Carl Belew (1931-1990) was one of Nashville's great also-rans, a kid from Oklahoma who moved from a slot on the Louisiana Hayride into great success as a Music City songwriter, penning several big hits, including a few (such as "Stop The World And Let Me Off" and "Am I That Easy to Forget") that crossed over into mainstream pop in the late 1950s and early '60s. As a performer, Belew is less well-remembered, although he has his fans (including me!) and certainly had a distinctive style. He was a soft-spirited honkytonker, a rough-edged crooner whose specialty was mournful, mopey weepers, songs that more often than not had the word "lonely" in the title. At various phases in his career he brought to mind other, more successful singers, ranging from Carl Smith and Ray Price on one end, and more dramatic singers such as Marty Robbins and Roy Orbison on the other... Here's a quick look at his career.
Best-Ofs & CDs
Carl Belew "20 Greatest Hits" (KTel Records, 1976)
Carl Belew "Hits Plus Ones I've Written" (Koch Records, 2005)
Carl Belew "Am I That Easy to Forget?" (Gusto Records, 2007)
Discography - Albums
Carl Belew "Carl Belew" (Decca Records, 1960) (LP)
Carl Belew "Hello Out There" (RCA Victor, 1964) (LP)
The title track was his biggest hit (#8 on the Country charts), but like many of the tracks on here, it has an odd, Roy Orbison-esque rock ballad feel to it. There are also some upbeat numbers, but they also have a crossover feel to them, with electrified, backbeat-heavy tunes like "Odd Man Out" and "Big City Girls" that have a trucker-tune feel to them. Belew's hillbilly side was clearly being subsumed to a poppier production style, courtesy of the label. Still, I find him pretty appealing; it's funny Belew didn't do better commercially.
Carl Belew "Am I That Easy To Forget" (RCA Victor, 1965) (LP)
Carl Belew "Twelve Shades Of Belew" (RCA Victor, 1968) (LP)
A more solid set, with Belew sounding more comfortable in the studio, and less all over the map stylistically. He's settled into a suave crooner ode, and it suits him well. Recommended!
Carl Belew & Betty Jean Robinson "When My Baby Sings His Song" (Decca Records, 1972) (LP)
A secular set of duets with songwriter Betty Jean Robinson, who went on to become a major force on the Southern Gospel music scene... I haven't heard this one, but I am very curious!
Carl Belew "Greatest Hits" (Plantation Records, 1975) (LP)
(Produced by Shelby Singleton)
The original sessions for this frequently-reissued album seem to have been from 1974; as is the Shelby Singleton way, over the years the material was repackaged on a variety of subsidiary labels, with a song or two missing or added here or there. Singleton listed himself as the producer on at least one version, so I'll take his word for it. It's a good set, mostly made up of re-recordings of Belew's old hits, with smooth but reasonably earthy backing by an anonymous Nashville band. This was Carl Belew's first record after getting dropped by Decca/MCA when the label purged itself of numerous legacy country artists who it deemed weren't worth keeping on the payroll in the slick, modern countrypolitan era. It also proved to be his last gasp as a solo performer, and all things considered it's a pretty nice capstone for his long career. Belew sounds confident and cool, a little subdued, perhaps, but in good voice. Not electrifying, but a decent latter-day album.
Cheapie LPs
Carl Belew "Carl Belew" (Avon Records, 1962) (LP)
Belew was the subject of a great number of cheapie LPs that gathered his odds'n'ends, and these often include some very fine material. I've set them aside from his "regular" albums because the release dates are misleading -- these albums often contain much older material.
Carl Belew "Another Lonely Night" (Pickwick Records, 1965) (LP)
This disc gathers together ten of his earlier singles, and is notable for its variety of styles, with some twangy, nasal (and even drastically out of tune) hillbilly material, including several songs with a prominent fiddle (an instrument he later eschewed, in favor of a sleeker, smoother sound...) and a couple of rockabilly ripoffs, like the delightful "Folding Money." Belew's career was typical of many early country performers -- after working on the road for years and pulling an apprenticeship on radio and TV, he moved up to a spot on the Louisiana Hayride, and finally joined the Opry. His best work is spread out over several labels, which may account for why many of his older songs still haven't made it onto CD. Anyway, this is a pretty fun record... worth searching around for!
Carl Belew "Carl Belew" (Allegro Records, 1966) (LP)
Carl Belew "Country Songs" (Decca-Vocalion, 1966) (LP)
Carl Belew "Lonely Street" (Decca-Vocalion, 1967) (LP)
Carl Belew "Singing My Song" (Buckboard Recordsm 19--?) (LP)
Carl Belew "Big Time Gambling Man" (Piccadilly Records, 1981) (LP)
Links
Hick Music Index
