Eddy Raven facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Eddy Raven
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Raven in 2016
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Edward Garvin Futch |
| Born | August 19, 1944 Lafayette, Louisiana, U.S. |
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| Instruments | Vocals |
| Years active | 1962–2018 |
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Edward Garvin Futch (born August 19, 1944), known as Eddy Raven, is an American country music singer and songwriter. He was active from 1962 to 2018. Raven recorded for many record labels. These include ABC, Elektra, RCA, and Capitol Records.
His biggest success was between 1984 and 1990. During this time, Raven had six number-one songs on the Billboard Hot Country Songs charts. These hits were "I Got Mexico", "Shine, Shine, Shine", "I'm Gonna Get You", "Joe Knows How to Live", "In a Letter to You", and "Bayou Boys". He had a total of eighteen songs reach the top ten on that chart.
Even though his chart success slowed down in the 1990s, Raven kept recording music. He also wrote songs for other artists. Some of these artists include Don Gibson, Connie Smith, and The Oak Ridge Boys. Raven's music mixes mainstream country, country pop, Cajun music, and reggae. He wrote many of his songs himself or with Frank J. Myers.
Contents
Early Life and Music Beginnings
Edward Garvin Futch was born in Lafayette, Louisiana, on August 19, 1944. He was the oldest of ten children. His father worked as a truck driver. Eddy first thought about playing professional baseball. However, he broke his ankle and changed his mind.
Growing up, he loved Cajun music. He also listened to country music on radio shows like the Louisiana Hayride. New Orleans blues and early rock and roll also influenced him. Eddy started playing in a band when he was thirteen.
Later, his family moved to Georgia. He worked at a radio station there. In 1962, he released his first song, "Once a Fool." A printing mistake on the record label called him "Eddy Raven." He liked the name and decided to keep it as his stage name. When his family moved back to Louisiana, Raven worked at a recording studio. He recorded his first album, That Cajun Country Sound, there.
Musical Journey and Success
Starting His Career
Another Cajun country musician, Jimmy C. Newman, heard Raven's first record. Newman helped him get a songwriting contract with Acuff-Rose Music. Both Newman and Raven's father encouraged him to move to Nashville, Tennessee. In Nashville, he wrote songs for many country artists. These included Don Gibson, Connie Smith, and Jeannie C. Riley.
Raven began recording for ABC Records in 1974. His first song to appear on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart was "The Last of the Sunshine Cowboys." This was his own song. He had seven more songs chart for ABC between 1974 and 1975. His most successful song was "Good News, Bad News," which reached number 27. ABC also released his album, This Is Eddy Raven, in 1976.
New Labels and More Hits
Raven left ABC in 1976. He then signed with Monument Records in 1978. He released two songs there, but only "You're a Dancer" charted a little. Monument Records closed its country music part soon after. After leaving Monument, singer Bob Luman told Raven to visit Texas. This inspired his 1980 album Eyes on Dimension Records.
Raven wrote or co-wrote every song on Eyes. The album had five songs that charted. "Peace of Mind" was the most successful, reaching number 23 in 1981. One of his songs, "Dealin' with the Devil," was one of the first country songs to have a music video.
In 1981, record producer Jimmy Bowen helped Raven sign with Elektra Records. Raven said Bowen was the first producer who let him record "my music." His album Desperate Dreams came out in 1981. It had four songs that charted. "She's Playing Hard to Forget" became his first top ten hit. Raven wrote three of these songs himself. He said many of his songs were inspired by things he saw while touring.
Big Success with RCA Records (1984-1988)
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Raven joined RCA Records Nashville in 1984. His first song for RCA was "I Got Mexico." It became his first number-one hit on the Hot Country Songs chart that year. This song was also co-written by Frank J. Myers. It was from his album I Could Use Another You. Other songs from this album, like the title track and "She's Gonna Win Your Heart," also reached the top ten.
His next RCA album was Love and Other Hard Times in 1985. This album had three top-ten songs: "Operator, Operator", "I Wanna Hear It from You", and "You Should Have Been Gone by Now". Raven co-wrote six songs on this album. In 1985, Raven was nominated for the Horizon Award. This award is now called the Best New Artist award from the Country Music Association.
Right Hand Man, released in 1986, had four more hit songs. "Sometimes a Lady", "Right Hand Man", and "You're Never Too Old for Young Love" all reached number three. The song "Shine, Shine, Shine" became his second number-one hit.
RCA Records released a collection of his songs called The Best of Eddy Raven in 1988. It included three new songs that became hits. "I'm Gonna Get You" and "Joe Knows How to Live" both went to number one. The last song from this album, "['Til You Cry]]," reached number four.
Universal and Capitol Records (1988-1991)
In 1988, producer Jimmy Bowen started a new country music label called Universal Records. He signed Raven to this label. Raven's first song for Universal was "In a Letter to You." This song was the first release from his album Temporary Sanity, which came out in 1989. "In a Letter to You" was the first number-one song for the Universal label.
This was followed by his sixth and final number-one hit, "Bayou Boys." He wrote this song with Myers and Troy Seals. In December 1989, Jimmy Bowen closed Universal and became president of Capitol Records' Nashville division. Raven and other artists moved to Capitol.
Capitol released three more songs from Temporary Sanity. "Sooner or Later" and "Island" both reached the top ten in 1990.
Another album for Capitol Nashville, Right for the Flight, came out in 1991. It had two songs, "Rock Me in the Rhythm of Your Love" and "Too Much Candy for a Dime," but they did not do well on the charts. After this, Raven left Capitol Records in September 1991.
Independent Music (1994-Present)
His next album, Wild Eyed and Crazy, was released in 1994. This album had five new songs and re-recorded versions of eight of his old hits. He then worked with fellow Cajun country musician Jo-El Sonnier on the album Cookin' Cajun in 1996.
In 2001, Raven released Living in Black & White. One song on the album, "Coldest Fire," was a song Raven started writing in 1987. He could not finish it for a long time after his friend Don Gant passed away that same year. One song from the album, "Cowboys Don't Cry," reached number 60 on the Hot Country Songs chart.
Raven has continued to perform throughout the 21st century. He has appeared many times at the Grand Ole Opry. He also co-wrote two songs on Toby Keith's 2011 album Clancy's Tavern. In 2018, Raven released a bluegrass album called All Grassed Up. It has new songs and re-recorded old ones.
Musical Style and Influences
Eddy Raven's music is known for its strong Cajun music influence. His songs often tell a story, and he has a unique singing voice. Raven said he was influenced by his father, who listened to country music. He also grew up with a lot of Cajun music in Louisiana.
His style has been described as having "emotive vocals and musical as well as lyrical hooks." Many of his songs also have influences from reggae and Caribbean music. For example, "I Should've Called" has reggae-style guitar. "Joe Knows How to Live" has a "Caribbean sway." Critics have said his voice is "deep, masculine" and "soulful."
Songs Written for Other Artists
Eddy Raven wrote many successful songs for other artists. Some of his early hits as a songwriter include:
- "Country Green" and "Touch the Morning" by Don Gibson
- "Sometimes I Talk in My Sleep" by Randy Cornor
- "I Don't Wanna Talk It Over Anymore" by Connie Smith
Merle Haggard covered "Dealin' with the Devil" in 1981. Waylon Jennings covered "Sweet Mother Texas" in 1986. The Oak Ridge Boys had a top-five hit in 1982 with Raven's song "Thank God for Kids." Raven had recorded this song earlier, but his record label did not release it as a single. The success of The Oak Ridge Boys' version helped inspire Raven to continue his music career.
Personal Life
Eddy Raven has been married twice. His first wife was Gayle Breaux. They married in 1966 and had two children, Ryan and Coby. His son Ryan was the inspiration for the song "Thank God for Kids." His second wife is named Sheila. They helped start the RMG record label in 2001.
Discography
Studio Albums
- That Cajun Country Sound (1973)
- This Is Eddy Raven (1976)
- Eyes (1980)
- Desperate Dreams (1981)
- I Could Use Another You (1984)
- Love and Other Hard Times (1985)
- Right Hand Man (1986)
- Temporary Sanity (1989)
- Right for the Flight (1991)
- Wild Eyed and Crazy (1994)
- Cookin' Cajun (with Jo-El Sonnier) (1996)
- Living in Black and White (2001)
- All Grassed Up (2018)
Number-One Hits on Billboard
- "I Got Mexico" (1 week, 1984)
- "Shine, Shine, Shine" (1 week, 1987)
- "I'm Gonna Get You" (1 week, 1988)
- "Joe Knows How to Live" (1 week, 1988)
- "In a Letter to You" (1 week, 1989)
- "Bayou Boys" (1 week, 1989)
