Mickey Newbury
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Mickey Newbury (May 19, 1940 - September 29, 2002) was an American singer and songwriter.
Born Milton Sim Newbury, Jr. in Houston, Texas, he sang with a vocal group in high school, and after his military service returned home where he began writing music and singing in local clubs. In 1964 Wesley Rose signed him to a songwriting contract with Acuff-Rose Music to work in Nashville, Tennessee. His compositions did well in many genres of music but he is most remembered for his creation of "An American Trilogy", a medley that was recorded by many, including symphony orchestras, but most notably by Elvis Presley.
As a successful songwriter, he also had a long-lasting professional relationship with Kenny Rogers. Notable songs he wrote for him include "Just Dropped In (To See What Condition My Condition Was In)" from 1968. Rogers also covered his 1969 tune "San Francisco Mabel Joy" in 1978 with a slightly different lyric.
Newbury was inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1980.
A friend and admirer of the music of Townes van Zandt, Newbury recorded more than a dozen albums of his own that received critical acclaim but had only modest sales success.
In 1974, he moved to a house on the McKenzie River in Oregon with his wife, Susan and new born son, Chris where they welcomed three more children over the years. He died of a prolonged battle with lung disease on September 29, 2002.
In the late sixties, Mickey had major hits on four different charts: "Here Comes The Rain Baby" - Eddy Arnold (Country #1) "Just Dropped In..." Kenny Rogers & T. F. E. (Pop / Rock # 5) "Sweet Memories" - Andy Williams (Easy Listening #1) "Time Is A Thief" - Solomon Burke (Rhythm and Blues #1)
“You’ve Always Got The Blues” was used as the soundtrack for the Australian Broadcasting Commission’s 8-part TV series, Stringer.
[edit] Selected list of songs
- 1967 "Funny Familiar Forgotten Feelings" - Tom Jones
- 1968 "Sweet Memories" - Willie Nelson
- 1968 "Weeping Annaleah" - Tom Jones
- 1968 "Just Dropped In (To See What Condition My Condition Was In)" - The First Edition
- 1972 "An American Trilogy" - Elvis Presley
- 1972 "Mobile Blue" - Ian Matthews
- 1973 "San Francisco Mabel Joy" - Waylon Jennings
[edit] Newbury tribute albums (in order of release)
Thirteen covers by as many artists make up the first Newbury tribute album, Frisco Mabel Joy Revisited.
Cowboy Johnson included 12 covers on his 2004 tribute, A Grain of Sand.
Toni Jolene Clay covered 15 Newbury songs, 11 on her 2005 album, Amen For Old Friends.
Jonmark Stone & Marie Rhines covered 10 songs on their 2005 album, When I Heard Newbury Sing.
Kacey Jones covers 15 songs on her 2006 tribute album, Kacey Jones Sings Mickey Newbury.
