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Joe Sun | |
|---|---|
| Birth name | James Joseph Paulsen[1] |
| Born | (1943-09-25)September 25, 1943 Rochester, Minnesota, U.S. |
| Died | October 25, 2019(2019-10-25) (aged 76) Palm Bay, Florida, U.S. |
| Genres | Country |
| Occupation | Singer-songwriter |
| Instrument(s) | Vocals, guitar |
| Years active | 1978–2019 |
| Labels | Ovation, Elektra, Dixiefrog, Crazy |
James Joseph Paulsen (September 25, 1943[2] – October 25, 2019),[3] known professionally asJoe Sun, was an Americancountry music singer-songwriter. Recording for the Ovation andElektra Records labels, Sun charted fourteensingles on theHot Country Songs charts. His highest was his 1978 debut single, the No. 14 "Old Flames Can't Hold a Candle to You."
He was born inRochester, Minnesota, United States.[2] He spent his youth in college and then in theAir Force. He did various jobs, such as working as a DJ at RadioWMAD inMadison, Wisconsin and at aKey West, Florida rock station and he spent two years with a computer firm in Chicago.[2] While in Madison, he sang with a variety of semi-pro bands, working under the name "Jack Daniels".[2] He acquired his style listening to southern music on country's 50,000 wattWSM and rhythm and bluesWLAC radio.
In 1972, he made his way toNashville, Tennessee, giving himself five years to "make it" as a musician. For a time, he ran a small graphics business called The Sun Shop,[2] then took up independent record promotions, which led to signing with theOvation Records label towards the end of 1977.
Joe Sun's debut and his first single on Ovation Records "Old Flames (Can't Hold A Candle To You)" was released in May 1978 and climbed steadily up the country charts, reaching the Top 20.[2] Further hits followed on Ovation Records with "High And Dry" (1978), "On Business For The King" (1979), "Blue Ribbon Blues" (1979), "Out Of Your Mind" (1979/1980), "What I Had With You" (1980), "Shotgun Rider" (1980), "Bombed, Boozed, And Busted" (1980),[2] and "Ready For the Times to Get Better" (1980), an innovative re-make ofCrystal Gayle's 1978 No. 1 hit. By the time his third album,Livin' On Honky Tonk Time was released, the record company Ovation closed down.[2] Sun signed with Elektra, who purchased Ovation in 1981. At that time he recorded "I Ain't Honky Tonkin' No More". The albumBest of Joe Sun was released by Elektra.
Sun recordedThe Sun Never Sets for Sonet in 1987, followed byTwilight Zone with Dixiefrog in 1986 andHank Bogart Still Lives with Dixiefrog in 1989.[2] This album was outsold in France only byRandy Travis. In 1991, Dixiefrog releasedOut on the Road, after Sun's five-month European tour.
Sun's first solo album effort, the 1992Dixie and Me,[2] made its debut onAustria's Crazy Music. Its response prompted the 1994 CD release ofSome Old Memories by the same record label. An album and a video forSome Old Memories were released in 1994 by Crazy Music and was broadcast on SF1, a Swiss television station and 3SAT, a German/Austrian/Swiss television station. Sun released theHeartbreak Saloon CD in 1991 with Dixiefrog. He wrote twelve of the fifteen songs on the album.
Sun released 15 albums and performed in the United States and Europe. He also recorded national radio spots forBudweiser and Timberline Boots. Besides being featured on television shows, having produced twoGrammy Award-nominated foreign albums in 1989 and 1990, Sun also acted as Tommy Fratter in the filmMarie alongsideSissy Spacek,Jeff Daniels andMorgan Freeman.
Sun died inPalm Bay, Florida, on October 25, 2019.[3]
| Year | Album | US Country | Label |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1978 | Old Flames | — | Ovation |
| 1979 | Out of Your Mind | 34 | |
| 1980 | Livin' on Honky Tonk Time | — | |
| 1981 | I Ain't Honky Tonkin' No More | 28 | Elektra |
| 1982 | The Best | — | |
| 1984 | Sun Never Sets | — | Sonet |
| 1988 | Twilight Zone | — | Dixiefrog |
| 1989 | Hank Bogart Still Lives | — | |
| 1994 | Some Old Memories 1988–1993 | — | |
| 1998 | Heartbreak Saloon | — | |
| 2006 | Dixie and Me | — | Crazy |
| Year | Single | Chart Positions | Album | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US Country[1] | US[1] | CAN Country | |||
| 1978 | "Old Flames Can't Hold a Candle to You" | 14 | — | 29 | Old Flames |
| "High and Dry" | 20 | — | 33 | ||
| 1979 | "On Business for the King" | 27 | — | — | |
| "Blue Ribbon Blues" | flip | — | 47 | ||
| "I'd Rather Go on Hurtin'" | 20 | — | 55 | Out of Your Mind | |
| "Out Of Your Mind" | 34 | — | 54 | ||
| 1980 | "Shotgun Rider" | 23 | 71 | 13 | |
| "Bombed, Boozed, and Busted" | 21 | — | 8 | Livin' on Honky Tonk Time | |
| "Ready for the Times to Get Better" | 43 | — | 19 | ||
| 1982 | "Holed Up in Some Honky Tonk" | 40 | — | — | I Ain't Honky Tonkin' No More |
| "Fraulein"(with Shotgun) | 57 | — | — | ||
| "You Make Me Want to Sing" | 85 | — | — | The Best | |
| 1984 | "Bad for Me" | 73 | — | — | Sun Never Sets |
| 1985 | "Why Would I Want to Forget" | 77 | — | — | single only |
| Year | Single | Artist | Chart Positions | Album |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US Country | ||||
| 1980 | "What I Had With You" | Sheila Andrews | 48 | single only |
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
| Artists | |
