EDDY ARNOLD'S ACCOMPLISHMENTS AND AWARDS
Don Stewart
Don and Eddy
Eddy Arnold has recorded a record setting 1,107 songs in his over 60 years...a record that will stand the test of time.
He was the first Country Artist to record in Nashville, and put out a commercially sold recording in Dec. 1944... called "Mother's Prayer"
Only one to chart a record setting 145 weeks at the top of the Country charts. [ a record that may never be topped ]
Only Country or Pop Artist, living or dead, to chart in seven straight decades on "Billboard"....Country Music's Barometer.
First Country Artist to have two careers.....one in Country and one in the Pop field.
First Country Artist to appear on National Television "Milton Berle Show" 1949.
First Country Artist to have his own Nationally Televised show as Perry Como's summer replacement. ("CBS" 1952)
First Country Artist to receive the CMA [ Country Music Association's Award ].
Only Country Artist on Billboard Charts in 5 different categories... Country...Pop...Gospel...Christmas...AdultContemporary.
First Country Artist to receive the ACM Award [ American Country Music Award ].
Performed Internationally and sang in several different languages, including Afrikaans.
Honored by the National Endowment For The Arts.
Elected to the Country Music Hall Of Fame.....one of the first in 1966. The 7th to receive this coveted Honor.
Only Country Artist to be Elected to the Country Music Hall Of Fame in 1966, then Entertainer Of The Year Award thefollowing year 1967....all other times it was done in reverse order to this. Also this was done in back to back years.
LifeTime Achievement Award...... from the Governor of Tennessee.
National Medal of Arts.....from President Bill Clinton.
Received an Honorary Doctorate Degree of Fine Arts....from the prestigious Washington College in Chestertown, Md.
Honored on the floor of The House Of Representatives by Congressman Bob Clement for Dr. Arnold and wife Sally's60th Wedding Anniversary.
First Country Artist to introduce the Nashville Sound at Carnegie Hall....May 1966.
First Country Artist to Host Nationally Televised Specials.... such as the Johnny Carson Show and for The RalPurina Co....he Hosted 21 shows.
First Country Artist to appear in Major American Cities....back by Symphony Orchestra's... in the following citiesacross America..Dallas, Denver, Phoenix, Hartford, Birmingham, Jacksonville etc.
Billboard Magazine called him the Country Artist of the Century [ What a statement by this barometer to Country Music].
Garth Brooks has been called the EDDY ARNOLD....of his generation.
Garth Brooks has sold more CD's [ CD's weren't out during much of Eddy's career ] But Eddy owns the singles charts.
First Country Artist to introduce the Nashville sound to NYC Carnegie Hall...to sold out Crowds.. and standing ovations.
First Country Cross over singer to bridge the gap between Country and Pop singing.
On Eddy's 30th Birthday in 1948 his #1 single "Bouquet Of Roses" began it's 54 week run on Billboard charts
America fell in love with Eddy's fabulous baritone voice and his infectious laugh.
World Book Encyclopedia says: "He was a pioneer in gaining mass audiences to Country Music."
He brought better understanding among people the World over through his gift of music.
Eddy Arnold took Country music from barns, and road houses, to Concert Halls through out America and Europe.
Song Writers Guild Of America Honored him with their Presidential Award in 1987...calling him one of the three or four most influential vocalist of "ALL" time. They called him a "Musical mood shaper and song stylist supreme" !!!
HALF A CENTURY OF EXCELLENCE !!!
From a poor and humbled beginning where Eddy not only plowed the fields of his once own family farm, young Eddy also rode to his first singing engagement on a mule. Things were very hard for Eddy in the beginning as he worked and slept in a funeral parlor. It was in 1940 when he got his first real break with Pee Wee King and his Orchestra, which led to his appearing regularly on The Grand Ole Opry, and also The Milton Berle, and Ed Sullivan Shows.
Wanting to better himself, he struck out on his own in 1943 with his own Radio program on WSM and his first recording contract. In 1947 a parade of hits followed and Arnold found himself the hottest thing in Country Music. From Nov. 1947 through Jan. 1949 Eddy had 6 songs in the # 1 spot on the country charts. With only one other Artist reaching #1 in that time fame. Eddy literally owned the Country charts. In late 1948, Arnold had an amazing 6 songs in the top 10 at once. He was called the Country Perry Como.
Also in 1947, Eddy was on the air daily with a 15 minute show for the
Ralston Purina Co. that really helped launch his
career. Also, this same year Eddy scored three number 1 hits, one of them
was..."I'll Hold You In My Heart [Till I Can Hold
You In My Arms]."
That song could easily be regarded as Eddy's career song. In
addition to topping the charts [ where it remained for
21 weeks] it also marked Eddy's pop chart debut. The rest of the
decade was extremely fruitful in all, it netted 21 top
ten singles and 9 number 1 songs. Which included "Anytime, Bouquet
Of Roses, and Don't Rob Another Mans Castle."
Of his close to 90 million records sold...and astounding 38 of these cuts
also charted in the pop field.
In the mid 50's, Arnold's career was largely unaffected by the birth of Rock
& Roll. He toured the U.S. and abroad extensively and
appeared on Network Variety Show's including, The Spike Jones Show and Arthur
Godfrey's Talent Scouts. Eddy also hosted his own Network
Television Show, "Eddy Arnold Time" which debuted on NBC but later moved to ABC.
In the mid 60's, as his chart success started to cool, it was Eddy himself who decided to use violins and lush heavily orchestrated recordings. That revitalized his career winning a whole new audience to Country Music. While his current style of Country Music has sometimes been criticized by the more traditional performers....there is no arguing with the fact Eddy Arnold helped introduce Nashville and Country Music to the World. Eddy jokingly laughs and says,"People were buying chicken feed and they had no chickens."
Eddy Arnold retired from performing on May 16, 1999. I'm sure it was a great lost to the World. He still goes to his office in Brentwood, Tennessee to conduct a myriad of business interests. Where along with his beloved secretary Roborta Edging, who has worked as his secretary for 40 years. Eddy recently donated a massive amount of his collection on taped Radio and T.V. shows to the Country Hall Of Fame. Plus thousands of other memorabilia from his many years as "The Ambassador Of Country Music" It was by far the largest collection donated by anyone. Today nearing his 86th birthday [ May 15th] Eddy Arnold is the most beloved performer and astute businessman who has amassed a sizable fortune worth millions. His main interest was in real estate, as he never forgot about losing their farm as a young boy.
Is Eddy Arnold a Deity? Read what Billbord Magazine has to say
about him !!!.
It would be a gross understatement to call Eddy Arnold,a
giant in American Music. Deity might be a more appropriate word for
a man who has scored 58 consecutive top 10 country hits between his debut in
1945 and 1954 who never scored less than a top forty hit during the first 21
years of his career, charted over 140 [147 to be exact ]
and sold a staggering total of close to 90 million records including such
classics like "Bouquet Of Roses' and "Anytime". Not
bad for a fellow dubbed "The Tennessee Plowboy"...because he was a
former "Tennessee Plowboy"
Now read what "Country Music Television has to say about EDDY ARNOLD : "Arnold Vs. Elvis"
"Again many recordings achieved crossover success, including "Tennessee Stud", "What's He Doing In My World" and his biggest U.S. pop hit , "Make The World Go Away", which reached number 6 in 1965 and the next year repeated the feat in the U.K. pop charts. Several of his albums also achieved Top 10 status in the U.S. album charts. He appeared in several movies including starring roles in "Feudin Rhythm and Hoedown". and he even received a mention in "Jailhouse Rock". He was elected to the Country Music Hall Of Fame in 1966 and by the 80's he had semi-retired to his home near Nashville. RCA has assessed that his record sales are in excess of 85 million. It is quite astonishing that Elvis Presley et.al, are automatically regarded as the most successful chart acts. Arnold's chart success eclipse everybody and is unlikely to be beaten.
In closing, Eddy had successfully charted in 5 straight decades in 1999. Then at the twilight of his very successful career little Lee Ann Rimes went to Curb records and wanted to record the song "Cattle Call". Mike Curb who owns Curb Records asked Lee Ann would she like to record it with the man that did the earlier version of it. She agreed and Eddy was asked... and he agreed also. The song was put on a CD called ''The Seventh Decade" at the end of 1999 where it charted making it the 6th straight decades of charting. It soon left the charts in 1999.....but then briefly charted again in 2000. This made Eddy Arnold the only singer dead or alive to have charted in 7 straight decades....a record most likely never to be broken.
Respectfully submitted:
Don Stewart.
Ptress the "Back"
Button On Your Browser To Return To Previous Page