BILLY SWAN * Don't be cruel *

    Nadie le puede negar a Billy Swan su éxito , allá por el año 1974 con el tema I Can Help .El motivo de que aparezca en nuestro blog , no es exactamente para recordaros ( que también ... ya  puestos -.. ) , esa efemeride  si no para comentar acerca de tema , concretamente  DON'T BE CRUEL., según podemos leer en la revista Rolling Stone de este mes , Dan Auerbach , cantante y guitarrista de BLACK KEYS , habla de cuatro canciones que le hubiera gustado producir una de ellas es ésta version que Billy hace del tema de Blackwell-Presley , en relación al mismo comenta : Esta es la mejor versión de Elvis que se ha hecho nunca.Billy Swan era un tipo de country de los setenta, pero en esta canción suena como si fuera Timber Timbre o algo parecido..........( opinable ) Para que podáis hacerlo con conocimiento de causa , ahí va,  Don't be cruel por Billy Swan , junto con su éxitazo y otro cover , esta ves del clásico Shake, Rattle & Roll. Si clicáis encima del título del post podéis acceder a info. actualizada de la vida y milagros de Billy Swan 

                                


                               


               

William Lance Swan (born May 12, 1942) is an American songwriter and singer, best known for his 1974 single, "I Can Help".

Swan was born in Cape Girardeau, Missouri. As a child, he learned drums, piano and guitar, and began writing songs. His first big break was in 1962 when Clyde McPhatter recorded "Lover Please", a song written by Swan when he was in a local band called Mirt Mirly & the Rhythm Stoppers, and which had first been recorded by Bill Black. McPhatter's version quickly became a No. 7 pop hit.

Swan moved to Memphis to work with Black, but this was cut short with Black's illness and subsequent death in 1965. He also for a time worked on Elvis Presley's Graceland estate. He then moved to Nashville, which enabled him to write hit country songs for numerous artists, including Conway Twitty, Waylon Jennings, and Mel Tillis. In 1969, Swan first took on the role of record producer, producing Tony Joe White's Top Ten hit "Polk Salad Annie". Swan also played bass guitar for Kris Kristofferson, and then signed a solo recording deal with Monument Records

His first album included the song "I Can Help", a rockabilly number that topped both the Billboard Hot 100 and country charts in 1974, also becoming a hit in many other countries. Swan recorded the song in two takes (without overdubs) with an RMI organ that Kristofferson and singer Rita Coolidge had bought for him as a wedding gift. However, other albums with Monument, A&M, and Epic did not have nearly the success of his first.

In 1979, Swan traveled to Havana, Cuba, to participate in the historic Havana Jam festival that took place between March 2–4, alongside Stephen Stills, the CBS Jazz All-Stars, the Trio of Doom, Fania All-Stars, Weather Report, Bonnie Bramlett, Mike Finnegan, Kris Kristofferson, Rita Coolidge and Billy Joel, plus an array of Cuban artists such as Irakere, Pacho Alonso, Tata Güines and Orquesta Aragón. His performance is captured on Ernesto Juan Castellanos's documentary Havana Jam '79.[citation needed]

Swan continued to tour as a member of Kristofferson's band, and has recorded two albums with Randy Meisner of The Eagles. In 1986 he walked into a Californian studio (Bench Records) as part of a band called Black Tie and along with Meisner, Jimmy Griffin (Bread), David Kemper (drummer), David Miner and David Mansfield recorded an album called When the Night Falls. He recorded another solo album, Like Elvis Used to Do in 2000, and another Black Tie-style album with Meisner and Charlie Rich, Jr. billed as "Meisner, Swan & Rich".As of 2005, Swan remained a backing singer and session musician.

Swan was married to his late wife Marlu for 30 years. They had two daughters, recording artists Planet Swan & Sierra Swan.