P. J. Proby (born James Marcus Smith; November 6, 1938)
is an American singer, songwriter, and actor.
Proby recorded the singles "
Hold Me", "
Somewhere", and "
Maria". In 2008,
EMI
EMI Group Limited (originally an initialism for Electric and Musical Industries, also referred to as EMI Records Ltd. or simply EMI) was a British transnational conglomerate founded in March 1931 in London. At the time of its break-up in 201 ...
released the greatest hits album ''
Best of the EMI Years 1961–1972''. He still writes and records on his own
independent record label
An independent record label (or indie label) is a record label that operates without the funding or distribution of major record labels; they are a type of small- to medium-sized enterprise, or SME. The labels and artists are often represented ...
, Select Records, and performs in the UK in Sixties concerts.
Early life
Proby was born James Marcus Smith on November 6, 1938 in
Houston
Houston (; ) is the most populous city in Texas, the most populous city in the Southern United States, the fourth-most populous city in the United States, and the sixth-most populous city in North America, with a population of 2,304,580 in ...
, Texas.
He is a great-grandson of Old West outlaw
John Wesley Hardin
John Wesley Hardin (May 26, 1853 – August 19, 1895) was an American Old West outlaw, gunfighter, and controversial folk icon. Hardin often got into trouble with the law from an early age. He killed his first man at the age of 15, claiming h ...
.
[ His father was an affluent banker;][ at nine, his parents divorced and as part of the custody deal, Proby was sent to military school.] He began at San Marcos Military Academy, and followed with stints in Culver Naval Academy and Western Military Academy
Western Military Academy was a private military preparatory school located in Alton, Illinois, United States. It operated from 1879 to 1971. The campus is part of the National Register of Historic Places District (ID.78001167). The school motto wa ...
.
Career
1960s
By the time Proby left school, he had already wanted a career "in the movies" and moved to California to become an actor and recording artist.[ Given the stage name Jett Powers by Hollywood agents Gabey, Lutz, Heller, and Loeb, he took acting and singing lessons and played small roles in films. Two singles, "Go, Girl, Go" and "Loud Perfume" appeared on two small independent record labels. In 1960, songwriter Sharon Sheeley convinced him to adopt the stage name P. J. Proby, the name of a former boyfriend from high school, and secured Proby an audition for ]Dick Glasser
Richard Eugene Glasser (December 8, 1933 – July 10, 2000) was a singer, songwriter, and record producer.
Biography
Glasser was born in Canton, Ohio, the third of eleven children and the oldest of five boys: subsequent to graduating Minerv ...
of Liberty Records
Liberty Records was a record label founded in the United States by chairman Simon Waronker in 1955 with Al Bennett as president and Theodore Keep as chief engineer. It was reactivated in 2001 in the United Kingdom and had two previous revival ...
. It was a success, and Proby signed with the label and the music publisher Metric Music.[ After a number of unsuccessful singles, in 1962 Proby began writing songs and recording demos for artists such as Elvis Presley, Bobby Vee, and Johnny Burnette, who had his final UK chart success with the song "Clown Shoes", credited to Proby's real name.
Proby travelled to London after being introduced to Jack Good by Sheeley and Jackie DeShannon. He appeared on ]The Beatles
The Beatles were an English Rock music, rock band, formed in Liverpool in 1960, that comprised John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr. They are regarded as the Cultural impact of the Beatles, most influential band of al ...
' ''Around the Beatles
''Around the Beatles'' was a 1964 television special featuring the Beatles, produced by Jack Good for ITV/Rediffusion London. It was taped in Wembley Park Studios (now Fountain Studios) in London on 28 April 1964, and broadcast internationall ...
'' television special in 1964.[ Under Good, Proby had UK top 10 hits in 1964 and 1965 including " Hold Me" (UK Number 3), " Together" (UK Number 8), " Somewhere" (UK Number 6), and " Maria" (UK Number 8); the last two songs were both lifted from the musical '']West Side Story
''West Side Story'' is a musical conceived by Jerome Robbins with music by Leonard Bernstein, lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, and a book by Arthur Laurents.
Inspired by William Shakespeare's play ''Romeo and Juliet'', the story is set in the mid-1 ...
''. He also recorded the Lennon–McCartney composition "That Means a Lot
"That Means a Lot" is a song written mainly by Paul McCartney, and credited to Lennon–McCartney. It was released in 1965 by P.J. Proby. Proby's version reached #24 on the NME chart. Prior to the release by Proby, the Beatles recorded a version th ...
", a song The Beatles attempted to record before giving it away.
Proby is remembered for an incident in January 1965, when his trousers split across the knees during a show in Croydon, London. As a result, Proby was banned in every major theatre in Britain, plus appearing on the BBC and ITV television channels. The incident scandalised the British press and public, causing Proby's career to lose momentum. Minor hits in 1966 were followed by flops, and in March 1968, "It's Your Day Today", gave Proby his last UK chart entry for nearly 30 years.
In 1967 Proby scored his only ''Billboard'' Hot 100 top forty hit with "Niki Hoeky". In September 1968, he recorded ''Three Week Hero
''Three Week Hero'' is an album released by rock singer P.J. Proby on April 8, 1969, by Liberty Records. The album contains a mixture of dramatic pop, blues, rock, and country style songs. While it did not succeed commercially, it is best remembe ...
'', released in 1969. A collection of country-style ballads mixed with blues, it used the New Yardbirds, later to become Led Zeppelin
Led Zeppelin were an English rock band formed in London in 1968. The group comprised vocalist Robert Plant, guitarist Jimmy Page, bassist/keyboardist John Paul Jones, and drummer John Bonham. With a heavy, guitar-driven sound, they are ci ...
, as the backing band. The album was produced by Steve Rowland.
1970s–1980s
In 1971, he appeared as Cassio in a rock musical of Shakespeare
William Shakespeare ( 26 April 1564 – 23 April 1616) was an English playwright, poet and actor. He is widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England's nation ...
's ''Othello
''Othello'' (full title: ''The Tragedy of Othello, the Moor of Venice'') is a tragedy written by William Shakespeare, probably in 1603, set in the contemporary Ottoman–Venetian War (1570–1573) fought for the control of the Island of Cypru ...
'', ''Catch My Soul''. He performed in cabaret
Cabaret is a form of theatrical entertainment featuring music, song, dance, recitation, or drama. The performance venue might be a pub, a casino, a hotel, a restaurant, or a nightclub with a stage for performances. The audience, often dining or d ...
and nightclub
A nightclub (music club, discothèque, disco club, or simply club) is an entertainment venue during nighttime comprising a dance floor, lightshow, and a stage for live music or a disc jockey (DJ) who plays recorded music.
Nightclubs gener ...
s, singing 1960s ballads and rhythm and blues
Rhythm and blues, frequently abbreviated as R&B or R'n'B, is a genre of popular music that originated in African-American communities in the 1940s. The term was originally used by record companies to describe recordings marketed predominantly ...
.
In 1977, he appeared as a contestant on the UK television talent show Opportunity Knocks. He wore an eye-mask and was billed as "The Masked Singer". Signing with Good again that year, he portrayed Elvis in '' Elvis – The Musical'' but was fired for ignoring the script and talking to the audience. Later in 1977, Proby agreed to record lead vocals on some tracks by Dutch progressive rock
Progressive rock (shortened as prog rock or simply prog; sometimes conflated with art rock) is a broad genre of rock music that developed in the United Kingdom and United States through the mid- to late 1960s, peaking in the early 1970s. Init ...
band Focus that were released on ''Focus con Proby
''Focus con Proby'' is the seventh studio album by the Dutch rock band Focus, released in 1977 on EMI Records. It features five tracks with vocals from American singer P. J. Proby. The record also features guitarists Eef Albers and Philip Catheri ...
'', their final album before the group disbanded in the following year.
In the 1980s, writers David Britton and Michael Butterworth attempted to revive Proby's career.[ The pair got the singer to record covers of various songs for their label Savoy Records, including " Tainted Love" by Gloria Jones, " Love Will Tear Us Apart" by Joy Division, " Anarchy in the UK" by ]The Sex Pistols
''The'' () is a grammatical article in English, denoting persons or things already mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite article in English. ''The'' is the m ...
, " Sign o' the Times" by Prince, and " In the Air Tonight" by Phil Collins
Philip David Charles Collins (born 30 January 1951) is an English singer, musician, songwriter, record producer and actor. He was the drummer and lead singer of the rock band Genesis and also has a career as a solo performer. Between 1982 and ...
. The project failed; Britton recalled Proby "hated everything we ever did" and only wanted to sing "country stuff and ballads, the old-fashioned kitschy stuff."[
In 1987, his Savoy Records single "M97002 Hardcore"][Savoy Records PJS6, 1987] credited Madonna as "Second Vocal (Special Guest)", although this was untrue.
1990s
In the early 1990s Proby released an EP, "Stage of Fools", and an album, ''Thanks''. They were issued by J'ace Records, distributed by BMG BMG may refer to:
Organizations
* Music publishing companies:
** Bertelsmann Music Group, a 1987–2008 division of Bertelsmann that was purchased by Sony on October 1, 2008
*** Sony BMG, a 2004–2008 joint venture of Bertelsmann and Sony that wa ...
. Granada TV featured Proby in a documentary.
In the early 1990s, Proby reappeared on stage as himself in the musical ''Good Rockin' Tonight'', followed by playing Roy Orbison
Roy Kelton Orbison (April 23, 1936 – December 6, 1988) was an American singer, songwriter, and musician known for his impassioned singing style, complex song structures, and dark, emotional ballads. His music was described by critics as ...
in ''Only The Lonely''. A year later Proby returned to a new production of ''Elvis – The Musical'', and made the album ''Legend''. It had songwriting and production from Marc Almond
Peter Mark Sinclair "Marc" Almond, (born 9 July 1957) is an English singer. Almond first began performing and recording in the synthpop/ new wave duo Soft Cell where he became known for his distinctive soulful voice and androgynous image. He ...
, and Neal X from Sigue Sigue Sputnik
Sigue Sigue Sputnik were a British new wave band formed in 1982 by former Generation X bassist Tony James. The band have had three UK top-40 hit singles, including "Love Missile F1-11" and " 21st Century Boy".
The band's music, image and insp ...
. A single, "Yesterday Has Gone", a duet
A duet is a musical composition for two performers in which the performers have equal importance to the piece, often a composition involving two singers or two pianists. It differs from a harmony, as the performers take turns performing a solo ...
with Almond, reached 58 on the UK Singles Chart
The UK Singles Chart (currently titled Official Singles Chart, with the upper section more commonly known as the Official UK Top 40) is compiled by the Official Charts Company (OCC), on behalf of the British record industry, listing the top-s ...
at the end of 1996.
In 1997, Proby toured with The Who
The Who are an English rock band formed in London in 1964. Their classic lineup consisted of lead singer Roger Daltrey, guitarist and singer Pete Townshend, bass guitarist and singer John Entwistle, and drummer Keith Moon. They are considered ...
in the United States and Europe, performing as 'The Godfather' in the road production of '' Quadrophenia''. After ''Quadrophenia'', Proby played the UK, Sweden, Denmark, and Germany. Proby collaborated with Savoy Books, reading for a 1999 audiobook of David Britton's formerly banned novel ''Lord Horror''.
2000s–present
In 2002, Van Morrison
Sir George Ivan Morrison (born 31 August 1945), known professionally as Van Morrison, is a Northern Irish singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist whose recording career spans seven decades. He has won two Grammy Awards.
As a teenager in t ...
recorded a song for his album '' Down the Road'' entitled "Whatever Happened to P. J. Proby?".
In August 2004, Proby toured in Australia. From February until May 2006, he appeared with the 'Solid Silver Sixties Show 2006' – and went through six road managers/drivers – throughout much of the UK, ending at the London Palladium.
In November 2008, Proby celebrated his 70th birthday. EMI
EMI Group Limited (originally an initialism for Electric and Musical Industries, also referred to as EMI Records Ltd. or simply EMI) was a British transnational conglomerate founded in March 1931 in London. At the time of its break-up in 201 ...
released a 25-track retrospective, '' Best of the EMI Years 1961-1972''. This featured his singles, eight rarities that debuted on the CD format, and two unreleased recordings ( Les Reed and Barry Mason
John Barry Mason (12 July 1935 – 16 April 2021) was an English singer and songwriter. A leading songwriter of the 1960s, he wrote the bulk of his most successful songs in partnership with Les Reed. Mason gained many gold and platinum awar ...
's " Delilah"; and Jim Ford
James Henry Ford (August 23, 1941 – November 18, 2007) was an American singer-songwriter originally from Johnson County, Kentucky. After living in New Orleans, Ford moved to Los Angeles, and finally settled in Fort Bragg, California. His ...
's "I'm Ahead If I Can Quit While I'm Behind"). Reed wrote "Delilah" for Proby's 1968 album ''Believe It Or Not'', but it was omitted and became a hit for Tom Jones. Proby wrote and recorded a Christmas single entitled "The Bells of Christmas Day" with guitarist and producer, Andy Crump.
In 2010, Proby toured in 'Sixties Gold' another revival series of shows.
In 2011, Proby was charged with nine charges of benefit fraud. He was cleared of all charges at Worcester Crown Court in 2012. To celebrate, Proby recorded "I'm PJ." and "We The Jury" (which Proby wrote).
In 2015, he performed in a duet with Van Morrison
Sir George Ivan Morrison (born 31 August 1945), known professionally as Van Morrison, is a Northern Irish singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist whose recording career spans seven decades. He has won two Grammy Awards.
As a teenager in t ...
on the album, '' Duets: Re-working the Catalogue'', singing "Whatever Happened to P. J. Proby".
Personal life
In 1968, Proby ran into tax problems and declared himself bankrupt.[ Proby was once arrested in Texas for vagrancy.][ In 1973, Proby was jailed for the shooting of an illegally-possessed weapon after theatening his partner Claudia Martin, daughter of ]Dean Martin
Dean Martin (born Dino Paul Crocetti; June 7, 1917 – December 25, 1995) was an American singer, actor and comedian. One of the most popular and enduring American entertainers of the mid-20th century, Martin was nicknamed "The King of Cool". M ...
, with a gun and firing several shots.[
After years of heavy drinking, Proby turned sober in 1992 after he had a heart attack while on a beach in Florida.]
In March 2012, Proby was acquitted of nine counts related to benefits fraud, totalling over £47,000. Proby said: "I was not dishonest when I claimed benefits, which I needed in order to live."
Proby married and divorced several times. He had a relationship with singer Billie Davis.[ In a March 2019 interview, he said he had married Marianne Adams when she was 16, Judy Howard when she was 17, and Dulcie Taylor when she was 21. Proby made the comments ahead of his 20-date farewell UK tour, which led to several shows being cancelled at first, followed by the whole tour. Proby disputed the accuracy of the interview in a statement to the press and to his fans.
Proby lives in Twyford, Worcestershire.][
]
Discography
Albums
* '' I Am P. J. Proby'' (1964) – UK Number 16
* ''P. J. Proby'' (1965)
* ''P. J. Proby in Town'' (1965)
* ''Enigma'' (1966)
* ''Phenomenon'' (1967)
* ''Believe It or Not'' (1968)
* ''Three Week Hero
''Three Week Hero'' is an album released by rock singer P.J. Proby on April 8, 1969, by Liberty Records. The album contains a mixture of dramatic pop, blues, rock, and country style songs. While it did not succeed commercially, it is best remembe ...
'' (1969)
* ''California License'' (1970)
* ''I'm Yours'' (1973)
* ''The Hero'' (1981), re-released as ''Clown Shoes'' in 1987
* ''Thanks'' (1991)
* ''The Enigma in Gold – Volume 1''
* ''Memories'' (2003)
* ''Sentimental Journeys'' (2003)
* ''Wanted'' (2003)
Spoken word albums
* ''P. J. Proby Reads Lord Horror'' (1999, spoken word album with musical accompaniment)
* ''The Waste Land'' (1999, spoken word album of T. S. Eliot
Thomas Stearns Eliot (26 September 18884 January 1965) was a poet, essayist, publisher, playwright, literary critic and editor.Bush, Ronald. "T. S. Eliot's Life and Career", in John A Garraty and Mark C. Carnes (eds), ''American National Biogr ...
's poem)
Collaborative album
* ''Focus con Proby
''Focus con Proby'' is the seventh studio album by the Dutch rock band Focus, released in 1977 on EMI Records. It features five tracks with vocals from American singer P. J. Proby. The record also features guitarists Eef Albers and Philip Catheri ...
'' (1978) with Dutch band Focus
Compilations
* ''Somewhere'' (1977)
* ''The Savoy Sessions'' (1995)
* ''Legend'' (1996)
* ''20th century Hits'' (2005)
* '' Best of the EMI Years 1961-1972'' (2008)
* ''Sixties Gold 2010'' (2010)
* '' The Real California License'' (2011)
* ''Greatest Hits from the Sixties'' (2011)
Early singles discography
Jett Powers
* "Go, Girl, Go"/"Teen Age Quarrel" (March 1958)
* "Loud Perfume"/"My Troubles" (September 1959)
P. J. Proby
* "Try to Forget Her"/"There Stands the One" (1961)
* "The Other Side of Town"/"Watch Me Walk Away" (1962)
* "So Do I"/"I Can't Take It Like You Can" (1963)
Orville Woods
* "Wicked Woman"/"Darlin'" (1963)
Selected singles discography
* " Hold Me" (1964) – UK Number 3, Canada Number 5, Australia Number 13, Ireland Number 10
* " Together" (1964) – UK Number 8, Australia Number 93
* " Somewhere" (1964) – UK Number 6, Canada Number 17
* " I Apologise" (1965) – UK Number 11
* " Rockin' Pneumonia (1965) – Canada Number 34
* " Mission Bell" (1965) – Australia Number 3
* "Let The Water Run Down" (1965) – UK Number 19, Canada Number 30
* "That Means a Lot
"That Means a Lot" is a song written mainly by Paul McCartney, and credited to Lennon–McCartney. It was released in 1965 by P.J. Proby. Proby's version reached #24 on the NME chart. Prior to the release by Proby, the Beatles recorded a version th ...
" (1965) – UK Number 30
* " Maria" (1965) – UK Number 8
* "You've Come Back" (1966) – UK Number 25
* "To Make A Big Man Cry" (1966) – UK Number 34
* "I Can't Make It Alone" (1966) – UK Number 37
* "Niki Hoeky" (1967) – US Number 23, Canada Number 22
* " Butterfly High" (1967)
* "It's Your Day Today" (1968) – UK Number 32
* "The Day That Lorraine Came Down" (1968)
* "Hanging From Your Loving Tree" (1969)
* "Today I Killed A Man" (1969)
* "It's Goodbye" (1970)
* "We'll Meet Again" (1972)
* "Tainted Love" (1985)
* "Love Will Tear Us Apart" (1985)
* "Anarchy in the UK" (1987)
* "M97002 Hardcore" (1987)
* "Sign 'o' the Times" (1989)
* "In the Air Tonight" (1990)
* "Garbageman" (1990)
* "Stage of Fools" (1990) – (J'Ace Records)
* "Yesterday Has Gone" (1996) – UK Number 58 (Credited to P. J. Proby and Marc Almond
Peter Mark Sinclair "Marc" Almond, (born 9 July 1957) is an English singer. Almond first began performing and recording in the synthpop/ new wave duo Soft Cell where he became known for his distinctive soulful voice and androgynous image. He ...
featuring the My Life Story Orchestra)
* " Love Me Tender" (2004)
* " Oh My Papa" (2004)
* "The Bells of Christmas Day" (2008)
* "We The Jury" / "I'm PJ." (2012)
References
External links
P. J. Proby's Official Website
(includes soundclips, downloads, bookings information & press kit)
House Of Proby Official Website
(includes tour dates, illustrated life story and news forum)
P. J. Proby's MySpace profile
{{DEFAULTSORT:Proby, P. J.
Living people
Lamar High School (Houston, Texas) alumni
American male singers
Songwriters from Texas
Musicians from Houston
Liberty Records artists
Decca Records artists
London Records artists
Select Records artists
American expatriates in the United Kingdom
Focus (band) members
Obscenity controversies in music
Audiobook narrators
1938 births
American male songwriters