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Donald's Encyclopedia of Popular MusicA B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y ZCROWLEY, J.C.(b John Crowley, 13 Nov.'47 Houston TX) Songwriter, guitarist and singer. He played in various Texas rock bands; a tape of his early songs found its way to Jessie Ed davis, then playing with Taj Mahal; Davis asked him to come to L.A. in 1972. Crowley formed the pop quintet Player with Peter Beckett, co-writing and singing lead on their no. 1 hit 'Baby Come Back' '78. He left after their second album '79 (Beckett carried on as player with bassist Ronn Moss, later an actor in the TV soap The Bold And The Beautiful). Crowley continued as a successful songwriter. He signed with RCA and had country hits, the biggest being 'Paint The Town And Hang The Moon Tonight' '88; he toured with Willie Nelson that year, the title song from the album Beneath The Texas Moon '89 appeared in the soundtrack of Clint Eastwood's Pink Cadillac, and guests on the album included Bonnie Raitt, J.D. Souther, Vince Gill and Roseanne Cash. He was named Best New Male Country Vocalist in 1989. Through the '80s and '90s his songs were recorded by Johnny Cash, Smokey Robinson, the Oak Ridge Boys, Little River Band, Jo-El Sonnier, Guy Clark and many others; they were heard in TV shows including The Simpsons and Saturday Night Live. He contributed to the Steve Young album Switchblade of Love, later to the Billboard Critics Choice album Primal Young 2000 (see Young's entry). J.C. fought and won a battle with cancer 1994-99 and continues writing and producing from his home in Topanga CA; he scored the comedy/thriller 97 Brooks 2001. |