From a Jack to a King
{{Short description|Single by Ned Miller}}
{{Infobox song
| name = From a Jack to a King
| cover =
| alt =
| type = single
| artist = Ned Miller
| album = From a Jack to a King
| B-side = Parade of Broken Hearts
| released = 1957. Re-released December 15, 1962
| recorded = 1957
| studio =
| venue =
| genre = Country
| length = {{Duration|m=2|s=10}}
| label = Fabor, Dot
| writer = Ned Miller
| producer = Fabor Robison
| prev_title = Dark Moon
| prev_year = 1961
| next_title = One Among the Many
| next_year = 1963
| misc = {{External music video|header=Official audio|{{YouTube|Xhilnq-FnvE|"From a Jack to a King"}}}}
}}
"From a Jack to a King" is a country music song. Originally a crossover hit for artist Ned Miller, who also wrote "Dark Moon", "A Falling Star", and many other country songs. It has been covered extensively by country music artists.
Ned Miller version
The original version was recorded by Ned Miller. First released in 1957 by both Fabor Records (for regional audiences) and Dot Records (for national distribution), Miller's version was unsuccessful until he persuaded his label to re-release it in 1962.{{Cite web |title=Ned Miller Songs, Albums, Reviews, Bio & More |url=https://www.allmusic.com/artist/ned-miller-mn0000323652 |access-date=2023-12-22 |website=AllMusic |language=en}} Upon re-release, the song became a crossover hit, charting in the Top 10 on the Billboard U.S. country (#2), pop (#6), and adult contemporary (#3) charts.{{Cite web |title=Ned Miller Songs, Albums, Reviews, Bio & More |url=https://www.allmusic.com/artist/ned-miller-mn0000323652 |access-date=2023-12-22 |website=AllMusic |language=en}} In addition, Miller's version reached #1 on the Irish Singles Chart, while peaking at #2 on the UK Singles Chart. Furthermore, it was the sixth-most-played single of 1963 in the United Kingdom.{{cite web |url=http://www.ukmix.org/articles/charts/1963.html |title=Articles - Chart Of All Time - 1963 |website=UKMIX.org |access-date=2016-09-26 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120219133502/http://www.ukmix.org/articles/charts/1963.html |archive-date=2012-02-19 |url-status=dead }} Miller's chart success was limited after the song, however, and by the 1970s he stopped recording entirely.
The song was also recorded in 1962 by Jim Reeves on the occasion of his tour to South Africa in August and charted there that year.
=Chart positions=
| class="wikitable sortable"
!align="left"|Chart (1963) ! style="text-align:center;"|Peak |
| {{singlechart|Billboardcountrysongs|2|artist=Ned Miller}} |
| {{singlechart|Billboardhot100|6|artist=Ned Miller}} |
| {{singlechart|Billboardadultcontemporary|3|artist=Ned Miller}} |
| align="left"|UK Singles Chart
| style="text-align:center;"|2 |
| align="left"|Irish Singles Chart
| style="text-align:center;"|1 |
| align="left"|Canada (CHUM Chart) (5 weeks){{cite web|url=http://chumtribute.com/62-12-17-chart.jpg| title=CHUM Hit Parade - December 17, 1962}}
| style="text-align:center;"|1 |
Ricky Van Shelton version
{{Infobox song
| name = From a Jack to a King
| cover =
| alt =
| type = single
| artist = Ricky Van Shelton
| album = Loving Proof
| B-side = The Picture
| released = December 24, 1988{{cite AV media notes |title=Greatest Hits Plus |others=Ricky Van Shelton |year=1992 |type=CD |publisher=Columbia Records |id=52753}}
| studio =
| venue =
| genre = Country
| length = {{Duration|m=2|s=21}}
| label = Columbia Nashville
| writer = Ned Miller
| producer = Steve Buckingham
| prev_title = I'll Leave This World Loving You
| prev_year = 1988
| next_title = Hole in My Pocket
| next_year = 1989
}}
In December 1988, American country music artist Ricky Van Shelton released his own version of "From a Jack to a King". Shelton's version became his fifth consecutive Number One on the Billboard Hot Country Singles charts.{{cite book |title= The Billboard Book Of Top 40 Country Hits: 1944-2006, Second edition|last=Whitburn |first=Joel |author-link=Joel Whitburn |year=2004 |publisher=Record Research |page=310}}
=Chart positions=
| class="wikitable sortable" |
| align="left"|Chart (1988–1989)
! style="text-align:center;"|Peak |
|---|
| {{singlechart|Billboardcountrysongs|1|artist=Ricky Van Shelton}} |
| align="left"|Canadian RPM Country Tracks{{cite web|url=http://rpmimages.3345.ca/pdfs/Volume+49-No.+21-March+20-25%2C+1989.pdf|title=RPM 100 Country Singles - Page 20|work=RPM|date=March 20, 1989}}
|align="center"|1 |
=Year-end charts=
| class="wikitable sortable" |
| scope="col"|Chart (1989)
!scope="col"|Position |
|---|
| Canada Country Tracks (RPM){{cite web|url=http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/rpm/028020-119.01-e.php?brws_s=1&file_num=nlc008388.6640&type=1&interval=24|title=RPM Top 100 Country Tracks of 1989|work=RPM|date=December 23, 1989|access-date=August 28, 2013}}
| style="text-align:center;"| 52 |
| US Country Songs (Billboard){{cite magazine | url=http://www.billboard.com/charts/year-end/1989/hot-country-songs| title=Best of 1989: Country Songs | magazine=Billboard | publisher=Prometheus Global Media | year=1989| access-date=August 28, 2013}}
| style="text-align:center;"| 58 |
Other versions
Bill Anderson covered the song on his 1963 album Still, released by Decca Records.
Elvis Presley recorded it in 1969 and the song was included on this Back in Memphis album released in 1970. Jerry Lee Lewis also released a version of the song.{{cite web|author=Stephen Thomas Erlewine|author-link=Stephen Thomas Erlewine|url=http://www.allmusic.com/album/mercury-smashesand-rockin-sessions-mw0000109621 |title=Mercury Smashes...And Rockin' Sessions - Jerry Lee Lewis | Songs, Reviews, Credits |publisher=AllMusic |access-date=2016-09-26}} Mud recorded the song in 1982.
South African singer Ray Dylan covered the song on his album Goeie Ou Country - Op Aanvraag.{{cite web|url=http://www.musica.co.za/cd/id/6005298026996/Ray_Dylan-Goeie_Ou_Country_-_Op_Aanvraag#contents |title=Ray Dylan, Goeie Ou Country - Op Aanvraag, CDS, Musica a World awaits - 6005298026996 |access-date=2014-03-28 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130606075021/http://www.musica.co.za/cd/id/6005298026996/Ray_Dylan-Goeie_Ou_Country_-_Op_Aanvraag#contents |archive-date=2013-06-06 }}
The song features in E1 S3 of the historical drama television series The Crown.{{cite web | url=https://www.classicfm.com/discover-music/periods-genres/film-tv/the-crown-season-3-soundtrack-music-songs/ | title=What music is in the Crown Season 3? }}
References
{{Reflist}}
{{Ricky Van Shelton}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:From a Jack to a King}}
Category:Bill Anderson (singer) songs
Category:Jerry Lee Lewis songs
Category:Ricky Van Shelton songs
Category:Irish Singles Chart number-one singles
Category:Number-one singles in Norway