John David Carver (born November 24, 1940) is an American country music artist. Between 1968 and 1977, he charted 15 Top 40 hits on the Billboard country chart. His highest-charting single was a cover of Tony Orlando's "Tie a Yellow Ribbon Round the Ole Oak Tree", a cover that reached No. 1 for him in 1974. He also had cover success with his version of the Starland Vocal Band's "Afternoon Delight." Carver lives today in rural Wilson County, Tennessee.
Biography Early life Carver was born and grew up in a rural area near Jackson, Mississippi, United States, and sang in a local country gospel quartet with his family. He went on to form his own band, the Capital Cowboys, which were sponsored by an ice-cream company. Carver embarked on his first national tour in 1959, playing at clubs and fairs, and moved to Los Angeles in 1965, where he made regular appearances on local television and led the house band at the Palomino Club, with such performers as Buck Owens, Johnny Cash, Patsy Cline, Linda Ronstadt, The Flying Burrito Brothers, Hoyt Axton, Willie Nelson, Merle Haggard, and Jerry Lee Lewis.
Rise to fame Carver was discovered by Del Shannon, who got Carver a deal with Imperial Records. His debut single for Imperial, was "Think About Her All The Time" b / w "One Way Or The Other" (Imperial 66173) in mid-1966. Both sides were written, produced and arranged by Shannon, who was a longtime fan of country music. Carver's composition "New Lips" was recorded by Roy Drusky in 1967. His self-titled debut album was released later that year, and contained the minor hit "Your Lily White Hands"; he had a few more modest successes with country pop offerings like 1968's "I Still Didn't Have the Sense to Go" and 1969's "That's Your Hang Up."
Later career In 1972, he moved to ABC and had a major country hit with a version of Tony Orlando and Dawn's "Tie A Yellow Ribbon 'Round the Ole Oak Tree." A string of Top 40 country hits followed over the next five years, including the Top Tens "You Really Haven't Changed" (1973), "Don't Tell (That Sweet Old Lady of Mine)" (1974), and another country cover of a pop hit, the Starland Vocal Band's "Afternoon Delight" (1976). Carver's last Top 40 hit was 1977's "Living Next Door to Alice", and his final charting single was a 1981 cover of ABBA's "S.O.S." He subsequently became a regular performer in Branson, Missouri.
Discography Albums YearAlbumUS Country1967Really Country—1968You're in Good Hands with Johnny Carver311969Leaving Again41Sweet Wine/Hold Me Tight—1973I Start Thinking About You—Tie a Yellow Ribbon Around the Old Oak Tree81974Double Exposure37Please Don't Tell (That Sweet Ole Lady of Mine)231975Strings—1976Afternoon Delight281977The Best of Johnny Carver46
Singles YearSingleChart PositionsAlbumUS CountryCAN Country1968"Your Lily White Hands"21—You're in Good Hands with Johnny Carver"I Still Didn't Have the Sense to Go"48—Leaving Again1969"Hold Me Tight"32—Singles only"Sweet Wine"26—"That's Your Hang Up"41—1970"Willie and the Hand Jive"43—"Harvey Harrington IV"68—1971"If You See My Baby"73—"If You Think That It's All Right"34—I Start Thinking About You1972"I Start Thinking About You"27—"I Want You"35—1973"Yellow Ribbon"51Tie a Yellow Ribbon Around the Old Oak Tree"You Really Haven't Changed"6111974"Tonight Someone's Falling in Love"1219"Country Lullabye"27—Double Exposure"Don't Tell (That Sweet Ole Lady of Mine)"1047Please Don't Tell (That Sweet Ole Lady of Mine)1975"January Jones"39—"Strings"64—Strings"Start All Over Again"74—1976"Snap, Crackle and Pop"77—Afternoon Delight"Afternoon Delight"916"Love Is Only Love (When Shared by Two)"47—1977"Sweet City Woman"48—"Living Next Door to Alice"2932The Best of Johnny Carver"Down at the Pool"36—Single only"Apartment"72—You're in Good Hands with Johnny Carver1980"Fingertips"90—Singles only1981"S.O.S."73—
Awards Johnny Carver has received positive critical response, and has been given several awards: The Arkansas Traveler Award The Country Music Association (CMA) "Broader Acceptance & Progress of Country Music" Award The State of Mississippi Executive Department Merit Award The Broadcast Music Citation of Achievement Award Four American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers (ASCAP) Merit Awards Mississippi's First Number One Country Artist Mississippi's Annual "Johnny Carver Day"—August 10
References
External links [ Johnny Carver biography] at AllMusic JohnnyCarver.com