Carl Graves
{{Infobox musical artist
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| name = Carl Graves
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| origin = Alberta, Canada
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| occupation = Vocals, keyboard, percussion
| instrument = Music
| years_active = 1960s–present
| label = A&M Records, Sterling Silver Pro
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| past_member_of = Soul Unlimited, Skylark, Oingo Boingo
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Carl Graves is a musician from Calgary, Alberta, Canada. He has been a member of various groups in his career and had a number of hits in the 1970s.
Early life and education
Graves is from Alberta, Canada,{{cite magazine |url=https://archive.org/details/cashbox37unse_26/page/34/mode/2up?q=%22Carl+Graves%22 |magazine=Cashbox |date=November 29, 1975 |page=34 |title=Cash Box R&B News Report}} and has been in bands since high school.{{cite magazine |url=https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Billboard/70s/1974/Billboard%201974-12-14.pdf |magazine=Billboard |date=December 14, 1974 |page=16 |title=New on the Charts}} Graves studied at the Royal Conservatory of Music in Toronto and completed his studies in jazz music.{{cite web |url=https://sterlingsilverproductions.wordpress.com/about/ |website=Sterling Silver Productions |title=Who We Are - Carl Graves}}
Career
Achieving a degree of local fame in Canada, he was a member of the group Soul Unlimited. He later played percussion for Skylark and was also their third lead singer.{{cite web |url=http://canadianbands.com/artists/Skylark/ |date=April 11, 2022 |title=Skylark |website=Canadian Bands}}{{cite web |url=http://pnwbands.com/soulunlim.html |title=Soul Unlimited |website=Pacific Northwest Bands}}
His hits during the 1970s include "Baby Hang Up the Phone", "Heart Be Still"{{cite magazine |url=https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Billboard/70s/1976/Billboard%201976-02-21.pdf |magazine=Billboard |date=February 21, 1976 |page=24 |title=Billboard Hot Soul Singles, Billboard SPECIAL SURVEY For Week Ending 2/21/76}}{{cite web |url=https://www.musicvf.com/album.php?artist=Carl+Graves&album=Carl%20Graves |website=MusicVF |title=Carl Graves by Carl Graves}} and “Hey Radio. "Heart Be Still", written by Lee Garrett and Robert Taylor, debuted at no. 84 on the Billboard Hot Soul Hits singles chart on January 3, 1976.{{cite magazine |url=https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Billboard/70s/1976/Billboard%201976-01-03.pdf |magazine=Billboard |date=January 3, 1976 |page=22 |title=Billboard Hot Soul Singles, Billboard SPECIAL SURVEY For Week Ending 1/3/76}} At week eight, it reached its peak position of 26 on February 21.{{cite magazine |url=https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Billboard/70s/1976/Billboard%201976-02-21.pdf |magazine=Billboard |date=February 21, 1976 |page=24 |title=Billboard Hot Soul Singles, Billboard SPECIAL SURVEY For Week Ending 2/21/76}} It debuted on the Cashbox Top 100 R&B chart at no. 83 for the week of January 17, 1976.{{cite magazine |url=https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Cash-Box/70s/1976/Cash-Box-1976-01-17.pdf |magazine=Cashbox |date=January 17, 1976 |page=29 |title=CASH BOX TOP 100 R&B 83, 1/10}} It peaked at no. 33 on the chart for the week of February 28, 1976.{{cite magazine |url=https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Cash-Box/70s/1976/Cash-Box-1976-02-28.pdf |magazine=Cashbox |date=February 28, 1976 |page=43 |title=CASH BOX TOP 100 R&B 33, 2/21 34}}{{cite magazine |url=https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Cash-Box/70s/1976/Cash-Box-1976-03-06.pdf |magazine=Cashbox |date=March 6, 1976 |page=39 |title=CASH BOX TOP 100 R&B 41, 2/28 33}} He also recorded the single "Sad Girl", which eventually peaked at no. 46 in the Record World R&B Singles chart on May 28, 1977.{{cite magazine |url=https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Record-World/70s/77/Record-World-1977-05-21.pdf |magazine=Record World |date=May 21, 1977 |page=62 |title=THE R&B SINGLES CHART}}{{cite magazine |url=https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Record-World/70s/77/Record-World-1977-05-28.pdf |magazine=Record World |date=May 28, 1977 |page=60 |title=THE R&B SINGLES CHART}}{{cite magazine |url=https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Record-World/70s/77/Record-World-1977-06-04.pdf |magazine=Record World |date=June 4, 1977 |page=84 |title=THE R&B SINGLES CHART}}
From 1988 until 1994, he played keyboards and sang background vocals in the band Oingo Boingo.{{cite web |url=https://www.allmusic.com/artist/carl-graves-mn0001244495/credits |title=Carl Graves - Credits - AllMusic |website=AllMusic |access-date=July 5, 2023}} He currently performs with the group Oingo Boingo Former Members.{{cite web |url=https://www.oingoboingoformermembers.com/ |title=Oingo Boingo Former Members |website=Oingo Boingo Former Members |access-date=July 5, 2023}}
Further reading
- Abbey, John. Blues & Soul. B&S debut feature: Carl Graves. 27 May 1975.{{cite magazine |url=https://www.rocksbackpages.com/Library/Article/ibsi-debut-feature-carl-graves |last=Abbey |first=John |author-link=John Abbey (producer) |magazine=Blues & Soul |title=B&S debut feature: Carl Graves |date=May 27, 1975}}
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- Discogs – [https://www.discogs.com/artist/439114-Carl-Graves Carl Graves]
- Musician Bio – [https://musicianbio.org/carl-graves/ Carl Graves]
- Rob Frith channel – [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=495_e383vPw Carl Graves and Soul Unlimited (Video clip)]
{{DEFAULTSORT:Graves, Carl}}
Category:Canadian soul singers
Category:20th-century Black Canadian male singers
Category:20th-century Canadian male singers
Category:Skylark (Canadian band) members