Pop Music
White, pink, and blue. Being passed over for another in love can certainly color your world. Marty Robbins wrote both the words and music to the “A White Sport Coat (and a Pink Carnation)” in 1957. He was in Ohio, driving from a motel to a gig, and he saw high school students all dressed up going to their prom. Ray Conniff did the arrangement, as he was the Columbia Records’ in-house conductor/arranger at the time. Mitch Miller produced the record. In 1957, it went to #1 on the U.S. Country Chart, #2 on the U.S. Billboard Pop Chart, and #1 in Australia. In the U.K., a covers by Terry Dene and also The King Brothers charted within the Top 20 there. Robbins’ version sold more than one million copies and earned an RIAA gold record.
Marty Robbins was a singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and an avid racing car driver. He had successfully charting song for nearly four decades. Robbins was in the United States Navy during World War II. He had other hits with “El Paso,” a signature song for him, “Don’t Worry,” “Big Iron,” and “I Told the Brook,” to mention a few.
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Top Ten!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Conniff-Miller what talent just hanging around!!