Bob Lind
Bob Lind (born Robert Neale Lind, November 25, 1942) is an American folk music singer-lyricist, who helped define the 1960s folk rock movement in the U.S. and U.K.[1] Lind is well known for his transatlantic hit record, "Elusive Butterfly",[2] which reached number 5 on both the US and UK charts in 1966. Many musicians have recorded songs by Lind, who continues to write, record and perform.
Bob Lind | |
---|---|
Birth name | Robert Neale Lind |
Born | Baltimore, Maryland, United States | November 25, 1942
Genres | Folk |
Occupation(s) | Singer-songwriter |
Instruments | Vocals, guitar |
Years active | 1965–present |
Labels | World Pacific Records |
Website | Official website |
Early life
Lind was born in Baltimore, Maryland. His parents divorced when he was five, and his mother remarried; his stepfather was in the air force, and the family travelled for some years before settling in Denver, Colorado. He became interested in folk music while a student at Western State College in Gunnison, Colorado, and abandoned his studies to become a musician.[3]
Career
In 1965, Lind signed a recording contract with Liberty Records' subsidiary, World Pacific Records, and it was on that label that he recorded "Elusive Butterfly." The single might have done even better on the UK Singles Chart had there not been competition from established Irish recording artist Val Doonican, who released a cover version of the song at the same time. In the end, both versions of "Elusive Butterfly" made number 5 in the UK in 1966.[4][5] Lind also wrote "Cheryl's Goin' Home," which was covered by Adam Faith, the Blues Project, Sonny & Cher, John Otway, the Cascades and others. Lind compositions were eventually covered by more than 200 artists including Cher, Glen Campbell, Aretha Franklin, Dolly Parton, Eric Clapton, Nancy Sinatra, The Four Tops, Richie Havens, Hoyt Axton, The Kingston Trio, Johnny Mathis, The Rokes (with the Italian cover "Ma che colpa abbiamo noi") and Petula Clark.[6][7]
Plagued by drug and alcohol problems, Lind gained a reputation in the business for being "hard to work with." In 1969, Lind severed ties with World Pacific. Three years later, Capitol Records released Since There Were Circles, an album that was well received by critics but not commercially successful. Lind dropped out of the music industry for a number of years.[8] He was a friend of the writer Charles Bukowski, who turned him into the character "Dinky Summers" in his 1978 novel Women and other writings.[9] He has been clean and sober since July 1977.[10][11]
In 1988, he moved to Florida. He wrote five novels, an award-winning play, and a screenplay, Refuge, which won the Florida Screenwriters' Competition in 1991.[12]
For eight years he was a staff writer at the supermarket tabloids Weekly World News and Sun.[13] He's been credited as co-creator (with photo artist Dick Kulpa) of the famous "Bat Boy" Weekly World News cover story.[14]
Lind returned to music in 2004 when, at the urging of his friend Arlo Guthrie, he played the Guthrie Center in Becket, Mass.[15] Since then Lind has been touring.
Lind established an official website in 2006. That same year, RPM Records re-issued the album Since There Were Circles, and Lind self-released the Live at Luna Star album featuring performances of new material. In 2007, Ace Records (UK) released Elusive Butterfly: The Complete 1966 Jack Nitzsche Sessions.
The British band, Pulp, have a song named after him: "Bob Lind (The Only Way Is Down)", from their album, We Love Life; the song itself follows a similar musical structure to Lind's hit "Elusive Butterfly".[16] A Lind recording, "Cool Summer" was also included on the compilation album, The Trip, compiled by Pulp's Jarvis Cocker and Steve Mackey.
In 2009, filmmaker Paul Surratt completed a concert/documentary DVD called Bob Lind: Perspective.[17]
In October 2012, 41 years after the release of his last studio album, Lind issued a critically acclaimed[18] CD of new music: Finding You Again, produced by veteran rock guitarist Jamie Hoover of the Spongetones and released by Ace Records.
In November 2013, Lind was inducted into the Colorado Music Hall of Fame, along with Judy Collins, The Serendipity Singers and Chris Daniels.[19] Lind was inducted into the Maryland Entertainment Hall of Fame on November 17, 2019. [20]
In July 2016, Ace Records released a new album of new songs, entitled Magellan Was Wrong.[21] Jamie Hoover was once again involved in the production; other producers were Frank “Rat” Falestra, jazz master Greg Foat and Lind himself. All songs are originals, with the exception of a folk style cover of the Tom Paxton classic "Bottle Of Wine".[22]
Discography
Singles
Year | Title | Peak chart positions | Record Label | B-side | Album | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
US | UK | |||||
1965 | "Elusive Butterfly" | 5 | 5 | World Pacific Records | "Cheryl's Goin' Home" | Don't Be Concerned |
1966 | "Remember the Rain" | 64 | 46 | "Truly Julie's Blues (I'll Be There)" (BB #65) | Photographs of Feeling | |
"Hey Nellie Nellie" | – | – | Verve Folkways Records | "Wandering" | The Elusive Bob Lind | |
"I Just Let It Take Me" | 123 | – | World Pacific Records | "We've Never Spoken" | Photographs of Feeling | |
"San Francisco Woman" | 135 | – | "Oh Babe Take Me Home" | |||
"White Snow" | – | – | Verve Folkways Records | "Black Night" | The Elusive Bob Lind | |
1967 | "It's Just My Love" | – | – | World Pacific Records | "Goodtime Special" | |
"Goodbye Neon Lies" | – | – | "We May Have Touched" | |||
1971 | "She Can Get Along" | – | – | Capitol Records | "Theme from the Music Box" | Since There Were Circles |
Albums
Year | Album | Billboard 200 | Record Label |
---|---|---|---|
1966 | Don't Be Concerned | 148 | World Pacific Records |
Photographs of Feeling | – | ||
The Elusive Bob Lind | – | Verve Folkways Records | |
1971 | Since There Were Circles | – | Capitol Records |
2006 | Live at The Luna Star Cafe | – | self-released |
2012 | Finding You Again | – | Big Beat Records |
2016 | Magellan Was Wrong | – | Big Beat Records |
DVDs
- Bob Lind: Perspective - Research Video (2009)
References
- "Bob Lind's music helped define 'Folk Rock'". SouthFloridaFunTimes.com. Retrieved 2012-01-09.
- Gilliland, John (1969). "Show 40 - Ballad in Plain D: Bob Dylan. [1966] : UNT Digital Library" (audio). Pop Chronicles. Digital.library.unt.edu. Retrieved 2011-04-29.
- Steve Thorn (May 2012). "BOB LIND: No Longer so Elusive in 2012". San Diego Troubadour. Retrieved 11 August 2018.
- "Val Doonican". 45-rpm.org.uk. Retrieved 2011-04-29.
- "Retro Charts". everyHit.com. 2000-03-16. Retrieved 2011-04-29.
- "Bob Lind songs covered by other artists". Boblind.com. Retrieved 2014-03-07.
- "Bob Lind of 'Elusive Butterfly' fame is elusive no more". goldminemag.com. 22 January 2015. Retrieved 2015-03-01.
- Archived December 10, 2011, at the Wayback Machine
- "Bob Lind's favorite Links". Bob Lind Official Website. Retrieved 31 August 2013.
- "Bob Lind of 'Elusive Butterfly' fame is elusive no more". Goldmine. January 22, 2015. Retrieved February 28, 2017.
- "Happy Birthday Bob Lind". Testify. November 25, 2007. Retrieved February 28, 2017.
- "In Appreciation of… Bob Lind". Mr Douglas Anderson. 2010-05-17. Retrieved 2014-03-07.
- "All the News That Seemed Unfit to Print". Washingtonpost.com. 2007-08-07. Retrieved 2014-03-07.
- "An Interview with the Former 'Weekly World News' Editor Who Created Bat Boy". Vice.com. 2014-09-30. Retrieved 2017-03-27.
- "Interview with Bob Lind | Tending The Pale Bloom". Palebloomsandbeyond.wordpress.com. 2010-03-07. Retrieved 2014-03-07.
- "Bob Lind (The Only Way Is Down) - Pulp | Listen, Appearances, Song Review". AllMusic. 2001-10-22. Retrieved 2014-03-07.
- "Bob Lind Perspective (DVD)". Boblind.com. Retrieved 2014-03-07.
- "Bob Lind - Finding You Again". Goofin Records. Retrieved 2014-03-07.
- Solomon, Jon (2013-11-06). "The Colorado Music Hall of Fame's class of 2013". Blogs.westword.com. Retrieved 2014-03-07.
- "The Maryland Entertainment Hall of Fame". Facebook. 2019-11-24. Retrieved 2020-01-03.
- "Music - Bob Lind online". Retrieved 2016-08-03.
- "Bob Lind - Magellan Was Wrong - Ace Records". Retrieved 2016-08-03.
External links
- Official website
- Bob Lind appreciation website
- Spectropop's Bob Lind page has album and touring information.