Crash craddock biography

What does billy crash'' craddock look like now

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Billy “Crash” Craddock

Billy “Crash” Craddock was born the youngest of 13 children in Greensboro, NC. A good portion of his childhood was spent surrounded by music and love of his family. His father, typical of musicians of his day and time, played harmonica, spoons, washboard and buck danced. His mother and older brothers and sisters regularly sang old gospel standards and folk tunes, harmonizing beautifully amongst themselves. Craddock remembers listening to Little Jimmy Dickens, Lefty Frizzell and Faron Young on the radio, singing as they sang, knowing he would only have to hear a song once or maybe twice before he knew the lyrics and melody by heart. His family was very supportive of his talents and one brother even paid him a nickel for every song he could sing and not miss any words on. But it wasn’t until Elvis Presley stormed into the entertainment field, that a young Billy Craddock thought he, too, might be able to combine his love for

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Billy “Crash” Craddock

Billy “Crash” Craddock was born June 16, 1939 in Greensboro, North Carolina and earned the nickname “Crash” while he was a running back on his high school football team.

After high school, Craddock and his brother formed a band, The Four Rebels, and their first single, for a local record label in Greensboro, was “Smacky-Mouth.” His next single, on Colonial Records, was “Birddoggin’,” then he released “Ah, Poor Little Baby” on Date Records.

The young, handsome Craddock was signed by Columbia Records to compete with Elvis. During 1959 he had a number one record in Australia and was greeted by screaming crowds there when he toured that continent with Bobby Rydell, The Everly Brothers, Santo and Johnny and the Diamonds.

Craddock released records on King, Mercury and Chart, then dropped out of the music business for several years. In 1969 he signed with Cartwheel Records and had top ten country chart hits with “Knock Three Times,” “Dream Lover” and “You Bette

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Billy Crash Craddock

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Billy Crash Craddock - "Mr Country Rock: The Definitive Collection"

Billy Crash Craddock Biography

One of the most overlooked pioneers and innovators in the history of modern country music is Billy 'Crash' Craddock. He was one of the most successful country singers of the 1970s, scoring 20 top ten country hits, including three number ones. Dubbed 'Mr Country Rock', he was perhaps the first country music artist to successfully bridge country and rock music, both on his recordings and in his stage act. While others, like Carl Perkins and Jerry Lee Lewis, had straggled the line with their rhythm-and-blues tinged brand of rockabilly from the 1950s, Billy was one of the first to take it to the stage with what can only be described as a 'blatantly sexual' style of performing reminiscent of Elvis Presley. But the resemblance didn't stop there. Billy's vocal styling, looks and demeanour all bore traces of the rock'n'roll King, yet not so much as