The Man Who Left Us with Rich Memories: Charlie Rich
A Singing Legend’s Bio
Charlie Rich was born on December 14, 1932, in Colt, Arkansas. His mother was a musician, while his father was a cotton farmer. Rich got his love for music from his mother and started playing the piano at an early age. He grew up listening to blues and country music on the radio, and those genres heavily influenced his music style.
Age and Relationships
Rich died on July 25, 1995, at the age of 62 due to pulmonary embolism. The singer was married twice. His first marriage was to Margaret Ann Greene in 1952, and they had two children. However, they divorced in 1959. In 1963, Rich married his second wife, Margaret “Janie” Marston. They stayed married until Rich’s death in 1995.
Children
Rich had five children in total. With his first wife, he had two children: Allan Roy and Nancy Ann. With his second wife, Rich had three children: Margaret Ann, Jack, and Charlie Jr.
Height
Charlie Rich stood at 5 feet and 11 inches (1.8 meters) tall.
The Career of Charlie Rich
Charlie Rich’s music career spanned four decades, from the 1950s to the 1980s. He began performing at local honky-tonks after high school and later became a session musician for Sun Records. Some of the biggest hits Rich worked on as a pianist include Jerry Lee Lewis’s “Great Balls of Fire” and Carl Mann’s “Mona Lisa.”
Rich’s debut album as a solo artist, “Lonely Weekends,” was released in 1960. However, it wasn’t until the mid-1970s when his career skyrocketed. He signed with Epic Records in 1973, and his first album with the label, “Behind Closed Doors,” became a massive hit. The album featured hit singles like the title track and “The Most Beautiful Girl.” Rich won two Grammy awards for “Behind Closed Doors”: Best Male Country Vocal Performance and Best Arrangement Accompanying Vocalist.
Rich had a total of 45 Top 40 hits throughout his career, with 6 of them reaching No. 1 on the country charts. His songs are still popular, and country artists continue to cover them to this day.
Top Songs
Some of Charlie Rich’s biggest hits include:
1. “Behind Closed Doors”
2. “The Most Beautiful Girl”
3. “A Very Special Love Song”
4. “Rollin’ with the Flow”
5. “I’ll Wake You Up When I Get Home”
6. “There Won’t Be Anymore”
Net Worth
According to Celebrity Net Worth, at the time of his death, Charlie Rich had a net worth of $5 million.
A Legacy to be Proud of
Charlie Rich’s music continues to captivate fans around the world, almost three decades after his passing. Beyond his music, Rich was a trailblazer, and his successful career is a testament to his hard work, passion, and talent. In 1981, Rich became the first country artist to perform at the Montreux Jazz Festival in Switzerland. In 1992, he was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame.
Rich’s style of music was unique, combining elements of country, rock and roll, blues, and jazz. The soulful crooning of his voice, his passionate piano playing, and the depth of his lyrics made his music truly unforgettable.
In his lifetime, Charlie Rich left an indelible mark on the world of music. Decades after his death, he remains a beloved figure not just in country music but in music in general. To quote Willie Nelson, “Charlie Rich had one of the best voices in the business. I used to watch him work. He was amazing.”
