Tompall Glaser (September 3, 1933 - August 13, 2013)
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Tompall Glaser (Sept 3, 1933 - Aug 13, 2013)
Tribute Collage CLICK TO ENLARGE
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Tompall Glaser, a charter
member of Nashville's Outlaw movement, country music singer, publisher and one
of country music’s original Outlaws, has died at 79 (Tues August 13, 2013) after fighting a prolonged undisclosed
illness, his nephew Louis Glaser told
the Associated Press. He died at his home in Nashville.
- Tompall
got his start in country music with his two younger brothers Chuck and Jim
backing up Marty Robbins. They went on to form Tompall & The Glaser Brothers and eventually became
members of the Grand Ole Opry.
- The
family band released 10 albums and had 9 charting singles before breaking
up.
- Glaser
would never achieve the success of contemporaries like Willie Nelson and
Waylon Jennings but was a key
player in the Outlaw rebellion they started against Music Row in the
early 1970s
- Glaser achieved success as a songwriter co-penning Bobby Bare's hit "The Streets Of Baltimore" with Harlan Howard.(Video : Zurich Live Country Music Festival). Other artists who've covered the song about losing a woman to the charms of "Charm City" include Gram Parsons (audio), The Little Willies and The Lemonheads.
Tompall
Glaser Timeline
Born: Thomas Paul Glaser September 3, 1933,
in Spalding, Nebraska. The son of Louis and Alice Marie Glaser. He was the
oldest of the three singing Glaser brothers, though the Glaser family included
five brothers and a sister. The Glaser’s grew up on a 1,200-acre corn and
cattle farm, and the family endured tough times during the Depression years,
with such calamities as drought, fire and tornadoes testing their resolve and,
perhaps, strengthening their desire to become successful musicians.
1950’s
Glaser began his musical career performing with his brothers Chuck and Jim in the 1950s.
1956 - 1957 While Tompall was in the military, Jim and Chuck had a radio
show in Hastings, NE and their father Louis helped his boys score spots in
local shows.
1957 - Won
Arthur Godfrey’s TV talent show, which led country star Marty Robbins.
They were persuaded to move to Nashville by Robbins who signed
them to his Robbins Record label and hired them to sing backup for him.
1959 - The Glasers were signed to Decca
and began recording.
1960’s
After Chuck Glaser returned from a stint in the Army (1959-1961) Johnny Cash hired
the group as a supporting touring act.
They sang on his 1962 album “The Sound of Johnny Cash,” including his
hit single “Ring of Fire.”
1966 - The Glaser Brothers got their first hit
with "Gone, On The Other
Hand," reaching No.24 on Billboard (the first of a dozen top 40
records through 1972)
1969 - With Tompall usually singing lead, the Glasers recorded with
producer Jack Clement in the ‘60s. With Clement’s idiosyncratic but
smooth production providing strings and other uptown accouterments to their
basic sound, the Glasers hit with No.11 “California
Girl (And the Tennessee Square)” and a version of Clement’s “Gone, On the Other Hand.”
1970’s
1970 - Signed to MGM Records, Tompall &
the Glaser Brothers were the winners of the Vocal Group of the Year trophy from
the Country Music Association.
1971 - The Glaser Brothers’ single "Rings"
(a cover of a light AM pop hit by Cymarron) peaked at No.7 on Billboard Country Songs.
Mid 70’s - Feeling restrained artistically by the Nashville business
system, the
brothers went their separate ways.
Tompall began to chart with solo releases, with the biggest being 1975's Shel
Silverstein-written "Put Another
Log On The Fire (Male Chauvinist National Anthem)," which peaked at
No. 21 (Later appeared on album "Wanted")
1973 - The
Glaser Brothers disbanded for the first time. Tompall started his own
group, which he called the Outlaw
Band. He reunited briefly with his brothers in 1979.
1973 – Tompall’s solo album CHARLIE (MGM) was released and is
still prized by country enthusiasts.
1974 – “Hillbilly
Central” (christened by a New York-based music writer) was the brain
child of Tompall. It was a two-story stucco office building / studio located
two blocks from Nashville’s infamous Music Row at 916 19th Avenue South (later acquired
by the artist Alison Brown as her home for the Compass Records label). As a
member of the Glaser Brothers Tompall took the money they earned from some
success in the country music business to build their own studio.
With the shutters on the windows
always closed, and a cast of motley characters entering and emerging at all
times day or night, “Hillbilly Central” became this mythical place in Nashville
where the country
music revolution happened.
Their publishing
company had success with songs such as "Gentle On My Mind" (John Hartford) and "Woman, Woman." Many artists began
to use the studios for their own recordings – much to the ire of the
powers-that-be in Nashville.
One of the many notable albums that was recorded there was Waylon Jennings' first No.1 and Gold
Certified album "Dreaming My Dreams"
(produced by the now late "Cowboy" Jack Clement). Jennings' crusade
to record there rather than at RCA studios was central in his rebellion against
the Nashville establishment. Jennings discovered that he and Tompall were
kindred spirits who liked to keep their own hours, raise hell, drink whiskey
and play pinball. Jennings and Glaser personally clashed -- over money, some
friends said. They never spoke to each other again.
Other acts that used Hillbilly Central were Bobby Bare, Kinky Friedman
& the Texas Jewboys and Billy Joe Shaver.
1975 - This spirit led to the album Wanted! The Outlaws (RCA), the first RIAA platinum
certified, million-selling album in country music history. It
featured tracks by Glaser, Nelson, Jennings and Jessi Colter. It held the #1 on
the country album chart for six weeks and reached #10 on the overall pop album
chart on its way to surpassing double platinum.
While Glaser was part of the legendary album that seemed to cement
Jennings, Nelson, Colter, and himself as rebels in Music City, he had arguably
had more of an impact behind the scenes than he did with his own recordings.
1978 - Glaser Brothers signed with Elektra's new Nashville branch.
1980’s
Early 1980s - Tompall reunited with his brothers as Tompall and The Glaser Brothers.
1981 - They scored their biggest success with "Lovin' Her Was Easier Than Anything I'll Ever Do Again," (Kris
Kristofferson) which reached No.2. They hit the charts together for the final
time in 1982 with "Maria Consuela."
1982 – Jim Glaser left to pursue a solo career. Chuck and Tompall
briefly replaced him with Shaun Nielsen, a veteran of Elvis Presley's
supporting group the Imperials. Finally the band called it quits.
1986 - Tompall released one last solo album, the slick NIGHTS ON THE
BORDERLINE, containing revivals of both "Streets of Baltimore" and
"Put Another Log on the Fire"
2013 - Jim Glaser told director Mike VanBuren in this year's DVD documentary
film From
Nebraska Ranchers to Nashville Rebels: The Story of the Glaser
Brothers, “Tompall
just had this fire in him to play music. I’ve never really known anyone quite
like that, that had that much fire. I don’t even know if I’d be in the music
business had it not been for that drive of his.”
Suffering from ill health for several years before his death, Tompall
was known as much for his outsized personality as his first-rate voice and business
acumen. Jim Glaser said: “Tompall had a
very shy side to him. I guess I always felt that was the bravado Tompall, the
face he put on when he didn’t want to be the shy Tompall any more. It was just
the name he gave himself. It was ‘The Great Tompall.’”
SOURCES
Wembley
International Country Festival
Appearances:
1970 (March 28th) Tompall & The Glaser Brothers
1973 (April 21st & 22nd) Tompall & The Glaser Brothers & The
Nashville Studio Band
1974 (Saturday, April 13th) - Tompall Glaser
1978 (Monday, March 27th) -Tompall Glaser
1980 - Tompall & The Glaser Brothers
1983 (Sunday, April 3rd) - Tompall & The Glaser Brothers
1985 - Tompall & The Glaser Brothers
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| Wembley Line Up - Click to Enlarge |
Mervyn Conn "Cockney King of Country music" the man who was
responsible for launching the careers of an array of huge stars in the 60’s and
70’s including Don Williams and Johnny Cash who invented the Wembley
International Festival Of Country Music described Tompall Glaser & The
Glaser Brothers as "a great act".
During one tour Conn spilled:
“That same tour we had this act, Tompall Glaser, who was playing up because he thought he
was a
bigger star than he was. He refused to go on stage so Dolly strode into his
dressing room and gave him what for. She said, ‘You’ll never be as big as Kenny
Rogers, now get out there and get on stage.’ He did as he was told after that.”
Video
Tompall & The Glaser Brothers Recorded Live From Wembley - Medley
From Rotterdam AHOY 1978 Country Festival Tompall Glaser sings: "It Never Crossed My Mind - What A Town"
(Buddy Emmons on Pedal Steel Guitar)
Tompall & the Glaser Brothers Last Performance - "Lovin Her Was Easier"
Chart
Success
Tompall
Glaser (solo)
As a solo artist he only placed eight singles on Billboard's Hot Country
Songs chart between 1973 and 1978, with only two rising to the top 40.
Albums (Billboard Country Album Chart)
1976 The Great Tompall and His Outlaw Band #13
1977 Tompall Glaser & His Outlaw Band #38
Singles (Billboard
Country Songs Chart)
1975 "Put Another Log on the Fire (Male Chauvinist National
Anthem)" #21
(From the Album: Tompall (Sings the Songs of Shel Silverstein))
1976 "T for Texas" #36
(From the Album: Wanted! The Outlaws)
Tompall &
the Glaser Brothers
Between 1960 and 1975, the trio recorded ten studio albums, and charted
nine singles on the Billboard Hot Country Singles
The Glasers became members of the Grand Ole Opry in the 1960s.
Notable Albums (Billboard
Country Album Chart)
1968 Through the Eyes of Love #18
1972 Rings and Things #33
1981 Lovin' Her Was Easier #36
Notable Singles (Billboard
Country Songs Chart)
1981 "Lovin' Her Was Easier”(Than Anything I'll Ever Do Again) #2 (Title track)
1971 "Rings" #7
(From the Album Rings and Things)
1969 California Girl (And the Tennessee Square) #11 (From the Album Now Country)
1972 "Ain't It All Worth Living For" (with The Nashville
Studio Band) #15
1981 "Just One Time" #17
(From the Album Lovin' Her Was Easier)
1982 "It'll Be Her" #19
(From the Album Lovin' Her Was Easier)
1966 "Gone, On the Other Hand" #24 (First hit: From the Album Tompall & the Glaser Brothers)
Music
Tompall Glaser Records and CDs - musicstack.com
The Best of Tompall Glaser and the Glaser Brothers - Amazon UK
Tompall & The Glaser Brothers - The Award Winners / Rings And Things
[2-ON-1 CD] Amazon UK
(Alan Cackett of Maverick Magazine provided the liner
notes)
Their hallmark sound was
a masterpiece of country-pop production, possessing a rich blend of folk
storytelling, country melody and superb three-part harmonies. Their two classic
albums, 'The Award Winners' and Rings And Things', were originally released in
1971 & 1972. They have now been digitally re-mastered from the original
production tapes and reissued together on CD for the first time. The
accompanying 16 page booklet includes photos, extensive liner notes and full
lyrics to every featured track.
DVD
From Nebraska Ranchers to Nashville Rebels:
The Story of Tompall & the Glaser Brothers (told by friends) Amazon.com
The Glaser Brothers are widely recognized for their fine vocals and
soaring harmonies. But they were much more than talented singers. They were savvy businessmen and innovative
pioneers in the music industry.
The youngest of six children born to Louis and Alice Marie Glaser, the
three brothers learned the value of hard work and self-reliance
Region 1 (U.S.
and Canada only) Included are comments by Glaser family members, and various
musicians, songwriters, music producers and others, such as Cowboy Jack
Clement, Kyle Lehning, Ronny Robbins, Gordon Stoker, Marshall Chapman, Kinky
Friedman, Gary Puckett, Bobby Bare and more.
Released in 2013 it is a 90-minute oral history DVD
about Tompall & the Glaser Brothers.
Please note that this video does not contain a lot of original recorded
music by the Glasers, but it tells a compelling story about their lives and
careers as told by assorted friends, family members, business associates and
music industry insiders.
View a short promo for this video.
Price $26
(incl shipping to the UK using PayPal) from mynorthwoodscall.com
"It's excellently produced and constructed,
providing great insight into this unique trio's career." - Tony Byworth (UK)
"It's exellent and I shall be saying so in ...
the UK's top-selling country journal."
- David
Allan (Country Music People)
“Tompall & the Glaser Brothers
have always been know to be the very best in the business. Nobody has ever had
purer and better harmonies” - Dolly Parton
Listen to “A Girl Like You” (1973) which charted at No.46
R.I.P Tompall Glaser
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