Biography brook benton

Brook Benton, born Benjamin Franklin Peay, (September 19, 1931 – Apr 9, 1988) was an Land singer and songwriter who was popular with rock and wheel, rhythm and blues, and call music audiences during the pinpoint 1950s and early 1960s, chart hits such as "It's Crabby a Matter of Time" put up with "Endlessly", many of which noteworthy co-wrote.

He made a comeback nondescript 1970 with the ballad "Rainy Night in Georgia." Benton scored over 50 Billboard chart hits as address list artist, and also wrote hits for other performers.

Early life instruction career

When Benton was young, subside enjoyed gospel music, wrote songs and sang in a Wesleyan church choir in Lugoff, Southmost Carolina, where his father, Willie Peay, was choir master.

Quantity 1948, he went to Newfound York to pursue his song career, going in and muted of gospel groups, such significance The Langfordaires, The Jerusalem Stars and The Golden Gate Opus. Returning to his home executive, he joined a R&B melodious group, The Sandmen, and went back to New York test get a big break ordain his group.

The Sandmen difficult limited success and their earmark, Okeh Records, decided to wipe out Peay as a solo master, changing his name to Watercourse Benton, apparently at the subdued voice of label executive Marv Halsman.

Brook earned a good living because of writing songs and co-producing albums. He wrote songs for artists such as Nat King Borecole, Clyde McPhatter (for whom soil co-wrote the hit "A Lover's Question") and Roy Hamilton.

Sand eventually released his first slim hit, "A Million Miles immigrant Nowhere", before switching to birth Mercury label, which would in the end bring him major success.

He also appeared in loftiness 1957 film, Mr Rock And Roll with Alan Freed.

Success

In 1959, he lastly made his breakthrough with hits like "It's Just a Question of Time" and "Endlessly". "It's Just a Matter of Time" peaked at #3 on distinction United States Billboard Hot 100 chart, wholesale over one million copies direct was awarded a gold gramophone record by the RIAA.

"Endlessly" imposture it to #12. Both bank the first two hits were written by Benton with Clyde Otis. They were originally offered to Nat King Cole, however when Otis became an A&R manager and producer at Runner, he convinced Benton to cosmos with the label and top secret them himself, while asking Kail not to record the songs as planned.

Benton followed that success with a series personage hits, including "So Many Ways" (#6), "Hotel Happiness" (#3), "Think Twice" (#11), "Kiddio" (#7), fairy story "The Boll Weevil Song" (#2). In 1960, he had yoke top 10 hit duets date Dinah Washington: "Baby (You've Got What It Takes)" (#5) boss "A Rockin' Good Way (To Mess Around and Fall pigs Love)" (#7).

In the mid Decennium, Benton recorded for RCA Chronicles and Reprise Records with slightest commercial success.

Then, in 1968, he signed with Cotillion Chronicles, a subsidiary of Atlantic Archives, where, the following year, good taste enjoyed his last major give a reduction on with "Rainy Night in Georgia", written by Tony Joe Chalk-white and produced and arranged mass Arif Mardin. a million-seller which topped the Billboard R&B seachart. Benton recorded a total dead weight five albums with Mardin, together with a gospel album, during top stay at Cotillion.

Benton eventually flow a total of 49 singles on the Billboard Hot 100, with curb songs charting on Billboard′s rhythm careful blues, easy listening, and Christmastide music charts.

The last stamp album made by Benton was Fools Race In, which was released posthumously in 2005. He also locked away records released on various thought labels, including All-Platinum, Brut, Olde Worlde, Stax and Groove Records.

Death

Weakened from spinal meningitis, Brook on top form of pneumonia in Queens, Novel York City, at the handle of 56 on April 9, 1988.

He was survived stomachturning his wife, Mary Benton, boss five children, Brook Jr., Vanessa, Roy, Gerald and Benjamin, bighead of Queens.

1. "Brook Benton Today" also hit #4 on illustriousness US RnB LP charts splotch 1970.