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Biography
Jerry Wallace (December 15, 1928 – May 5, 2008) was an American country and pop singer. Between 1958 and 1964, Wallace charted nine hits on the Billboard Hot 100, including the No. 8 "Primrose Lane" that was later used as the theme song for the television series The Smith Family. He made his debut on the country music charts in 1965, entering it thirty-five times between then and 1980. In that timespan, Wallace charted within the country Top Ten four times. His only number one song was "If You Leave Me Tonight I'll Cry," a song which gained popularity after it was used in an episode of the 1970s TV series Night Gallery.Jerry Wallace’s long time Manager was Ron Blackwood.
Biography
Wallace was born in Guilford, Missouri.
Wallace performed for the famed eighth Cavalcade of Jazz concert held at Wrigley Field in Los Angeles which was produced by Leon Hefflin, Sr. on June 1, 1952.Also featured that day were Roy Brown and His Mighty Men, Anna Mae Winburn and Her Sweethearts, Toni Harper, Louis Jordan, Jimmy Witherspoon and Josephine Baker.
From June 1957 through June 1958, Hollywood, Calif. based Challenge Records, founded by Gene Autry, issued three discs with songs by Wallace. Half of the songs have been evaluated as being done in a style now known as rockabilly.
His better-known songs include "How the Time Flies" (1958), "Primrose Lane" (1959, written by Wayne Shanklin and George Callender), "Shutters and Boards" (1963, written by American Movie actor Audie Murphy and Canadian song producer Scott Turner), "In the Misty Moonlight" (1964) and "Otoko no Sekai" (男の世界, lit. "The World of the Man", English title: "The Lovers of the World") (1970, his biggest selling single that was released in Japan only. Used in marketing campaign of Mandom). "Primrose Lane" was his biggest hit, reaching No. 8 pop and No. 12 R&B in the US, selling over one million copies and awarded a gold disc. After his song "If You Leave Me Tonight I'll Cry" was featured in the 1972 Night Gallery episode "The Tune in Dan's Cafe," the song became a No. 1 hit on the Billboard magazine Hot Country Singles chart that August, spending two weeks at the top of the chart, crossing to No. 38 pop. "How The Time Flies" was Wallace's first big hit, reaching No. 11 pop and No. 11 R&B.
In 1972, he gained nomination for the Country Music Association Award as Male Vocalist of the Year, and his song "To Get To You" gained nomination for Single of the Year.
Wallace died on May 5, 2008 in Corona, California, after suffering congestive heart failure. A United States Navy veteran of World War II, Wallace was buried at Riverside National Cemetery in Riverside, California.
Discography
Albums
| Year | Album | Chart Positions | Label | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1959 | Just Jerry | — | — | Challenge |
| 1961 | There She Goes | — | — | |
| 1962 | Shutters and Boards | — | — | |
| 1964 | In the Misty Moonlight | — | 96 | |
| 1968 | This One's On the House | 35 | — | Liberty |
| Another Time, Another World | 31 | — | ||
| Sweet Child of Sunshine | 35 | — | ||
| 1972 | This Is Jerry Wallace | 7 | — | Decca |
| To Get to You | 1 | — | ||
| 1973 | Do You Know What It's Like to Be Lonesome? | 6 | 179 | MCA |
| Primrose Lane / Don't Give Up On Me | 1 | — | ||
| 1974 | For Wives and Lovers | 31 | — | |
| I Wonder Whose Baby (You Are Now) / Make Hay While the Sun Shines | 45 | — | ||
| 1975 | Greatest Hits | 39 | — | MGM |
| 1976 | Jerry Wallace | 41 | — | |
| 1990 | Greatest Hits | — | — | Curb |
Singles
| Year | Single (A-side, B-side) | Chart Positions | Album | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1952 | "Miserable Blues" | — | — | — | — | — | Non-album tracks |
| 1954 | "That's What A Woman Can Do" | — | — | — | — | — | |
| "Runnin' After Love" | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1955 | "Taj Mahal" | — | — | — | — | — | |
| "The Greatest Magic Of All" | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1956 | "On A Night When Flowers Were Dancing" | — | — | — | — | — | |
| "Eyes Of Fire Lips Of Wine" | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1957 | "Blue Jean Baby" | — | — | — | — | — | Just Jerry |
| "Date Night" | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1958 | "Good and Bad" | — | — | — | — | — | |
| "How The Time Flies" | — | 11 | 11 | — | — | ||
| "Diamond Ring" | — | 78 | — | — | — | ||
| 1959 | "A Touch Of Pink" | — | 92 | — | — | — | Non-album tracks |
| "Primrose Lane" | — | 8 | 12 | — | — | There She Goes | |
| 1960 | "Little Coco Palm" | — | 36 | — | — | — | Non-album tracks |
| "You're Singing Our Love Song To Somebody Else" | — | 115 | — | — | — | There She Goes | |
| "Swingin' Down The Lane" | — | 79 | — | — | — | ||
| "Only Twenty" | — | — | — | — | — | Non-album track | |
| 1961 | "There She Goes" | — | 26 | — | — | — | There She Goes |
| "Life's A Holiday" | — | 91 | — | — | — | Shutters and Boards | |
| "Lonesome" | — | 110 | — | — | — | Non-album tracks | |
| "Rollin' River" | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1962 | "Little Miss Tease" | — | — | — | — | — | |
| "You'll Never Know" | — | — | — | — | — | Shutters and Boards | |
| 1963 | "Shutters and Boards" | — | 24 | — | — | — | |
| "Move Over" | — | — | — | — | — | In The Misty Moonlight | |
| "Just Walking In The Rain" | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| "Empty Arms Again" | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| "Auf Wiedersehen" | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1964 | "In the Misty Moonlight" / | — | 19 | — | — | 35 | |
| "Even The Bad Times Are Good" | — | 114 | — | — | — | ||
| "Butterfly" | — | — | — | — | — | The Best Of Jerry Wallace | |
| "Spanish Guitars" | — | 132 | — | — | — | Non-album track | |
| "It's A Cotton Candy World" | — | 99 | — | — | — | The Best Of Jerry Wallace | |
| "Careless Hands" | — | — | — | — | — | Non-album tracks | |
| 1965 | "Helpless" | — | — | — | — | — | |
| "Time" | — | — | — | — | — | The Best Of Jerry Wallace | |
| "Life's Gone and Slipped Away" | 23 | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1966 | "Diamonds and Horseshoes" | 45 | — | — | — | — | |
| "Wallpaper Roses" | 43 | — | — | — | — | Non-album tracks | |
| "Not That I Care" | 44 | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1967 | "Runaway Bay" | — | — | — | — | — | This One's On The House |
| "This One's On The House" | 36 | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1968 | "The Closest I Ever Came" | — | — | — | — | — | Another Time, Another World |
| "Another Time, Another Place, Another World" | 69 | — | — | — | — | ||
| "That's The Fool In Me" | — | — | — | — | — | Non-album tracks | |
| "Sweet Child Of Sunshine" | 22 | — | — | — | — | Sweet Child Of Sunshine | |
| 1969 | "Son" | 69 | — | — | — | — | |
| "Venus" | — | — | — | — | — | Bitter Sweet | |
| "Swiss Cottage Place" | 71 | — | — | — | — | Non-album tracks | |
| "Honey Eyed Girl" | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1970 | "Even The Bad Times Are Good" | 74 | — | — | — | — | Superpak |
| 1971 | "After You" / | 22 | — | — | — | — | This Is Jerry Wallace |
| "She'll Remember" | 51 | — | — | — | — | ||
| "The Morning After" | 19 | — | — | 39 | — | ||
| 1972 | "To Get To You" | 12 | 48 | — | 8 | — | To Get To You |
| "If You Leave Me Tonight I'll Cry" | 1 | 38 | — | 3 | 38 | ||
| "Thanks To You For Lovin' Me" | 66 | — | — | — | — | Superpak | |
| 1973 | "Do You Know What It's Like to Be Lonesome" | 2 | — | — | 4 | — | Do You Know What It's Like to Be Lonsome? |
| "Take Me As I Am" | — | — | — | — | — | Superpak | |
| "Sound Of Goodbye" / | 21 | — | — | 16 | — | Do You Know What It's Like to Be Lonsome? | |
| "The Song Nobody Sings" | flip | — | — | — | — | ||
| "Don't Give Up On Me" | 3 | — | — | 12 | — | Primrose Lane / Don't Give Up On Me | |
| 1974 | "Guess Who" | 18 | — | — | 44 | — | For Wives and Lovers |
| "My Wife's House" | 9 | — | — | 3 | — | ||
| "I Wonder Whose Baby" | 20 | — | — | 47 | — | I Wonder Whose Baby / Make Hay While the Sun Shines | |
| 1975 | "Comin' Home To You" | 32 | — | — | — | — | Comin' Home To You |
| "All I Want Is You" | — | — | — | — | — | Bitter Sweet | |
| "Wanted Man" | 41 | — | — | — | — | Jerry Wallace | |
| "Georgia Rain" | 70 | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1976 | "The Fool I've Been Today" | — | — | — | — | — | Non-album tracks |
| "I Can't Keep My Hands Off You" | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1977 | "I Miss You Already" | 26 | — | — | — | — | I Miss You Already |
| "I'll Promise You Tomorrow" | 28 | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1978 | "At The End Of A Rainbow" | 24 | — | — | — | — | |
| "My Last Sad Song" | 64 | — | — | — | — | ||
| "I Wanna Go To Heaven" | 38 | — | — | — | — | Non-album tracks | |
| 1979 | "Yours Love" | 67 | — | — | — | — | |
| "You've Still Got Me" | 68 | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1980 | "Cling To Me" | 56 | — | — | — | — | |
| "If I Could Set My Love To Music" | 80 | — | — | — | — | ||
- "In the Misty Moonlight" also peaked at No. 2 on the Pop-Standard Singles chart.