Arthur Gunter facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Arthur Gunter
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Publicity photo of Arthur Gunter
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Arthur Neal Gunter |
| Born | May 23, 1926 Vesta, Oglethorpe County, Georgia, United States |
| Died | March 16, 1976 (aged 49) Port Huron, Michigan, U.S. |
| Genres | Blues, R&B |
| Occupation(s) | Singer, guitarist |
| Years active | c. 1950–1973 |
| Labels | Excello |
Arthur Neal Gunter (born May 23, 1926 – died March 16, 1976) was an American blues musician. He was a skilled guitarist and singer. Arthur Gunter is best known for his song "Baby Let's Play House." This song later became a very popular hit for the famous singer Elvis Presley.
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The Life of Arthur Gunter
Arthur Gunter was born in Oglethorpe County, Georgia. He grew up with a love for music.
Early Music Days
When he was a child, Arthur sang in a gospel group. This group was called the Gunter Brothers Quartet. It included his brothers and cousins. In the early 1950s, Arthur started playing blues music. He performed with different groups around Nashville, Tennessee.
His Big Hit: "Baby Let's Play House"
In 1954, Arthur Gunter began recording music. He signed with a record company called Excello Records. In November 1954, he recorded his song "Baby Let's Play House." This song quickly became popular in his local area. It even reached number 12 on the Billboard R&B music chart in the United States.
The next year, "Baby Let's Play House" became even more famous. This happened when Elvis Presley recorded his own version of the song. Elvis's version was released by Sun Records. Arthur Gunter later said, "Elvis got that number and made it famous." He also mentioned that he never got to meet Elvis. Arthur received a royalty check for $6,500 that same year. This was a lot of money back then!
Later Years and Retirement
Arthur Gunter continued to record songs for Excello Records until 1961. His regular band stopped playing together in 1966. After that, he moved to Pontiac, Michigan. He performed music only sometimes. In 1973, Arthur Gunter won the Michigan State Lottery. After winning, he decided to retire from music.
Arthur Gunter passed away in 1976. He was 49 years old. He died from pneumonia at his home in Port Huron, Michigan.
