Charlie Feathers Page in Fuller Up, The Dead Musicians Directory

Fuller Up, The Dead Musician Directory Charlie Feathers Stroke.............Aug 29, 1998 Age 66 OBITUARY
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OBITUARY

Charlie Feathers, 66, a Rockabilly Original
          By BEN RATLIFF
          Charlie Feathers, one of the great original rockabilly singers, died Aug. 29 at St. Francis
          Hospital in Memphis, Tenn. He was 66 and lived in Memphis.
          The cause was complications from a stroke, his wife, Rosemary, said.
          On his best records of the mid- and late 1950s, released on the Sun, Meteor and King labels,
          Feathers' voice is completely original -- a trembling, high, humid plaint.
          He sang classic songs that defined the meeting place of honky-tonk, bluegrass and rockabilly,
          including "You're Right, I'm Left, She's Gone" (which Elvis Presley recorded for Sun), "Defrost Your
          Heart," "One Hand Loose" and -- perhaps the most prized record of rockabilly enthusiasts --
          "Tongue Tied Jill."
          That song -- about a "real gone chick" with a speech problem, which Feathers demonstrated in its
          babbling chorus -- was born from his conversation with a stammering telephone operator.
          But his records sold poorly, and historians of American music have recounted Feathers' career as a
          question: Why didn't Feathers, with all his talent, attain any of the fame of Sun records label-mates
          like Carl Perkins and Jerry Lee Lewis?
          It could have been his voice, which was slightly too hiccupingly and shriekingly radical for mass
          consumption.
          It could have been his rudimentary education; he was barely literate.
          Some thought it was his character, often described as brash and aggressive.
          Feathers always insisted, contrary to other accounts, that he was intimately involved in many of
          Presley's early songs, as arranger and sometimes as writer. His only writing credit for a Presley song
          was a shared one, on "I Forgot to Remember to Forget.
          There was no question, however, of his talent.
          "In the blues feeling that he put into a hillbilly song," Sam Phillips, the head of Sun records, has said,
          "Charlie should have been just a superb top country artist. He could have been the George Jones of
          his day -- a superb stylist."
          Feathers was born near Holly Springs, Miss., and grew up in a family of tenant farmers. He took
          guitar lessons from Junior Kimbrough, the blues singer, who lived on a nearby farm.
          Having left school by the age of 10, he worked on oil pipelines with his father in Illinois and Texas.
          He settled in Memphis in 1950, and his first recording, on the Flip label, was "I've Been Deceived,"
          in 1955. By 1960, after about a dozen singles, his career was lagging.
          He persevered, and eventually European rockabilly fans discovered him. After the broadcast of a
          British television documentary, he did a concert at the Rainbow Theater in London in 1977 that was
          recorded by EMI; this raised his stock considerably, but by then he was classified as an oldies
          performer.
          In later years, Feathers played locally around Memphis, often in a band with his son and daughter.
          His final album, self-titled, was recorded in 1991 for Elektra/Nonesuch as part of the label's Explorer
          series. "Get With It: Essential Recordings 1954-69," a reissue of his greatest moments, was just
          released by Revenant.
          In addition to his wife, Feathers is survived by his sons, Charles (Bubba) Jr., and Ricky , both of
          Memphis; a daughter, Wanda Vanzant of Memphis; five brothers, Olton, of Memphis; V.A., of
          Pottscamp, Miss.; Herbert, of Holly Spring, Miss.; Lawrence, of Olive Branch, Miss., and Darnell,
          of South Haven, Miss, and three grandchildren.
Copyright 1998 The New York Times Company

**OBITUARY**
Charlie Feathers, 66, a Rockabilly Original By BEN RATLIFF Charlie Feathers, one of the great original rockabilly singers, died Aug. 29 at St. Francis Hospital in Memphis, Tenn. He was 66 and lived in Memphis. The cause was complications from a stroke, his wife, Rosemary, said. On his best records of the mid- and late 1950s, released on the Sun, Meteor and King labels, Feathers' voice is completely original -- a trembling, high, humid plaint. He sang classic songs that defined the meeting place of honky-tonk, bluegrass and rockabilly, including "You're Right, I'm Left, She's Gone" (which Elvis Presley recorded for Sun), "Defrost Your Heart," "One Hand Loose" and -- perhaps the most prized record of rockabilly enthusiasts -- "Tongue Tied Jill." That song -- about a "real gone chick" with a speech problem, which Feathers demonstrated in its babbling chorus -- was born from his conversation with a stammering telephone operator. But his records sold poorly, and historians of American music have recounted Feathers' career as a question: Why didn't Feathers, with all his talent, attain any of the fame of Sun records label-mates like Carl Perkins and Jerry Lee Lewis? It could have been his voice, which was slightly too hiccupingly and shriekingly radical for mass consumption. It could have been his rudimentary education; he was barely literate. Some thought it was his character, often described as brash and aggressive. Feathers always insisted, contrary to other accounts, that he was intimately involved in many of Presley's early songs, as arranger and sometimes as writer. His only writing credit for a Presley song was a shared one, on "I Forgot to Remember to Forget. There was no question, however, of his talent. "In the blues feeling that he put into a hillbilly song," Sam Phillips, the head of Sun records, has said, "Charlie should have been just a superb top country artist. He could have been the George Jones of his day -- a superb stylist." Feathers was born near Holly Springs, Miss., and grew up in a family of tenant farmers. He took guitar lessons from Junior Kimbrough, the blues singer, who lived on a nearby farm. Having left school by the age of 10, he worked on oil pipelines with his father in Illinois and Texas. He settled in Memphis in 1950, and his first recording, on the Flip label, was "I've Been Deceived," in 1955. By 1960, after about a dozen singles, his career was lagging. He persevered, and eventually European rockabilly fans discovered him. After the broadcast of a British television documentary, he did a concert at the Rainbow Theater in London in 1977 that was recorded by EMI; this raised his stock considerably, but by then he was classified as an oldies performer. In later years, Feathers played locally around Memphis, often in a band with his son and daughter. His final album, self-titled, was recorded in 1991 for Elektra/Nonesuch as part of the label's Explorer series. "Get With It: Essential Recordings 1954-69," a reissue of his greatest moments, was just released by Revenant. In addition to his wife, Feathers is survived by his sons, Charles (Bubba) Jr., and Ricky , both of Memphis; a daughter, Wanda Vanzant of Memphis; five brothers, Olton, of Memphis; V.A., of Pottscamp, Miss.; Herbert, of Holly Spring, Miss.; Lawrence, of Olive Branch, Miss., and Darnell, of South Haven, Miss, and three grandchildren. Copyright 1998 The New York Times Company

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BIOGRAPHY

Charlie Feathers
(b. Charles Arthur Feathers, 12 June 1932, Holly Springs, Mississippi).
The work of rockabilly legend Feathers becomes more elevated during
each revival of interest in the genre. Feathers is now an enigmatic superstar,
although in reality his influence totally overshadows his commercial success.
His upbringing on a farm, being taught guitar by a cotton picking black
bluesman and leaving home to work on an oil field gave Feathers a wealth
of material for his compositions. In the early '50s, together with Jody Chastain
and Jerry Huffman, he performed as the Musical Warriors. He was an early
signing to Sam Phillips’ Sun Records. He recorded his first song Defrost Your
Heart in 1955, and claimed to have co-written Elvis Presley's debut Blue Moon
Of Kentucky. He did however co-write Presley's first hit I Forgot To Remember
To Forget. Over the years he has continued to record for a number of labels,
still unable to break through the barrier between ‘cult’ and ‘star’. But among
his early rockabilly sides was One Hand Loose on King, regarded by many
collectors as one of the finest examples of its kind. His highly applauded
performance at London's famous Rainbow theatre in 1977 gave his career
a significant boost and brought him a new audience; notably the fans who
were following Dave Edmunds and his crusade for ‘rockabilly’. Feathers
recent recordings have suffered from the problem of being helped out by
younger musicians who are merely in awe of his work and his best material
is from the '50s. Influential but spartan, full of whoops and growls but irresistible
country/rock, Feathers ‘light comedy’ style has been an ‘invisible influence’ over
many decades, from Big Bopper in the '50s to Hank Wangford in the '80s. His
1991 release contained a reworked version of his classic I Forgot To Remember
To Forget. He now performs with his son and daughter on guitar and vocals
respectively. His best work will endure.

MUSIC CENTRAL '96

**BIOGRAPHY**
Charlie Feathers (b. Charles Arthur Feathers, 12 June 1932, Holly Springs, Mississippi). The work of rockabilly legend Feathers becomes more elevated during each revival of interest in the genre. Feathers is now an enigmatic superstar, although in reality his influence totally overshadows his commercial success. His upbringing on a farm, being taught guitar by a cotton picking black bluesman and leaving home to work on an oil field gave Feathers a wealth of material for his compositions. In the early '50s, together with Jody Chastain and Jerry Huffman, he performed as the Musical Warriors. He was an early signing to Sam Phillips’ Sun Records. He recorded his first song Defrost Your Heart in 1955, and claimed to have co-written Elvis Presley's debut Blue Moon Of Kentucky. He did however co-write Presley's first hit I Forgot To Remember To Forget. Over the years he has continued to record for a number of labels, still unable to break through the barrier between ‘cult’ and ‘star’. But among his early rockabilly sides was One Hand Loose on King, regarded by many collectors as one of the finest examples of its kind. His highly applauded performance at London's famous Rainbow theatre in 1977 gave his career a significant boost and brought him a new audience; notably the fans who were following Dave Edmunds and his crusade for ‘rockabilly’. Feathers recent recordings have suffered from the problem of being helped out by younger musicians who are merely in awe of his work and his best material is from the '50s. Influential but spartan, full of whoops and growls but irresistible country/rock, Feathers ‘light comedy’ style has been an ‘invisible influence’ over many decades, from Big Bopper in the '50s to Hank Wangford in the '80s. His 1991 release contained a reworked version of his classic I Forgot To Remember To Forget. He now performs with his son and daughter on guitar and vocals respectively. His best work will endure. MUSIC CENTRAL '96

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Country.com Feathers Bio Memphis Guide Sun Artists' Tribute All-Music Guide Bio Rockabilly Hall of Fame: "F's"

**LINKS**
Country.com Feathers Bio Memphis Guide Sun Artists' Tribute All-Music Guide Bio Rockabilly Hall of Fame: "F's"

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