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Razzy Bailey (born Erastus Michael Bailey, February 14, 1939 in Hugley, Alabama) is an American country music artist. He was raised on a farm in Lafayette, Alabama. Bailey got his first experience of musical performance as a member of his high school's Future Farmers of America string band. After graduation, he married and had children immediately, and had little time to pursue his career, but he spent many years playing occasional gigs at honkytonks in Georgia and Alabama and developing his songwriting.

In 1966, Bailey took his material to Bill Lowery at Atlantic Records, who arranged for him to record "9,999,999 Tears" backed by a studio band featuring Billy Joe Royal, Joe South, and Freddy Weller. The song failed to hit the charts at that time, but Razzy was encouraged, forming the pop trio Daily Bread which releasing a pair of albums on small labels. Another group, the Aquarians, followed in 1972; in 1974, Bailey recorded the album I Hate Hate simply as "Razzy." It sold over half a million copies before being picked up by MGM Records. This record was a top ten hit for Razzy in the pop charts. I Hate Hate has continued to bring success for Razzy through many channels, one in particular was picked up by CNN, showing the Berlin Wall coming down and people carrying their picket signs saying ( I Hate Hate, but I Love Love.)

In the mid 1970s, Dickey Lee recorded "9,999,999 Tears", and it became a country and pop hit in 1976, and in 1977, Lee repeated this with another Bailey tune, "Peanut Butter," which also went into the charts. As his songwriting talents became known, Bailey signed with RCA Records and in 1978 began releasing singles of his own songs. His first hit as a singer-songwriter, "What Time Do You have To Be Back In Heaven?," was on the charts for over four months. Bailey charted a total of thirteen #1(and 30 Top 10) singles on Billboard's "Country" charts in the late 1970s- early 1980s. His sound combines R&B influences with country; his version of Wilson Pickett's "In the Midnight Hour" was a country hit. His last country #1 hit was with "She Left Love All Over Me" in 1982.

Among Razzy Bailey's accomplishments was three double sided number 1's in succession, a feat never accomplished by any other artist.

9,999,999 Tears has been rerecorded in Japan by one of their number 1 artist. Razzy is releasing his latest album "Damned Good Time" in the spring of 2009 on Sounds of America (SOA) records.

He now lives outside Nashville with his wife, Faye Bright-Bailey, who is also his manager and helps him operate SOA Records, an independent label.He also operates Razzy's Hit House, his recording studio where he is helping other artist with their projects.

Discography

Albums

Singles

• Failed to chart.
• "I Hate Hate" peaked at #64 on the Billboard Hot 100.

External links

• Razzy Bailey's home website
• CMT bio

• 1939 births
• Living people
• American country musicians
• American country singers
• People from Alabama