From:   "Dik de Heer" 
Date:  Tue Jul 2, 2002  1:12 am
Subject:  Born To Be With You : Marvin Rainwater
 
MARVIN RAINWATER (By Jean-Marc Pezet)

Born Marvin Karlton Percy, 2 July 1925, Wichita, Kansas

Surprisingly, as a teenager, Marvin was more into classical music, taking
piano lessons rather than listening to the Grand Ole Opry. This sadly came
to a halt when he lost a part of his thumb in an accident at the garage he
was part-working for. It was while serving in US Navy that he was greatly
impressed by Roy Acuff. Upon his discharge in 1946, Marvin started
playing music and soon set up his own band (with Roy Clark on guitar).
He recorded his first song the day after Hank Williams' death. He also
recorded "I Gotta Go Get My Baby", covered by Teresa Brewer and a
country hit for Justin Tubb in 1955.
Soon after, a regular spot on Red Foley's Ozark Jubilee Show gave him
enough exposure to get a contract with MGM.
By 1956, the music face was changing and Marvin first single on MGM
was the great rockabilly coupling "Hot And Cold" / "Mr Blues".
"Hot And Cold" is a standout track with manic electric lead and steel guitar
filling behind hot-potatoes-in-the-mouth vocals, a classic!
The single didn't make the charts but Marvin didn't have to wait long as his
second one, "Gonna Find Me A Bluebird", in April 1957, broke into both the
Country and Pop charts. His next one, "Whole Lotta Woman", didn't climb
that high in the USA (# 60), but was a bona fide hit in the UK (# 1), which
led him to tour England in April 1958, where he even recorded a follow-up,
"I Dig You Baby", with Ken Jones and his Orchestra (# 19 UK).
Marvin turned to country music and continued to record, scoring a hit in
Sweden with "Henryetta, Oklahoma" in 1981.
He has been a regular visitor to England and went down well at his last
Hembsy concert in 1999, ever youthful at a mere 74!

More info: http://www.rockabillyhall.com/MarvinRainwater.html
Website: http://www.fortunecity.com/tinpan/joolsholland/1180/index.htm

Recommended listening:
- For a sample of the Rockin' Rollin' Raainwater, check "Whole Lotta
Woman" Bear Family BCD 15812.
- If you want to go to the full monty, ggo for the 4 CD Box Set "Classic
Recordings" Bear Family BCD 15600.