From: "Dik de Heer" Date: Mon Jan 20, 2003 6:19 am Subject: Born To Be With You : Earl Grant EARL GRANT (By Colin Kilgour) Born 20 January 1933, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma Died 10 June 1970, Lordsburg, New Mexico Re the d.o.b. I have seen 1931, incl. in Joel Whitburn. Earl died in a car accident on his way back from a performance in Juarez, Mexico (I have also seen 11 June). A One-Hit Wonder, Nat King Cole-alike vocalist who accompanied himself alternately on piano and organ. His voice had a husky, dry tone similar to Cole's and rumours persisted throughout his career that he was Nat's brother. He reached number 7 in the Stateside charts with his first single, 'The End' in the autumn of 1958. His album Ebb Tide, released in 1961, was also a number 7 entry and sold over 500,000 copies. He is said to have placed five further singles in the US charts and six more albums through 1968. This may be so but singles wise, 'The End' is the only listing in Billboard's Top 40. Grant appeared in a number of films as well like "Tender Is The Night," "Imitation of Life," and "Tokyo Night." Earl Grant was a multi-treat entertainer as a pianist, organist, and easy-listening vocalist, who also had abilities on trumpet and drums. Much of his material fell into the arenas of either light pop or jazz-schmaltz. Along with his US Top Ten smoother than smooth ballad, Grant did however score two R&B hits in the late '50s and early '60s, the most memorable being "Sweet Sixteen Bars" in 1962. It reached number nine on the R&B charts. Wishing to obtain "The End", I note that my mono Long Player with a Dwight Yorke doppelgänger on the cover, set me back the best part of £25 many years ago from Reddingtons Rare Records, Birmingham (don't ask ......). Unsurprisingly, the album is called 'The End'. Nice title track aside, the only other items of any merit IMO are 'I Feel It Right Here', 'Alright, Okay You Win' and 'We Kiss In A Shadow'. On said disc, Earl accompanied by Eddie Hunton (drums), Red Clark (alto and tenor), guitar duties split between Al Viola and Al Hendrickson. Bass work split between Joe Comfort & Wilfred Middlebrooks. Conga drum Ukano, .... who he? For trivia buffs, the LP listing of the hit single (written by Jimmy Krondes and Sid Jacobson) shows as (At) The End (Of A Rainbow) ....... complicated or what? Another mention from the album notes quotes him as being "a native of Kansas City". Go figure. Originally intending to teach, he studied music/keyboards at The New Rochelle Conservatory in New York, De Paul University in Chicago, The Univ. of Southern California and The Kansas City Conservatory. Proving to be pretty much an immediate hit as a performer, his path was set although it seems he did teach music later on. Drafted into the Army during the Korean War, he completed graduate studies at USC after his discharge. Earl signed to Decca Records (in '57 or 1958) who offered him a contract after spotting him performing at a club in L.A. (while working on his thesis). Another version has Grant creating ripples and impressing the record people performing in night-clubs while stationed in Texas during World War II. Perhaps the most commercially successful organist of the 1960s, Grant plied a more consistently easy-listening path than his label-mates Lenny Dee and Ethel Smith. He was a swinging organist whose mastery of the Hammond B-3 was a thrill to listen to and a songwriter who could come up with material as solid as the standards he regularly recorded for Decca in his sadly cut-short career. I believe the prolific Mr. Grant released more than 30 albums (a mix of vocals / instrumentals). Some examples: The Versatile Earl Grant, The Magic Of Earl Grant (Decca 1960)***, Ebb Tide (Decca 1961)****, The End (Decca 1961)***, Earl After Dark (Decca 1961)**, Beyond The Reef And Other Instrumental Favorites (Decca 1962)****, At Basin Street East (Decca 1962)***, Midnight Sun (Decca 1963)***, Fly Me To The Moon (Decca 1963)***, Just For A Thrill (Decca 1964)***, Just One More Time (Decca 1965)**, Spotlight On (Decca 1965)***, Tradewinds (Decca 1965)***, Stand By Me (Decca 1965)**, Sings And Plays Songs Made Famous By Nat "King' Cole (Decca 1966)***, Bali Ha'i (Decca 1966)**, Gently Swingin" (Decca 1968)***, Spanish Eyes (Decca 1968)**, Time For Us (Decca 1969)***, Earl Grant (Decca 1970)**. Coming to a much more recent compilation release ......... "This 21-track collection brings together the cream of his stay at Decca, featuring hits like "The End," "Ebb Tide," "Misty," "Teach Me Tonight" and his own "Swingin' Gently," with the bonus track of "The End" sung in Italian thrown in to round out the package. A great song selection and superb mastering makes this a marvellous introduction to this pop-jazz artist. ~ Cub Koda, All Music Guide" 1998 MCA Compilation : Singin' & Swingin': The Best of Earl Grant 1. Ol' Man River; 2. The End; 3. Swingin' Gently; 4. Not One Minute More; 5. Ebb Tide; 6. Under Paris Skies; 7. Evening Rain; 8. Misty; 9. House of Bamboo; 10. Teach Me Tonight; 11. The Very Thought of You; 12. Learnin' the Blues; 13. Sweet Sixteen Bars; 14. If I Only Had Time; 15. Spanish Eyes; 16. Volare; 17. The Look of Love; 18. Sermonette; 19. Stand by Me; 20. Goodnight My Love (Pleasant Dreams); 21. The End (Sung in Italian) Hear some soundbites at http://ubl.artistdirect.com/store/artist/album/0,,371324,00.html No particular web sites I'm afraid. TV Appearances incl. Guest Starring Roles: It Takes a Thief - Himself - Boom at the Top (1969) The Ed Sullivan Show - Guest - Sid Caesar / Jackie Mason / Diahann CCarroll / Richard Kiley (1962) The Ed Sullivan Show - scheduled guest - scheduled: Nancy Walker; Nancy Dussault; Earl Grant; Conrad Buckner (1961) The Ed Sullivan Show - scheduled guest - scheduled: Tammy Grimes; Earl Grant; George Jessel (1961) The Ed Sullivan Show - Guest - Sophia Loren & Clark Gable (on film) / Jack Carter (1960) The Ed Sullivan Show - Guest - Dorothy Dandridge / Teresa Brewer / Jack Carter / Myron Cohen (1960) The Ed Sullivan Show - scheduled guest - scheduled: Jack Carter; Myron Cohen; Earl Grant; Barry Sisters (1960) The Ed Sullivan Show - Guest - Wayne & Shuster (guest hosts) / Frankie Avalon / Birgit Nilsson (1960) The neat hit single aside, my take is that if I want this kinda sound, I'll spin my Nat Cole collection