Narvel Felts

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Narvel Felts
Birth nameAlbert Narvel Felts
Born (1938-11-11) November 11, 1938 (age 84)
Keiser, Arkansas, U.S.
Origin Bernie, Missouri, U.S.
Genres Country, Rockabilly
Occupation(s)Singer-songwriter
Instrument(s)Guitar
Years active1957–present
(Local performances only)

Albert Narvel Felts (born November 11, 1938) [1] is an American country music and rockabilly [2] singer. Known for his soaring tenor and high falsetto, Felts enjoyed his greatest success during the 1970s, most famously 1975's "Reconsider Me".

Contents

Career

He was born in Keiser, Arkansas, United States, [1] and raised in Bernie, Missouri, where he attended Bernie High School, Felts was discovered during a talent show at the school. [3] He had been encouraged to participate in the show by some of his classmates, and a talent agent happened to be attending the performance at the time.

Felts recorded his first single, "Kiss-a Me Baby", at the age of 18, [1] and his career skyrocketed with the help of Roy Orbison and Johnny Cash. Felts enjoyed modest pop success in 1960 with a remake of the Drifters' "Honey Love", [1] which earned a low position on the Billboard Hot 100. He went on to release such songs as "Lonely Teardrops" and "Pink And Black Days", but he did not begin enjoying success on a national level as a country singer until the 1970s. [1] His first major hit came in 1973, with a cover of Dobie Gray's "Drift Away". [1] Felts' version – number eight on the Billboard Hot Country Singles chart in September 1973 – was midtempo country compared to Gray's blues version. The follow-up single, "All in the Name of Love", just missed hitting the top 10 in December 1973. [1]

Felts continued to enjoy modest success during the next year and a half, when he signed with ABC-Dot Records in 1975. [1] That year, he enjoyed his biggest hit, a cover of Johnny Adams' soul classic "Reconsider Me", [1] which showcased his falsetto and high tenor. The song reached number two that August, and was 1975's second-biggest country hit of the year. [4]

Felts, who became known to fans as "Narvel the Marvel", continued to enjoy success throughout the 1970s. Included in his streak of hits was a remake of "Lonely Teardrops", which became his last top-10 hit in the summer of 1976, and a cover of Willie Nelson's "Funny How Time Slips Away". [1] He also had a number-14 country hit with "Everlasting Love" in 1979.

Narvel Felts' pioneering contribution to the genre has been recognized by the Rockabilly Hall of Fame.

Personal life

He is married to the former Loretta Stanfield.

Two children resulted from their marriage, although they lost their only son at the age of 31, Albert Narvel Jr. (known as Bub), on September 14, 1995, as the result of an automobile accident. At one time, Bub played drums for his father.[1]

One of his albums is dedicated to his son.

He currently resides in Malden, Missouri, where he continues to perform on occasion.

Discography

Albums

YearAlbum US Country Label
1973Drift Away30Cinnamon
1974When Your Good Love Was Mine41
1975Narvel Felts4ABC/Dot
Greatest Hits Vol. 120
1976Narvel the Marvel10
Doin' What I Feel26
1977The Touch of Felts30
Narvel
1978Inside LoveABC
1979One Run for the Roses49

Singles

YearSingleChart PositionsAlbum
US Country [5] US [5] CAN Country
1957"Foolish Thoughts"singles only
"Cry, Baby, Cry"
1958"Rocket Ride"
"Rocket Ride Stroll"
"Vada Lou"
1959"Cutie Baby"
1960"Honey Love"90
"Tony"
"3000 Miles"
1962"Little Miss Blue"
"Lovelight Man"
1963"Mountain of Love"
1964"Four Seasons of Life"
1965"You Were Mine"
"Night Creature"
"Your True Love"
1966"Girl Come Back"
"I'd Trade All of My Tomorrows"
1967"86 Miles"
"Don't Let Me Cross Over"
1968"Dee Dee"
"Since I Met You Baby"
1973"Rockin' Little Angel"Drift Away
"Drift Away"848
"All in the Name of Love"1363
1974"When Your Good Love Was Mine"1414When Your Good Love Was Mine
"Until the End of Time" (w/ Sharon Vaughn)39single only
"I Want to Stay"2635Greatest Hits Vol. 1
"Raindrops"33
1975"Reconsider Me"2671Narvel Felts
"Funny How Time Slips Away"1245
"Somebody Hold Me (Until She Passes By)"1027Narvel the Marvel
1976"Lonely Teardrops"5625
"My Prayer"14Doin' What I Feel
"My Good Thing's Gone"20
1977"The Feeling's Right"1926The Touch of Felts
"I Don't Hurt Anymore"3738
"To Love Somebody"22Narvel
"Please"34
1978"Blue Darlin'"flip
"Runaway"30
"Just Keep It Up"3125Inside Love
"One Run for the Roses"2638One Run for the Roses
1979"Everlasting Love"147
"Moment by Moment"4337singles only
"Tower of Strength"3326
"Because of Losing You"73
1981"Louisiana Lonely"67
"Fire in the Night"84
1982"I'd Love You to Want Me"58
"Sweet Southern Moonlight"84
"Roll Over Beethoven"64
"Smoke Gets in Your Eyes"84
"You're the Reason"82
1983"Cry Baby"52
"Anytime You're Ready"79
"Fool"52
1984"You Lay So Easy on My Mind"70
"Let's Live This Dream Together"53
"I'm Glad You Couldn't Sleep Last Night"63
1985"Hey Lady"51
"If It Was Any Better (I Couldn't Stand It)"68
"Out of Sight Out of Mind"71
1986"Rockin' My Angel"70
1987"When a Man Loves a Woman"60
1988"I Need Somebody Bad"

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References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Colin Larkin, ed. (1993). The Guinness Who's Who of Country Music (First ed.). Guinness Publishing. p. 138. ISBN   0-85112-726-6.
  2. "Narvel Felts". Rockabillyhall.com. Retrieved January 28, 2020.
  3. "Narvel Felts | Biography & History". AllMusic . Retrieved August 6, 2021.
  4. "Billboard.com - Year End Charts - Year-end Singles - Hot Country Songs". Billboard . Archived from the original on December 11, 2007. Retrieved April 21, 2007.
  5. 1 2 Whitburn, Joel (2008). Hot Country Songs 1944 to 2008. Record Research, Inc. p. 143. ISBN   978-0-89820-177-2.