Baker Knight's songs have been recorded by Ricky Nelson, Paul McCartney, Dean Martin, The Cramps, Elvis Presley, Frank Sinatra, Perry Como, Mickey Gilley, Sammy Davis Jr.
15 Facts About Baker Knight
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Baker Knight was born in Birmingham, Alabama, to Thomas Baker Knight Sr.
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Baker Knight's father died in 1939 at the age of 32, and because of his mother's poor health Knight was raised mainly by relatives.
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Baker Knight learned to play guitar while serving in the Air Force, and after his discharge entered the University of Alabama, where he wrote music in his spare time.
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Baker Knight moved to Hollywood in 1958 in hopes of pursuing a career in acting, but was unsuccessful.
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Baker Knight became friends with Eddie Cochran and Cochran's girlfriend, songwriter Sharon Sheeley, who had written "Poor Little Fool" for Ricky Nelson, and they helped him find work as a songwriter.
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Baker Knight wrote "Lonesome Town", which became a hit for Nelson in 1958, as did the B-side, Baker Knight's "I Got a Feeling".
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Baker Knight continued to record solo with RCA, Chess, Reprise, and Challenge, but never with much luck.
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Baker Knight pursued his movie career, but he only appeared on screen once, in the 1966 B-movie, Swamp Country.
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Baker Knight had a small part as a strolling minstrel and sang several of his own songs.
11.
Frank Sinatra recorded a handful of Baker Knight tunes, including "Anytime at All".
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Baker Knight wrote psychedelic music for the West Coast Pop Art Experimental Band in the late 1960s.
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Baker Knight turned to country music in the 1970s, writing songs for Ernest Ashworth, Hank Williams, Jr.
14.
Baker Knight published a memoir entitled A Piece of the Big-Time in 2005 just before his death.
15.
Baker Knight was survived by his daughter, singer-actress Tuesday Knight, and his son, Dr Thomas Baker Knight III.