This biographical article needs additional citations for verification. Please help by adding reliable sources. Contentious material about living persons that is unsourced or poorly sourced must be removed immediately, especially if potentially libelous or harmful. (April 2009) (Find sources: Shelby Singleton – news, books, scholar)

Shelby Singleton (born December 16, 1931, Waskom, Texas - died October 7, 2009, Nashville, Tennessee^[1]) was an American record producer and record label owner.

Contents 1 Career 2 Private life 3 Death 4 References

[edit] Career

Born as Shelby Sumpter Singleton, Jr., he joined the Marine Corps, and after his military discharge he was hired by the Shreveport, Louisiana branch of Mercury Records doing promotional work. He rose in the company until he was a record producer and executive. In 1960 he achieved first hit single, Brook Benton's recording of "The Boll Weevil Song", which became a #2 single on the Billboard Hot 100 chart the following year.^[2] Singleton spent nine years at Mercury and its sister label Smash Records during which he was involved in producing many hit records, including "Walk On By", Leroy Van Dyke; "Ahab the Arab", Ray Stevens; "Wooden Heart", Joe Dowell; and producing acts such as Jerry Lee Lewis, Roger Miller, Charlie Rich, Dave Dudley and Brook Benton.^[3]

In 1962 Singleton bought the master recording of "Hey Paula" by Jill and Ray, originally released on LeCam Records. He changed the duo's names to Paul & Paula and issued the song on Mercury's newly acquired label, Philips. The song spent three weeks at number one on the Billboard Hot 100. In 1966 Singleton resigned from Mercury and formed several music labels, including SSS International and Plantation Records,^[3] achieving his first #1 hit in 1968 with "Harper Valley P.T.A." The following year he purchased Sun Records from Sam Phillips, including its rock and roll catalog. Singleton was on the nominating committee of the Hit Parade Hall of Fame.

[edit] Private life

He graduated from Byrd High School in Shreveport, Louisiana at the age of 15. Two years later he married his first wife Margaret Ebey, who later rose in the country music scene as Margie Singleton. After 16 years of marriage they divorced. Singleton married three more times and had four children: Stephen, Sidney, Shana, and Stuart.

[edit] Death

Singleton resided in Nashville, where he died, aged 77, on October 7, 2009, following a battle with brain cancer. He had been admitted to St. Thomas Hospital a week earlier after suffering a seizure, according to his longtime friend and associate Jerry Kennedy.^[4]

[edit] References

• Cooper, Daniel (1998). "Shelby Singleton". In The Encyclopedia of Country Music. Paul Kingsbury, Editor. New York: Oxford University Press. p. 485.