From:   "Dik de Heer" 
Date:  Fri Jan 25, 2002  1:16 am  - UPDATED 6 JANUARY 2004
Subject:  Born To Be With You : Rusty Draper
 
RUSTY DRAPER

Born Farrell Draper, 25 January 1923, Kirksville, Missouri
Died died 28 March 2003, Bellevue, WA

Draper entered showbusiness at the age of twelve, singing and
playing guitar on KTUL in Tulsa, Oklahoma. During his 10-year
stay with Mercury Records (1952-1962), he scored two million
sellers : the Jim Lowe composition "Gambler's Guitar" (# 6 on
both the pop and country charts, 1953) and "Shifting, Whispering
Sands" (# 3 pop, 1955). Most of his records were covers, including
another Top 10 hit, "Freight Train" (1957), originally a UK skiffle hit.
His only UK chart entry was "Mule Skinner Blues" (1960), an
excellent rocker, with accompaniment from the Nashville A-team.

In 1962 he joined Monument Records and reached the US pop
charts with "Night Life" in 1963, but this turned out to be his last
hit. During his career, Draper has also undertaken several acting
roles, including appearances in some television series such as
"Rawhide" and "Laramie", and stage musicals including "Oklahoma"
and "Annie Get Your Gun".

CD recommendation: Rusty Draper, Greatest Hits (1999, 18 tracks).
Label: Collector's Choice.