Mickey was born Milton Sims Newbury Jr in Houston on May 19, 1940 to Mamie and Milton Newbury. As a child, he was inseparable from younger brother, Jerry; it was a friendship that continued throughout his life. In high school, Mickey decided to write songs. As a teenager, he shut himself away in his room, writing poetry and learning to play guitar. He formed a doo-wop group called The Embers.
In 1959, Mickey joined the Air Force and was assigned to England for three years. When he returned to the U.S., he pursued his dream of being a songwriter. He lived in a 1954 Pontiac and traveled around Texas, Tennessee, and Louisiana playing gigs and working on shrimp boats. Eventually he found himself in Nashville, and in 1964, signed a publishing contract with Acuff-Rose. He moved to Nashville in 1965 and about this time, his first child Joe was born. Shortly thereafter, Jimmy Elledge was first to cover a Newbury song, Just As Long As That Someone Is You.
1966 was the year the music industry noticed Mickey Newbury. Don Gibson had a Top Ten Country hit with Funny Familiar Forgotten Feelings, while Tom Jones scored a world hit with the same Newbury song. In 1968, Mickey saw huge success; three number one songs and one number five across four different charts; Just Dropped In (To See What Condition My Condition Was In) on the Pop/Rock chart by the First Edition, Sweet Memories on Easy Listening by Andy Williams, Time is a Thief on the R&B chart by Solomon Burke, and Here Comes the Rain Baby on the Country chart by Eddy Arnold. This feat has never been repeated. That year, Mickeys first album, Harlequin Melodies, was released by RCA. He didn't like it.
Mickey met New Christy Minstrels member Susan Pack on a blind date in 1967 and would not see her again until 1969 when they immediately married and lived on a houseboat outside of Nashville. Over the next four years, utilizing Nashville's best musicians, Mickey released a trilogy: Looks Like Rain, Frisco Mabel Joy and Heaven Help The Child. They are often referred to as his masterpieces.
Following the birth of their first child, Chris, in 1973, the Newburys moved to Susans home town in Oregon to make a family home. A daughter, Leah, arrived in 1977. In 1980, Mickey was inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame.
During the 80s, Mickey took a break from the music business to concentrate on his growing family and golf. Stephen joined the family in 1983 and Laura was born in 1986. In the early 90s he started writing, recording, and performing again, encouraged by his friends Bob Rosemurgy and Owsley Mannier. In 1995, Mickeys health began to fail, but he continued to produce, and the years 1995 to 2002 were some of his most productive, a period during which he almost doubled his catalogue. He also directed his attention to other ventures, beginning work on children books based on his story-songs. On September 29, 2002, he succumbed to a longtime lung disease and passed away in his sleep.
Mickey Newburys songs have been recorded by hundreds of artists; over 1,000 covers have been documented. Though he considered himself a songwriter first and singer second, Mickey recorded 25 albums over 35 years. Many of his peers consider him to be the best of the best. Kris Kristofferson says....God, I learned more about songwriting from Mickey than I did any other single human being. To me he was a songbird. He comes out with amazing words and music. Im sure that I never would have written Bobby McGee or Sunday Morning Coming Down if I had never known Mickey. He was my hero and still is...
Mickeys love was the music, not the business, and he actively campaigned for recognition of Americana music as early as the 1970s, when he tried to bring attention to Stephen Fosters work. Among his peers, Mickey is beloved and continues to be seen as a champion for the songwriter.
Influences
Dear hearts and gentle people, this site is a co-operative effort between the Newbury family and friends of Mickey's, including one he never met. Songs offered here, Mick's and others', are provided with full permission and overflowing affection
Sounds Like
the windchimes are tinkling on the back porch, Susie... ~*~
To learn more about Mickey, go to his official website at http://www.mickeynewbury.com and visit the cd store while you're there, run by members of Mickey's family in Oregon.
AMERICAN TRILOGY w Marie Rhines (from the great new Live At The Hermitage DVD, available at www.mickeynewbury.com in the cd store)
.....WHAT WILL I DO w Jack Williams (from Live At The Hermitage DVD)
.....YOU'RE MY LADY NOW w Jack Williams from DVD Live At The Hermitage (available for purchase at www.mickeynewbury.com)
.......SHE EVEN WOKE ME UP TO SAY GOODBYE (Johnny Cash Show)
UNCHAINED MELODY (unreleased, Triad sessions)
American Trilogy
CHRIS NEWBURY : AN AMERICAN TRILOGY
MY DAD TURNED ME ON TO MICKEY BACK WHEN I WAS A KID. HE WAS ON TELEVISION ONE EVENING, I BELIEVE, AND I TURNED TO HIM AND ASKED ''IS HE GOOD?''. ''YEAH, HE'S A GOOD ONE.'' HE SAID. HE WAS RIGHT. STILL IS ON BOTH COUNTS. THANKS MUCH. SWL
Today I like to inform you, that you can read and watch interviews with your favorit country stars in Enlgish, German and French at http://www.CountryHome.de/Interviews .
Warm regards
Christian
Editor & Journalist for Country Music Christian Lamitschka An der Pfingstweide 28 61118 Bad Vilbel Germany Phone: ++49 6101 544613 Mobil: ++49 171 6903352 Ch.Lamitschka@t-online.de Info@CountryMusic-Magazin.de www.MySpace.com/ChristianLamitschka
Mickey Newbury was one incredible songwriter. I listened to his Frisco Mabel Joy album so many times ...over and over on my Empire speakers...( 15" woofers with something called a Lens mid range and tweeter system. The cabinets had large round marble tops. I had a Marantz Stereo power system with a Dual turntable then....it had a special cartridge a Stanton Golden Eagle Mark V.
It sounded like a small version of Carnige Hall to be honest. When the violins came to life on his American Trilogy song on Frisco Mabel Joy album...it was awesome...!
I finally met Mickey in person at a local performing center in Tulsa and even tho the years had gone by...Mickey was still a truely increidible singer and entertainer. It was an honor to have gotten to know this Mickey Newbury.
We've recently been listening to a lot of Mickey Newbury songs, and we doth our collective caps to say, what a brilliant writer! Such evocative poignant lyrics, delivered so beautifully! Congratulations on running such an excellent page as a tribute to the great man! Thanks and good wishes- The Twisted Waltons!
Thanks for the add and support. Keep up the good work. Please be sure to visit my page and check out my music! Best of luck to you! God Bless David Brendan Hunt
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