(July 7, 1927 – January 26, 2011)
Biography
Born in Henagar, Alabama, Louvin was one of 7 children. He started singing when he was 8 years old.[2]Louvin began singing professionally with his brother Ira as a teenager on local radio programs in Chattanooga, Tennessee. The boys sang traditional and gospel music in the harmony style they had learned while performing in their church's choir.[3]
After Charlie left the act briefly in 1945 to serve in World War II, the brothers moved first to Knoxville and later to Memphis, working as postal clerks by day while making appearances in the evening. Another brief disbandment due to Charlie's service in the Korean War led to the brothers' relocation to Birmingham, Alabama.[3]
Primarily known as gospel artists, the Louvins were convinced by a sponsor that "you can't sell tobacco with gospel music," and began adding secular music to their repertoire. They began making appearances on the famed Grand Ole Opry during the 1950s, becoming official members in 1955. The Louvin Brothers released numerous singles, such as "Little Reasons," with over 20 recordings reaching the country music charts. Their rich harmonies served as an influence to later artists such as Emmylou Harris, Gram Parsons and The Byrds.[4]
By the 1960s Charlie and Ira's popularity had waned and the brothers split up in 1963. In 1965, Ira was killed in a car accident. Charlie continued to perform solo, making numerous appearances on the Grand Ole Opry and in later years acting as an elder statesman for country music.[4]
In 2001, the Louvin Brothers were inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame.[5]
In the 2000s, he had begun rebuilding his career. Although he readily admitted he was never much of a writer, Louvin released a disc of classics containing one new song, a tribute to Ira, and a gospel album on Tompkins Square Records.[6] The songs mainly pair Louvin with other singers, such as George Jones, Jeff Tweedy of Wilco, Alex McManus of Bright Eyes, Elvis Costello, and Derwin Hinson. He also wrote two songs with Rockabilly Hall of Famer, Colonel Robert Morris one of which is on Morris' trucking CD, "Highway Hero".
As of 2003[update], Louvin lived in Wartrace, Tennessee.[7] He closed his Louvin Brothers museum in Nashville and was looking to open another one in Monteagle, Tennessee, near Chattanooga. He was a cousin of songwriter John D. Loudermilk.
Louvin underwent surgery for pancreatic cancer on July 22, 2010. Doctors expected a full recovery,[8] but "the surgery did not go as planned," according to Louvin's son Sonny, and "he will begin using alternative methods of treatment, going forward".[9] Louvin died in the early morning on January 26, 2011, in Wartrace, Tennessee, aged 83.[10][11]
Discography
Albums
| Year | Album | US Country | Label |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1965 | Less and Less &; I Don't Love You Anymore | 6 | Capitol |
| 1966 | The Many Moods of Charlie Louvin | 9 | |
| Lonesome Is Me | 13 | ||
| 1967 | I'll Remember Always | 22 | |
| I Forgot to Cry | 25 | ||
| 1968 | Will You Visit Me On Sundays? | — | |
| 1969 | Hey Daddy | 37 | |
| The Kind of Man I Am | 32 | ||
| 1970 | Here's a Toast to Mama | 44 | |
| Ten Times Charlie | — | ||
| 1971 | Something to Brag About (w/ Melba Montgomery) | 45 | |
| Baby, You've Got What It Takes (w/ Melba Montgomery) | 45 | ||
| 1972 | The Best of Charlie Louvin | — | |
| 1974 | It Almost Felt Like Love | — | United Artists |
| 1982 | Jim and Jesse and Charlie (w/ Jim & Jesse) | — | Soundwaves |
| 2007 | Charlie Louvin | — | Tompkins Square |
| Live at Shake It Records | — | ||
| 2008 | Steps to Heaven | — | |
| Sings Murder Ballads and Disaster Songs | — | ||
| 2009 | Hickory Wind: Live at the Gram Parsons Guitar Pull | — | True North Records |
| 2010 | The Battle Rages On | — |
Singles
| Year | Single | Chart Positions | Album | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US Country | CAN Country | |||
| 1964 | "I Don't Love You Anymore" | 4 | 1 | Less and Less / I Don't Love You Anymore |
| 1965 | "Less and Less" | 27 | — | |
| "See the Big Man Cry" | 7 | — | ||
| "Think I'll Go Somewhere and Cry Myself to Sleep" | 26 | — | The Many Moods of Charlie Louvin | |
| 1966 | "You Finally Said Something Good (When You Said Goodbye)" | 15 | — | Lonesome Is Me |
| "Something's Wrong" | — | — | ||
| "The Proof Is in the Kissing" | 58 | — | Will You Visit Me On Sundays? | |
| 1967 | "Off and On" | 38 | — | I Forgot to Cry |
| "On the Other Hand" | 44 | — | ||
| "I Forgot to Cry" | 46 | — | ||
| "The Only Way Out (Is to Walk Over Me)" | 3 | — | Will You Visit Me On Sundays? | |
| 1968 | "Will You Visit Me On Sundays?" | 20 | 22 | |
| "Hey Daddy" | 15 | 21 | Hey Daddy | |
| 1969 | "What Are Those Things (With Big Black Wings)" | 19 | — | The Kind of Man I Am |
| "Let's Put Our World Back Together" | 27 | — | ||
| "Little Reasons" | 29 | — | Here's a Toast to Mama | |
| 1970 | "Here's a Toast to Mama" | 42 | — | |
| "Tiny Wings" | — | — | Ten Times Charlie | |
| "Come and Get It Mama" | 47 | — | ||
| "Something to Brag About" (w/ Melba Montgomery) | 18 | 26 | Something to Brag About | |
| "Sittin' Bull" | 54 | — | single only | |
| 1971 | "Did You Ever" (w/ Melba Montgomery) | 26 | — | Baby, You've Got What It Takes |
| "Love Has to Die by Itself" | — | — | The Best of Charlie Louvin | |
| "Baby, You've Got What It Takes" (w/ Melba Montgomery) | 30 | — | Baby, You've Got What It Takes | |
| "I'm Gonna Leave You" (w/ Melba Montgomery) | 60 | — | singles only | |
| 1972 | "I Placed a Call" | — | — | |
| "Just in Time (To Watch Love Die)" | 70 | — | ||
| "Baby, What's Wrong with Us" (w/ Melba Montgomery) | 66 | — | ||
| 1973 | "A Man Likes Things Like That" (w/ Melba Montgomery) | 59 | — | |
| "Bottom of the Fifth" | — | — | ||
| "Funny Man" | — | — | ||
| 1974 | "You're My Wife, She's My Woman" | 36 | — | It Almost Felt Like Love |
| "It Almost Felt Like Love" | 76 | — | ||
| "I Want to See You (One More Time)" | — | — | singles only | |
| 1975 | "I Just Want a Happy Life" | — | — | |
| "Is I Love You That Easy to Say" | — | — | ||
| 1976 | "Sweet Texas" | — | — | |
| "Store Up Love" | — | — | ||
| 1978 | "When I Was Your Man" | — | — | |
| 1979 | "Two of a Kind" | — | — | |
| "Love Don't Care" (w/ Emmylou Harris) | 91 | — | ||
| 1982 | "North Wind" (w/ Jim & Jesse) | 56 | — | Jim and Jesse and Charlie |
| "Showboat Gamblin'" (w/ Jim & Jesse) | — | — | ||
| 1989 | "The Precious Jewel" (w/ Roy Acuff) | 87 | — | singles only |
| "He Keeps Crying Over You" | — | — | ||
| 2007 | "Ira" | — | — | Charlie Louvin |
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