Canadian Music ~ Carroll Baker

 

Carroll Anne Baker CM was born March 4, 1949 in Port Medway, Nova Scotia. Baker was surrounded by music as a little girl but she objected when her musical family launched into their repertoire of country songs. She preferred rock 'n' roll. At age 16, she moved to Toronto. When she heard country music at Toronto, she said it made her homesick for Nova Scotia and that is where her love for country music began. She made her first stage debut in 1968 when her husband persuaded her to get on stage with a local band that was playing at the bar.

Songwriter George Petralia heard Baker sing and introduced her to producer Don Grashey. Her first single in 1970, "Mem-ries of Home", was written by Petralia and released on Grashey's Gaiety label. It was a minor hit, staying on the charts for 26 weeks. Based on the success of this first recording, Grashey contacted several record companies regarding a recording contract for her and finally made a deal with Columbia Records.

She recorded two albums for Columbia with limited commercial success. Eventually she went back to Gaiety Records. She then was signed to RCA Records where she had several gold and platinum records. From RCA, she joined Tembo records where she was again awarded platinum record status for her record sales.

In 1973, Baker became pregnant and announced her intention to withdraw from music business. Grashey convinced her to continue, and the pair traveled to Nashville to record four songs. Her first top ten record came from that session, "Ten Little Fingers", a song about a little girl, written by Don Grashey; this song remains one of her most popular songs to this day. She also had a hit with a bluegrass remake of "It's My Party". All told, between 1970 and 1982 Baker released 31 consecutive charting singles. Twelve of these reached the top of the charts.

Baker had her own series on CBC television in the summer of 1983 and frequently appeared on Tommy Hunter's show. In 1986, her album Hymns of Gold was certified platinum.

Baker received the Juno Award for Country Female Vocalist of the Year five times, including awards in 1977, 1978 and 1979.[5] In 1976, she won a Big Country Award for best album of the year, and in 1978 and 1977 she was named top female country singer at the same awards.

She was inducted into the Canadian Country Music Hall of Fame in 1992. In 2009, she was made a Member of the Order of Canada "for her achievements as a Canadian country music singer and songwriter".

~ Wikipedia