Charlie Rich RCA/Groove sessions

Charlie Rich's work for RCA's Groove imprint has yet to be definitively reissued. I've heard there are a total of 37 known tracks that were recorded. Can someone give me a list of these songs along where they are available? I only know of two CDs with songs from these sessions: There's Big Boss Man which has his 1964 album and 5 bonus tracks, and a compilation called Groove Recordings which is the same deal but with 14 bonus tracks. I think that might be my favorite era of Rich so I'd like to track down all that stuff.

 

I have a 26 track cd of his Groove recordings. I bought it years ago and it's one of my favorite cd's. Charlie Rich is one of my favorite artists who is criminally underrated. The cd cover has a bluish tint to the cover with Charlie singing at a microphone. I think it was an import. I remember there was a choice at the time and I had to make sure to buy the one with more tracks. I would also buy his Smash and Hi recordings along with Pictures and Paintings (among others) but that's just me. Hope this helps.

 

Right now, the only CD in print covering this era is a BMG/Sony All American Country volume. That import collection you have has a crazy asking price on Amazon Marketplace. I will likely be getting some 70's reissue vinyl and needledropping me some RCA/Groove era Charlie Rich.

 

I fully agree with Ron P. Charlie has to be one of the most underrated artists of any era. Unfortunately, he is most known for, what many consider to be, his weakest material. The country stuff with Billy Sherrill is ho-hum. Take a listen to "Pictures and Paintings" to get a glimpse into the material that Charlie loved, and where he was most comfortable.

The Bear Family 3 cd box of his Phillips material is very good as well. For my money, though, it doesn't get any better than his Groove Recording of "River Stay Away From My Door". While many loathe the Anita Kerr Singers, they shine on these sessions.

 

All Charlie's material from the beginning through 1975 has been comprehensively reissued on CD except for the Groove material. Which is sad because I agree that it's overall the best material he ever did. On the Sun stuff he's still finding his style. The Smash stuff is great but the Groove stuff is even better, and it has that wonderful Bill Porter sound. "There Won't Be Anymore" is the perfect Charlie Rich song. It's bad enough his entire output for the label hasn't been out on CD, but even worse that the two existing collections are OOP and amazon sellers are asking for stupid money for them.

As to where to find the stuff, the British RCA/Camden Groove Recordings CD has 26 songs (the full tracklist is here).

The Koch CD of Big Boss Man has two additional tracks not on that CD ("Tomorrow Night" and "Now Everybody Knows"). The 10-track All American Country CD (which you can get for 62 cents on amazon) has one additional track not on either of the other CDs ("Tragedy").

Which leaves 8 recordings never released on CD to my knowledge:
Like Someone In Love
Is Goodbye That Easy To Say
12th Of Never
I've Got You Under My Skin
I'm Gonna Sit Down And Write Myself A Letter
I'll Never Make That Same Mistake Again
Gentleman Jim
(My Friends Are Gonna Be) Strangers
Lady Love

If you're going to go looking for vinyl, there's a great discography here.

 

OK, so I tried to do the research myself and came up with the following break down. Here's a list of 38 songs from the various RCA vinyl releases from the '60s and '70s and which LPs they come from. I guess the next step is to figure out the fewest number of LPs you'll need to get all the tracks.

$10 and a Clean White Shirt - 5
Are You Still My Baby - 1, 5
Big Boss Man - 1, 3, 6, 8
Big Build Up - 4
Big Jack - 1, 5
Gentleman Jim - 6, 7
I Don’t See Me in Your Eyes Anymore - 2,4,6
I Need a Thing Called Love - 5
I’m Gonna Sit Right Down and Write Myself a Letter - 2,7,8
I’ve Got You Under My Skin - 2,7,8
If I Knew Then (What I Know Now) - 2,4
I'm Right Behind You - 5
Is Goodbye That Easy To Say - 2,3
It Goes to Show - 4
It’s All Over Now - 4,8
Lady love - 6,7
Let Me Go My Merry Way - 1,5
Like Someone In Love - 6,7
My Friends Are Going to be Strangers - 7
My Mountain Dew - 1,3,8
Nice ‘n’ Easy - 4,6,8
No Room to Dance - 4
Now Everybody Knows - 8
Ol’ Man River - 1,2,5,8
River Stay Away From My Door - 1,2,3
Rosanna - 1,6,7
Share Your Love With Me - 5
She Called Me Baby - 5,6
She Loved Everybody But Me - 1,2,3,6
The Grass Is Always Greener - 1,3
The Ways Of A Woman In Love - 1,3,6,8
There Won't Be Anymore - 3,4,7
Tomorrow Night - 2,3
Too Many Teardrops - 4,6
Tragedy - 5,8
Turn Around and Face Me - 4
Twelfth Of Never - 3
Why O Why - 1,6,7

1. Charlie Rich, 1963
2. She Loved Everybody But Me, 1974
3. Tomorrow Night, 1974
4. There Won't Be Anymore, 1974
5. She Called Me Baby, 1975
6. Favourites, 1976
7. The World of Charlie Rich - Now Everybody Knows, 1976
8. Big Boss Man/My Mountain Dew, 1977

 

Damn! I should have refreshed my browser before that last post. Thanks, czeskleba for the link to that discography page. I overlooked two albums!

 

The Groove Cd is amazing and I agree he is vastly underrated--his stuff is easily as good as Ray Charles' country/soul records. I would love to see a Bear Family box of his 60s stuff...

 

You only need 5 LP's to have all 38 cuts. The original 3 from the sixties Charlie Rich, That's Rich, and Big Boss Man. She Called Me Baby, and Now Everyone Knows will complete your collection. I always say go vinyl!

Myself I think Charlie's best work is basically all of his stuff from 1957-69. Phillips International, Groove, RCA, Smash, Hi, early Epic, you name it. After that it's really too MOR for my taste. There are always a few cuts per album from Boss Man (1970) on that are nice, but I think the sound he became famous with is kind of dull compared to what he did in his early years. There are two BIG exceptions in the Silver Fox LP which is like a mini biography in sound (on side one at least) and again with the great gospel LP Silver Linings.

Pictures and Paintings I hear is good but I'm not a big CD guy or a fan of post seventies music in general. I do have it, and should play it. I have too much music around to sift through. I never thought I would complain about that!!

 

The Groove material has to be released someday, right????
Come on Bear Family!!!

 

"The Twelfth Of Never", "I've Got You Under My Skin", "Gentlemen Jim" and "Lady Love" were all released on the European CD THE MASTERS (1997 Eagle Records). This disc includes also "Tomorrow Night" and "Now Everybody Knows", making it a good companion to the GROOVE RECORDINGS CD.

 

Looks like Ace is releasing the 2-CD Too Many Teardrops: The Complete Groove & RCA Recordings on November 24.

Track List:

DISC ONE
1. BIG BOSS MAN
2. ARE YOU STILL MY BABY
3. TURN AROUND AND FACE ME
4. BIG JACK
5. IF I KNEW THEN WHAT I KNOW NOW
6. RIVER, STAY 'WAY FROM MY DOOR
7. SHE LOVED EVERYBODY BUT ME
8. SHARE YOUR LOVE WITH ME
9. LET ME GO MY MERRY WAY
10. LIKE SOMEONE IN LOVE
11. NICE AND EASY
12. LADY LOVE
13. THE WAYS OF A WOMAN IN LOVE
14. ROSANNA
15. I’M RIGHT BEHIND YOU
16. TOMORROW NIGHT
17. NO ROOM TO DANCE
18. I'VE GOT YOU UNDER MY SKIN
19. TEN DOLLARS AND A CLEAN WHITE SHIRT
20. TRAGEDY

DISC TWO
1. TOO MANY TEARDROPS
2. THERE WON'T BE ANYMORE
3. ONE MORE MOUNTAIN (ONE MORE RIVER)
4. IT'S ALL OVER NOW
5. THE GRASS IS ALWAYS GREENER
6. WHY, OH WHY
7. I NEED A THING CALLED LOVE
8. IT JUST GOES TO SHOW (YOU NEVER KNOW ABOUT LOVE)
9. MY MOUNTAIN DEW
10. I DON'T SEE ME IN YOUR EYES ANYMORE
11. THE BIG BUILD UP
12. SHE CALLED ME BABY
13. I'M GONNA SIT RIGHT DOWN AND WRITE MYSELF A LETTER
14. NOW EVERYBODY KNOWS
15. OL' MAN RIVER
16. THE TWELFTH OF NEVER
17. GENTLEMAN JIM
18. IS GOODBYE THAT EASY TO SAY
19. (MY FRIENDS ARE GONNA BE) STRANGERS
20. CHRISTMAS GREETINGS

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Too-Many-T...8&qid=1507049207&sr=1-3&keywords=charlie+rich

https://www.spincds.com/coming-soon/live-deluxe-edition-live-2cd-54278

 

Wow! This will be the reissue of the year in my book. And it appears to have one previously-unreleased song.

 

Great stuff, I saw this on a Spin email but couldn't find the details, even on the Ace website. I've already got the 26 track CD but this is a definite pre-order (which I already have).

 

It (the Spin email) says One More Mountain is unheard, strange word to use really!

 

I emailed Ace to ask why it wasn't up on their site yet and got this straight from the horse's mouth so to speak.

(ACE LOGO) CHARLIE RICH – TOO MANY TEARDROPS: The Complete Groove & RCA Recordings CDTOP2 1509


(OUTER INLAY)

The Silver Fox’s complete Groove and RCA recordings in one place for the first time, including several new-to-CD tracks and one previously unissued. A high-class fusion of R&B, Country, Pop, Jazz and Easy Listening, produced by Chet Atkins in Nashville 1963-1965.



DISC ONE

1. BIG BOSS MAN Groove 58-0025 (1963) (Leave room for timings on all tracks please)

2. ARE YOU STILL MY BABY Groove LP GS-1000 (1964)

3. TURN AROUND AND FACE ME Groove 58-0041 (1964)

4. BIG JACK Groove LP GS-1000 (1964)

5. IF I KNEW THEN WHAT I KNOW NOW RCA Victor LP LSP-3352 (1965)

6. RIVER, STAY ’WAY FROM MY DOOR Groove LP GS-1000 (1964)

7. SHE LOVED EVERYBODY BUT ME Groove 58-0020 (1963)

8. SHARE YOUR LOVE WITH ME RCA Victor LP APL 1-0686 (1974)

9. LET ME GO MY MERRY WAY Groove 58-0025 (1963)

10. LIKE SOMEONE IN LOVE RCA Victor LP LSP-3352 (1965)

11. NICE AND EASY Groove 58-0041 (1964)

12. LADY LOVE Groove 58-0032 (1964)

13. THE WAYS OF A WOMAN IN LOVE Groove 58-0035 (1964)

14. ROSANNA Groove LP GS-1000 (1964)

15. I’M RIGHT BEHIND YOU RCA Victor LP APL 1-0686 (1974)

16. TOMORROW NIGHT RCA Victor LP LSP-3352 (1965)

17. NO ROOM TO DANCE RCA Victor LP LSP-3352 (1965)

18. I’VE GOT YOU UNDER MY SKIN RCA Camden LP CAS-2417 (1970)

19. TEN DOLLARS AND A CLEAN WHITE SHIRTRCA Victor PB-10062 (1974)

20. TRAGEDY RCA Victor LP APL 1-0686 (1974)


DISC TWO

1. TOO MANY TEARDROPS RCA Victor 47-8468 (1964)

2. THERE WON’T BE ANYMORE RCA Victor 47-8536 (1964)

3. ONE MORE MOUNTAIN (ONE MORE RIVER)Previously Unissued (2017)

4. IT’S ALL OVER NOW RCA Victor 47-8468 (1964)

5. THE GRASS IS ALWAYS GREENER Groove 58-0020 (1963)

6. WHY, OH WHY Groove 58-0032 (1964)

7. I NEED A THING CALLED LOVE RCA Victor LP APL 1-0686 (1974)

8. IT JUST GOES TO SHOW (YOU NEVER KNOW ABOUT LOVE) RCA Victor LP LSP-3352 (1965)

9. MY MOUNTAIN DEW Groove 58-0035 (1964)

10. I DON’T SEE ME IN YOUR EYES ANYMORERCA Victor LP LSP-3352 (1974)

11. THE BIG BUILD UP RCA Victor LP LSP-3352 (1965)

12. SHE CALLED ME BABY RCA Victor PB-10062 (1974)

13. I’M GONNA SIT RIGHT DOWN AND WRITE MYSELF A LETTER RCA Camden LP CAS-2417 (1970)

14. NOW EVERYBODY KNOWS RCA Victor LP LSP-3352 (1965)

15. OL’ MAN RIVER Groove LP GS-1000 (1964)

16. TWELFTH OF NEVER RCA Victor LP LSP-3537 (1966)

17. GENTLEMAN JIM RCA Victor 47-8536 (1964)

18. IS GOODBYE THAT EASY TO SAY RCA Victor LP LSP-3352 (1965)

19. (MY FRIENDS ARE GONNA BE) STRANGERSRCA Victor LP ANL 1-1251 (1976)

20. CHRISTMAS GREETINGS RCA Victor SP-45-128 (1963)


All tracks Stereo except * Mono

 

Recently luck smiled on McLover, on a dig. The results, a high VG or near mint minus copy of "The Ways Of A Woman In Love" on Groove original 45. $1.

 

Wonderful news! Doesn't appear to be up on Amazon US yet, but this is a must purchase.

 

This is great News!

 

Fantastic! It's up on their website now. Once this comes out, all of Charlie Rich's recordings for Sun, Groove/RCA, Smash, and Hi will be available on CD. The Hi recordings comp is pretty rare though, so hopefully someone will reissue it.

Too Many Teardrops - The Complete Groove & RCA Recordings

 

FWIW, this earlier CD has almost all the Hi Tracks also, and seems slightly less expensive on the used market.

 

This new CD is a welcome sight, and high time it got issued.

 

Wow, as others have mentioned above this really is the re-release of the year in my book. Charlie Rich had the voice and talent to match Elvis Presley in his versatility and vocal range as well as breadth of material. These Chet Atkins produced and Bill Porter engineered sides while at Groove/RCA were among the most underrated and best of his career. I like almost all the various and improbable phases of his storied career, especially the early and middle Epic years with Billy Sherrill producing and the great "Pig" Robbins doing his best Charlie Rich imitation at the piano, but the real treat with these sides at Groove/RCA is that you get to hear Rich himself at the piano, I believe all the time if I am correct. Wow, that piano solo on I've Got You Under My Skin and his unmatched vocals almost make you forgot about Sinatra's iconic version.

 

RSteven said it all with that superb previous post. That post explains why this CD should be in your collection, and I could not have said it better. This is peak Charlie Rich, and if you like bluesy sounding vocals with a touch of down home Country, with jazzy touches, this disc is just what you need to relax, take it Nice and Easy, and enjoy!!! McLover Endorsed!!!! Don't let this get unobtainable, those who don't get it will regret it!!!

 

Looks like this has been pushed back to 12/15 according to Ace's website.

Too Many Teardrops - The Complete Groove & RCA Recordings

Though Amazon UK lists a release date of 12/29 and has reviews of a Motorhead album on the page.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Too-Many-T...=1-1&keywords=charlie+rich+too+many+teardrops

And Amazon US lists a release date of 12/8 and currently has the best price for folks in the US. (And again is bizarrely tied to Motorhead.)

https://smile.amazon.com/Too-Many-T...=1-1&keywords=charlie+rich+too+many+teardrops