Song:Detroit City
Album:The Best Of Bobby Bare
Though Detroit City was not country music artist Bobby Bare's biggest pop hit, it's probably his most memorable song. He was born Apr. 7, 1935 in Ironton, OH. His mother died when he was five and Bare was working in a factory by age 15. He started playing in bands and then moved to Los Angeles in 1957. He wrote a song called The All American Boy as a demo for a singer named Bill Parsons. Fraternity Records bought the song, used the demo and mistakenly credited it to Parsons. It reached #3 in 1959. While Bare was in the armed forces, Fraternity hired another singer to play Bill Parsons. Upon his dischage, Bare attempted to become a pop singer. But he preferred country and Chet Atkins signed him to RCA Records in 1962. Bare had several songs cross over to the pop charts including Detroit City which reached #16 on the Billboard Hot 100. The song was written by veteran Nashville songwriter Danny Dill and Mel Tillis. It was originally recorded by country singer Billy Grammer as I Wanna Go Home. Bare's version is more memorable. Bare's follow up single 500 Miles From Home did even better and reached #5 on the Billboard Hot 100. Though Bare would fade from the pop charts, he would remain a presence on the country charts through the 70s. This comp covers most of his career. Bare retired after recording with his 1998 group The Old Dogs featuring Jerry Reed, Mel Tillis and Waylon Jennings. But he returned in 2006 with a CD called The Moon Was Blue produced by his son Bobby Bare Jr. and he continues to tour today. Here's Bobby Bare performing Detroit City 1963.
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