Brook Benton | |
|---|---|
| Born | Benjamin Franklin Peay (1931-09-19)September 19, 1931 Lugoff, South Carolina, U.S. |
| Died | April 9, 1988(1988-04-09) (aged 56) Queens, New York, U.S. |
| Genres | |
| Occupations | Singer, songwriter, actor |
| Years active | 1948–1988 |
| Labels | Okeh,Mercury,Cotillion,RCA |
Benjamin Franklin Peay (September 19, 1931 – April 9, 1988), known professionally asBrook Benton, was an American singer and songwriter whose music transcendedrock and roll,rhythm and blues, andpop music genres in the 1950s and 1960s, with hits such as "It's Just a Matter of Time" and "Endlessly".
His last hit was the 1970 ballad "Rainy Night in Georgia". Benton scored more than 50Billboard chart hits as a singer/songwriter and with hits he wrote for other performers.[1]
Benton began singinggospel music in aMethodist church choir inLugoff, South Carolina, where his father was choir master.[2]
In 1948, Benton went toNew York where he joined The Langfordaires and The Jerusalem Stars before joining The Sandmen.Epic Records signed The Sandmen in 1954, immediately sending the group to record at theColumbia studios in New York. Columbia placed The Sandmen on itsOkeh Records. Upon a second recording session, Okeh decided to push Benton as a solo artist. Benton recorded his first solo, "The Kentuckian Song", the theme from a movie of the same name.[3]
Benton switched to RCA'sVik subsidiary in 1957, where he had a single chart appearance, 1958's "A Million Miles From Nowhere", which peaked at No. 82 on U.S. charts. He wrote two songs that charted for other performers,Clyde McPhatter's "A Lover's Question" andNat King Cole's "Looking Back".[3]
In 1958, Benton signed withMercury Records, where he recorded hits "It's Just A Matter Of Time", "Endlessly", "Thank You Pretty Baby", "So Many Ways", "Baby (You've Got What It Takes)", "A Rockin' Good Way" (both duets with Dinah Washington), "Kiddio", "The Boll Weevil Song", and "Hotel Happiness".[3]
One of Benton's sisters was the original artist to record "Baby (You've Got What It Takes)", in 1958, under the title "You've Got What It Takes", using the stage name Dorothy Pay,[4] as theB-side of her single "Strollin' with My Baby".[5][6] In August 1959 Benton partnered withDinah Washington to record the song and their version, released in January 1960, was hugely successful on both the pop and R&B charts, reaching No. 5 on theBillboard Hot 100 and No. 1 on theHot R&B sides chart for 10 weeks,[7] becoming one of the most successfulR&B singles of the 1960s.
In 1959, he finally made his breakthrough with hits like "It's Just a Matter of Time" and "Endlessly". "It's Just a Matter of Time" peaked at No. 3 on the United StatesBillboard Hot 100 chart, sold over one million copies and was awarded agold disc by theRIAA.[8] "Endlessly" made it to No. 12. Both of the first two hits were written by Benton withClyde Otis. They were originally offered toNat King Cole, but when Otis became anA&R manager and producer at Mercury, he convinced Benton to sign with the label and record them himself, while asking Cole not to record the songs as planned.[9] Benton followed this success with a series of hits, including "So Many Ways" (No. 6), "Hotel Happiness" (No. 3), "Think Twice" (No. 11), "Kiddio" (No. 7), and "The Boll Weevil Song" (No. 2). In 1960, he had two top 10 hit duets with Dinah Washington: "Baby (You've Got What It Takes)" (No. 5) and "A Rockin' Good Way (to Mess Around and Fall in Love)" (No. 7).[10]
In the mid 1960s, Benton recorded forRCA Records andReprise Records with minimal commercial success. Then, in 1968, he signed withCotillion Records, a subsidiary ofAtlantic Records, where, the following year, he enjoyed his last major hit with "Rainy Night in Georgia", written byTony Joe White and produced and arranged byArif Mardin, a million-seller which topped the Billboard R&B chart.[10]Cornell Dupree played guitar on the song.[11] Benton recorded a total of five albums with Mardin, including a gospel album, during his stay at Cotillion.[citation needed]
Benton eventually charted a total of 49 singles on theBillboard Hot 100, with other songs charting onBillboard'srhythm and blues,easy listening, andChristmas music charts.[12] The last album made by Benton wasFools Rush In, which was released posthumously in 2005. He also had records released on various other labels, including All-Platinum, Brut, Olde Worlde, Stax andGroove Records.[13]
Weakened from spinalmeningitis, Benton died ofpneumonia inQueens, New York City, at the age of 56 on April 9, 1988.[14] He was survived by his wife, Mary Benton, and six children: Brook Jr., Vanessa, Roy, Is'real, Gerald, and Benjamin.[2]
| Year | Album | Peak chart positions | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US 200 [15] | US R&B [15] | ||||
| 1959 | It's Just a Matter of Time | — | — | ||
| Endlessly | — | — | |||
| 1960 | I Love You in So Many Ways | — | — | ||
| The Two of Us(withDinah Washington) | — | — | |||
| Songs I Love to Sing | — | — | |||
| 1961 | Golden Hits | 82 | — | ||
| The Boll Weevil Song and 11 Other Great Hits | 70 | — | |||
| 1962 | If You Believe | 77 | — | ||
| Singing the Blues – Lie to Me | 40 | — | |||
| 1963 | Golden Hits, Volume 2 | 82 | — | ||
| Best Ballads of Broadway | — | — | |||
| 1964 | Born to Sing the Blues | — | — | ||
| Laura (What's He Got That I Ain't Got) | 156 | — | |||
| 1969 | Do Your Own Thing | 189 | — | ||
| 1970 | Brook Benton Today | 27 | 4 | ||
| Brook Benton I Wanna Be With You | — | — | |||
| Homestyle | 199 | — | |||
| 1971 | The Gospel Truth | — | — | ||
| 1972 | Story Teller | — | — | ||
| 1973 | Something for Everyone | — | — | ||
| 1976 | This is Brook Benton (released in the UK as "Mister Bartender") | — | — | ||
| 1977 | Makin' Love Is Good for You | — | — | ||
| The Incomparable Brook Benton – 20 Greatest Hits (Warwick) | — | — | |||
| 1979 | Ain't No Good | — | — | ||
| So Close | — | — | |||
| 1981 | Brook Benton Sings the Standards | — | — | ||
| 1983 | 20 Golden Pieces of Brook Benton | — | — | ||
| Beautiful memories of Christmas | — | — | |||
| 1984 | Soft | — | — | ||
| 1989 | Forty Greatest Hits(compilation) | — | — | ||
| 2002 | Rainy Night in Georgia(compilation, remastered) | — | — | ||
| 2021 | Just A Matter of Time(compilation) | — | — | ||
| "—" denotes releases that did not chart or were not released in that territory. | |||||
| Year | Title | Peak chart positions | Album | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US Pop [15] | CB Pop | US R&B [15] | US AC [15] | Canada [16][17] | UK [18] | ||||
| 1955 | "The Kentuckian Song" b/w "Ooh" (Non-album track) | – | – | – | – | – | – | Brook Benton at His Best!!! | |
| "Some of My Best Friends" b/w "Bring Me Love" | – | – | – | – | – | – | |||
| 1956 | "Love Made Me Your Fool" b/w "Give Me a Sign" | – | – | – | – | – | – | ||
| 1957 | "The Wall" b/w "All My Love Belongs to You" (fromThe Soul of Brook Benton) | – | – | – | – | – | – | ||
| "Come On, Be Nice" b/w "I Wanna Do Everything for You" (fromBrook Benton) | – | – | – | – | – | – | Non-album track | ||
| 1958 | "A Million Miles from Nowhere" b/w "Devoted" | 82 | – | – | – | – | – | Brook Benton | |
| 1959 | "It's Just a Matter of Time" | 3 | 2 | 1 | – | 6 | – | It's Just a Matter of Time | |
| "Hurtin' Inside" | 78 | – | 23 | – | – | – | Golden Hits | ||
| "Endlessly" | 12 | 11 | 3 | – | 11 | 28 | Endlessly | ||
| "So Close" | 38 | 60 | 5 | – | – | – | I Love You In So Many Ways | ||
| "Thank You Pretty Baby" | 16 | 10 | 1 | – | 19 | – | Golden Hits | ||
| "With All of My Heart" | 82 | 66 | – | – | – | – | |||
| "So Many Ways" | 6 | 3 | 1 | – | 18 | – | I Love You In So Many Ways | ||
| "I Want You Forever" | – | 103 | – | – | – | – | Non-album track | ||
| "This Time of the Year" b/w "Nothing In The World (Could Make Me Love You More Than I Do)" (first pressings) "How Many Times" (later pressings) | 66 | 65 | 12 | – | – | – | Non-album tracks | ||
| 1960 | "Baby (You've Got What It Takes)" b/w "I Do" (Both sides withDinah Washington) | 5 | 2 | 1 | – | 14 | – | The Two of Us | |
| "The Ties That Bind" | 37 | 23 | 15 | – | 31 | – | Golden Hits | ||
| "Hither and Thither and Yon" | 58 | 49 | – | – | – | – | |||
| "A Rockin' Good Way (To Mess Around and Fall In Love)" b/w "I Believe" (Both sides withDinah Washington) | 7 | 5 | 1 | – | 17 | – | The Two of Us | ||
| "Kiddio" | 7 | 3 | 1 | – | 16 | 41 | Golden Hits | ||
| "The Same One" | 16 | 16 | 21 | – | 16 | – | |||
| "Fools Rush In (Where Angels Fear to Tread)" | 24 | 15 | 5 | – | 18 | 50 | Songs I Love to Sing | ||
| "Someday You'll Want Me to Want You" | 93 | – | – | – | – | – | Non-album track | ||
| "This Time of the Year" b/w "Merry Christmas, Happy New Year" | – | – | – | – | – | – | Non-album tracks | ||
| 1961 | "Think Twice" | 11 | 6 | – | – | 18 | – | Golden Hits Volume 2 | |
| "For My Baby" | 28 | 24 | 2 | – | 18 | – | Non-album track | ||
| "The Boll Weevil Song" | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 12 | 30 | The Boll Weevil Song | ||
| "Your Eyes" | – | 115 | – | – | – | – | Non-album track | ||
| "Frankie and Johnny" | 20 | 16 | 14 | 6 | 13 | – | The Boll Weevil Song | ||
| "It's Just a House Without You" | 45 | 71 | – | 8 | 13 | – | Golden Hits Volume 2 | ||
| "Revenge" b/w "Really, Really" (Non-album track) | 15 | 16 | 12 | – | – | – | |||
| 1962 | "Shadrack" | 19 | 29 | – | – | 4 | – | If You Believe | |
| "The Lost Penny" | 77 | 94 | – | – | 4 | – | |||
| "Walk on the Wild Side" b/w "Somewhere in the Used to Be" (Non-album track) | 43 | 42 | – | – | 33 | – | Golden Hits Volume 2 | ||
| "Hit Record" | 45 | 36 | 19 | – | 34 | – | |||
| "Thanks to the Fool" | 106 | 86 | – | – | – | – | Non-album track | ||
| "Lie to Me" | 13 | 10 | 3 | – | 36 | – | Singing the Blues | ||
| "With the Touch of Your Hand" | 120 | 126 | – | – | – | – | Non-album track | ||
| "Still Waters Run Deep" | 89 | 81 | – | – | – | – | Golden Hits Volume 2 | ||
| 1963 | "Hotel Happiness" | 3 | 6 | 2 | – | – | – | ||
| "I Got What I Wanted" | 28 | 22 | 4 | 14 | 39 | – | Singing the Blues | ||
| "Dearer Than Life" | 59 | 72 | – | – | – | – | Non-album track | ||
| "My True Confession" | 22 | 29 | 7 | 8 | – | – | Singing The Blues | ||
| "Tender Years" | – | 87 | – | – | – | – | |||
| "Two Tickets to Paradise" b/w "Don't Hate Me" | 32 | 30 | 15 | 8 | – | – | Non-album tracks | ||
| "Baby, You've Got It Made"(w/Damita Jo) | 111 | 133 | – | – | – | – | |||
| "Stop Foolin'"(w/Damita Jo) | 108 | 87 | – | – | – | – | |||
| "You're All I Want for Christmas" b/w "This Time of the Year" | – | 59 | – | – | – | – | |||
| 1964 | "Going Going Gone" b/w "After Midnight"(fromBorn to Sing the Blues) | 35 | 30 | 5 | 11 | – | – | On the Countryside | |
| "Another Cup of Coffee" | 47 | 40 | 4 | 13 | – | – | Non-album track | ||
| "Too Late to Turn Back Now" | 43 | 38 | 8 | 14 | – | – | This Bitter Earth | ||
| "A House Is Not a Home" b/w "Come On Back" | 75 | 50 | 6 | 13 | – | – | Non-album tracks | ||
| "Lumberjack" b/w "Don't Do What I Did (Do What I Say)" | 53 | 47 | 11 | 15 | – | – | This Bitter Earth | ||
| "Do It Right" | 67 | 58 | 33 | – | – | – | |||
| "Please, Please Make It Easy" | 119 | – | – | – | – | – | |||
| 1965 | "The Special Years" b/w "Where There's a Will (There's a Way") | 129 | 109 | – | – | – | – | Non-album tracks | |
| "Love Me Now" b/w "A Sleepin' at the Foot of the Bed" | 100 | 97 | – | 37 | – | – | |||
| "Mother Nature, Father Time" b/w "While There's Life (There's Still Hope)" | 53 | 43 | 26 | 9 | 27 | – | Mother Nature, Father Time | ||
| 1966 | "Only a Girl Like You" b/w "While There's Life (There's Still Hope)" | 122 | 102 | – | – | – | – | Non-album tracks | |
| "Too Much Good Lovin'" b/w "A Sailor Boy's Love Song" | 126 | – | – | – | – | – | |||
| "Break Her Heart" b/w "In the Evening by Moonlight" | – | – | – | 37 | – | – | |||
| "If Only You Knew" b/w "So True in Life, So True in Love" | – | – | – | – | – | – | |||
| "Our First Christmas Together" b/w "Silent Night" | – | – | – | – | – | – | |||
| 1967 | "All My Love Belongs to You" b/w "Wake Up" | – | – | – | – | – | – | ||
| "Keep the Faith, Baby" b/w "Going to Soulsville" | – | – | – | – | – | – | |||
| "Laura (What's He Got That I Ain't Got)" b/w "You're the Reason I'm Living" | 78 | 88 | – | 37 | – | – | Laura, What's He Got That I Ain't Got | ||
| 1968 | "Weakness in a Man" b/w "The Glory of Love" (fromLaura, What's He Got That I Ain't Got) | – | – | – | 36 | – | – | Non-album tracks | |
| "Lonely Street" b/w "Instead (of Loving You)" | – | – | – | – | – | – | |||
| "Do Your Own Thing" b/w "I Just Don't Know What to Do with Myself" | 99 | 128 | – | 26 | – | – | |||
| 1969 | "Touch 'Em with Love" b/w "She Knows What to Do for Me" | – | – | – | – | – | – | ||
| "Nothing Can Take the Place of You" b/w "Woman Without Love" | 74 | 67 | 11 | – | 68 | – | |||
| 1970 | "Rainy Night in Georgia" b/w "Where Do I Go from Here" | 4 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 2 | – | Brook Benton Today | |
| "My Way" b/w "A Little Bit of Soap" | 72 | 48 | 25 | 35 | 49 | – | |||
| "Don't It Make You Want to Go Home" b/w "I've Gotta Be Me" (fromBrook Benton Today) | 45 | 48 | 31 | 4 | 41 | – | Home Style | ||
| 1971 | "Shoes" b/w "Let Me Fix It" (fromHome Style) | 67 | 52 | 18 | 18 | 83 | – | Story Teller | |
| "Heaven Help Us All" b/w "Whoever Finds This (I Love You)" (fromHome Style) | – | 120 | – | – | – | – | The Gospel Truth | ||
| "Take a Look at Your Hands" b/w "If You Think God Is Dead" | – | – | – | – | – | – | |||
| "Please Send Me Someone to Love" b/w "She Even Woke Me Up to Say Goodbye" | – | – | – | – | – | – | Story Teller | ||
| "A Black Child Can't Smile" b/w "If You Think God Is Dead" (fromThe Gospel Truth) | – | – | – | – | – | – | Non-album tracks | ||
| "Soul Santa" b/w "Let Us All Get Together with the Lord" (fromThe Gospel Truth) | – | – | – | – | – | – | |||
| 1972 | "Movin' Day" b/w "Poor Make Believer" | – | – | – | – | – | – | Story Teller | |
| "If You Got the Time" b/w "You Take Me Home Honey" | 104 | – | – | – | – | – | Something for Everyone | ||
| 1973 | "Lay Lady Lay" b/w "A Touch of Class" | – | 107 | – | – | – | – | Non-album tracks | |
| 1974 | "South Carolina" b/w "All That Love Went to Waste" | – | – | – | – | – | – | ||
| 1976 | "Can't Take My Eyes Off You" b/w "Weekend with Feathers" | – | – | – | – | – | – | This Is Brook Benton | |
| 1978 | "Making Love Is Good for You" b/w "Better Times" | – | – | 49 | – | – | – | Makin' Love Is Good for You | |
| "Soft" b/w "Glow Love" | – | – | – | – | – | – | Soft | ||
| "–" denotes releases that did not chart or were not released in that territory. | |||||||||
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