Del Reeves(1932-2007)

Country singer/songwriter Franklin Delano Reeves was born on July 14, 1932 in Sparta, North Carolina. The youngest of eleven children, Reeves learned how to play guitar with his mother's help (he borrowed his brothers' instruments while they were serving in World War II) and was a local radio star at age twelve. Del attended Appalachian State College in Boone, North Carolina and served in the Air Force, where he wrote and performed songs while stationed at Travis Air Force Base in California. He then became a regular on "The Chester Smith Show" from 1958 to 1961. Reeves signed with Capitol Records in 1954 and recorded songs for Decca Records, Reprise Records, and Columbia Records throughout the 50's. Del moved to Nashville, Tennessee in the early 60's, signed up with United Artists Records, and scored his first hit song with "Be Quiet Mind" in 1961. Reeves and his wife formed a professional songwriting duo; they penned songs for such established country singers as Carl Smith, Sheb Wooley, Rose Maddox, and Roy Drusky. In 1965 Del had his biggest and most beloved smash success with the delightful trucker's country tune "Girl on the Billboard," which soared all the way to #1 on the country radio charts and sold a million copies. The follow-up song "The Belles of Southern Bell" was a Top 5 country radio hit. Reeves' other hit songs include "Women Do Funny Things to Me," "A Dime At a Time," "Looking At the World Through a Windshield," his signature number "Good Time Charlie's," "Be Glad," and "The Philadelphia Fillies." Del became a regular performer at the Grand Ole Opry in 1966 and was well regarded as a great entertainer thanks to his deft comic timing, positive attitude, and amusing impressions of such stars as Jimmy Stewart, Walter Brennan, and Johnny Cash. He hosted his own syndicated TV program called "Del Reeves' Country Carnival" in the late 60's. Moreover, Reeves also acted in the movies "Sam Whiskey," "Cottonpickin' Chickenpickers," "Second Fiddle to a Steal Guitar," "The Gold Guitar," and "Forty Acre Feud." In the early to mid 70's Del recorded duets with Bobby Goldsboro, Penny DeHaven, and Billie Jo Spears. After his career waned in the mid 70's, Reeves became a music executive in 1979 and helped to promote the career of country singer Billy Ray Cyrus in the early 90's. Del Reeves died at age 74 from emphysema on January 1, 2007.