Curt Boettcher
   HOME

TheInfoList



OR:

Curtis Roy Boettcher (January 7, 1944 – June 14, 1987), sometimes credited as Curt Boetcher or Curt Becher, was an American singer, songwriter, arranger, musician, and
record producer A record producer is a recording project's creative and technical leader, commanding studio time and coaching artists, and in popular genres typically creates the song's very sound and structure.Virgil Moorefield"Introduction" ''The Producer as ...
from
Wisconsin Wisconsin () is a state in the upper Midwestern United States. Wisconsin is the 25th-largest state by total area and the 20th-most populous. It is bordered by Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake M ...
. He was a pivotal figure in what is now termed "
sunshine pop Sunshine pop (originally known as soft pop) is a subgenre of pop music that originated in Southern California in the mid-1960s. Rooted in easy listening and advertising jingles, sunshine pop acts combined nostalgic or anxious moods with "an appre ...
", working with
the Association The Association is an American sunshine pop band from California. During the late 1960s, the band had numerous hits at or near the top of the ''Billboard'' charts (including " Windy", " Cherish", " Never My Love" and "Along Comes Mary") and ...
, the Millennium, Sagittarius,
Paul Revere and the Raiders Paul Revere & the Raiders (also known as Raiders) were an American rock band formed in Boise, Idaho, in 1958. They saw considerable U.S. mainstream success in the second half of the 1960s and early 1970s. The band was known for including Revolu ...
,
Tommy Roe Thomas David "Tommy" Roe (born May 9, 1942) is a retired American rock and pop singer-songwriter. Best-remembered for his hits "Sheila" (1962) and " Dizzy" (1969), Roe was "widely perceived as one of the archetypal bubblegum artists of the late ...
,
Elton John Sir Elton Hercules John (born Reginald Kenneth Dwight; 25 March 1947) is a British singer, pianist and composer. Commonly nicknamed the "Rocket Man" after his 1972 hit single of the same name, John has led a commercially successful career a ...
,
Gene Clark Harold Eugene Clark (November 17, 1944 – May 24, 1991) was an American singer-songwriter and founding member of the folk rock band the Byrds. He was the Byrds' principal songwriter between 1964 and early 1966, writing most of the band's best ...
,
Emitt Rhodes Emitt Lynn Rhodes (February 25, 1950 – July 19, 2020) was an American singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and recording engineer. At 14 years, Rhodes began his career in musical ensembles the Palace Guard as the group's drummer before jo ...
,
Tandyn Almer Tandyn Douglas Almer (July 30, 1942 – January 8, 2013) was an American songwriter, musician, and record producer who wrote the 1966 song "Along Comes Mary" for the Association. He also wrote, co-wrote, and produced numerous other songs pe ...
,
the Beach Boys The Beach Boys are an American Rock music, rock band that formed in Hawthorne, California, in 1961. The group's original lineup consisted of brothers Brian Wilson, Brian, Dennis Wilson, Dennis, and Carl Wilson, their cousin Mike Love, and frie ...
, and others. ''
The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid ...
'' wrote of Boettcher: "If his life had gone just a bit differently, emight have been another
Brian Wilson Brian Douglas Wilson (born June 20, 1942) is an American musician, singer, songwriter, and record producer who co-founded the Beach Boys. Often called a genius for his novel approaches to pop composition, extraordinary musical aptitude, and m ...
. ... As it stands, Boettcher — a pop-music producer whose heyday was the late '60s — now survives in rock history mostly as a liner-note credit. He could have been, but never was. Yet he enjoys a godlike status among a select group of music fans, for whom obscurity is more enticing than fame."


Early life

He was born in
Eau Claire, Wisconsin Eau Claire (; ) (French for "clear water") is a city mostly located in Eau Claire County, Wisconsin, of which it is the county seat, and with a small portion in Chippewa County, Wisconsin. It had a population of 69,421 in 2020, making it the stat ...
, to Peggie and Arland Boettcher. His father was a
Navy A navy, naval force, or maritime force is the branch of a nation's armed forces principally designated for naval warfare, naval and amphibious warfare; namely, lake-borne, riverine, littoral zone, littoral, or ocean-borne combat operations and ...
pilot in
World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
and later worked at
the Pentagon The Pentagon is the headquarters building of the United States Department of Defense. It was constructed on an accelerated schedule during World War II. As a symbol of the U.S. military, the phrase ''The Pentagon'' is often used as a metony ...
.


The GoldeBriars

Boettcher entered the
University of Minnesota The University of Minnesota, formally the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, (UMN Twin Cities, the U of M, or Minnesota) is a public university, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university in the Minneapolis–Saint Paul, Tw ...
in fall 1962, where in 1963 he formed the folk quartet
The GoldeBriars The Goldebriars were an American folk music, folk quartet in the early 1960s, most notable for including a young Curt Boettcher as a guitarist and vocalist. The group also included two sisters, Dotti and Sheri Holmberg, with Ron Neilson as lead g ...
with the Holmberg sisters, Dotti and Sheri, and Ron Neilsson. They relocated to Los Angeles after being signed by
Epic Records Epic Records is an American record label owned by Sony Music Entertainment, a subsidiary of Sony Corporation of America Sony Corporation of America (SONAM, also known as SCA), is the American arm of the Japanese conglomerate Sony Group ...
, for whom they recorded and released two albums in 1964, ''The GoldeBriars'' and ''Straight Ahead!'' (A third was reportedly recorded in 1965 but withheld from release.) Under the guidance of recording producer Bob Morgan, the vocals were mixed upfront and enriched by double-tracking to sound like six voices. Prior to recording their third album, the group added drummer Ron Edgar (later of
The Music Machine The Music Machine was an American rock band formed in Los Angeles, California in 1966. Fronted by chief songwriter and lead vocalist Sean Bonniwell, the band cultivated a characteristically dark and rebellious image reflected in an untamed mus ...
; Edgar also worked with Boettcher in the bands The Ballroom and The Millennium). According to music historian
Joseph Lanza Joseph A. "Socks" Lanza (1904 – October 11, 1968) was a New York labor racketeer and a member of the Genovese crime family, who controlled the Fulton Fish Market in Lower Manhattan through the United Seafood Worker's Union local 359 from 1923 ...
, the GoldeBriars' material tended to follow the standard folk formula of songs such as "Shenandoah", but "acoustically, their style blended the homespun and the sugarspun."Lanza, Joseph, ''Vanilla Pop: Sweet Sounds from Frankie Avalon to ABBA'', Chicago: Chicago Review Press, 2005, pp. 114 Boettcher arranged most of the group's songs, but he also contributed as a songwriter. Morgan, quoted in Lanza's ''Vanilla Pop'', said that Boettcher's childhood as a
navy brat In the United States, a military brat (also known by various "brat" derivatives) is the child of a parent(s), adopted parent(s) or legal guardian(s) serving full-time in the United States Armed Forces, whether current or former. The term ''milita ...
influenced songs like "Haiku" on the album ''Straight Ahead!''.
Bobb Goldsteinn Bobb Goldsteinn (born Bob Goldstein, June 10, 1936) is an American showman, songwriter, and artist. As a pop pioneer, he wrote The Village Stompers' international hit " Washington Square" and produced The GoldeBriars, Curt Boettcher's original Su ...
, an accomplished songwriter (who wrote the 1963 folk-dixie hit " Washington Square" for
the Village Stompers The Village Stompers was an American dixieland jazz group during the 1950s and '60s. The group developed a folk-dixie style that began with the hit song " Washington Square".Liner notes, "Around the World with The Village Stompers" The Village Sto ...
), became "Boettcher's manager ndconfidant , as well as lyricist for some GoldeBriars songs. As manager, Goldsteinn inched the band in a more pop-flavored direction. The GoldeBriars performed live in the 1965 film '' Once Upon a Coffee House''.


The Association, The Ballroom, and Tommy Roe

Following the demise of The GoldeBriars, Boettcher moved into production and songwriting work for others, including
Lee Mallory William George "Lee" Mallory (January 10, 1945 – March 21, 2005) was a singer, songwriter and guitarist who was part of bands including The Millennium and Sagittarius. His most successful single was a cover of the Phil Ochs/Bob Gibson son ...
and
The Association The Association is an American sunshine pop band from California. During the late 1960s, the band had numerous hits at or near the top of the ''Billboard'' charts (including " Windy", " Cherish", " Never My Love" and "Along Comes Mary") and ...
. In 1966, through his production partnership Our Productions, Boettcher produced the debut album by The Association, '' And Then... Along Comes the Association'', released on
Valiant Records Valiant Records was an independent record label distributed in the 1960s by Warner Bros. Records (and briefly by Four Star Television). The label was sold to Warner Bros. in 1967. History Valiant Records was formed in 1960 in California, by sin ...
. The album spawned two Top 10 hits, "
Along Comes Mary "Along Comes Mary" is a song composed by Tandyn Almer, originally recorded by American sunshine pop band the Association. It was the group's first hit, released on their debut album, '' And Then... Along Comes the Association'' (1966). Backgr ...
" (which reached #7 in the U.S.) and "Cherish" (which reached #1). In 2012, original Association member Jim Yester said Valiant Records claimed "Cherish" sounded "too old and archaic", but the song's success "just showed we can have archaic and eat it, too." The album included the song "Message of Our Love", co-written by Boettcher and
Tandyn Almer Tandyn Douglas Almer (July 30, 1942 – January 8, 2013) was an American songwriter, musician, and record producer who wrote the 1966 song "Along Comes Mary" for the Association. He also wrote, co-wrote, and produced numerous other songs pe ...
(who also wrote "Along Comes Mary"). Boettcher's wife Claudia said that Almer wrote "Along Comes Mary" as a slow song. Boettcher sped up the tempo and recorded a demo on which he sang the vocal. This demo was presented to The Association, who used it as a guide for their arrangement of the tune. It was the band's attempt to replicate and build on Boettcher's demo that became the group's first hit single (produced by Boettcher). Boettcher and Almer had a dispute over writing credits for the song, Boettcher arguing that his extensive contributions to the arrangement, which formed the basis of the hit version of the song, warranted a co-writer credit. However, the song was ultimately credited solely to Almer. After the album achieved commercial success, according to a November 1966 story in ''Billboard'', the band dropped their manager, Dean Fredericks, who in turn filed a breach of contract suit against the band, claiming they were bound by a seven-year agreement. After filing suit, Fredericks joined Our Productions. "Consequently," Billboard revealed, " heAssociation will no longer associate with Our Productions, and henceforth will be a&r'd icby
Jerry Yester Jerome Alan Yester (born January 9, 1943) is an American folk rock musician, record producer, and arranger. Biography Yester was born in Birmingham, Alabama, United States, and grew up in Burbank, California. He formed a duo with brother ...
, brother of Association member
Jim Yester James Yester (born November 24, 1939) is an American musician. He is a member of the sunshine pop group The Association, who had numerous hits on the ''Billboard'' charts including " Windy", " Cherish", "Never My Love" and "Along Comes Mary". H ...
." As a result of this dispute, despite his valuable contributions to the debut album's commercial breakthrough, Boettcher was prevented from continuing as the band's producer. (He produced several tracks for a later incarnation of the band in the early 1980s.)Unreleased Recordings from 1980
at CurtBoettcher.com
In a 1974 interview with ''ZigZag Magazine'', Boettcher said that during this period he was under contract to Our Productions and on salary. This arrangement accorded him no royalties, but a tremendous amount of artistic freedom. "I wanted to keep on working, to be there. I think for a while I had more hours f studio experiencefor any producer my age. I used to practically live in the studio. And I used to work until I fell over. It was like an addiction. In 1966 he formed the group The Ballroom with
Sandy Salisbury Graham Salisbury (born April 11, 1944) is an American children's writer. His best known work is ''Under the Blood Red Sun'', a historical novel that features a Japanese-American boy and his family during World War II. Under the name Sandy Salis ...
, Michele O'Malley, and Jim Bell. The quartet recorded an album's worth of material, but other than two songs on a 1967 Warner Bros. 45 rpm single, the sessions remained unreleased until 2001. In 1966, he produced two hit singles for
Tommy Roe Thomas David "Tommy" Roe (born May 9, 1942) is a retired American rock and pop singer-songwriter. Best-remembered for his hits "Sheila" (1962) and " Dizzy" (1969), Roe was "widely perceived as one of the archetypal bubblegum artists of the late ...
, "
Sweet Pea The sweet pea, ''Lathyrus odoratus'', is a flowering plant in the genus ''Lathyrus'' in the family Fabaceae ( legumes), native to Sicily, southern Italy and the Aegean Islands. It is an annual climbing plant, growing to a height of , where sui ...
" and "
Hooray for Hazel "Hooray for Hazel" is a song written and performed by Tommy Roe with backing vocals by Lee Mallory. It reached number 1 in New Zealand, number 2 in Canada Canada is a country in North America. Its ten provinces and three territories ...
". Production on both was credited to Boettcher's Our Productions partner, Steve Clark, but Boettcher subsequently claimed that he himself produced these recordings. The following year, Boettcher produced Roe's album ''It's Now Winter's Day'' (
ABC Records ABC Records was an American record label founded in New York City in 1955. It originated as the main popular music label operated by the Am-Par Record Corporation. Am-Par also created the Impulse! jazz label in 1960. It acquired many labels befo ...
).


The Millennium and Sagittarius

Boettcher is said to have met both producer
Gary Usher Gary Lee Usher (December 14, 1938 – May 25, 1990) was an American rock musician, songwriter, and record producer, who worked with numerous California acts in the 1960s, including the Byrds, the Beach Boys, and Dick Dale. Usher also produced fict ...
and Beach Boy songwriter
Brian Wilson Brian Douglas Wilson (born June 20, 1942) is an American musician, singer, songwriter, and record producer who co-founded the Beach Boys. Often called a genius for his novel approaches to pop composition, extraordinary musical aptitude, and m ...
while producing and mixing the first single by
Lee Mallory William George "Lee" Mallory (January 10, 1945 – March 21, 2005) was a singer, songwriter and guitarist who was part of bands including The Millennium and Sagittarius. His most successful single was a cover of the Phil Ochs/Bob Gibson son ...
, "That's the Way It's Gonna Be", issued on Valiant Records in 1966. Usher in later years insisted that Boettcher influenced Brian Wilson during the development of the Beach Boys' perennial album ''
Pet Sounds ''Pet Sounds'' is the 11th studio album by American rock band the Beach Boys, released on May 16, 1966, by Capitol Records. It was initially met with a lukewarm critical and commercial response in the United States, peaking at number 10 on th ...
'' (1966), leading him to "abandon surfing music." Usher's statements are contradicted by session date logs and contemporary publications, wherein band members suggested to news publishers that they were looking beyond the confinements of surf rock as early as November 1964. Usher bought Boettcher's contract and signed him as a staff producer for Columbia Records. In 1967 he enlisted Boettcher to collaborate on a personal project, a studio band called Sagittarius, under whose name he had produced a single, "My World Fell Down", which became a minor hit. (It was sung by
Glen Campbell Glen Travis Campbell (April 22, 1936 – August 8, 2017) was an American guitarist, singer, songwriter, actor and television host. He was best known for a series of hit songs in the 1960s and 1970s, and for hosting ''The Glen Campbell Goodt ...
, who at the time was working as a session musician in Los Angeles, with
Bruce Johnston Bruce Arthur Johnston (born Benjamin Baldwin; June 27, 1942) is an American musician, singer, songwriter, and record producer who is a member of the Beach Boys. Johnston also collaborated on many records with Terry Melcher (his bandmate in Bru ...
of the Beach Boys on backing vocals.) Because of the modest chart success of the single, Columbia requested a full album, only to discover there was no group. Usher and Boettcher became the studio group, and an album was completed and released in 1968 under the title ''
Present Tense The present tense (abbreviated or ) is a grammatical tense whose principal function is to locate a situation or event in the present time. The present tense is used for actions which are happening now. In order to explain and understand present ...
''. (Usher and Boettcher are pictured on the cover.) Some of the songs were adapted from the unreleased Ballroom sessions, while others were re-recorded with new arrangements. The single version of "My World Fell Down" was edited differently on the album, omitting a bridge of
musique concrète Musique concrète (; ): " problem for any translator of an academic work in French is that the language is relatively abstract and theoretical compared to English; one might even say that the mode of thinking itself tends to be more schematic, ...
that was on the 45. A second single, "Hotel Indiscreet", recorded with Boettcher (and featuring a comedic non sequitur by the
Firesign Theater The Firesign Theatre (also known as the Firesigns) was an American surreal comedy troupe who first appeared on November 17, 1966, in a live performance on the Los Angeles radio program ''Radio Free Oz'' on station KPFK FM. They continued app ...
), was released, but it failed to chart. The album was a commercial failure. Usher's celebrity, as well as Boettcher's successful productions for The Association and Tommy Roe, convinced Columbia to finance Boettcher's own studio project. In 1967 he assembled a group of musicians and songwriters with whom he had previously worked or personally knew (including
Sandy Salisbury Graham Salisbury (born April 11, 1944) is an American children's writer. His best known work is ''Under the Blood Red Sun'', a historical novel that features a Japanese-American boy and his family during World War II. Under the name Sandy Salis ...
, Lee Mallory, Joey Stec, and Michael Fennelly), as well as some top Los Angeles session musicians, and started recording an album under the group moniker The Millennium. The album was co-produced by
Keith Olsen Keith Alan Olsen (May 12, 1945 – March 9, 2020) was an American record producer and sound engineer, who worked with Magnum, Rick Springfield, Fleetwood Mac, Ozzy Osbourne, the Grateful Dead, Whitesnake, Pat Benatar, Heart, Santana, Saga, ...
, who had been a friend of Boettcher since his college days. Their debut—and only—album, '' Begin'', was the most expensive album ever recorded for Columbia at that point. Despite the release of several singles, sales were dismal and the project was considered a commercial flop. This was partially attributable to Boettcher's reluctance to tour. The group staged a few live performances in Los Angeles, but the difficulty of replicating the album in concert posed a large enough challenge to dissuade Boettcher from sustaining the band. Although the single "It's You" became a hit in several regions, there was no group to support it. "5 AM" also charted in the
Philippines The Philippines (; fil, Pilipinas, links=no), officially the Republic of the Philippines ( fil, Republika ng Pilipinas, links=no), * bik, Republika kan Filipinas * ceb, Republika sa Pilipinas * cbk, República de Filipinas * hil, Republ ...
. The group recorded one final single, "Just About The Same" b/w "Blight", which wasn't issued at the time. Despite its commercial failure, the album is critically regarded as one of the finest pop albums from the late 1960s, and has been described at
AllMusic AllMusic (previously known as All Music Guide and AMG) is an American online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on musicians and bands. Initiated in 1991, the databas ...
as a "bona fide lost classic". In 2000 the second album by The Millennium called Again, originally unreleased, was issued. Soon after The Millennium broke up, Boettcher's friend Gary Usher, fired by Columbia Records, started a record label called Together Records. He brought in Boettcher and Olsen as staff producers, and Boettcher was involved in several projects for the label. These included his first attempt at a solo album, as well as producing recordings for a Sandy Salisbury solo album, contributing to the second Sagittarius album, and co-producing with Olsen ''The Moses Lake Recordings'' by The Bards, which was a mixture of garage rock with psychedelia and sunshine pop elements. Though the second Sagittarius album, ''
The Blue Marble ''The Blue Marble'' is an image of Earth taken on December 7, 1972, from a distance of around from the planet's surface. Taken by the crew of the Apollo 17 spacecraft on its way to the Moon, it is one of the most reproduced images in history. ...
'', did see release (and also notched a minor entry on the singles chart with a cover of The Beach Boys' "In My Room", sung by Boettcher), and several Sandy Salisbury singles were released, the label failed before any of Boettcher's other work could be completed. (Some Boettcher projects for Together were released in the early 2000s). Among other Boettcher productions remaining unreleased are sessions for Twice Nicely, guitarist
Waddy Wachtel Robert "Waddy" Wachtel (born May 24, 1947) is an American musician, composer and record producer, most notable for his guitar work. Wachtel has worked as session musician for other artists such as Linda Ronstadt, Stevie Nicks, Kim Carnes, Randy N ...
and singer Judy Pulver (co-writers of "Malachi Star", a song on Boettcher's 1973 solo album), a single for (
My Three Sons ''My Three Sons'' is an American television sitcom that aired from September 29, 1960, to April 13, 1972. The series was broadcast on ABC during its first five seasons, before moving to CBS for the remaining seasons. ''My Three Sons'' chronicl ...
actor)
Don Grady Don Louis Agrati (June 8, 1944 – June 27, 2012), also known as Don Grady, was an American actor, composer, and musician. He was known foremost as one of the Mickey Mouse Mouseketeers and as Robbie Douglas on the long-running ABC CBS tele ...
of the band
Yellow Balloon "Yellow Balloon" was a Top 30 hit single in the '' Billboard'' Hot 100 by The Yellow Balloon, included on the group's 1967 self-titled album. It was classified as being in the sunshine pop genre. Music and lyrics In late 1966, when Dean Tor ...
, and sessions produced with Gary Usher of a guitar duo called Tom and Dick. (Dick was songwriter
David Batteau David Hurst Batteau (born June 25, 1949) is an American singer-songwriter. Batteau is the son of Blanca Batteau and Dr. Dwight Wayne Batteau, of Harvard University and Tufts University. He is the brother of singer-songwriter Robin Batteau. H ...
, who would later write songs with and for Boettcher in the band California.) Former Millennium bandmate Ron Edgar played drums on the Tom and Dick sessions. In 1970 Boettcher and Olsen served as mixdown engineers for
Emitt Rhodes Emitt Lynn Rhodes (February 25, 1950 – July 19, 2020) was an American singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and recording engineer. At 14 years, Rhodes began his career in musical ensembles the Palace Guard as the group's drummer before jo ...
' first Dunhill album.


Solo recording and The Beach Boys

In the early 1970s, Boettcher had little commercial success and few rewarding recording projects. In 1971, at the insistence of Elektra Records founder-president
Jac Holzman Jac Holzman (born September 15, 1931) is an American music businessman, best known as the founder, chief executive officer and head of record label Elektra Records and Nonesuch Records. Holzman commercially helped launch the CD and home video form ...
, who was a huge fan of ''Begin'', Boettcher signed a deal with Elektra. He warned Holzman that the album would take a long time to produce, and started working on a solo album. The project got a boost when Boettcher met a young multi-instrumentalist named Web Burrell; taking a cue from the early one-man albums by
Rhodes Rhodes (; el, Ρόδος , translit=Ródos ) is the largest and the historical capital of the Dodecanese islands of Greece. Administratively, the island forms a separate municipality within the Rhodes regional unit, which is part of the So ...
, Boettcher decided to record the album in a similar fashion, using few musicians other than Burrell. (Boettcher and Burrell collaborated on at least three published songs.) After almost two years of work, '' There's An Innocent Face'' was released in 1973 under the name Curt Boetcher. It was a continuation of the direction that the Millennium had taken with their unreleased post-''Begin'' recordings, being a collection of songs with
country A country is a distinct part of the world, such as a state, nation, or other political entity. It may be a sovereign state or make up one part of a larger state. For example, the country of Japan is an independent, sovereign state, while the ...
, sunshine pop,
arena rock Arena rock (also known as AOR, melodic rock, stadium rock, anthem rock, pomp rock, corporate rock and dad rock; ; ) is a style of rock music that originated in the mid-1970s. As hard rock bands and those playing a softer yet strident kind of po ...
, and
folk Folk or Folks may refer to: Sociology *Nation *People * Folklore ** Folk art ** Folk dance ** Folk hero ** Folk music *** Folk metal *** Folk punk *** Folk rock ** Folk religion * Folk taxonomy Arts, entertainment, and media * Folk Plus or Fol ...
stylings. The album was a commercial failure. He attempted to record a follow-up album, tentatively titled ''Chicken Little Was Right'', but it was never completed. In the mid-1970s, Boettcher sang backing vocals on a number of
Elton John Sir Elton Hercules John (born Reginald Kenneth Dwight; 25 March 1947) is a British singer, pianist and composer. Commonly nicknamed the "Rocket Man" after his 1972 hit single of the same name, John has led a commercially successful career a ...
recordings, including "
Don't Go Breaking My Heart "Don't Go Breaking My Heart" is a 1976 duet by English musician Elton John and English singer Kiki Dee. It was written by John with Bernie Taupin under the pseudonyms "Ann Orson" and "Carte Blanche", respectively, and intended as an affection ...
", a duet John recorded with
Kiki Dee Pauline Matthews (born 6 March 1947), better known by her stage name Kiki Dee, is an English singer. Known for her blue-eyed soul vocals, she was the first female singer from the UK to sign with Motown's Tamla Records. Dee is best known for h ...
. He also contributed backing vocals to recordings by
Tanya Tucker Tanya Denise Tucker (born October 10, 1958) is an American country music singer and songwriter who had her first hit, "Delta Dawn", in 1972 at the age of 13. Over the succeeding decades, Tucker became one of the few child performers to mature int ...
,
Helen Reddy Helen Maxine Reddy (25 October 194129 September 2020) was an Australian-American singer, actress, television host, and activist. Born in Melbourne to a showbusiness family, Reddy started her career as an entertainer at age four. She sang on rad ...
,
Eric Carmen Eric Howard Carmen (born August 11, 1949) is an American singer, songwriter, guitarist, and keyboardist. He was first known as the lead vocalist of the Raspberries. He had numerous hit songs in the 1970s and 1980s, first as a member of the Rasp ...
and
Dennis Wilson Dennis Carl Wilson (December 4, 1944 – December 28, 1983) was an American musician, singer, and songwriter who co-founded the Beach Boys. He is best remembered as their drummer and as the middle brother of bandmates Brian and Carl Wilson. ...
. Thereafter, his output as a musician and producer was limited and sporadic. Beginning in 1975, he worked for several years as a
disco Disco is a genre of dance music and a subculture that emerged in the 1970s from the United States' urban nightlife scene. Its sound is typified by four-on-the-floor beats, syncopated basslines, string sections, brass and horns, electric pia ...
DJ throughout southern California. His best-known work in the late 1970s was a 10-minute disco version of "
Here Comes the Night "Here Comes the Night" is a 1964 song, written by Bert Berns. It became a hit for Northern Irish band Them, fronted by Van Morrison, in March 1965, charting at No. 2 in the UK and No. 24 in the US. Them's single is listed at either No. 33 or No. ...
" by The Beach Boys, which was a moderate hit in 1979 and was included on ''
L.A. (Light Album) ''L.A. (Light Album)'' is the 23rd studio album by the American rock band the Beach Boys, released on March 16, 1979, and their first issued through CBS Records. Recorded during a period of acrimony between the band members, it was a critical an ...
''; it was a remake of the original recording from their 1967 album '' Wild Honey''. As Curt Becher he produced a version of ''Shortnin' Bread'' for The Beach Boys that emerged on some bootleg collections. He also produced
Mike Love Michael Edward Love (born March 15, 1941) is an American singer and songwriter who co-founded the Beach Boys with his cousins Brian, Dennis, and Carl Wilson and their friend Al Jardine. Characterized by his nasal tenor and occasional bass-bari ...
's solo album '' Looking Back With Love''. Other productions were largely overlooked, such as the
Geno Washington Geno Washington (born William Francis Washington; December 1943, in Evansville, Indiana) is an American R&B singer who released five albums with The Ram Jam Band between 1966 and 1969, and eight solo albums beginning in 1976. Music career 19 ...
album ''That's Why Hollywood Loves Me'' and The Diamonds' ''Live And Well'' album. In 1980 he produced new recordings by a later incarnation of The Association, but these tracks were not released. He also produced their 1983 version of "Walk Away Renee," which was included on a
Radio Shack RadioShack, formerly RadioShack Corporation, is an American retailer founded in 1921. At its peak in 1999, RadioShack operated over 8,000 worldwide stores named RadioShack or Tandy Electronics in the United States, Mexico, United Kingdom, Austra ...
promotional album by Mike Love and
Dean Torrence Jan and Dean was an American rock duo consisting of William Jan Berry (April 3, 1941 – March 26, 2004) and Dean Ormsby Torrence (born March 10, 1940). In the early 1960s, they were pioneers of the California Sound and vocal surf music styles ...
entitled ''Rock & Roll City''.


Personal life and death

Little is known about Boettcher's personal life. He married Claudia Ford in the late 1960s, and they had a son, Varek, before they were divorced. A 2013 ''
New York Times Magazine ''The New York Times Magazine'' is an American Sunday magazine supplement included with the Sunday edition of ''The New York Times''. It features articles longer than those typically in the newspaper and has attracted many notable contributors. ...
'' article asserted that Boettcher was
gay ''Gay'' is a term that primarily refers to a homosexual person or the trait of being homosexual. The term originally meant 'carefree', 'cheerful', or 'bright and showy'. While scant usage referring to male homosexuality dates to the late 1 ...
, and that he tested positive for
HIV The human immunodeficiency viruses (HIV) are two species of ''Lentivirus'' (a subgroup of retrovirus) that infect humans. Over time, they cause acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS), a condition in which progressive failure of the immune ...
in the 1980s. Boettcher died in June 1987 at
Los Angeles County Hospital Los Angeles County+USC Medical Center, also known as County/USC, or by the abbreviation LAC+USC (and sometimes still referred to by its former name Los Angeles County General), is a 600-bed public teaching hospital located at 2051 Marengo Street in ...
while being treated for a lung infection. His former wife claimed that a blood vessel was clipped in his lung during a biopsy, and the medical staff, fearful of his HIV-positive status, avoided Boettcher while he bled out. Shortly before his death, he set up the Valley Center Studios with musician Mark Antaky and engineer Dave Jenkins.


Cover versions

The Brady Bunch ''The Brady Bunch'' is an American sitcom created by Sherwood Schwartz that aired from September 26, 1969, to March 8, 1974, on ABC. The series revolves around a large blended family with six children. The show aired for five seasons and, after ...
recorded Boettcher's composition "I Just Want To Be Your Friend" for their 1972 album, ''Meet the Brady Bunch'' (Paramount Records). Another Boettcher co-composition, "There Is Nothing More to Say", was sung as a solo by
Maureen McCormick Maureen Denise McCormick (born August 5, 1956) is an American actress. She portrayed Marcia Brady on the ABC television sitcom ''The Brady Bunch'', which ran from 1969 to 1974, and reprised the role in several of the numerous ''Brady Bunch'' sp ...
on ''Chris Knight & Maureen McCormick'', a 1973 album by Brady cast members McCormick and
Christopher Knight Christopher or Chris Knight may refer to: Film and television *Christopher Knight (actor) (born 1957), American actor * Christopher Knight (filmmaker), blogger and filmmaker * Chris Knight (''Neighbours''), fictional character in the soap opera '' ...
. The song was reissued as a bonus track on the CD release of The Brady Bunch Phonographic Album.
The Sunshine Company The Sunshine Company was an American sunshine pop band from Los Angeles, California. Originally the duo of Mary Nance (November 7, 1947 – November 24, 2019) and Maury Manseau, the group later added the rhythm section of bassist Larry Sims and dr ...
, a Los Angeles rock band, recorded two Boettcher compositions, "I Just Want To Be Your Friend" (on the 1967 album ''Happy Is the Sunshine Company'', Imperial Records 12359), and "If You Only Knew" (on the 1968 album ''The Sunshine Company'', Imperial Records 12368).
The Hep Stars The Hep Stars are a Swedish rock band formed in Stockholm in 1963. During 1965–1966 the band was the most successful of contemporary 1960s Swedish pop groups performing in the English language. Outside the Nordic countries the band is best k ...
, a 1960s Swedish rock group whose line-up included
Benny Andersson Göran Bror Benny Andersson (; born 16 December 1946) is a Swedish musician, singer, composer and producer best known as a member of the musical group ABBA and co-composer of the musicals ''Chess'', '' Kristina från Duvemåla'', and '' Mamma M ...
before he went on to greater fame in
ABBA ABBA ( , , formerly named Björn & Benny, Agnetha & Anni-Frid or Björn & Benny, Agnetha & Frida) are a Swedish supergroup formed in Stockholm in 1972 by Agnetha Fältskog, Björn Ulvaeus, Benny Andersson, and Anni-Frid Lyngstad. The group's ...
, recorded four Boettcher compositions, "Another Time", "Musty Dusty" (co-written with
Tandyn Almer Tandyn Douglas Almer (July 30, 1942 – January 8, 2013) was an American songwriter, musician, and record producer who wrote the 1966 song "Along Comes Mary" for the Association. He also wrote, co-wrote, and produced numerous other songs pe ...
), "Would You Like To Go" (co-written with Jules "Gary" Alexander of
the Association The Association is an American sunshine pop band from California. During the late 1960s, the band had numerous hits at or near the top of the ''Billboard'' charts (including " Windy", " Cherish", " Never My Love" and "Along Comes Mary") and ...
), and "Spinning Spinning Spinning" (co-written with
Ruthann Friedman Ruthann Friedman (born July 6, 1944) is an American folk singer-songwriter and guitarist best known for writing the hit song "Windy" for the American sunshine pop band the Association. Early years Born in Bronx, New York, Friedman spent her fo ...
).
Eternity's Children Eternity's Children was an American sunshine pop band that originated in Cleveland, Mississippi as a folk group known as the Phantoms. The Phantoms began with two students, composed of vocalist/keyboardist Bruce Blackman and drummer Roy Whittake ...
covered a Boettcher composition, "You Know I've Found a Way" on their 1968 album of the same name. A further cover of the song included Sagittarius, who included it on their album, ''
Present Tense The present tense (abbreviated or ) is a grammatical tense whose principal function is to locate a situation or event in the present time. The present tense is used for actions which are happening now. In order to explain and understand present ...
.'' In April 2013,
Beth Sorrentino Elizabeth Sorrentino is an American pianist and singer-songwriter from Lancaster, Pennsylvania. She lives in Los Angeles. Suddenly, Tammy! In the early 1990s, Sorrentino, her brother Jay (drums), and high school friend Ken Heitmueller (bass) ...
(formerly of the American rock band Suddenly, Tammy!) released ''Would You Like To Go: A Curt Boettcher Songbook'', produced by
Sean Slade Sean Slade (born 14 November 1957) is an American record producer, engineer, and mixer. On many of his productions he worked in partnership with Paul Q. Kolderie. Career Slade was born in Lansing, Michigan, United States. He graduated from Yal ...
and issued in Europe on the Basta label. (It was released in North America on June 10, 2014.) The album includes covers of well-known and obscure Boettcher songs and co-writes, as well as an idiosyncratic recording of "
Along Comes Mary "Along Comes Mary" is a song composed by Tandyn Almer, originally recorded by American sunshine pop band the Association. It was the group's first hit, released on their debut album, '' And Then... Along Comes the Association'' (1966). Backgr ...
" because of the song's strong association with Boettcher. Sorrentino's recording of "You Know I've Found a Way" (co-written by Boettcher and Lee Mallory) was used as the soundtrack for the trailer of
Rik Cordero Rik Cordero (born 1979 as Fredric Joseph Cordero) is an American film director and musician. Cordero was born and raised in Queens, New York and is known for applying unusual, non-traditional shooting methods in his work. He was nominated for Vi ...
's film ''Starla''.


Discography

As Artist: *
The GoldeBriars The Goldebriars were an American folk music, folk quartet in the early 1960s, most notable for including a young Curt Boettcher as a guitarist and vocalist. The group also included two sisters, Dotti and Sheri Holmberg, with Ron Neilson as lead g ...
- ''The GoldeBriars'' (1964, Epic) *
The GoldeBriars The Goldebriars were an American folk music, folk quartet in the early 1960s, most notable for including a young Curt Boettcher as a guitarist and vocalist. The group also included two sisters, Dotti and Sheri Holmberg, with Ron Neilson as lead g ...
- ''Straight Ahead!'' (1964, Epic) * The Ballroom - ''Preparing for the Millennium'' (1998, Creation) * The Millennium - '' Begin'' (1968, Columbia) * Sagittarius - ''
Present Tense The present tense (abbreviated or ) is a grammatical tense whose principal function is to locate a situation or event in the present time. The present tense is used for actions which are happening now. In order to explain and understand present ...
'' (1968, Columbia) * Sagittarius - ''
The Blue Marble ''The Blue Marble'' is an image of Earth taken on December 7, 1972, from a distance of around from the planet's surface. Taken by the crew of the Apollo 17 spacecraft on its way to the Moon, it is one of the most reproduced images in history. ...
'' (1969, Together) * Curt Boetcher ic- '' There's an Innocent Face'' (1973, Elektra) * Curt Boettcher - '' Chicken Little Was Right'' (2004, Revola) As Producer:
The Bards - ''The Moses Lake Recordings''
(1969 Together Records) *
The Association The Association is an American sunshine pop band from California. During the late 1960s, the band had numerous hits at or near the top of the ''Billboard'' charts (including " Windy", " Cherish", " Never My Love" and "Along Comes Mary") and ...
- '' And Then... Along Comes the Association'' (1966, Valiant) *
Tommy Roe Thomas David "Tommy" Roe (born May 9, 1942) is a retired American rock and pop singer-songwriter. Best-remembered for his hits "Sheila" (1962) and " Dizzy" (1969), Roe was "widely perceived as one of the archetypal bubblegum artists of the late ...
- '' It's Now Winter's Day'' (1967, ABC) * Jameson - '' Color Him In'' (1967, Verve) *
Eternity's Children Eternity's Children was an American sunshine pop band that originated in Cleveland, Mississippi as a folk group known as the Phantoms. The Phantoms began with two students, composed of vocalist/keyboardist Bruce Blackman and drummer Roy Whittake ...
- ''Eternity's Children'' (1968, Tower) * The Millennium - '' Begin'' (1968, Columbia) * Sagittarius - ''
Present Tense The present tense (abbreviated or ) is a grammatical tense whose principal function is to locate a situation or event in the present time. The present tense is used for actions which are happening now. In order to explain and understand present ...
'' (1968, Columbia) *
Sandy Salisbury Graham Salisbury (born April 11, 1944) is an American children's writer. His best known work is ''Under the Blood Red Sun'', a historical novel that features a Japanese-American boy and his family during World War II. Under the name Sandy Salis ...
- '' Sandy'' (1969) * Song - ''Album'' (1971, MGM) *
Sailor A sailor, seaman, mariner, or seafarer is a person who works aboard a watercraft as part of its crew, and may work in any one of a number of different fields that are related to the operation and maintenance of a ship. The profession of the s ...
- ''Checkpoint'' (1977, Epic; co-produced by
Bruce Johnston Bruce Arthur Johnston (born Benjamin Baldwin; June 27, 1942) is an American musician, singer, songwriter, and record producer who is a member of the Beach Boys. Johnston also collaborated on many records with Terry Melcher (his bandmate in Bru ...
) *
The Beach Boys The Beach Boys are an American Rock music, rock band that formed in Hawthorne, California, in 1961. The group's original lineup consisted of brothers Brian Wilson, Brian, Dennis Wilson, Dennis, and Carl Wilson, their cousin Mike Love, and frie ...
- "Here Comes the Night" (extended remix), on ''
L.A. (Light Album) ''L.A. (Light Album)'' is the 23rd studio album by the American rock band the Beach Boys, released on March 16, 1979, and their first issued through CBS Records. Recorded during a period of acrimony between the band members, it was a critical an ...
'' (1979, Brother/Caribou/CBS) *
Geno Washington Geno Washington (born William Francis Washington; December 1943, in Evansville, Indiana) is an American R&B singer who released five albums with The Ram Jam Band between 1966 and 1969, and eight solo albums beginning in 1976. Music career 19 ...
- ''That's Why Hollywood Loves Me'' (1979, DJM) *
Mike Love Michael Edward Love (born March 15, 1941) is an American singer and songwriter who co-founded the Beach Boys with his cousins Brian, Dennis, and Carl Wilson and their friend Al Jardine. Characterized by his nasal tenor and occasional bass-bari ...
- '' Looking Back with Love'' (1981, Boardwalk) *
The Diamonds The Diamonds are a Canadian vocal quartet that rose to prominence in the 1950s and early 1960s with 16 ''Billboard'' hit records. The original members were Dave Somerville (lead), Ted Kowalski (tenor), Phil Levitt (baritone), and Bill Reed (ba ...
- ''Live and Well'' (1983) * Various Artists: ''Looking for the Sun: The Lost Productions of Curt Boettcher and Friends'' (2019, High Moon Records) Appears on: * Your Gang -'' Your Gang'' (1966, Mercury) * Friar Tuck - '' Friar Tuck and his Psychedelic Guitar'' (1967, Mercury) *
Chad & Jeremy Chad & Jeremy were a British musical duo consisting of Chad Stuart and Jeremy Clyde, who began working in 1962 and had their first hit song in the UK with " Yesterday's Gone" (1963). That song became a hit in the United States in the following ...
- ''Of Cabbages and Kings'' (1967, Columbia) *
Chad & Jeremy Chad & Jeremy were a British musical duo consisting of Chad Stuart and Jeremy Clyde, who began working in 1962 and had their first hit song in the UK with " Yesterday's Gone" (1963). That song became a hit in the United States in the following ...
- ''The Ark'' (1968, Columbia) *
The Byrds The Byrds () were an American rock band formed in Los Angeles, California, in 1964. The band underwent multiple lineup changes throughout its existence, with frontman Roger McGuinn (known as Jim McGuinn until mid-1967) remaining the sole cons ...
- ''
The Notorious Byrd Brothers ''The Notorious Byrd Brothers'' is the fifth album by the American rock band the Byrds, and was released in January 1968, on Columbia Records. The album represents the pinnacle of the Byrds' late-‘60s musical experimentation, with the band blen ...
'' (1968, Columbia) *
Paul Revere & the Raiders Paul Revere & the Raiders (also known as Raiders) were an American rock band formed in Boise, Idaho, in 1958. They saw considerable U.S. mainstream success in the second half of the 1960s and early 1970s. The band was known for including Revolu ...
- '' Hard 'N' Heavy (With Marshmallow)'' (1969, Columbia) * Michele - '' Saturn Rings'' (1969, Mercury) *
Emitt Rhodes Emitt Lynn Rhodes (February 25, 1950 – July 19, 2020) was an American singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and recording engineer. At 14 years, Rhodes began his career in musical ensembles the Palace Guard as the group's drummer before jo ...
- ''
Emitt Rhodes Emitt Lynn Rhodes (February 25, 1950 – July 19, 2020) was an American singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and recording engineer. At 14 years, Rhodes began his career in musical ensembles the Palace Guard as the group's drummer before jo ...
'' (1970, Dunhill) *
Emitt Rhodes Emitt Lynn Rhodes (February 25, 1950 – July 19, 2020) was an American singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and recording engineer. At 14 years, Rhodes began his career in musical ensembles the Palace Guard as the group's drummer before jo ...
- '' Farewell to Paradise'' (1973, Dunhill) * Andy Goldmark - '' Andy Goldmark'' (1973, Warner) * Elton John - ''
Blue Moves ''Blue Moves'' is the eleventh studio album by English musician Elton John. It was released in October 1976. It was John's second double album (after ''Goodbye Yellow Brick Road'') and the first to be released by his own label, Rocket Records ...
'' (1976, MCA) *
Eric Carmen Eric Howard Carmen (born August 11, 1949) is an American singer, songwriter, guitarist, and keyboardist. He was first known as the lead vocalist of the Raspberries. He had numerous hit songs in the 1970s and 1980s, first as a member of the Rasp ...
- ''
Boats Against the Current ''Boats Against the Current'' is a 1977 album by Eric Carmen. The title is taken from a line in the novel ''The Great Gatsby'' by F. Scott Fitzgerald, “So we beat on, boats against the current, borne back ceaselessly into the past.” It was ...
'' (1977, Arista) *
Helen Reddy Helen Maxine Reddy (25 October 194129 September 2020) was an Australian-American singer, actress, television host, and activist. Born in Melbourne to a showbusiness family, Reddy started her career as an entertainer at age four. She sang on rad ...
- ''Ear Candy'' (1977, Capitol) *
Bruce Johnston Bruce Arthur Johnston (born Benjamin Baldwin; June 27, 1942) is an American musician, singer, songwriter, and record producer who is a member of the Beach Boys. Johnston also collaborated on many records with Terry Melcher (his bandmate in Bru ...
- '' Going Public'' (1977, Columbia) *
Dennis Wilson Dennis Carl Wilson (December 4, 1944 – December 28, 1983) was an American musician, singer, and songwriter who co-founded the Beach Boys. He is best remembered as their drummer and as the middle brother of bandmates Brian and Carl Wilson. ...
- ''
Pacific Ocean Blue ''Pacific Ocean Blue'' is the only studio album by American musician Dennis Wilson, co-founder of the Beach Boys. When released in August 1977, it was warmly received critically, and noted for outselling the Beach Boys' contemporary efforts. Two ...
'' (1977, CBS/Caribou) *
Tanya Tucker Tanya Denise Tucker (born October 10, 1958) is an American country music singer and songwriter who had her first hit, "Delta Dawn", in 1972 at the age of 13. Over the succeeding decades, Tucker became one of the few child performers to mature int ...
- ''
TNT Trinitrotoluene (), more commonly known as TNT, more specifically 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene, and by its preferred IUPAC name 2-methyl-1,3,5-trinitrobenzene, is a chemical compound with the formula C6H2(NO2)3CH3. TNT is occasionally used as a reagen ...
'' (1978, MCA)


References


External links


A Curt Boettcher discography
at CurtBoettcher.com * Curt Boettcher at Allmusicbr>ZigZag magazine interview with Boettcher
, Part 1, December 1974
ZigZag magazine interview with Boettcher
, Part 2, January 1975
"Curt Boettcher: The King of Sunshine Pop"
Radio Sant Joan,
Barcelona, Spain Barcelona ( , , ) is a city on the coast of northeastern Spain. It is the capital and largest city of the autonomous community of Catalonia, as well as the second most populous municipality of Spain. With a population of 1.6 million within ci ...
, February 28, 2009 * The GoldeBriars (with Curt Boettcher) perform and live in the 1965 film ''Once Upon a Coffee House''
Profile of Boettcher productions
with sound samples at officenaps.com {{DEFAULTSORT:Boettcher, Curt 1944 births 1987 deaths American country singer-songwriters American pop musicians American male pop singers Country musicians from Wisconsin Record producers from Wisconsin People from Eau Claire, Wisconsin American gay musicians Columbia Records artists Elektra Records artists 20th-century American singers 20th-century American businesspeople LGBT people from Wisconsin 20th-century American male singers 20th-century LGBT people American male singer-songwriters Singer-songwriters from Wisconsin