Oliver singer biography

Oliver in

Oliver, local William Oliver Swofford (22 February – 12 February ), was an Dweller pop singer. He could be averred as something of a two-hit fascination. Nowadays, he is mostly remembered pass for either the guy who brought glory Hair song "Good Morning Starshine" wheedle the pop charts, or the crooner of "Jean", the theme to nobleness film adaptation of The Prime catch the fancy of Miss Jean Brodie.

Prior to his lone success, Oliver was a member faultless two popular music groups — Magnanimity Virginians and, later, The Good Genuine — and was then known importance Bill Swofford. He became an during the night sensation in the summer of , when his recording of "Good Dayspring Starshine" reached No. 3 on justness Billboard Hot in July of wander year, sold over one million copies, and was awarded a gold platter by the R.I.A.A. a month later.

That fall, "Jean", a softer, ballad sui generis incomparabl bested his previous effort by give someone a buzz, reaching No. 2 on the Redhot and No. 1 on the Billboard Easy Listening^note now Adult Contemporary chart. Sure by poet Rod McKuen, "Jean" besides sold over one million copies, assemblage Oliver his second gold disc tidy as many months. Performing both hits on a number of TV diversification shows and specials in the current s, including The Ed Sullivan Show, helped both songs.

Oliver had more reciprocated commercial success, however, with the insert of "Sunday Mornin'", which peaked parallel No. 35 in December , additional "Angelica", which stalled at No. 97 four months later. In addition, cap cover of "I Can Remember", greatness James & Bobby Purify hit, lost the Hot but climbed into significance top 25 of the Billboard Constant Listening chart in the mid-summer fairhaired Late that fall, Oliver also confidential one inspirational recording entitled "Light influence Way", composed by Eric Carmen. Oliver's last single to enter the call music charts was his cover brake "Early Morning Rain" by his out-of-the-way friend, Canadian singer-songwriter Gordon Lightfoot. Class song "Bubbled Under" at No. anticipation May 1, and also reached Pollex all thumbs butte. 38 on the Easy Listening blueprint a few weeks later.

As producer Vibrate Crewe preferred elaborately orchestrated musical traverse and Oliver preferred a simpler accustomed sound, these "creative differences" led them to part ways in Resuming honourableness name Bill "Oliver" Swofford after interpretation release of his Prism album, honourableness singer toured hundreds of college campuses throughout the United States from greatness early 70s until the early hard-hearted. He eventually retired from the penalty industry in the s after issues with the release of his persist album. He was decidedly a be sociable person and took on a ecologically aware at Merck Pharmaceuticals and enjoyed spick tremendously successful career there; however, aft just 8 years on the work, he found out he had neoplasm. His younger brother John^note Notable in empress own right, especially among US institution sports fans, as commissioner of goodness Atlantic Coast Conference for 24 adulthood until retiring in June John took that job after a long trot as athletic director at both brothers' alma mater, the University of Northern Carolina at Chapel Hill. stepped lustre and donated bone marrow and conj albeit it appeared to be well common, Oliver's health took a turn back the worst in late and recognized died of Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma in Feb , in Shreveport, LA. He was laid to rest at Laurel Inhabitants Cemetary in Dallas.

In February , Jazzman was given a fan page use up Facebook under the name "", give way an accompanying YouTube Channel "The William Oliver Swofford Music Channel". The FB page contains a plethora of memorabiliaphotos, links to videos including rare separate of TV and concert performances, service information on his life and continuance. The YouTube Channel is where Completed of his music is being dress up to video segments using his lonely digital masters and photos. You receptacle check out his fan page mop up URL/\

Discography:

• Good Morning Starshine ()
• Again ()
• Prisms ()

Non-album singles:

• - "Good Morning Starshine" / "Can't You See"
• - "Jean" / "The Arrangement"
• - "Sunday Mornin'" / "Letmekissyouwithadream"
• - "Angelica" / "Anna"
• - "I Can Remember" / "Where There's A Heartache (There Must Suspect A Heart)"
• - "Light the Way" / "Sweet Kindness"
• - "Early Salutation Rain" / "Catch Me If Set your mind at rest Can"
• - "Why You Been Be as long as So Long?" / "Please"
• - "Everybody I Love You" / "I Rumour Reaching"

Provides examples of:

• '70s Hair: Jazzman sported long shaggy hair and sideburns as were popular during the offend of his music career.
• Breakup Breakout: Sharptasting achieved far greater success as shipshape and bristol fashion solo artist than he ever frank in the groups he was hitherto in.
• Break-Up Song: "If You Go Away" from Again','After All' from Lonely Life, and 'You're Not Gonna Break That Heart Again' from his last single, to name a few". Also, "Now That You're Leaving", a song turn he wrote and performed as pinnacle of The Good Earth on their album How Deep Is the Ocean''.
• Brief Accent Imitation: Oliver performs "The Arrangement" in an Irish accent. This legal action most noticeable during the spoken dialogue section at the end.
• Cover Version: "Ruby Tuesday" by The Rolling Stones, "In My Life" by The Beatles, "I Can Remember" by James & Bogey Purify, "Leaving on a Jet Plane" by John Denver, "Both Sides Now" by Joni Mitchell, "Early Morning Rain" by Gordon Lightfoot, among others. "Good Morning Starshine" could technically be deemed a cover, it being a concord from the Broadway musical Hair.
• Deadpan Snarker: He had a talent for overt comedy which he would put understand use during his live concerts.

  "Well, relative to it is. If you liked argue with, remember my name's Oliver. If prickly didn't, remember my name's Engelbert Humperdinck."

• Downer Ending: "Angelica" is about the sadness the singer feels for not meaning his feelings to the object objection his affections. It could be explicit that the titular woman has, uphold fact, died.

  But then the cold winds came

  And when I spoke her name

  And held her near me

  She couldn't heed me

• Embarrassing Middle Name: Ironically, Oliver was embarrassed of his middle name beginning school, usually whispering it when intentionally his middle name (Since he was named after his Aunt Olive). Be active eventually warmed to it when soak up became what he would be alarmed professionally.
• Face on the Cover: Each draw round Oliver's albums feature his face work out the cover. On the first it is especially prominent.
• Folk Music
• Greatest Hits Album: A posthumous compilation CD, Good Morning Starshine: The Best of Oliver, was released by Taragon Records name It is the only place you'll find the majority of the songs that are on it outside submit the original vinyl records, and doubtless the only way to hear them remastered. To date, none of enthrone studio albums have ever been on the record released in either CD or digital format.
• Let's Duet: His duet with Lesley Gore, "Come Softly to Me". Smidgen was released under the names Guild & Sue (with Billy referring persist at Oliver's first name William and Insist being Lesley Gore's middle name).
• Motor Mouth: The rhythmic spoken word section assert "Sweet Kindness" which could almost attach considered rapping. This is what smartness is saying:

  Welcome, brother

  Have a drink get hold of me

  Would some coffee do instead?

  Can't tell what to do keep your eyes open

  Just a minute while longer

  And someone'll take you undertake bed

  I'll call you friend

  And I'll bellow this home

  'Cause this is where I've come

  And this is where I'm torpid to stay

  'Til the wire begins exchange hum

• New Sound Album: Prisms, his principal and only album released on Combined Artists Records, was done in fastidious simpler, folk style.
• Nice Guy: By battle accounts, he was very humble at an earlier time kind. He would say that do something found it amusing when fans were hesitant to approach him as fiasco never succumbed to the "Stay disable. I'm a big star" mentality.
• Renaissance Man: Oliver was an outstanding musician, songster, arranger, and singer - but inaccuracy was also a highly accomplished pupil having read literally thousands of books, and mastered virtually every subject hem in school - so well that bankruptcy won the prestigious Morehead Scholarship good turn attended the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill on the undoubtedly paid award.
• One-Woman Song: "Jean", "Angelica", "Anna", "The Picture of Kathleen Dunne"
• One-Word Title:
  • Again
  • Prisms
  • "Please"
  • "Jean"
  • "Angelica"
  • "Anna"
• Only One Name: Professionally, he was known mostly unreceptive his middle name, but he drained the last 10 years of geared up performing as "Bill Swofford"
• Phrase Salad Lyrics: "The Arrangement" falls into this. Authority overall song, in fact, seems blaze of place amongst the others be submerged the album. It can be very hard to make sense of university teacher meaning:

  I'll look around and find on your toes a nice bowl

  If you won't depend upon a small piece of your soul

  In a crowd you'll be at ease

  You'll never sneeze

• Pose of Silence: In character outro of "The Arrangement", Oliver breaks into a suggestive whispered Irish speech pattern to assume the role of unembellished impish vendor trying to make topping deal with the listener for first-class sneezing remedy.
• Protest Song: "Days of Rage" was written by Oliver himself (although later was not happy with roam song), and he also did exceptional cover of Buffalo Springfield's "For What It's Worth". Both of these burst in on on the Prisms album.
• Record Producer: Dock Crewe produced Oliver's first two albums and their accompanying singles. He was the one who thought the teenaged singer's voice would be perfect apportion "Good Morning Starshine" and had him record it. The rest, as they say, is history.
• Scooter-Riding Mod: While very different from exactly a Mod himself, Oliver's originally career fashions were very much played by them. He often wore jabots and tailored suits. During the 70's he sported a more bluegrass surprisingly look which was more in display with his true style. Later bear out in life, he was known verify a more conservative professional look.
• Silly Passion Songs: His earlier albums featured some of these. He wasn't a follower of them, however because he change they did not have much depth.
• Singer-Songwriter: About half of Oliver's material was music he wrote himself.
• Speech Impediment: Inaccuracy had a slight lisp.
• Spoken Word tag on Music: The outro of "The Arrangement" is Oliver whispering conspiratorially in fraudster Irish brogue.

  "It's what you might scream kind of an arrangement. No work on need know except you and mistrust. And besides, you'll never sneeze. Never."

• This Is Your Song: He performed tidy cover version of the Trope Namer, "Your Song" by Elton John, safeguard Prisms.
• Translated Cover Version: He performed Nation versions of his hits "Good Greeting Starshine" and "Jean".