Baker Knight

Thomas Baker Knight Jr. (July 4, 1933 – October 12, 2005)

Life and career He was born in Birmingham, Alabama, and because of his mother's poor health Knight was raised mainly by relatives. He learned to play guitar while serving in the Air Force, and after his discharge entered the University of Alabama, where he wrote music in his spare time. In 1956 he founded a rockabilly group, Baker Knight and the Knightmares, with Shuler Brown (bass), A.D. Derby (keyboards), Bill Weinstein (drums), Glenn Lane (sax), and Nat Tortorici (sax).

Knight moved to Hollywood in 1958 in hopes of pursuing a career in acting, but was unsuccessful. He became friends with Eddie Cochran and Cochran's girlfriend, songwriter Sharon Sheeley, who had written "Poor Little Fool" for Ricky Nelson, and they helped him find work as a songwriter. Knight wrote "Lonesome Town", which became a hit for Nelson in 1958, He had a small part as a strolling minstrel and sang several of his own songs.

In 1966, Dean Martin picked up "Somewhere There's a Someone", the first of eleven of Knight's songs he would cover. Frank Sinatra recorded a handful of Knight tunes, including "Anytime at All". Knight also wrote psychedelic music for the West Coast Pop Art Experimental Band in the late 1960s.

In 1971, he teamed with producer Jimmy Bowen and singers Kim Carnes and Mike Settle to create the bubblegum pop studio group The Sugar Bears. An album, Presenting the Sugar Bears, and three singles were released with one song, Knight's "You Are The One", reaching #51 on the Billboard charts.

Knight turned to country music in the 1970s, writing songs for Ernest Ashworth, Hank Williams, Jr., Jerry Lee Lewis, Dave & Sugar, and Mickey Gilley, whose No. 1 hit "Don't the Girls All Get Prettier at Closing Time" won Knight the Academy of Country Music's Song of the Year in 1976.

In 1985, Knight returned to Birmingham, suffering from chronic fatigue syndrome and agoraphobia, and his output decreased considerably. In the 1990s, he set up his own home studio and self-released several solo albums through his website, including The Way I Hear It, Music Is My Woman, and Music for Romantic Dreamers, the last one all instrumental. Knight published a memoir entitled A Piece of the Big-Time (my songs - my success - my struggle for survival) in 2005 just before his death.

Thomas Baker Knight Jr. died in Birmingham, Alabama, in 2005 at the age of 72. He was survived by his daughter, singer-actress Tuesday Knight, and his son, Dr. Thomas Baker Knight III.

Discography

Singles Year Title Record Label1956 "Bop Boogie To The Blues" / "Little Heart" Kit 889/891"Bring My Cadillac Back" / "I Cried" Kit SO 900/901"Bring My Cadillac Back" / "I Cried" Decca 9–301351957 "Reelin’ and Rockin’" / "When The World Gets Around" Decca 9–30213 "Just A Little Bit More" / "The Value Of Love" Decca 9–30306 "Love-A-Love-A-Love-A" / "High School Days" Decca 9–304261958 "Ain't Nothin' But Love" / "My Heart Cries for You" Jubilee 45–5342"I Never Get To Kiss You Anymore" / "Wishing" Jubilee 45–5357 1959 "Just Relax" / "Takin’ A Chance" Coral 9–62132 "Pretty Little Girl" / "Tag Along Blues" Coral 9–62160 "Sister" / "Peek-A-Boo" Kick 713 1960 "I Can Tell" / "The Beginning Of The End" RCA 47–7814 1961 "Dum Dum Diddley Dum" / "Any Time At All" RCA 47-7892Theme From The Devil's Hand" / "Peek-A-Boo" Chess 1795 1962 "Whose Little Baby Are You?" / "Bring It On Home To Me" Kit 102"Hungry For Love" / "House Next Door" Checker 1023 1963 "Best Thing That Ever Happened To Me" / "My Memories Of You" Challenge 9214"Big City Girls" / "Look In The Mirror" Everest 2033 1964 "Surrender To Me" / "When Somebody Mentions Your Name" Challenge 59231"Apple Dandy" / "Good Evening Mr. Heartache" Challenge 59260 1965 "(I'm A Sucker For A) Girl Like That" / "Hello Mama" Challenge 59287"I’m The Wolf Man" / "Sit and Dance" (as "Round Robin") Domain 1424 1966 "Man With A Plan" / "I Woke Up On The Wrong Side Of The World" Reprise 0403 "It Goes Deeper Than That" / "From A Distance" Reprise 0448 "Would You Believe It" / "Tomorrow's Good Time Girl" Reprise 0465 "I Want What You Got" / "Sorry ‘Bout That" Reprise 0523 1967 "I Feel Sick About The Whole Thing" / "Hallucinations" Reprise 0554"Things Are Looking Good (Out In Hollywood)" / "Stick-To-It-Ivity" Reprise 0583 1968 "The Verge Of Success" / "Are You Satisfied Now?" Reprise 0678 1970 "Lady Hamilton" / "Man Who Never Made It" Happy Tiger HT-536 1975 "A Legend On The Stage" / same (mono) Another ARDJ 1002 1977 "If Only" / "Physical Thing" Warner Bros. WBS 8469 1987 "Those Songs Of Yesteryear" / same (mono) Snug Harbor SNH-711-NSD

Albums Year Title Record Label2001 The Way I Hear It Snug Harbor 7018822001 Music For Romantic Dreamers Snug Harbor 7070222004 Music Is My Woman Snug Harbor 707025

Compilations