Carroll Baker (singer)

Carroll Baker
Songwriter George Petralia, Carroll Baker and producer Don Grashey
Background information
Birth name Carroll Anne Baker
Born (1949-03-04) March 4, 1949
Origin Bridgewater, Nova Scotia, Canada
Genres Country
Occupation(s) singer-songwriter
Years active 1970–present
Labels Gaiety
Columbia Records
Associated acts George Petralia
Don Grashey

Carroll Anne Baker CM (born March 4, 1949) is a Canadian country music singer and songwriter. She released many chart-topping single country hits in the 1970s.

Early life

Baker was born in Bridgewater, Nova Scotia.[1] The nearby fishing village of Port Medway displays a sign near the village entry claiming the community to be "The Home of Carroll Baker." She left Port Medway and moved to Toronto with her family when she was 16.

Career

Songwriter George Petralia heard Baker sing and introduced her to producer Don Grashey. Her first single in 1970, "Mem-ries of Home", was written by Petralia and released on Grashey's Gaiety label. It was a minor hit, staying on the charts for 26 weeks. Based on the success of this first recording, Grashey contacted several record companies regarding a recording contract for her and finally made a deal with Columbia Records.

She recorded two albums for Columbia with limited commercial success. Eventually she went back to Gaiety Records. She then was signed to RCA Records where she had several gold and platinum records.[2] From RCA, she joined Tembo records where she was again awarded platinum record status for her record sales.

In 1973, Baker became pregnant and announced her intention to withdraw from music business. Grashey convinced her to continue, and the pair traveled to Nashville to record four songs. Her first top ten record came from that session, "Ten Little Fingers", a song about a little girl, written by Don Grashey; this song remains one of her most popular songs to this day. She also had a hit with a bluegrass remake of "It's My Party".[3] All told, between 1970 and 1982 Baker released 31 consecutive charting singles. Twelve of these reached the top of the charts.

Baker had her own series on CBC television in the summer of 1983 and frequently appeared on Tommy Hunter's show. In 1986, her album Hymns of Gold was certified platinum.[4]

Awards

Baker received the Juno Award for Country Female Vocalist of the Year five times, including awards in 1977, 1978 and 1979.[1] In 1976, she won a Big Country Award for best album of the year, and in 1978 and 1977 she was named top female country singer at the same awards.[5][6]

She was inducted into the Canadian Country Music Hall of Fame in 1992. In 2009, she was made a Member of the Order of Canada "for her achievements as a Canadian country music singer and songwriter".[7]

Discography

References

  1. 1 2 Andy Gregory (2002). The International Who's Who in Popular Music 2002. Psychology Press. pp. 24–. ISBN 978-1-85743-161-2.
  2. ↑ Canada aims to boost its own country talent. Billboard. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. October 18, 1980. pp. 75–. ISSN 0006-2510.
  3. ↑ Trevor Tolliver (1 August 2015). You Don't Own Me: The Life and Times of Lesley Gore. Backbeat Books. pp. 160–. ISBN 978-1-4950-4972-9.
  4. ↑ Huey Lewis album hits nine-times platinum. Billboard. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. 21 June 1986. pp. 60–. ISSN 0006-2510.
  5. ↑ Canada. Billboard. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. 15 October 1977. pp. 137–. ISSN 0006-2510.
  6. ↑ Tag RCA 'Best' at Country Meet. Billboard. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. 30 October 1976. pp. 66–. ISSN 0006-2510.
  7. ↑ "Governor General announces 60 new appointments to the Order of Canada". July 1, 2009. Archived from the original on 2009-07-05.
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