Floyd Cramer
           
      Floyd Cramer was born October 27, 1933 in Shreveport, Louisiana.
      As he grew up in Huttig, a small Arkansas sawmill town, music was an important part of his life.
      Author Irwin Stambler quoted him as saying: "My parents told me that
      they saw in me an early love for music which was why they got a used
      piano when I was five.  I was an olny child and that old piano, which I
      learned to play by ear, became an inseperable companion."
       
         
      Cramer and his "companion" left high school in 1951. Soon they found
      work on the KWKH's Lousiana Hayride, in Roy's hometown, Shreveport, Louisiana,appearing with stars such as Jim Reeves and Faron Young.
      My Mother and my aunt would take Roy and I to this show every
      Saturday night at the old Municipal Auditorium, where Roy would sit
      mesmerized by the performers and the music.  He soon got a guitar of
      his own and Mother taught him to play the limited tunes she knew, which
      had been taught to her by Roy's biological father.

       He earned the nickname of "Mister Keyboards," and became a regular
      on The Grand Ole Opry.  RCA started to release albums and singles which included his original songs or songs he wrote, or made famous by others.
      His first major success came with the song "Last Date" in 1960, which
      made it to #3 on the Pop Charts and #15 on the Country charts.  Throughout his long career, Floyd Cramer received and was nominated for many awards from the Country Music Association.   His most important award was the Metronome Award in 1974, an award given annually "to an individual who contributed most to the development of  music.
       

         

        Collector's Series
        Floyd Cramer
        RCA: cat# 8399, 1995
        PRODUCERS  - Chet Atkins, ROY DEA, Felton Jarvis, Bill Harris,
        Assistant Producer - Danny Davis & The Nashville Brass
        Digital Remastering - Glenn Meadows

        SONGLIST
        * Last Date  * Tennessee Waltz * Born To Lose * For The Good Times
        * Blue Eyes Crying In The Rain *  * Blue Bayou *  Honey *
        * Green Green Grass of Home *
        Source:  www.tunes.com

           
          The Keyboard Kick Band

          RCA LP2278
          Artist
          Floyd Cramer
          Date of Release: 1977
          Credits
          Floyd Cramer - Producer
          Roy Dea - Producer
          Dan Cobb- Engineer
          Bill Harris - Engineer
          SONGLIST:
          Rhythm of the Rain - 3:15 * Theme from a Dream - 2:18 * Homecoming - 2:33 Foolin' Around (Howard/Owens) - 3:10
          *  Fancy Free (August/Hinson) - 2:28 Broken Heart - 3:18
          * Theme from Mary Hartman - 3:08 *Prelude to Love - 2:59
          Making Our Dreams Come True - 2:16 *  Feelings 4:15
          Hold on, I'm Comin' - 3:21

          Reviews

        From 1965 to 1974, Cramer annually released a Class of... album, a collection of  the year's top hits done in his own inimitable style. In
        1971, he also teamed with Atkins and saxophonist Boots Randolph
        for the album Chet, Floyd and Boots.
         By 1977, Cramer was exploring modern technology, and on the LP Keyboard  Kick Band, he played a number of instruments, including
        a synthesizer. In 1980 he released his last significant hit, a recording
        of the theme from the hit 1980 TV drama "Dallas."  Though largely
        quiet for most of the decade, in 1988 Cramer released three separate albums--Country Gold, Just Me and My Piano! and Special  Songs
        of Love. He died December 31, 1997. -- Jason Ankeny, All-Music
         Guide
                       
          Floyd Cramer was clearly  one of the most influential musicians
          in country music. His importance goes beyond his solo work, and
          his influence has ultimately aided in the development of modern
          country music. It was a great loss when he died of cancer  at age
          64 , December 31, 1997.
          Just four months after  Roy died suddenly at age 57.