Mickey Newbury
Mickey Newbury (May 19, 1940 - September 29, 2002) was an American singer-s… Read Full Bio ↴Mickey Newbury (May 19, 1940 - September 29, 2002) was an American singer-songwriter for Acuff-Rose Music, a critically acclaimed recording artist, and a member of the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame.
Born Milton Sims Newbury, Jr. in Houston, Texas. As a teenager, Mickey Newbury sang tenor in a moderately successful vocal group called The Embers. The group opened for several famous performers, such as Sam Cooke and Johnny Cash. Although Mickey tried to make a living off of his music by singing in clubs, he put his musical career on hold at age 19 when he joined the Air Force. After four years in the military, Mickey again set his sights on making a living as a songwriter. Before long, he moved to Nashville and signed to the prestigious publishing company Acuff-Rose Music.
For a time, he was one of the most influential creative minds in Nashville and it's arguable that he was the first real "outlaw" of the outlaw country movement of the 1970s. Ralph Emery referred to him as the first "hippie-cowboy" and along with Johnny Cash and Roger Miller, he was one of the first to rebel against the conventions of the Nashville music society. After being disappointed by the production methods used by Felton Jarvis on his debut album, Mickey got himself released from his contract with RCA and signed the first offer he received to comply with his condition that he could either produce his own albums or hire a producer of his choice.
He went on to record three musically revolutionary albums in Wayne Moss's garage-turned-studio just outside of Nashville. The influence of the production methods can be heard in the albums Waylon Jennings went on to record in the 1970s (with instrumentation highly unconventional for country music) and his poetically sophisticated style of songwriting was highly influential on Kris Kristofferson.[citation needed] It was Newbury who convinced Roger Miller to record Kristofferson's "Me & Bobby McGee", which went on to launch Kristofferson as country music's top songwriter. Newbury is also responsible for getting Townes Van Zandt and Guy Clark to move to Nashville and pursue careers as songwriters. However, he had no desire to cash-in on the Outlaw movement.[citation needed]
In 1974, he moved to a house on the McKenzie River in Oregon with his wife, Susan, and new born son, Chris, where they welcomed three more children over the years. He recorded several albums throughout the 1970s for Elektra and ABC/Hickory, all of them critically praised, but financially unsuccessful. In 1980, he was given the distinction of being the youngest songwriter ever inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame. Although he spent much of the 1980s retired from performing and recording music, he returned both to recording and touring in the late 1980s before he died following a prolonged battle with pulmonary fibrosis on September 29, 2002, aged 62.
Born Milton Sims Newbury, Jr. in Houston, Texas. As a teenager, Mickey Newbury sang tenor in a moderately successful vocal group called The Embers. The group opened for several famous performers, such as Sam Cooke and Johnny Cash. Although Mickey tried to make a living off of his music by singing in clubs, he put his musical career on hold at age 19 when he joined the Air Force. After four years in the military, Mickey again set his sights on making a living as a songwriter. Before long, he moved to Nashville and signed to the prestigious publishing company Acuff-Rose Music.
For a time, he was one of the most influential creative minds in Nashville and it's arguable that he was the first real "outlaw" of the outlaw country movement of the 1970s. Ralph Emery referred to him as the first "hippie-cowboy" and along with Johnny Cash and Roger Miller, he was one of the first to rebel against the conventions of the Nashville music society. After being disappointed by the production methods used by Felton Jarvis on his debut album, Mickey got himself released from his contract with RCA and signed the first offer he received to comply with his condition that he could either produce his own albums or hire a producer of his choice.
He went on to record three musically revolutionary albums in Wayne Moss's garage-turned-studio just outside of Nashville. The influence of the production methods can be heard in the albums Waylon Jennings went on to record in the 1970s (with instrumentation highly unconventional for country music) and his poetically sophisticated style of songwriting was highly influential on Kris Kristofferson.[citation needed] It was Newbury who convinced Roger Miller to record Kristofferson's "Me & Bobby McGee", which went on to launch Kristofferson as country music's top songwriter. Newbury is also responsible for getting Townes Van Zandt and Guy Clark to move to Nashville and pursue careers as songwriters. However, he had no desire to cash-in on the Outlaw movement.[citation needed]
In 1974, he moved to a house on the McKenzie River in Oregon with his wife, Susan, and new born son, Chris, where they welcomed three more children over the years. He recorded several albums throughout the 1970s for Elektra and ABC/Hickory, all of them critically praised, but financially unsuccessful. In 1980, he was given the distinction of being the youngest songwriter ever inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame. Although he spent much of the 1980s retired from performing and recording music, he returned both to recording and touring in the late 1980s before he died following a prolonged battle with pulmonary fibrosis on September 29, 2002, aged 62.
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Mickey Newbury Lyrics
'Frisco Depot Frisco′s a mighty long way If you can afford to fly But…
1 X 1 Ain't 2 I was almost thirty Lord goin' on fourteen Hock my…
American Trilogy An American Trilogy Mickey Newbury …
Angeline Yesterday's newspaper Forecast no rain for today But yesterd…
Apples Dipped in Candy [Whistling.] Well, apples dipped in candy, Sweet-potato wi…
Baby's Not Home Was I too weak or was I too strong Was…
Breeze Lullaby Close your eyes and Let the sky fall softly down…
Cortelia Clark I was just a boy the year The bluebird special came…
Danny Boy Oh, Danny boy, the pipes, the pipes are calling From glen…
Dizzy Lizzy Dizzy Lizzy Do you remember That big Joe Cocker line…
Earthquake On his mountain there sits a long, Gray-bearded, ancient her…
East Kentucky East Kentucky, threads of silver, Down a rusty railroad tra…
Easy Street [Spoken:] I rewrote this one 'cause I couldn't remember the …
Four Ladies Honey, you are the one that I think of most…
Frisco Depot Frisco's a mighty long way If you can afford to fly But…
Funny Familiar Forgotten Feelings And then those funny, familiar, forgotten feelings Started w…
Genevieve Genevieve, Genevieve, What does it all mean to you? Genevie…
Good Morning Dear Were the nights any sweeter? The morning's any cooler when …
Heaven Help the Child Nineteen-twelve in New York Took a walk up to Park Avenue…
Here Comes The Rain Baby Here comes the rain, baby Guess it's goodbye again, baby For…
How I Love Them Old Songs Dog gone my soul how I love them old songs 'Cause…
How Many Times Morning came and found her at the window With her nose…
I Came to Hear the Music I came to hear the music I came to hear…
I Don't Think Much About Her No More You know I don't think much about her no more And…
If I Could Be If I could be what I wanted to Believe me…
If You See Her If you see her and she mentions my name Tell…
Juble Lee's Revival When the orphans no longer will sleep at her door…
Just Dropped In Woke up this mornin', The sundown shinin' in. I found my bro…
Lie To Me Darlin' I said you can lie to me darlin' But darlin' lie…
Looks Like Baby's Gone Lord, tell that robin at my window Not to sing to…
Mobile Blue Headed south to work a pipeline Make some cash while in…
Nights When I Am Sane Well it's cold on this mountain, When the winter comes…
Organized Noise Ah there was a time I said her words had…
Poison Red Berries You know I don't think much about her no more Seldom…
Ramblin' Blues I'm like a feather in the wind I cannot fly, I…
Remember The Good Yes, I suppose at times I think about her She was once…
Saint Cecelia Saint CeCelia is in her garden, Pickin' paper violets. For …
San Francisco Mabel Joy Lord, his daddy was an honest man, just a red…
She Even Woke Me up to Say Goodbye Well, mornings come and Lord, my mind is aching The sunshin…
Song for Susan The light from the neon night Silently lights up the sky S…
Song of Sorrow They call me a foolAnd a dreamerTell me I'm wasting…
Sunshine Sunshine, so you found my window But you won't find me 'Ca…
Sweet Memories My world is like a river As dark as it is…
Swiss Cottage Place I turned down the covers on a bed where two…
T. Total Tommy To the sad-eyed misinterpreted Hung-up child of clay So the …
The Future's Not What It Used To Be I left Decatur, hell bent to forget Bought a ticket back…
The Thirty Third Of August Well, today there's no salvation, The band's packed up and…
What Will I Do We would sweat and moan, Until the need in us was…
Why You Been Gone So Long Every time it rains Lord I run to my window All…
Yesterday's Gone Yesterdays gone like the ocean Taken by the tide Like…
You're My Lady Now Whoa, the lights of the city, Sparkle like diamonds. They da…