Jerry Leon Wallace (December 15, 1928[1] – May 5, 2008)[2] was an American country and pop singer. Between 1958 and 1964, Wallace charted nine hits on the Billboard Hot 100, including the No. 8 "Primrose Lane" that was later used as the theme song for the television series The Smith Family. He made his debut on the country music charts in 1965, entering it thirty-five times between then and 1980.[1] In that timespan, Wallace charted within the country Top Ten four times. His only number one song was "If You Leave Me Tonight I'll Cry," a song which gained popularity after it was used in an episode of the 1970s TV series Night Gallery.[1]
Jerry Wallace | |
|---|---|
| Born | December 15, 1928 Guilford, Missouri, U.S. |
| Died | May 5, 2008 (aged 79) Corona, California, U.S. |
| Genres | |
| Occupation | Singer |
| Instrument(s) | Vocals, guitar |
| Years active | 1951–1980 |
| Labels | Challenge, Mercury, Liberty, London, Decca, MCA, MGM, BMA, 4 Star, Door Knob |
Biography
editWallace was born in Guilford, Missouri, United States.[1]
Wallace performed for the eighth Cavalcade of Jazz concert held at Wrigley Field in Los Angeles which was produced by Leon Hefflin, Sr. on June 1, 1952. Also featured that day were Roy Brown and His Mighty Men, Anna Mae Winburn and Her Sweethearts, Toni Harper, Louis Jordan, Jimmy Witherspoon and Josephine Baker.[3]
His better-known songs include "How the Time Flies" (1958), "Primrose Lane" (1959, written by Wayne Shanklin and George Callender), "Shutters and Boards" (1963, written by American film actor Audie Murphy and Canadian song producer Scott Turner), "In the Misty Moonlight" (1964),[1] and "Otoko no Sekai" (男の世界, lit. "The World of the Man", English title: "The Lovers of the World") (1970), his biggest selling single that was released in Japan only. "Primrose Lane" was his biggest hit, reaching No. 8 pop and No. 12 R&B in the US, selling over one million copies and awarded a gold disc.[4] After his song "If You Leave Me Tonight I'll Cry" was featured in the 1972 Night Gallery episode "The Tune in Dan's Cafe," the song became a No. 1 hit on the Billboard magazine Hot Country Singles chart that August, spending two weeks at the top of the chart, crossing to No. 38 pop.[5] "How The Time Flies" was Wallace's first big hit, reaching No. 11 pop and No. 11 R&B.[1]
In 1972, he gained nomination for the Country Music Association Award as Male Vocalist of the Year, and his song "To Get To You" gained nomination for Single of the Year.
Wallace died on May 5, 2008, in Corona, California, after suffering congestive heart failure.[2] A United States Navy veteran of World War II, Wallace was buried at Riverside National Cemetery in Riverside, California.
Discography
editAlbums
edit| Year | Album | Chart Positions | Label | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US Country | US | |||
| 1959 | Just Jerry | — | — | Challenge |
| 1961 | There She Goes | — | — | |
| 1962 | Shutters and Boards | — | — | |
| 1964 | In the Misty Moonlight | — | 96 | |
| 1968 | This One's On the House | 35 | — | Liberty |
| Another Time, Another World | 31 | — | ||
| Sweet Child of Sunshine | 35 | — | ||
| 1972 | This Is Jerry Wallace | 7 | — | Decca |
| To Get to You | 1 | — | ||
| 1973 | Do You Know What It's Like to Be Lonesome? | 6 | 179 | MCA |
| Primrose Lane / Don't Give Up On Me | 1 | — | ||
| 1974 | For Wives and Lovers | 31 | — | |
| I Wonder Whose Baby (You Are Now) / Make Hay While the Sun Shines |
45 | — | ||
| 1975 | Greatest Hits | 39 | — | MGM |
| 1976 | Jerry Wallace | 41 | — | |
| 1990 | Greatest Hits | — | — | Curb |
Singles
edit| Year | Single (A-side, B-side) Both sides from same album except where indicated |
Chart Positions | Album | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US Country | US [6] |
US R&B | CAN Country | CAN | |||
| 1952 | "Miserable Blues" b/w "There'll Be Some Changes Made" |
— | — | — | — | — | Non-album tracks |
| 1954 | "That's What A Woman Can Do" b/w "Gee, But I Hate To Go Home Alone" |
— | — | — | — | — | |
| "Runnin' After Love" b/w "Dixie Anna" |
— | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1955 | "Taj Mahal" b/w "Autumn Has Come and Gone" |
— | — | — | — | — | |
| "The Greatest Magic Of All" b/w "Walkin' In The Rain" |
— | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1956 | "On A Night When Flowers Were Dancing" b/w "Gloria" |
— | — | — | — | — | |
| "Eyes Of Fire Lips Of Wine" b/w "Monkey See Monkey Do" |
— | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1957 | "Blue Jean Baby" b/w "Fool's Hall Of Fame" |
— | — | — | — | — | Just Jerry |
| "Date Night" b/w "Once With You" (Non-album track) |
— | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1958 | "Good and Bad" b/w "The Other Me" |
— | — | — | — | — | |
| "How The Time Flies" b/w "With This Ring" |
— | 11 | 11 | — | — | ||
| "Diamond Ring" b/w "All My Love Belongs To You" |
— | 78 | — | — | — | ||
| 1959 | "A Touch Of Pink" b/w "Off Stage" |
— | 92 | — | — | — | Non-album tracks |
| "Primrose Lane" b/w "By Your Side" (Non-album track) |
— | 8 | 12 | — | — | There She Goes | |
| 1960 | "Little Coco Palm" b/w "Mission Bell Blues" |
— | 36 | — | — | — | Non-album tracks |
| "You're Singing Our Love Song To Somebody Else" b/w "King Of The Mountain" |
— | 115 | — | — | — | There She Goes | |
| "Swingin' Down the Lane" b/w "Teardrop In The Rain" |
— | 79 | — | — | — | ||
| "Only Twenty" B-side unknown |
— | — | — | — | — | Non-album track | |
| 1961 | "There She Goes" b/w "Angel On My Shoulder" |
— | 26 | — | — | — | There She Goes |
| "Life's A Holiday" b/w "I Can See An Angel Walking" |
— | 91 | — | — | — | Shutters and Boards | |
| "Lonesome" b/w "Eyes (Don't Give My Secret Away)" |
— | 110 | — | — | — | Non-album tracks | |
| "Rollin' River" b/w "I Hang My Head and Cry" |
— | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1962 | "Little Miss Tease" b/w "Mr. Lonely" |
— | — | — | — | — | |
| "You'll Never Know" b/w "Here I Go" (Non-album track) |
— | — | — | — | — | Shutters and Boards | |
| 1963 | "Shutters and Boards" b/w "Am I That Easy To Forget" |
— | 24 | — | — | — | |
| "Move Over (When True Love Walks By)" b/w "On A Merry-Go-Round" (Non-album track) |
— | — | — | — | — | In The Misty Moonlight | |
| "Just Walking In The Rain" b/w "San Francisco Mama" (Non-album track) |
— | — | — | — | — | ||
| "Empty Arms Again" b/w "Bambola (My Darling One)" (Non-album track) |
— | — | — | — | — | ||
| "Auf Wiedersehen" b/w "If I Make It Through Today" (Non-album track) |
— | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1964 | "In the Misty Moonlight"A / | — | 19 | — | — | 35 | |
| "Even The Bad Times Are Good" | — | 114 | — | — | — | ||
| "Butterfly" b/w "Let The Tears Begin" (Non-album track) |
— | — | — | — | — | The Best Of Jerry Wallace | |
| "Spanish Guitars" b/w "Even The Bad Times Are Good" (from In The Misty Moonlight) |
— | 132 | — | — | — | Non-album track | |
| "It's A Cotton Candy World" b/w "Keep A Lamp Burning" (Non-album track) |
— | 99 | — | — | — | The Best Of Jerry Wallace | |
| "Careless Hands" b/w "San Francisco De Assisi" |
— | — | — | — | — | Non-album tracks | |
| 1965 | "Helpless" b/w "You're Driving You Out Of My Mind" |
— | — | — | — | — | |
| "Time" b/w "Rainbow" |
— | — | — | — | — | The Best Of Jerry Wallace | |
| "Life's Gone and Slipped Away" b/w "Twelve Little Roses" |
23 | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1966 | "Diamonds and Horseshoes" b/w "Will The Pain Fade Away" |
45 | — | — | — | — | |
| "Wallpaper Roses" b/w "The Son Of A Green Beret" |
43 | — | — | — | — | Non-album tracks | |
| "Not That I Care" b/w "Release Me (and Let Me Love Again)" (from The Best Of Jerry Wallace) |
44 | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1967 | "Runaway Bay" b/w "Dispossessed" |
— | — | — | — | — | This One's On The House |
| "This One's On The House" b/w "A New Sun Risin'" |
36 | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1968 | "The Closest I Ever Came" b/w "That's What Fools Are For" |
— | — | — | — | — | Another Time, Another World |
| "Another Time, Another Place, Another World" b/w "That's What Fools Are For" |
69 | — | — | — | — | ||
| "That's The Fool In Me" b/w "Are You Ready" |
— | — | — | — | — | Non-album tracks | |
| "Sweet Child Of Sunshine" b/w "Our House On Paper" |
22 | — | — | — | — | Sweet Child Of Sunshine | |
| 1969 | "Son" b/w "Temptation (Make Me Go Home)" |
69 | — | — | — | — | |
| "Venus" b/w "Soon We'll Be There" |
— | — | — | — | — | Bitter Sweet | |
| "Swiss Cottage Place" b/w "With Ageing" |
71 | — | — | — | — | Non-album tracks | |
| "Honey Eyed Girl" b/w "Glory Of My Woman" |
— | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1970 | "Even The Bad Times Are Good" b/w "For All We Know" (Non-album track) |
74 | — | — | — | — | Superpak |
| 1971 | "After You" / | 22 | — | — | — | — | This Is Jerry Wallace |
| "She'll Remember" | 51 | — | — | — | — | ||
| "The Morning After" b/w "I Can't Take It Anymore" |
19 | — | — | 39 | — | ||
| 1972 | "To Get To You" b/w "Time" (from This Is Jerry Wallace) |
12 | 48 | — | 8 | — | To Get To You |
| "If You Leave Me Tonight I'll Cry" b/w "What's He Doin' In My World" |
1 | 38 | — | 3 | 38 | ||
| "Thanks To You For Lovin' Me" b/w "Funny How Time Slips Away" (from |
66 | — | — | — | — | Superpak | |
| 1973 | "Do You Know What It's Like to Be Lonesome" b/w "Where Did He Come From" |
2 | — | — | 4 | — | Do You Know What It's Like to Be Lonsome? |
| "Take Me As I Am" b/w "Touch Me" |
— | — | — | — | — | Superpak | |
| "Sound Of Goodbye" / | 21 | — | — | 16 | — | Do You Know What It's Like to Be Lonsome? | |
| "The Song Nobody Sings" | flip | — | — | — | — | ||
| "Don't Give Up On Me" b/w "You Look Like Forever" (from To Get Top You) |
3 | — | — | 12 | — | Primrose Lane / Don't Give Up On Me | |
| 1974 | "Guess Who" b/w "All I Ever Wanted Fromm You (Is You)" |
18 | — | — | 44 | — | For Wives and Lovers |
| "My Wife's House" b/w "A Better Way To Say I Love You" |
9 | — | — | 3 | — | ||
| "I Wonder Whose Baby (You Are Now)" b/w "Make Hay While the Sun Shines" |
20 | — | — | 47 | — | I Wonder Whose Baby (You Are Now) / Make Hay While the Sun Shines | |
| 1975 | "Comin' Home To You" b/w "River St. Marie" (Non-album track) |
32 | — | — | — | — | Comin' Home To You |
| "All I Want Is You" b/w "With Pen In Hand" (from Sweet Child Of Sunshine) |
— | — | — | — | — | Bitter Sweet | |
| "Wanted Man" b/w "Your Love" (from Comin' Home To You) |
41 | — | — | — | — | Jerry Wallace | |
| "Georgia Rain" b/w "In The Garden" |
70 | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1976 | "The Fool I've Been Today" b/w "Jenny" |
— | — | — | — | — | Non-album tracks |
| "I Can't Keep My Hands Off You" b/w "The Next Plane To Seattle" |
— | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1977 | "I Miss You Already" b/w "(At) The End (Of A Rainbow)" |
26 | — | — | — | — | I Miss You Already |
| "I'll Promise You Tomorrow" b/w "You're On The Run" |
28 | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1978 | "At The End Of A Rainbow" b/w "Looking For A Memory" |
24 | — | — | — | — | |
| "My Last Sad Song" b/w "Out Wickenburg Way" |
64 | — | — | — | — | ||
| "I Wanna Go To Heaven" b/w "After You" |
38 | — | — | — | — | Non-album tracks | |
| 1979 | "Yours Love" b/w "There She Goes" |
67 | — | — | — | — | |
| "You've Still Got Me" b/w "Now That Sandy's Gone" |
68 | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1980 | "Cling To Me" b/w "Paper Madonna" |
56 | — | — | — | — | |
| "If I Could Set My Love To Music" b/w "Cling To Me" |
80 | — | — | — | — | ||
- A"In the Misty Moonlight" also peaked at No. 2 on the Pop-Standard Singles chart.
References
edit- ^ a b c d e f Colin Larkin, ed. (1993). The Guinness Who's Who of Country Music (First ed.). Guinness Publishing. p. 433. ISBN 0-85112-726-6.
- ^ a b "Singer Jerry Wallace Dies in California". CMT. Archived from the original on May 12, 2008. Retrieved 2015-08-18.
- ^ “Largest Jazz Cavalcade in History To Feature Nation’s Top Entertainers” article, The California Eagle, May 29, 1952.
- ^ Murrells, Joseph (1978). The Book of Golden Discs (2nd ed.). London: Barrie and Jenkins Ltd. p. 120. ISBN 0-214-20512-6.
- ^ Whitburn, Joel (2008). Hot Country Songs 1944 to 2008. Record Research, Inc. p. 446. ISBN 0-89820-177-2.
- ^ Whitburn, Joel (2011). Top Pop Singles 1955–2010. Record Research, Inc. p. 951. ISBN 0-89820-188-8.
External links
edit- Biography at Oldies.com
- Jerry Wallace at AllMusic
- Jerry Wallace discography at Discogs
- Jerry Wallace at Find a Grave
