Jack Henry Greene (January 7, 1930 – March 14, 2013) was an
American country musician. Nicknamed the "Jolly Greene Giant" due to
his height and deep voice, Greene was a long time member of the Grand Ole Opry.
Greene was born in Maryville, Tennessee and learned to play
guitar when he was ten years old. His first involvement with the music industry
came when he was still a teenager, working as a disc jockey at radio station
WGAP in Maryville.
By the age of 18, Greene was a regular on the Tennessee Barn
Dance show on WNOX (Knoxville, Tennessee). In the early 1950s he moved to
Atlanta, Georgia, where he formed his own band, The Peach Tree Boys. Greene was
lead vocalist, drummer, and guitarist for the group for eight years. In
1959, he moved back to Tennessee and settled in Nashville and formed another
band, The Tennessee Mountain Boys. A major career break came Greene's way in
1961 when his band served as the opening act for Ernest Tubb. Impressed, Tubb
asked Greene to become a part of his backing band, the Texas Troubadors in
1962.
asked Greene to become a part of his backing band, the Texas Troubadors in
1962.
For the next few years, Jack Greene was a drummer,
guitarist, vocalist, and master of ceremonies for the Troubadors' performances.
He soon began serving as opening act on a regular basis for Tubb, as well as playing
in the band. In 1964, Jack released his first solo record with The Last Letter.
Another single, Don't You Ever Get Tired (Of Hurting Me), followed in 1965 but
failed to make the Country music charts, having the bad luck to come out at the
same time as Ray Price's version. Tubb encouraged Jack Greene to leave the
Texas Troubadors and pursue a solo career.
Greene's first Top 40 hit came in early 1966 with Ever Since My Baby Went Away, peaking at #37. Later that year, Decca released what would become his signature song, There Goes My Everything. The song reached #1 and stayed on top of the Country charts for 7 weeks while becoming a crossover hit; the album
stayed No. 1 for an entire year. In 1967, he received the
prestigious awards for Male Vocalist of the Year, Single of the Year, and Album
of the Year from the Country Music Association. In all, he recorded nine number
one country hits on various charts including 5 number one Billboard hits.
In 1969, he had 2 number 1 hits with Until My Dreams Come
True and Statue of a Fool. He completed the year out with the Top 5 Back In The
Arms Of Love. It was also in 1967 that Jack Greene became a member of the Grand
Ole Opry. He became an Opry mainstay, performing there frequently each year
until his health failed.
In 1970, Greene gained a duet and a touring partner in
Jeannie Seely. Together they had three Country hits including Wish I Didn't
Have To Miss You, which reached #2 on the charts and became Greene's last top
ten hit. Jack and Jeannie's stage show became one of the biggest touring acts
during the 1970s. Jack continued to have both solo hits and duets with Seely.
Have To Miss You, which reached #2 on the charts and became Greene's last top
ten hit. Jack and Jeannie's stage show became one of the biggest touring acts
during the 1970s. Jack continued to have both solo hits and duets with Seely.
Decca became MCA Records in the early 1970s but Greene kept
on having chart success with Satisfaction (1973), I Need Somebody Bad (1973),
and It's Time To Cross That Bridge (1974). Afterwards, his chart success declined
rapidly as another song in 1974 and one song in 1975 were minor hits, and he
was dropped by MCA Records in 1976.
Jack Greene enjoyed a brief comeback with the Frontline
Records label in 1980 as the song Yours For The Taking peaked at #28 on the
Country charts. The song would be Greene's last in the Country Top Forty. He
achieved several more minor hits however on 
Frontline and then on EMH and Step
One Records. He continued to tour regularly and appear on the Grand Ole Opry;
2007 marked his 40th anniversary with the Opry.
Frontline and then on EMH and Step
One Records. He continued to tour regularly and appear on the Grand Ole Opry;
2007 marked his 40th anniversary with the Opry.
Greene continued to record sporadically in the 2000s
including the duet You Have Won My Heart with Santana Maria. However, it failed
to chart. Greene recorded his final studio album Precious Memories, Treasured
Friends in 2010. An album of duets, it featured fellow Country stars like Lorrie
Morgan and George Jones.
In failing health, Greene retired from performing in 2011. He died on March 14, 2013 from complications of Alzheimer's disease at the age of 83 in Nashville, Tennessee.
In failing health, Greene retired from performing in 2011. He died on March 14, 2013 from complications of Alzheimer's disease at the age of 83 in Nashville, Tennessee.
(Info edited from Wikipedia)
