Dick Curless

Jim Cohen · Post by **Jim Cohen** » 3 Nov 2000 11:45 am

From www.tipworld.com (NOT written by me, thanks very much)

DICK CURLESS, THE BARON OF COUNTRY MUSIC

Dick Curless should have been more popular than he was. He had a great baritone voice and a slightly piratical appearance because of his eye patch. But he never recorded the memorable songs that would have bumped him up to the next level of stardom. Curless was born in Fort Fairfield, Maine, in 1932 and began singing on the local radio station
in the late '40s. He was drafted in 1952 and shipped off to Korea, where he worked as a disc jockey on the Armed Forces Radio Network. His habit of playing lots of country music earned him the nickname "The Rice Paddy Ranger." He returned to the States in 1955 and began performing in clubs in the Northeast. In 1957, Curless won the "Arthur Godfrey Talent Scouts" competition with his rendition of "Nine Pound Hammer." He headed west to California to try his luck as a full-time singer and began to record for small labels. In 1965, his trucker's song "A Tombstone Every Mile" made it to number five on the country charts. In 1966, he recorded "The Baron," the song that gave Curless his nickname. Over the next few years, his records routinely made it to the upper reaches of the charts, but they never again cracked the top five. During the '60s, Curless toured as part of the Buck Owens All-American Show. By the '70s, his career had pretty much stalled, but he became something of a cult figure. Dick Curless died in 1995, soon after he had recorded his last album, Traveling Through. [This message was edited by Jim Cohen on 03 November 2000 at 11:47 AM.]

c c johnson · Post by **c c johnson** » 3 Nov 2000 4:18 pm

Yes the rice paddy ranger was on the afrs in Taegu. He woulud in addition to being a dj, sing on the program. His most requested songs were China Nights and Six times a day the train came down from Frankfort.

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Joe Casey · Post by **Joe Casey** » 3 Nov 2000 5:12 pm

It was the Buck Owens connection that stalled Dicks career.I had the pleasure of Knowing Dick and even did a couple of shows with him. You can hear his style and some of his voice in Junior Brown...Smiley Roberts was real close friends of Dick and it was him introducing me to Dick years ago that helped me to get to know him personally..Mention Dick Curless in New England and a fan pops up...What a great style and voice the man had...Nice to see him remembed.

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CJC

Jason Odd · Post by **Jason Odd** » 3 Nov 2000 5:47 pm

Yeah Joe, not too mention the fact that he was signed to Capitol Records subsiduary label Tower in the 1960s.
Tower was pretty much their knock-off label and was full of surf, psyche and garage punk bands. They had no real clout compared to Capitol and when Tommy Collins split Capitol in the mid 1960s, Capitol responded by releasing his last recordings on a Tower album, which pretty much ensured it's status as a seller, but never a chart contender.
Don't get me wrong, you could get a hit on tower and there were some great bands and acts among their dross, but he should have been on Capitol which would have given his wider access.. hell Capitol used to run ads with the Hag, Bonnie Owens, Wynn Stewart, Bobby Durham and Buck Owens side by side..and Dick should have been there with them.

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The future ain't what it used to be

Tommy Mark · Post by **Tommy Mark** » 3 Nov 2000 7:57 pm

I saw Dick on WWVA when I was about 12yrs. old and remember thinking how cool he was.First instincts are pretty true. I wondered what ever became of him. Sad to hear that he passed away such a short time ago. Tom

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Jim Smith · Post by **Jim Smith** » 4 Nov 2000 6:30 am

Dick was the first "star" I ever backed up. I was playing with his son, Ricky Curless in Bangor, Maine in the early 70's. I had a new Peavey PA with two 4-10" columns that I thought was the cat's meow. We backed him up at a local mall and were on a 6" raised stage. Every time Dick ended a song with one of those low, in the cellar, notes, the speakers would start walking across the stage.

He was a super nice guy and I spent many hours talking with him at his office made from a railroad car, and listening to tapes with his manager/guitar player, Sleepy LaBeefe. (I think that was his name.)

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Jim Smith jimsmith94@home.com
-=Dekley D-12 10&12=-
-=Fessenden Ext. E9/U-12 8&5=-

Joe Casey · Post by **Joe Casey** » 4 Nov 2000 12:10 pm

Jim Sleepy Willis was Dicks MgR. Sleepy Lebeef now I finally got to work with him in WSpr.He was more rockabilly....Didn't Rick Curless go with or marry Tina Welch?

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CJC

[This message was edited by Joe Casey on 04 November 2000 at 12:11 PM.]

John Macy · Post by **John Macy** » 4 Nov 2000 1:47 pm

The band I was with in the early 70's had the pleasure of backing him up quite often. It was always a blast, and he really liked our younger, honkty tonk edge style. Sleepy Willis traveled with him and player guitar with us, too.

There is a really great Bear Family Records set out on Dick. Covers everything from his first demos through about 1970. If you are fan, it is a must.

Wow, Tina Welch--haven't heard that name for a while...

Jim Smith · Post by **Jim Smith** » 4 Nov 2000 2:35 pm

Wow, Sleepy Willis and Tina Welch! I'm sure not aging gracefully.

Lem Smith · Post by **Lem Smith** » 5 Nov 2000 8:19 am

If you'd like to listen to Dick Curless, you can on broadcast.com Here is the link...

http://www.broadcast.com/jukebox/albums/t/thedragemofftheinterstateand_2205.html

You'll need the realaudio player to listen.

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Lem Smith
Emmons Legrande II 8 & 4
The Christian Steel Message Board

KEVIN OWENS · Post by **KEVIN OWENS** » 6 Nov 2000 8:58 am

John
There is a new Bear Family box set that just came out and it cover from early 70's thru 1988(i believe). It does have the "Wheeling Jamboree" lp with Curly Chalker.

Kevin

Andy Greatrix · Post by **Andy Greatrix** » 9 Nov 2000 10:50 pm

I met Dick at the Edison hotel in Toronto in the early 70s.It seems that we had both worked for Smilin' Ernie Lyndell at different times.What a great guy.He had one of the truly great voices I've ever heard. The recording technology of the time could not do justice to his voice. You really had to hear him in person.Truly a credit to american music.
All the best,-Andy

Herb Jones · Post by **Herb Jones** » 14 Nov 2000 7:41 pm

I played steel with Dick Curless from Oct.'69 to May of '60 at the Belmont Hotel in Bangor Maine, 6 nights a week. We also had a Guitar player, Dougie Trineer from Montreal, Que. We had a great time, Dick was a lot of fun and his voice was amazing. The good old days. I have a picture but don't know how to post it to this message.

Herb Jones · Post by **Herb Jones** » 15 Nov 2000 4:19 am

Sorry, That's Oct.'59 til May '60

Joe Casey · Post by **Joe Casey** » 15 Nov 2000 4:45 am

Anyone remember George Moody one heck of a Guitar player?

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CJC