Dee Clark facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Dee Clark
Clark in 1960
Background information
Birth name	Delecta Clark
Born	(1938-11-07)November 7, 1938 Blytheville, Arkansas, U.S.
Died	December 7, 1990(1990-12-07) (aged 52) Smyrna, Georgia, U.S.
Genres	R&B, Soul
Occupation(s)	Singer
Instruments	Vocals
Years active	1952–1990
Labels	Abner, Vee-Jay, London, Constellation
Associated acts	The Hambone Kids The Goldentones The Kool Gents Phil Upchurch

Dee Clark (born November 7, 1938 – died December 7, 1990) was an American soul singer. He was famous for his R&B and pop songs in the late 1950s and early 1960s. His biggest hit was "Raindrops" in 1961, which sold over a million copies in the United States.

Dee Clark's Early Life and Music Career

Dee Clark was born Delecta Clark, Jr. in Blytheville, Arkansas. In 1941, his family moved to Chicago. His mother, Essie Mae Clark, was a gospel singer. She encouraged Dee to follow his passion for music.

Dee Clark made his first recording in 1952. He was part of a group called the Hambone Kids. They had some success with their song "Hambone." In 1953, he joined an R&B group called the Goldentones. This group later changed its name to the Kool Gents.

The Kool Gents won a talent show and were discovered by Chicago radio DJ Herb Kent. Kent helped the Kool Gents sign with Falcon/Abner, a record label. The group recorded songs in 1956. They also recorded a fun song as "The Delegates."

Starting a Solo Music Career

In 1957, Dee Clark decided to start singing on his own. He sang in a style similar to other popular singers like Clyde McPhatter and Little Richard. When Little Richard took a break from music, Dee Clark even performed at Richard's concerts. He also recorded with Richard's band, the Upsetters.

Over the next four years, Dee Clark had several popular songs. Two of his songs, "Just Keep It Up" and "Hey Little Girl," reached the top 20 on the Billboard pop music chart. His songs for Abner and Vee-Jay labels were arranged by Riley Hampton.

The Success of "Raindrops"

Dee Clark's most famous song was "Raindrops." It was released in the spring of 1961. This song featured sounds of heavy rain and thunder. Clark's high-pitched singing, called falsetto, made the song special.

"Raindrops" became a huge hit. It reached number two on the pop music chart and number three on the R&B chart. It sold over one million copies and earned a gold disc. The song was also popular around the world. It was number one in New Zealand and a top ten hit in South Africa and Belgium. It also sold well in Japan.

Even today, "Raindrops" is often played on oldies radio stations. Many other artists have covered the song. These include David Cassidy, Tony Orlando and Dawn, and Narvel Felts. Dee Clark even recorded a new version of "Raindrops" in 1973.

Later Career and Challenges

Sadly, "Raindrops" was Dee Clark's last big hit. His next song, "Don't Walk Away from Me," was not successful. He only had two more songs make the pop charts in America: "I'm Going Back to School" (1962) and "Crossfire Time" (1963).

By the time "Crossfire Time" came out, Clark had moved to a new record label called Constellation. He continued to record songs until 1966, but none of them became national hits. However, he had some local success in Chicago. Songs like "Come Closer" (1964) and "Warm Summer Breezes" (1964) were popular there.

Later, he recorded for other labels like Columbia and Liberty, but without much success. In 1975, Dee Clark had a brief comeback. His disco song "Ride a Wild Horse" became a surprise hit in the UK. It was his first song to chart in the UK since "Just Keep It Up."

After this, Clark mostly performed at oldies concerts. By the late 1980s, he faced financial difficulties. In 1987, he had a stroke. This left him partly paralyzed and affected his speech. Despite this, he kept performing. Dee Clark passed away on December 7, 1990, in Smyrna, Georgia. He was 52 years old and died from a heart attack. His last concert was with the Jimmy Gilstrap Band.

Dee Clark's Hit Songs

Here are some of Dee Clark's songs that made it onto the music charts: