Elton Britt

Elton Britt
Britt in March 1950
Britt in March 1950
Background information
Birth nameJames Elton Baker
Born(1913-06-27)June 27, 1913
Marshall, Arkansas, U.S.
DiedJune 22, 1972(1972-06-22) (aged 58)
McConnellsburg, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Genres
  • traditional country music
  • honky tonk
  • yodelling
[1]
Occupation(s)
  • Singer
  • songwriter
  • musician
Instrument(s)Guitar
Years active1942–1970
"Listen to the Mocking Bird" record label

Elton Britt (born James Elton Baker; June 27, 1913 – June 22, 1972)[1][2] was an American country music singer, songwriter, and musician, who was best known for his western ballads and yodelling songs.

Biography

Britt was born on a farm near Marshall, Arkansas.[3] His father was James Baker, and he had two sisters, Gretta Sanders and Druse Baker, and a brother Arl Baker.

Britt recorded over 600 sides and 60 albums for RCA Victor and other labels in more than a 30-year span, and is best known for such hit songs (several of which he wrote or co-wrote) as "Someday (You'll Want Me to Want You)", "Detour", "Chime Bells", "Maybe I'll Cry Over You", "Pinto Pal", and the million-selling wartime hit "There's a Star-Spangled Banner Waving Somewhere".[3] The recording had sold a million discs by 1944 and it was awarded a gold disc by the RIAA.[4] Britt became the first country artist to be awarded a gold disc.[3]

A singer, bandleader, radio and television performer, songwriter and yodeler, he starred in at least two films in the late 1940s, and had hit records as late as 1968 with "The Jimmie Rodgers Blues".[3] In 1960, as part of a publicity stunt, Britt briefly ran for the Democratic presidential nomination.[5]

On June 22, 1972, five days before his 59th birthday, Britt suffered a heart attack while driving his car and died in a McConnellsburg, Pennsylvania, hospital the next day.[5] He was buried in the Odd Fellows Cemetery in Broad Top, Pennsylvania.

In popular culture

His song "Uranium Fever" is featured in the Bethesda Softworks video game Fallout 4 on the in-game radio.[6]

Discography

Albums

Year Album US Country
[7] 		Label
1956 Yodel Songs RCA Victor
1959 The Wandering Cowboy ABC
1960 Beyond the Sunset
I Heard a Forest Praying
1963 The Best 1 RCA Victor
1965 Singing Hills ABC
1966 Somethin' for Everyone 31
1968 The Jimmie Rodgers Blues RCA Camden
1970 Sings Modern Country Certron
1972 The Best 2 RCA Victor
16 Great Country Performances ABC
1983 Days of the Yodeling Cowboys Cowgirlboy
1984 More Days of the Yodeling Cowboys
1986 Star Spangled Stardust

Singles

Year Single Chart Positions
US Country US
1942 "There's a Star-Spangled Banner Waving Somewhere" 7
1945 "I'm a Convict with Old Glory in My Heart" 7
1946 "Someday (You'll Want Me to Want You)" 2
"Wave to Me, My Lady" 3 19
"Blueberry Lane" 4
"Detour" 5
"Blue Texas Moonlight" (w/ The Skytoppers) 6
"Gotta Get Together with My Gal" 4
1947 "Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain" (w / The Skytoppers)
1948 "Bells" (w/ The Skytoppers) 6
1949 "Candy Kisses" (w/ The Skytoppers) 4
1950 "Beyond the Sunset" (w/ The Three Suns & Rosalie Allen) 7
"Quicksilver" (w/ Rosalie Allen) 3
1952 "The Rovin' Gambler"[8]
1956 "Cannonball Yodel" -
1966 "Homesweet Homesick Blues" -
1968 "The Jimmie Rodgers Blues" 26[7]
1969 "The Bitter Taste" 71[7]

References

  1. ^ a b "Elton Britt | Biography & History". AllMusic. Retrieved August 4, 2021.
  2. ^ "Elton Britt". Findagrave.com. Retrieved 2014-07-02.
  3. ^ a b c d Colin Larkin, ed. (1993). The Guinness Who's Who of Country Music (First ed.). Guinness Publishing. p. 48/9. ISBN 0-85112-726-6.
  4. ^ Murrells, Joseph (1978). The Book of Golden Discs (2nd ed.). London: Barrie and Jenkins Ltd. p. 27. ISBN 0-214-20512-6.
  5. ^ a b "Elton Britt's big break". Arkansasonline.com. 15 May 2016. Retrieved August 4, 2021.
  6. ^ Chism, Carlos (10 November 2015). "The Full Diamond City Radio Playlist From Fallout 4". Gameranx.com. Retrieved 4 August 2021.
  7. ^ a b c https://www.billboard.com/artist/elton-britt/chart-history/
  8. ^ "Elton Britt - The Rovin' Gambler (1952)". YouTube. Archived from the original on 2021-12-21. Retrieved 2015-08-27.

External links