Background and Recording History
The first recording of "Delta Dawn" was made by Harvey for his eponymous album released in November 1971. Although Harvey opened for Helen Reddy – his Capitol labelmate – at the Troubadour in January 1972, Reddy made no apparent connection with any of Harvey's compositions at that time.
Dianne Davidson, who sang backup on Harvey's recording was the first artist to record a cover and chart in 1971–72. Tracy Nelson, who sang backup on Harvey's recording, performed "Delta Dawn" in her live act. After hearing Nelson sing "Delta Dawn" at the Bottom Line in New York City, Bette Midler added the song to her repertoire. Nashville-based producer Billy Sherrill heard Midler sing "Delta Dawn" on The Tonight Show and wanted to sign her to Epic Records and have her record the song. Finding out that Midler was already signed to Atlantic Records, Sherrill cut the song with Tanya Tucker who was newly signed to Epic and Tucker's version was released April 1972 to reach #6 C&W that spring.
Record producer Tom Catalano prepped an instrumental track of "Delta Dawn", virtually replicating that of Tucker's single, and – despite Catalano having worked with Helen Reddy – the track was first offered to Barbra Streisand, upon whose refusal Catalano had Reddy add her vocals to the track.
In the meantime Bette Midler had recorded "Delta Dawn" for her The Divine Miss M debut album from which her bluesy version was planned as the lead single. The June 1973 single release of Reddy's version was two days before Midler's, necessitating the amendment of the latter's single so that the original B-side "Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy" was shopped to radio, becoming a Top Ten hit. Reddy's version, with upward modulation added to the mimicking of Tucker's cold intro and nonstop vocals throughout, entered the Top Ten on 18 August 1973 on its way to its lone frame at #1, on 15 September 1973. Reddy's Hot 100 #1 hits, in order, were 1972's "I Am Woman", then "Delta Dawn", then 1974's "Angie Baby". "Delta Dawn" also became the first of Reddy's six consecutive – and eight overall – #1 hits on the Easy Listening chart in Billboard.
In Reddy's native Australia, where she had reached #2 with both "I Don't Know How to Love Him" and "I Am Woman", "Delta Dawn" became Reddy's first #1 hit, spending five weeks atop the chart in August and September 1973. The follow-up single "Leave Me Alone (Ruby Red Dress)" gave Reddy a second consecutive – and final – Australian #1.
"Delta Dawn" also marked Reddy's only chart appearance in South Africa, reaching #13 in the autumn of 1973.
The Statler Brothers also recorded "Delta Dawn" and released it for their 1973 Mercury album, The Statler Brothers Sing Country Symphonies in E Major.
Read more about this topic: Delta Dawn
Famous quotes containing the words background and, background, recording and/or history:
“... every experience in life enriches one’s background and should teach valuable lessons.”
—Mary Barnett Gilson (1877–?)
“Silence is the universal refuge, the sequel to all dull discourses and all foolish acts, a balm to our every chagrin, as welcome after satiety as after disappointment; that background which the painter may not daub, be he master or bungler, and which, however awkward a figure we may have made in the foreground, remains ever our inviolable asylum, where no indignity can assail, no personality can disturb us.”
—Henry David Thoreau (1817–1862)
“I didn’t have to think up so much as a comma or a semicolon; it was all given, straight from the celestial recording room. Weary, I would beg for a break, an intermission, time enough, let’s say, to go to the toilet or take a breath of fresh air on the balcony. Nothing doing!”
—Henry Miller (1891–1980)
“The history of all hitherto existing society is the history of class struggles.”
—Karl Marx (1818–1883)