Bobby Bare has always remained one of the leaders of the contemporary country music movement. For over twenty years. when other artists have sometimes struggled to keep in the limelight, he's always stood out a winner.

  The reasons for his success can be easily realized. He's always been in tune with the music industry, yet possessing the ability to spring innovative touches that's kept him a few steps ahead of the game. There's also been the right artistic ingredients - that rich, distinctive voice; a stylish presentation of vocals; and the entertaining stage performances. And, of course, there were the songs. Right from the start Bobby Bare picked on the hit material, in the early days drawing on the skills of such as Mel Tillis, Danny Dill, Hank Cochran, and Harlan Howard while, more recently, the camaraderie of much sought after writers like Shel Silverstein, Bob McDill and Billy Joe Shaver has ensured that he has had the pick of the material on the market. But, then, Bare is no mean writer himself.

  It was, in fact, a Bobby Bare original that started the ball rolling, although he was to receive no direct benefit form it's success. Born in Ironton, Ohio, and raised on the strains of country music and the Hollywood singing cowboys, he began working as a farm labourer in his mid teens while trying to strike out as a singer. Further occupations followed while moving across the land from Ohio to California, and it was just before him joining the U.S. Army in 1958 that he met up with an old friend, Bill Parsons, a singer, and cut some tapes of his original songs. One of these cuts, ALL AMERICAN BOY, was eventually released on the Fraternity label and reached number two in the U.S. Pop Charts. Unfortunately the record was issued with the name of 'Bill Parsons' on it, and Bare was to receive very little financial gain from its considerable sales. He had sold the songs rights for the meagre fifty dollars.

  Upon his discharge from the army Bobby Bare returned to trying his luck at making it in the music industry and eventually came to the attention of Nashville guitarist/ producer Chet Atkins who signed him to a deal with RCA Records. The tracks on his album spotlight some of this biggest success that he had with the label, kicking off - in 1962 with SHAME ON ME, a song which is now a part of the standard Bare repertoire and referred as 'being out of the rock'n'roll days'. It was an immediate success, just falling short of the million mark in sales and gaining a top thirty position in the pop charts and a top twenty country.

  The subsequent two singles secured his reputation and have become country music classics. DETROIT CITY, penned by Danny Dill and Mel Tillis, went to position six in the Billboard Country Charts during the summer of '63 and, some four months later, 500 MILES AWAY FROM HOME which he co-wrote with Hady West and Charlie Williams, secured a placing one slot higher. Both also fared well pop wise as well as making memorable impressions in Britain. The successes ensured that Bobby Bare started receiving offers from all manner of sources - including Hollywood, where he earned a featured role in the 1964 Warner Bros. movie 'A Distant Trumpet' - but, at the bottom line, the artist's objective was to remain a country singer.

  And the successes flowed naturally, with a number of famed writers, not all strict country, coming up with the songs that ensured high placings and lengthy stays in the charts. One time Sun studio man Jack Clement was the source for MILLER's CAVE in 1964 while, one year later, Canada's Ian Tyson gave Bare Top Three success with FOUR STRONG WINDS. Another Canadian, of Indian descent, Buffy Sainte -Marie was the source of PINEY WOOD HILLS, and Tompall Glaser and Harlan Howard were the writers of the 1966, Top Five creation STREETS OF BALTIMORE, a much recorded song that well deserves its place in the annals of country music heritage. Tom T. Hall, at the time just broken through into the big league, provided (Margie's AT) THE LINCOLN PARK INN, the artists' last major hit of the Sixties, as well as being one of the final sessions cut for RCA during his first association with the label.

  After a brief respite with Mercury Records, he returned to RCA in 1972 and commenced what was to be one of this most artistically creative and satisfying periods of his career. Bobby Bare became fully involved in his record's productions and, for a number of album releases - including LULLABYS, LEGENDS AND LIES and HARD TIMES HUNGRIES - drew completely upon the talents of Playboy writer and cartoonist turned songwriter, Shel Silverstein. Among the successes were YOU KNOW WHO (1973) and THE WINNER, a 1976 Top Twenty singles release which had originally appeared on album three years earlier and is now a very vital part of any Bare concert performance. Silverstein, also contributed greatly to 1974 SINGIN IN THE KITCHEN album, a unique concept presentation which featured not only Bobby Bare but also his wife Jeannie and children Cari, Shannon, and Bobby Jr.

  This album concludes with the Bare family, the whole cast assembled for SINGIN IN THE KITCHEN, father and son on DADDY WHAT IF - which made position two in the charts in early 1974 - and mother Jeannie answering Bobby Jr's pertinent questions on the concluding WHERE DID I COME from.

  Today Bobby Bare has moved on from the RCA roster, but the songs remain as refreshing as ever. They're a part of the ingredients that's made him one of country music's most durable superstars.