Paul Davis, a singer and songwriter whose soft rock hit “I Go Crazy” stayed at the top of the charts for weeks after its release in 1977, has died at a Mississippi hospital.
Davis died Tuesday at Rush Foundation Hospital in Meridian, the city where he grew up and returned to years later. He died of a heart attack, said his cousin James Edwards of Nashville. Davis was 60.
Davis was a singer and songwriter, whose other popular hits included “65 Love Affair;” “You’re Still New To Me,” a country duet with Marie Osmond; and “Ride ‘Em Cowboy.”
His 1977 album “Singer of Songs – Teller of Tales” featured the ballad “I Go Crazy.” The song had a slow climb up the charts, peaking at No. 7 eight months after its release, according to Billboard’s Web site. The song stayed in the Top 100 for 40 more weeks, according to Billboard.
Davis spent part of his early career in Jackson at Malaco Records, the company’s president Tommy Couch told The Associated Press on Tuesday.
Couch said Davis arrived at Malaco with his writing partner, George Soule, around 1968.
“He was a super, super talented commercial songwriter and artist. Anytime you go in a big box store like Best Buy, you hear his songs playing some 25 years later,” Couch said.
After Davis left Jackson, he moved to New York, Nashville and then back to Meridian, Couch said.
“He was sort of a private person. Nobody has really heard from him lately,” Couch said.
Edwards said his cousin had returned to Mississippi to retire.
“He was living life at the slow pace that suited him. He was doing a lot of fishing,” Edwards said. “I’m still getting calls from family trying to figure out how we’re going to handle the memorial.”
Edwards said Davis had one son.
