100% correct! I remember my Dad buying me this song on a single 45 for the juke box i owned when I was 16. What an amazing song and amazing memories! :)
Dobie Gray was born on July 26, 1940, to a family of sharecroppers in Simonton, Texas (some sources cite Brookshire, Texas, as Gray's place of birth, but he claimed on his official website that he hails from Simonton. Moreover, his birth name has been variously cited as either Lawrence Victor Ainsworth or Laurence Darrow Brown). Gray's Baptist minister grandfather introduced him to gospel music. Dobie also listened to country/western and rhythm-and-blues music as a kid. He moved to Los Angeles in the early 1960s. His seventh recorded single, "Look at Me", was his first chart success. Dobie had a top-20 hit with the catchy "The 'In' Crowd" in 1965. The follow-up song, "See You at the Go-Go", was only a modest success. While in Hollywood Gray took acting classes and acted in stage productions of "A Raisin in the Sun," "The Amen Corner," "Look Homeward Angel," "Rhinoceros," and the hugely popular hippie counterculture musical "Hair" (he stayed with this play for two and a half years). He sang with the band Pollution in the early 1970s. In 1973 he scored his biggest and most beloved smash with the supremely mellow and soothing "Drift Away", which reached #5 on the pop charts, has been covered by many major artists (among them Elvis Presley and Ray Charles) and has since become a staple on classic rock radio stations. Dobie played a lead role in the blaxploitation feature Mean Mother (1973) and appeared as himself in the comedy Out of Sight (1966). Dobie's sound changed from soul to country in the mid-'70s. He relocated to Nashville, Tennessee, and had modest country chart hits with such songs as "That's One to Grow On" and "From Where I Stand." In addition, Gray enjoyed a nice sideline career as a songwriter; among the artists he penned songs for are Charley Pride, George Jones, Johnny Mathis, Conway Twitty, John Denver, B.J. Thomas and Tammy Wynette. Moreover, Dobie did radio and TV commercial work for such high-profile companies as Budweiser, Coca-Cola, Allstate, Chevrolet, Buick, and Kraft. He toured in Europe, Australia, and Africa (he performed for integrated audiences in South Africa during the apartheid era). His songs are featured on the soundtracks to such movies as Uptown Saturday Night (1974) (in which he sings the titular theme song), Casey's Shadow (1978), Casino (1995) and Wonderland (2003). In 2003 he sang a duet with rap artist Uncle Kracker on a hip-hop cover of "Drift Away;" the cover peaked at #1 on the charts for 28 weeks. Gray died at age 71 from cancer on December 6, 2011 in Nashville, Tennessee.
I'm sitting here at my house & crying right now because of this AWESOMELY GREAT AMAZING SONG... I'm 53 yrs old...so I have GREAT GREAT MEMORIES of this song from my childhood. This song has got to be in the top 10 greatest songs every recorded. It is in my opinion!!! Much love from Mobile Alabama
This is the only song I ever remember listening to with my dad as a kid before he died. (RIP dad) We were in the car and he looked at me and said "kid, this is music" and man, I cry every time I hear it when I'm driving. This was wonderful.
This is when artists used their “talent” to make music! Not the crap “rap” of todays so called artist! This is vocal mastery along with musicians actually playing instruments and creating a masterpiece!
I totally agree with you...one of the Greatest songs ever recorded...I put this song on the top shelf with Listen To The Music, The Weight, When A Man Loves A Woman, My Girl, Take The Long Way Home, This Old Heart Of Mine, & Light My Fire. Much love from Mobile Alabama.
I have loved this song since the first time I heard it, I used to play it over and over again, I still feel warm all over when I hear it. I still have my original 45 I bought back in the early 1970's.
Mr. Gray looks like a really great dude, who's singing wonderfully here. And his recording is not only the defining version, but the best version. None others hold a candle, as far as I'm concerned.
This is one of them timeless classics. Cant count the times ive listened to this song late at night when i was busting the black top with a load of carpet headed to the lonestar state from Ga
Such a great song. This is truly a classic song. he left his mark on the world with this 1 song. Pure Talent. Too bad we lost him to cancer in 2011 at the age of 71
Dobie was such a fantastic talent. He puts everything he has and everything he is into this song. He clearly was a wonderful and gentle man, and loved very much (on many levels) . For myself I cannot feel anything but having been robbed of the joy and love this man's presence gave to us. But I believe he is up there with God and looking down smiling on us with so many memories. God bless your heart Dobie, God bless your heart.
I love almost all the old Black Artists from that Era including Motown. Person left in a Comment about this new Crap Rap and that is true they are not even Artists and I know all the old Black Artists including Mr. Gray that it pains them on this Crap Rap music. I love Mr. Grays Smile. This Song really Moves me every time I listen to it. It seems like all the good people die young. Rest in Peace Mr. Gray
He still had the pipes. One of my big disappointments in life was when he played the Red Barn our airman's club at Eglin AFB and I didn't get to go. It was a huge soul nightclub and white guys weren't welcome. I know this sounds bad but we called it "the black barn".
@@daviddaniel3996 who’s song is it, someone else sang it before him? I was kinda around back in the seventies and don’t remember anyone saying this was a cover, unless u mean a songwriter wrote it for him, hmmm 🤔 now I’m curious enough to google it now✌️
Just googled it , it was originally a country tune lol recorded by someone I’ve never heard of named John Henry Kurtz. My radio wasn’t on the country station all that much back then and definitely not now😂😂😂
Loved this song from the first time I heard to 2022 and forever. Whilst Drift Away was the song he is known for, it is not, to my mind his best song. His vinyl albums contain some really beautiful,soaring ballads, not sure if they are all on You Tube, however, have a listen to If Love Must Go, and see how you rate that magic and emotive ballad. I was so fortunate to see him live in Melbourne ( Australia) in the late 70's. The highlight of the night was Dobie, alone on stage, highlighted by a single spotlight, no band or backups, singing The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down- he just about lifted the roof from the venue in a magnificent,powerhouse rendition that remains vivid all these years' on. It was a tragedy he was not recognised for the great talent he was during his all too short lifetime. Many thanks for putting this version up.
Great sound and word poetry song and described an era leaving the 50’s and thru part of the 70’s where a great experiment was made in music that touched soul of the young as no other ever has breaking down racial separation because it did not matter…glad I heard it and lived it…definitely Hall of Fame song and artist.
The song was written by Mentor Williams, the brother of Paul WIlliams. Kind of interesting how many white men had their fingers in some of the best black soul music.
Its a song of him giving his testimony in Jesus Christ, and his faith lies with and in Christ. Most people wouldn't even make the connection. RIP Dobie.
