Maury Finney
Encyclopedia
Maury Finney is an American country music
saxophonist. Between 1976 and 1980, he recorded for the Soundwaves record label
. Finney charted twelve times on the Billboard
country singles charts. His highest-peaking single was "Coconut Grove," which reached #72 in 1977.
. He also played in a band called The Charms, which had regional success, before recording his debut single "Maiden's Prayer" for the Soundwaves label.
Finney's recordings for Soundwaves largely comprised instrumental covers of other artists' songs. Among these were David Houston
's "Almost Persuaded
," Larry Gatlin
's "I Don't Wanna Cry," Hank Thompson's "The Wild Side of Life
" and Ernest Tubb
's "Waltz Across Texas." The singles "Maiden's Prayer," "Coconut Grove" and "I Want to Play My Horn on the Grand Ole Opry" all featured vocals from a backing chorus, and Finney provided additional vocals on the latter.
Between 1976 and 1977, he had charted the most instrumental songs of any country music artist. In 1977, the Country Music Association
nominated him Instrumentalist of the Year.
Finney continued to operate his appliance store until 2001, when he retired and closed it.
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...
saxophonist. Between 1976 and 1980, he recorded for the Soundwaves record label
Record label
In the music industry, a record label is a brand and a trademark associated with the marketing of music recordings and music videos. Most commonly, a record label is the company that manages such brands and trademarks, coordinates the production, manufacture, distribution, marketing and promotion,...
. Finney charted twelve times on the Billboard
Billboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
country singles charts. His highest-peaking single was "Coconut Grove," which reached #72 in 1977.
Musical career
In the 1970s, Finney owned an appliance store in East Grand Forks, MinnesotaEast Grand Forks, Minnesota
-K-12:The East Grand Forks School District enrolls over 1,000 students and operates two elementary schools , Central Middle School, and East Grand Forks Senior High School. There are also two private Christian schools. Sacred Heart School is a Roman Catholic elementary, middle, and high school...
. He also played in a band called The Charms, which had regional success, before recording his debut single "Maiden's Prayer" for the Soundwaves label.
Finney's recordings for Soundwaves largely comprised instrumental covers of other artists' songs. Among these were David Houston
David Houston (singer)
Charles David Houston was an American country music singer. His peak in popularity came between the mid-1960s through the early 1970s.-Biography:...
's "Almost Persuaded
Almost Persuaded
"Almost Persuaded" is a song written by Glenn Sutton and Muscle Shoals songwriter Billy Sherrill and first recorded by David Houston in 1966. It is not to be confused with the Christian hymn of the same name....
," Larry Gatlin
Larry Gatlin
Larry Wayne Gatlin is an American country music singer/songwriter. He is perhaps best known for teaming up with his brothers Steve and Rudy in the late 1970s, becoming one of country music's most successful acts of the 1970s and 1980s. Gatlin has had a total of 33 Top 40 singles...
's "I Don't Wanna Cry," Hank Thompson's "The Wild Side of Life
The Wild Side of Life
"The Wild Side of Life" is a song made famous by country music singer Hank Thompson. Originally released in 1952, the song became one of the most popular recordings in the genre's history, spending 15 weeks at No...
" and Ernest Tubb
Ernest Tubb
Ernest Dale Tubb , nicknamed the Texas Troubadour, was an American singer and songwriter and one of the pioneers of country music. His biggest career hit song, "Walking the Floor Over You" , marked the rise of the honky tonk style of music...
's "Waltz Across Texas." The singles "Maiden's Prayer," "Coconut Grove" and "I Want to Play My Horn on the Grand Ole Opry" all featured vocals from a backing chorus, and Finney provided additional vocals on the latter.
Between 1976 and 1977, he had charted the most instrumental songs of any country music artist. In 1977, the Country Music Association
Country Music Association
The Country Music Association was founded in 1958 in Nashville, Tennessee. It originally consisted of only 233 members and was the first trade organization formed to promote a music genre...
nominated him Instrumentalist of the Year.
Finney continued to operate his appliance store until 2001, when he retired and closed it.
Singles
| Year | Single | 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... |
||
| 1976 | "Maiden's Prayer" | 84 |
| "Rollin' in My Sweet Baby's Arms Rollin' in My Sweet Baby's Arms "Rollin' in My Sweet Baby's Arms" is a cover version, released as a single by American country music artist Buck Owens. The song was written by Lester Flatt, and first released as a single, "Roll in My Sweet Baby's Arms," by Lester Flatt, Earl Scruggs, and the Foggy Mountain Boys, on December 14,... " |
76 | |
| "Waltz Across Texas" | 81 | |
| 1977 | "Everybody's Had the Blues Everybody's Had the Blues "Everybody's Had the Blues" is a 1973 single written and recorded by Merle Haggard. "Everybody's Had the Blues" was a live recording that became Haggard's fifteenth number one on the U.S. country singles chart. The single stayed at number one for two weeks and spent a total of fifteen weeks on... " |
85 |
| "Coconut Grove" | 72 | |
| "Poor People of Paris" | 85 | |
| 1978 | "I Don't Wanna Cry" | 88 |
| "Whispering" | 84 | |
| 1979 | "Happy Sax" | 92 |
| "Your Love Takes Me So High" | 93 | |
| 1980 | "Lonely Wine" | 75 |
B-sides
| Year | Single | Chart Positions | Original A-side |
|---|---|---|---|
| US Country | |||
| 1976 | "San Antonio Stroll San Antonio Stroll "San Antonio Stroll" is a 1975 single written by Peter Noah and recorded by Tanya Tucker. "San Antonio Stroll" was Tanya Tucker's fifth number one on the country chart. The single stayed at number one for a single week and spent a total of eleven weeks on the country chart... " |
flip | "Maiden's Prayer" |
| "The Wild Side of Life The Wild Side of Life "The Wild Side of Life" is a song made famous by country music singer Hank Thompson. Originally released in 1952, the song became one of the most popular recordings in the genre's history, spending 15 weeks at No... " |
78 | "Rollin' in My Sweet Baby's Arms" | |
| "Off and Running" | flip | "Waltz Across Texas" | |
| 1977 | "Almost Persuaded Almost Persuaded "Almost Persuaded" is a song written by Glenn Sutton and Muscle Shoals songwriter Billy Sherrill and first recorded by David Houston in 1966. It is not to be confused with the Christian hymn of the same name.... " |
flip | "Poor People of Paris" |
| 1979 | "I Want to Play My Horn on the Grand Ole Opry" | flip | "Your Love Takes Me So High" |
| "flip" indicates that the release was a two-sided single | |||