Country musician behind ‘Elvira’ is 82 – Billboard

Musician Dallas Frazier, known for hits including Oak Ridge Boys“Classic Elvira” in 1981, and Gene Watson“The Fourteen Carat Mind”, passed away on Friday (January 14). Frazier is 82 years old.

Frazier was born in Spiro, Okla., on October 27, 1939. At the age of 12, he wrote songs and won a talent contest organized by Ferlin Husky. By the age of 14, Frazier was recording for Capitol Records. In 1960, Frazier had his first success as a musician, when “Alley Oop” became a pop hit for Hollywood Argyles. Three years later, he moved to Nashville.

In 1967, the work “There Goes My Everything” was written by Frazier, recorded by Jack Greene, was named song of the year by nation Music Association.

Frazier also successfully co-wrote songs with AL “Doodle” Owens, including Charley Pridefirst number 1 Billboards Hot country song hit, “All I Have to Offer You (Is Me) of 1969.” Pride also features #1 country hits featuring Frazier/Owens collaborations “(I’m So) A Fear of Loss You Again, “I Can’t Believe That You’ve Stopped Loving Me” and “Then Who Am I”.

Connie Smith and George Jones was also among those who recorded several of Frazier’s hits, such as Jones’ 1967 hit “If My Heart Had Windows.” (Jones also recorded an entire album of Frazier songs on Sing songs of Dallas Frazier.) Among Smith’s recordings penned by Frazier are “Ain’t Had No Lovin”, “Run Away Little Tears”, “Ain’t Love a Good Thing” and many more.

One of Frazier’s most popular songs, “Elvira,” was previously recorded by Rodney Crowell before it became a hit with the Oak Ridge Boys in 1981. The group’s recording of the song won Won Country Music Association Single of the Year. In 1980, Frazier’s “Beneath Still Waters” became a #1 Hot Country Songs hit for Emmylou Harris, and he also wrote Tanya TuckerThe first song to hit #1 on that chart, “What’s your mother’s name?”

Frazier was inducted into the Nashville Composers Hall of Fame in 1976 and retired from composing in 1990. In 2008, he began rewriting songs, along with occasional performances.

“Dallas Frazier is one of the greatest country musicians of all time,” said Kyle Young, Executive Director of the Country Music Hall and Museum. “He can convey infectious joy with ‘Elvira,’ and then write something shockingly sad and real like ‘Underneath the still sea.’ His songs earned Connie Smith a membership in the Country Music Hall of Fame. He was a benevolent, generous and faith man who overcame a difficult upbringing to bring smiling gifts to all of us. He lived a beautiful life of a beautiful soul.”