Floyd Cramer facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Floyd Cramer
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Cramer in 1965
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Floyd Cramer |
| Born | October 27, 1933 Shreveport, Louisiana, U.S. |
| Origin | Huttig, Arkansas, U.S. |
| Died | December 31, 1997 (aged 64) Nashville, Tennessee |
| Genres | Country Music, Nashville Sound, Honky Tonk, Pop |
| Occupation(s) | Pianist |
| Instruments | Piano |
| Years active | 1953−1980 |
| Labels | Abbott |
| Associated acts | Elvis Presley, Chet Atkins, Patsy Cline |
Floyd Cramer (born October 27, 1933 – died December 31, 1997) was an American pianist. He became very famous for his special way of playing the piano. This style was called "slip-note" or "bent-note." It meant he would quickly slide from one note to another.
Floyd Cramer was so good that he was added to both the Country Music Hall of Fame and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. His unique piano sound was a big part of the "Nashville sound." This was a popular style of pop-country music in the 1950s and 1960s.
In 1960, his piano song "Last Date" became a huge hit. It reached number two on the Billboard Hot 100 pop music chart. Over one million copies of the song were sold! His next song, "On the Rebound", was number one in the UK Singles Chart in 1961. Floyd Cramer also played piano on many other famous songs for other artists. He was part of a group of top musicians called the Nashville A-Team.
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Floyd Cramer's Life Story
Floyd Cramer was born in Shreveport, Louisiana. He grew up in a small town called Huttig, Arkansas. He taught himself how to play the piano. After finishing high school, he went back to Shreveport. There, he played ragtime piano for a radio show called Louisiana Hayride. He played with a small band that had a banjo, bass, and drums.
In 1955, Elvis Presley performed on Louisiana Hayride. Elvis then hired his own band, and Floyd Cramer was part of it. This group played with Elvis for most of that year. However, when Elvis asked them to move to Hollywood, Floyd Cramer decided to stay in Nashville. He wanted to become a studio musician there.
In Nashville, playing piano in country music was becoming very popular. Soon, Floyd Cramer was one of the busiest studio musicians around. He played piano for many big stars. These included Elvis Presley, Brenda Lee, Patsy Cline, Jim Reeves, and the Everly Brothers. For example, it was Floyd Cramer's piano playing on Elvis Presley's first song for RCA Victor, "Heartbreak Hotel".
Even though he was a busy studio musician, Floyd Cramer also had his own successful career. He released many albums and singles. Some of his instrumental songs even made it into the Top 40 charts.
His song "Last Date" was released in 1960. This song showed off his new "slip note" piano style. The song became a huge hit. It sold over a million copies and earned a gold disc. The only song that kept "Last Date" from being number one was Elvis Presley's "Are You Lonesome Tonight?" Guess who played piano on that Elvis song? It was Floyd Cramer himself!
In 1961, Cramer had another hit song called "On the Rebound". This song went to number 4 in the U.S. and number 1 in the UK. "On the Rebound" was even used in the opening of the 2009 movie An Education. Also in 1961, his song "San Antonio Rose" was a hit.
By the mid-1960s, Floyd Cramer was a respected performer. He made many albums and went on tour. He often toured with famous guitar player Chet Atkins and saxophonist Boots Randolph. Sometimes he was the main act, and sometimes he opened for Eddy Arnold. He also played with them in a group called the Million Dollar Band.
Floyd Cramer passed away from lung cancer on December 31, 1997. He was 64 years old. He is buried in the Spring Hill Cemetery in Nashville.
Floyd Cramer's Musical Legacy
Floyd Cramer's grandson, Jason Coleman, also became a piano player. He performed with his grandfather on TV and in concerts when he was young. When Jason was 17, he played "Please Help Me, I'm Falling" at the Grand Ole Opry. This was the first song to feature his grandfather's famous slip-note style. Two years later, Jason played piano at the ceremony when Floyd Cramer was added to the Country Music Hall of Fame.
Jason Coleman continues his grandfather's musical journey. He makes recordings and performs a tribute concert called "The Piano Magic of Floyd Cramer." He shares his grandfather's piano music and tells the story of how Floyd Cramer helped shape American music.
Awards and Honors
In 2003, Floyd Cramer was honored in two big ways. He was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
In 2004, his famous recording of "Last Date" was added to the Grammy Hall of Fame. This special hall honors recordings that are important in history or are of very high quality. In 2008, Floyd Cramer was also inducted into the Louisiana Music Hall of Fame.
East Tennessee State University, in Johnson City, Tennessee, offers a special scholarship named after Floyd Cramer. It is called the Floyd Cramer Competitive Scholarship.
Discography Highlights
Floyd Cramer released many albums and singles throughout his career. Some of his most well-known albums include Last Date and On the Rebound. He also had several hit singles like "Last Date," "On the Rebound," and "San Antonio Rose." His music often appeared on country, pop, and easy listening charts.
