Sunday 16 January 2022

Ruby Falls born 16 January 1946


Ruby Falls (January 16, 1946 -  June 15, 1986) was  one of the few black female singers to achieve success in country music.

She was Bertha Bearden Dorsey from Jackson, Tennessee. Country music fans got to know her by her stage name, Ruby Falls. It has been written in several sources that she was among the most successful black female country music singers. But from my research so far, seemingly very little was written about her. But I will at least begin to document her career from what I have been able to find. 

She began singing at a young age, in church or at local events. When she was a teenager, she moved to Milwaukee, Wisconsin. She actually became a professional entertainer at that time and worked with several local bands including Harvey Scales and the Seven Sounds as their lead singer. 

By the late 1960's, Charley Pride was beginning to take the country music world by storm and providing perhaps a glimpse of opportunity for other black country music performers to be seen and heard. 

In 1974, Ruby moved back to Tennessee - to Nashville. Her talents were recognized and soon found herself touring with Justin Tubb. Her ability to entertain audiences was well received, even in Las Vegas. She was discovered by Johnny Howard who signed her to a recording contract with the 50 States record label. From 1975 - the year she was among the nominees for Country Music's Most Promising Female Vocalists award - to 1979, she registered 9 nationally-charting Country singles for 50 States Records, and in 1980 released her only album "Sweet Country Lady." 


                              

n 1977, Ruby released "Do The Buck Dance", written by Charlie Fields and Donald Riis and produced by Johnny Howard and Chuck Fields. In October of 1977, her tune "You've Got To Mend This Heartache" was number 40. On the same chart, Charley Pride was No. 3 with "More To Me". Billboard magazine reported that on July 14, 1979, Ruby and her band entertained at the Nashville 420 Grand National where she performed the Star Spangled Banner before a crowd of 18,000. Waylon Jennings was also on the bill. The race was broadcast on the Performance Racing Network. In October 1980, she released "Bringing Home That Feeling", written by Ray Griff and produced by Johnny Howard and Charlie Fields. 

She was managed by the Atlas Talent Agency in Nashville; Haze Jones was its president at the time. Around 1981 or so, they were booking what was termed "mini packages" that would feature a Grand Ole Opry or Hee! Haw! star accompanied by two other lesser known acts. Ruby toured with Justin Tubb and Doyle Holly and the Vanishing Breed during this time. She also worked with other country stars such as Faron Young, Jeannie Pruett, Del Reeves, Narvel Felts and Dave and Sugar. According to Pamela Foster, her television appearances included such shows as The Ralph Emery Show, Nashville Today, Good Ol' Nashville Music and Music Hall America. 

Sadly Ruby died suddenly at the age of 40 of a brain haemorrhage in Nashville, at age 40 years old on June 15, 1986.  (Edited from hillbillymusic.com & Amazon comments)

10 comments:

boppinbob said...

For “Ruby Falls – Sweet Country Music” go here:

https://www.upload.ee/files/13799802/Rubt_Falls-_Colllected.rar.html

1) He Loves me To Pieces (1975)
2) Show me Where (1976)
3) You’ve Got To Mend This Heartache (1977)
4) Three Nights A week (1978)
5) I’m Getting’ Into Your Love (1979)
6) Sweet Country Music (1980)
7) Do The Buck Dance (1980)

The late country legend Ruby Falls is criminally overlooked and her back catalogue is severely neglected, likely due to her premature death in 1986. Ruby appeared on numerous TV shows and her singles made the country charts 9 times from 1974 to 1979. Sadly, Ruby's recordings remain unavailable in any format. The thing is, not only is there no CD compilation of her music, even her only LP has not been digitized. The only access to her recordings is scattered 45 rpm singles which I have collected on YouTube. Surely there's room for one CD, perhaps her sole LP with some bonus tracks to take in the missing sides and later charting singles not included in that 1980 volume. If anyone can add to this play list then please do.

Crab Devil said...

Thanks!

Bob Mac said...

Thanks for this, can't say if I've ever heard her before.

David said...

Many thanks - I have a couple of tracks

https://www.mediafire.com/file/feohciw586t3bre/Ruby_Falls_2_tracks.zip/file

Hal49 said...

Thanks for bringing this great artist to attention.

Here is another 1978 single according to Discogs - FS-67

A1 There's A Holiday Feeling In the Air 2:26
B1 Song of the Season 2:43

boppinbob said...

Thanks Hal, I got my list from Praguefranks.

Hal49 said...

Two more Ruby Falls

- Let's Spend Summer In The Country
- If That's Not Loving You

Link good for seven days.

https://we.tl/t-Yrm1th42QU

boppinbob said...

Here’s an update of the found tracks so far. That's a total now of 13. I am still looking for more. Please note YT tracks from YouTube, Would prefer better source.

001 SWEET COUNTRY MUSIC 50 States FS-31/FS-1007-ST (FOUND-YT)
002 LOVE AWAY THE WRONG I'M ABOUT TO DO 50 States FS-31
003 HE LOVES ME ALL TO PIECES FS-33/ FS-1007-ST (FOUND–YT)
004 LET'S SPEND SUMMER IN THE COUNTRY FS-33 (FOUND)
005 SHOW ME WHERE FS-39/ FS-1007-ST (FOUND-YT)
006 SOMEWHERE THERE'S A RAINBOW OVER TEXAS FS-39/ FS-1007-ST (FOUND)
007 BEWARE THE WOMAN (BEFORE SHE GETS YOUR MAN) FS-43/ FS-1007-ST (FOUND)
008 JUMP IN THE RIVER OF TEARS FS-43/ FS-1007-ST
009 DO THE BUCK DANCE FS-50/ FS-1007-ST (FOUND-YT)
010 TOO MANY HURTS, TOO MANY HEARTACHES FS-50
011 YOU'VE GOT TO MEND THIS HEARTACHE FS-56/ FS-1007-ST (FOUND-YT)
012 LOVE'S SWEETER THAN SUGAR FS-56
013 THREE NIGHTS A WEEK FS-60 (FOUND-YT)
014 GIVE ME SOME LOVIN' FS-60
015 IF THAT'S NOT LOVING YOU (YOU CAN'T SAY I DIDN'T TRY) FS-63 (FOUND)
016 NOBODY'S BABY BUT MINE FS.63
017 THERE’S A HOLIDAY FEELING IN THE AIR FS-67 (FOUND)
018 SONG OF THE SEASON FS-67 (FOUND)
019 I'M GETTING' INTO YOUR LOVE FS-70 (FOUND-YT)
020 MIDNIGHT RENDEZVOUS FS-70
021 EMPTY ARMS AND TEARDROPS (SURE GO TOGETHER) FS-71/ FS-1007-ST
022 unknown title FS-71
023 BRINGING HOME THAT FEELING FS-77
024 unknown title FS-77
025 FUNNY HOW TIME SLIPS AWAY FS-1007ST

Thanks again to David & Hal 49.

Unknown said...

Thank you for recognizing my 1st cousin Ruby Falls or (Bertha Frances Bearden) maiden name. CMA Awards never mention her contributions to country music even last night 4/11/2022. I have some of her records that she gave me personally.
Thanks again. Great article.

Kate said...

Hi Unknown,

On the off chance you come and re-read this blog, I'd love to get in contact with you about your cousin. I'm doing some research on Ruby Falls and would really like to learn more about her. Please contact me (as well as anyone else who might have information about her) at kate.ngai@gcu.ac.uk. Thanks!