He'll Never Go" | — | — |
| 1961 | "Teen Age Angel" | — | — |
| "It's Alright Baby" | — | — | |
| 1962 | "Not Going Home" | — | — |
| 1964 | "You Give Me Reason to Live" | — | — |
| 1966 | "How Can We Divide These Little Hearts" (with Margie Singleton Margie Singleton Margaret Louis Ebey , known professionally as Margie Singleton, is an American country music singer and songwriter. In the 1960s, she was a popular duet and solo recording artist, working with country stars George Jones and Faron Young. Singleton had her biggest hit with Young called "Keeping Up... ) |
— | — |
| 1967 | "Most Men" | — | — |
| "Before You Were Mine" | — | — | |
| "Laura (What's He Got That I Ain't Got) Laura (What's He Got That I Ain't Got) "Laura " is a song co-written and recorded by American country music singer Leon Ashley. Recorded in 1967 and released on his own Ashley Records label, the song became his only No. 1 single that September... "A |
1 | — | |
| "Hangin' On" (with Margie Singleton) | 54 | — | |
| "Anna, I'm Taking You Home" | 28 | — | |
| 1968 | "Mental Journey" | 14 | 4 |
| "You'll Never Be Lonely Again" (with Margie Singleton) | 55 | — | |
| "Flower of Love" | 8 | — | |
| "While Your Lover Sleeps While Your Lover Sleeps "While Your Lover Sleeps" is a single by American country music artist Leon Ashley. The song peaked at number 25 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles chart. It also reached number 1 on the RPM Country Tracks chart in Canada.-Chart performance:... " |
25 | 1 | |
| 1969 | "Walkin' Back to Birmingham" | 23 | — |
| "Ain't Gonna Worry" | 55 | — | |
| "If Love Has Died" (with Margie Singleton) | — | — | |
| 1970 | "Life for a Wife" | — | — |
| "All That Love Is Gone" (with Margie Singleton) | — | — | |
| "Brace Up and Face It" | — | — | |
| "Happy Loving You" (with Margie Singleton) | — | — | |
| "Mama's Ten" | — | — | |
| 1971 | "There Ain't No Easy Way" | — | — |
| 1972 | "Easy Up" | — | — |
| "There's Not a Single Thing About Me" | — | — | |
| 1973 | "Love Fits Me Better" | — | — |
| 1980 | "Look What Loving Me Has Done to You" | — | — |
| "Dear Willie (A Letter from Luckenbach)" | — | — |
- APeaked at #20 on Bubbling Under Hot 100.