• ABOUT
    • Contact
    • The Team
    • FAQ
    • Use & Privacy Policy
  • ADVERTISE
  • ROWFAX
  • JOB LISTINGS
MusicRow.com
  • CALENDARS
    • Album/EP Releases
    • Single/Track Releases
    • Industry Events
  • OBITS
  • CHARTS
    • Radio Chart (Current)
    • Radio Chart (Archives)
    • No. 1 Challenge Coin
    • Songwriter Chart (Current)
    • Songwriter Chart (Archives)
  • REVIEWS
  • MY STORY
  • NEWSLETTER
    • Newsletter (Current)
    • Newsletter (Archives)
    • SIGN UP (FREE!)
  • SUBSCRIBE
  • STORE
  • Click to open the search input field Click to open the search input field Search
  • Menu Menu

Nashville Star, Earl Gaines: 1935-2009

January 1, 2010/by Robert K Oermann

Earl-GainesNashville r&b star Earl Gaines died on New Year’s Eve at St. Thomas Hospital. He was 74 years old. Gaines was a gruff-voiced shouter who was a central figure in Music City’s soul scene for decades. That fact was underscored by his prominence in the Country Music Hall of Fame exhibit and Grammy Award winning CD set Night Train to Nashville.

He first achieved prominence in 1955 by singing lead on the original version of the standard “It’s Love Baby (24 Hours a Day)” for Louis Brooks & His Hi-Toppers. As a solo star, he had later hits with “The Best of Luck to You” in 1966 and “Hymn Number 5” in 1973. The Night Train compilations reissued his “White Rose,” recorded in 1959, and “Don’t Take My Kindness for a Weakness,” from 1965, as well as “It’s Love Baby.” He also performed memorably at the museum exhibit’s opening celebration.

The material he recorded in 1967-73 for the Starday/King imprint DeLuxe Records was reissued in 1998, and he released a new CD titled Everything’s Gonna Be Alright in that same year. He also recorded for such labels as Excello, Champion, Poncello, Hanna-Barbera, HBR, Athens, Sound Stage 7, Ace, Meltone, Appaloosa, Black Top, Ecko and Blue Fye. Often cited as the greatest r&b singer Nashville ever produced, Earl Gaines was in addition notable for his long career. He toured and recorded from the 1950s onward, issuing new CDs as recently as 2005 and 2008, The Different Feelings of Blues and Soul and Nothin’ But the Blues.

The loss of Earl Gaines compounds what has been a devastating year for Nashville’s r&b pioneers. Producer/singer/songwriter Ted Jarrett died last March. Guitarist/singer Johnny Jones passed away in October, as did Ted Acklen Jr., who chronicled the legacy of his father’s famed Jefferson Street nightclub, The Club Del Morocco.

  • Author
  • Recent Posts
Robert K Oermann
Robert K Oermann
Robert K. Oermann is a longtime contributor to MusicRow. He is a respected music critic, author and historian.
Robert K Oermann
Latest posts by Robert K Oermann (see all)
  • DISClaimer Single Reviews: Riley Green & Ella Langley Return With Some ‘Sublime Listening’ - July 10, 2025
  • DISClaimer Single Reviews: Trisha Yearwood Wins Disc Of The Day - July 3, 2025
  • DISClaimer Single Reviews: New Morgan Wallen Single Is ‘Brilliantly Produced’ - June 26, 2025
Share this entry
  • Share on Facebook
  • Share on X
  • Share on LinkedIn
  • Share by Mail
https://musicrow.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/MusicRow-header-logo-Mar19B.png 0 0 Robert K Oermann https://musicrow.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/MusicRow-header-logo-Mar19B.png Robert K Oermann2010-01-01 15:18:512010-01-01 15:18:51Nashville Star, Earl Gaines: 1935-2009
You might also like
WDHR’s Randy Jones Passes Away
Lifenotes: Tim Krekel (updated)
Lifenotes: Billy Deaton [updated 11/3]
Lifenotes: Wilma “Trip” Turner; Don Wright; Logan Pereira; Betty Sue Crockett
Lifenotes: Music Industry Entrepreneur Shelby Singleton
Brotherly Love w/ Bellamys & Bacons; Plus Artist LifeNotes
0 replies

Leave a Reply

Want to join the discussion?
Feel free to contribute!

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

You must be logged in to post a comment.

RECENT NEWS

  • MusicRow Weekly (News, Charts, More…) July 11, 2025
  • Riley Green Releases Acoustic EP ‘Midtown Sessions’ July 11, 2025
  • George Strait & Vaqueros Del Mar Slate ‘Strait To The Heart’ Benefit For Flood Victims July 11, 2025
  • Porter’s Call Unveils Lineup For 16th Annual “Evening Of Stories” In September July 11, 2025
  • Marcus King Band’s New Album ‘Darling Blue’ On Deck For September July 11, 2025
  • The Band Loula Offers Nostalgic Postcard From Home On New EP July 11, 2025
  • Trace Adkins, Jamey Johnson & More Salute Charlie Daniels On ‘Opry 100 Honors’ July 11, 2025
  • Lanie Gardner Slates Sophomore Record For September July 11, 2025
  • Marfa Inks With Ascend Music July 11, 2025
  • Luke Bryan Rises To No. 1 On MusicRow Radio Chart July 11, 2025

Like Us on Facebook

Follow Us on Twitter

Tweets by MusicRow
© 2025 Music Row Enterprises, LLC - Enfold WordPress Theme by Kriesi
Website hosted by Nashville web design company, All My Web Needs.
  • Link to Facebook
  • Link to X
  • Link to Instagram
Scroll to top