Donnie Brooks
Encyclopedia
Donnie Brooks was an American
pop music
singer. Brooks is a member of the Rockabilly Hall of Fame
.
Born in Dallas
, Texas
, Abohosh moved to Ventura
, California
in his teens, where he was adopted
by his stepfather
and took the name John D. Faircloth. He discovered a singing voice at a young age and recorded a few minor hits with several small record label
s under the stage name
s Johnny Jordan, Dick Bush, and Johnny Faire, the latter gaining some sales with "Bertha Lou" in early 1959, while a cover version by Clint Miller charted nationally. Encouraged by friends Dorsey
and Johnny Burnette
, he persevered in the music business and in late 1959, he made his first recording using the name Donnie Brooks. Called "Li'l Sweetheart," it received a lukewarm reception, but his March 1960 hit single, "Mission Bell" on Era Records
demonstrated a quality voice
in an upbeat song that peaked at #7 on the Billboard Hot 100
chart. You can see a performance video of Donnie Brooks singing Mission Bell at Wibbage.Net.
His follow-up, "Doll House"/"Round Robin" (a double-sided hit single with a color picture sleeve on Era Records) peaked at #31 in December 1960. Although he continued to record through the 1970s, he never again achieved the same level of success. In 1971, Brooks played the role of Christ in the rock opera
"Truth of Truths
" for Oak Records. The record was produced by Ray Ruff, who previously worked for ABC-Paramount
, Happy Tiger
and Dot
. Brooks toured with other performers from the early rock and roll
era
in oldies
revival shows.
Brooks died of a heart attack following a long illness
on February 23, 2007. He was 71.
There was a special memorial service
and rockabilly
show in his honor on Sunday, March 26, 2007 at the Elks Lodge
in Burbank, California
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
pop music
Pop music
Pop music is usually understood to be commercially recorded music, often oriented toward a youth market, usually consisting of relatively short, simple songs utilizing technological innovations to produce new variations on existing themes.- Definitions :David Hatch and Stephen Millward define pop...
singer. Brooks is a member of the Rockabilly Hall of Fame
Rockabilly Hall of Fame
The Rockabilly Hall of Fame was established on the internet on March 21, 1997, to present early rock and roll history and information relative to the artists and personalities involved in this pioneering American music genre....
.
Born in Dallas
Dallas, Texas
Dallas is the third-largest city in Texas and the ninth-largest in the United States. The Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex is the largest metropolitan area in the South and fourth-largest metropolitan area in the United States...
, Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
, Abohosh moved to Ventura
Ventura, California
Ventura is the county seat of Ventura County, California, United States, incorporated in 1866. The population was 106,433 at the 2010 census, up from 100,916 at the 2000 census. Ventura is accessible via U.S...
, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
in his teens, where he was adopted
Adoption
Adoption is a process whereby a person assumes the parenting for another and, in so doing, permanently transfers all rights and responsibilities from the original parent or parents...
by his stepfather
Stepfamily
A stepfamily, also known as a blended family or reconstituted family, is a family in which one or both members of the couple have children from a previous relationship...
and took the name John D. Faircloth. He discovered a singing voice at a young age and recorded a few minor hits with several small record label
Record label
In the music industry, a record label is a brand and a trademark associated with the marketing of music recordings and music videos. Most commonly, a record label is the company that manages such brands and trademarks, coordinates the production, manufacture, distribution, marketing and promotion,...
s under the stage name
Stage name
A stage name, also called a showbiz name or screen name, is a pseudonym used by performers and entertainers such as actors, wrestlers, comedians, and musicians.-Motivation to use a stage name:...
s Johnny Jordan, Dick Bush, and Johnny Faire, the latter gaining some sales with "Bertha Lou" in early 1959, while a cover version by Clint Miller charted nationally. Encouraged by friends Dorsey
Dorsey Burnette
Dorsey Burnette was an early Rockabilly singer. With his younger brother, Johnny Burnette, and a friend named Paul Burlison, he was a founder member of The Rock and Roll Trio.-Background and early career:Dorsey Burnett was born on December 28, 1932 to Willie May and Dorsey Burnett Sr...
and Johnny Burnette
Johnny Burnette
John Joseph "Johnny" Burnette was an American rockabilly musician. Along with his older brother Dorsey Burnette, and also a friend named Paul Burlison, Burnette was a founding member of The Rock and Roll Trio. He was the father of 1980s rockabilly singer Rocky Burnette.-Early life:Johnny Burnette...
, he persevered in the music business and in late 1959, he made his first recording using the name Donnie Brooks. Called "Li'l Sweetheart," it received a lukewarm reception, but his March 1960 hit single, "Mission Bell" on Era Records
Era Records
Era Records was an independent American record label located in Hollywood, California. It was founded by Herb Newman and Lou Bedell in 1955 as a pop, country and western and jazz label. Era had a #1 hit in 1956 with Gogi Grant's "The Wayward Wind", written by Newman. In 1959 Bedell sold his...
demonstrated a quality voice
Voice
Voice may refer to:* Human voice* Voice control or voice activation* Writer's voice* Voice acting* Voice vote* Voice message-In film:* Voice , a 2005 South Korean film* The Voice , a 2010 Turkish horror film directed by Ümit Ünal...
in an upbeat song that peaked at #7 on the Billboard Hot 100
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
chart. You can see a performance video of Donnie Brooks singing Mission Bell at Wibbage.Net.
His follow-up, "Doll House"/"Round Robin" (a double-sided hit single with a color picture sleeve on Era Records) peaked at #31 in December 1960. Although he continued to record through the 1970s, he never again achieved the same level of success. In 1971, Brooks played the role of Christ in the rock opera
Rock opera
A rock opera is a work of rock music that presents a storyline told over multiple parts, songs or sections in the manner of opera. A rock opera differs from a conventional rock album, which usually includes songs that are not unified by a common theme or narrative. More recent developments include...
"Truth of Truths
Truth of Truths
Truth of Truths - a Contemporary Rock Opera is a 1971 two-disc Christian rock album which was largely conceived by promoter/producer Ray Ruff. The album is arranged as a rock opera based on significant events in the Christian Bible, with the first two side pertaining to the Old Testament and the...
" for Oak Records. The record was produced by Ray Ruff, who previously worked for ABC-Paramount
ABC Records
ABC Records was an American record label, founded in New York City in 1955 as ABC-Paramount Records. It originated as the main popular music label operated the Am-Par Record Corporation, the music subsidiary of the American Broadcasting Company . ABC-Paramount Records' first president was Samuel H....
, Happy Tiger
Happy Tiger Records
Happy Tiger Records was an independent American record label that was owned by the Flying Tiger Line air freight company. Happy Tiger only operated from 1969 to 1971, but during this time managed to produce more than two dozen albums by such notable artists as Count Basie, Mason Proffit, Red...
and Dot
Dot Records
Dot Records was an American record label and company that was active between 1950 and 1977. It was founded by Randy Wood. In Gallatin, Tennessee, Wood had earlier started a mail order record shop, known for its radio ads on WLAC in Nashville and its R&B air personality Bill "Hoss" Allen...
. Brooks toured with other performers from the early rock and roll
Rock and roll
Rock and roll is a genre of popular music that originated and evolved in the United States during the late 1940s and early 1950s, primarily from a combination of African American blues, country, jazz, and gospel music...
era
Era
An era is a commonly used word for long period of time. When used in science, for example geology, eras denote clearly defined periods of time of arbitrary but well defined length, such as for example the Mesozoic era from 252 Ma–66 Ma, delimited by a start event and an end event. When used in...
in oldies
Oldies
Oldies is a term commonly used to describe a radio format that concentrates on music from a period of about 15 to 55 years before the present day....
revival shows.
Brooks died of a heart attack following a long illness
Illness
Illness is a state of poor health. Illness is sometimes considered another word for disease. Others maintain that fine distinctions exist...
on February 23, 2007. He was 71.
There was a special memorial service
Funeral
A funeral is a ceremony for celebrating, sanctifying, or remembering the life of a person who has died. Funerary customs comprise the complex of beliefs and practices used by a culture to remember the dead, from interment itself, to various monuments, prayers, and rituals undertaken in their honor...
and rockabilly
Rockabilly
Rockabilly is one of the earliest styles of rock and roll music, dating to the early 1950s.The term rockabilly is a portmanteau of rock and hillbilly, the latter a reference to the country music that contributed strongly to the style's development...
show in his honor on Sunday, March 26, 2007 at the Elks Lodge
Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks
The Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks is an American fraternal order and social club founded in 1868...
in Burbank, California
Burbank, California
Burbank is a city in Los Angeles County in Southern California, United States, north of downtown Los Angeles. The estimated population in 2010 was 103,340....
.