In The News

Singer songwriter Joe South passes away

Singer songwriter Joe South passes away

TRIBUTES have been paid to the singer-songwriter Joe South, who has passed away. He was 72.

Born Joseph Souter, Joe South had his roots in country and western but it was in the more mainstream music that he enjoyed more success.

In the early 1960s he had written Untie Me which became a hit in the R&B charts for The Tams. He followed this up with another hit, Down In The Boondocks, which was recorded by Billy Joe Royal. He also wrote Hush for Deep Purple.

A number of singers covered Mr. South’s Games People Play, but he re-released it himself (see below) in 1969 and it went gold. He won two Grammys for best contemporary song and song of the year.

He went on to pen what became his greatest hit, (I Never Promised You A) Rose Garden. It became an international hit for Lynn Anderson (see below).

The pressures of success combined with the tragic death of a brother led him to spend time away from music, but by the mid-1970s he was back in the recording studio.

His last album, Classic Masters, was released in 2002. He released a new song, Oprah Cried, in 2009.

To see Joe South sing his hit Games People Play, click here.

To see Lynn Anderson sing (I Never Promised You A) Rose Garden , click here.

 

View previous In the News items: Oscar nominated actor Michael Clarke Duncan passes away, Comedian and entertainer Max Bygraves passes away, Former junior minister Sir Rhodes Boyson passes away, Former Royal Navy frogman Sydney Knowles passes away, First man on the moon Neil Armstrong passes away, Character actor william Windom passes away, Amy Winehouse Foundation supports hospice in Dublin, Author Nina Bawden passes away, Comedian Phyllis Diller passes away, Tributes are paid to singer songwriter Scott McKenzie, Tragic mother Winnie Johnson passes away, Science fiction writer Harry Harrison passes away, Disability rights pioneer Lord Morris passes away, Darts broadcaster Sid Waddell passes away, Special effects expert Carlo Rambaldi passes away, Astronomer Sir Bernard Lovell passes away, Art critic and writer Robert Hughes passes away, Famous violinist Ruggiero Ricci passes away, Vital equipment is donated in memory of Joby Murphy, Remains of Ned Kelly to be handed over, Irish author Maeve Binchy passes away, TV great Geoffrey Hughes passes away, Antiques expert David Barby passes away, Actress Mary Tamm passes away, First US woman in space passes away, Tributes are paid to actor Simon Ward, Former News at Ten presenter passes away, Bollywood superstar Rejesh Khanna passes awayCountry music legend Kitty Wells passes awayTributes are paid to film producer Richard ZanuckFormer jazz singer Maria Cole passes awayAndy Griffith of Matlock fame passes awayOscar winning actor Ernest Borgnine passes awayActor James Grout passes awayComic genius Eric Sykes passes awayCar designer Sergio Pininfarina passes awayFuneral takes place of the journalist Eugene MoloneyFuneral takes place of former footballer Alan McDonald, Composer and lyricist Richard Adler passes away, Actress Caroline John passes away, Tributes are paid to comic actor Victor Spinetti, Tributes are paid to former director of public prosecutions, Commander of the Canberra during Falklands War passes away, First woman to win Nobel prize in economics passes away, Actress Ann Rutherford passes away, Former Olympic boxing champion Teofilo Stevenson passes away, Electronics pioneer Arthur P. Stern passes away, Tributes are paid to former Fleetwood Mac guitarist Bob Welch or Tributes are paid to the writer Ray Bradbury

 

If you have a relative or a friend who has passed away and feel they should be mentioned in our In the News section, then please email us.