{{Short description|American singer, songwriter, and actor (born 1938)}} {{BLP sources|date=April 2012}} {{Use mdy dates|date=June 2016}} {{Infobox musical artist | name = P. J. Proby | background = solo_singer | image = P.J. Proby 2007.jpg | caption = P. J. Proby in 2007 | birth_name = James Marcus Smith | birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1938|11|6|df=yes}} | birth_place = Houston, Texas, US | genre = Pop, R&B, Soul, Rock and roll | occupation = Singer, songwriter, actor | years_active = 1957–present | instrument = Vocals | label = Decca, London, Liberty, EMI, Select | website = {{URL|pjproby.net}} }}
'''P. J. Proby''' (born '''James Marcus Smith'''; November 6, 1938)<ref name="CBS-Foote-birth" /> is an American singer, songwriter, and actor.
Proby recorded the singles "Hold Me", "Somewhere", and "Maria".<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.officialcharts.com/artists/ |title=P J Proby The Official Charts Company |website=Official Charts |access-date=April 4, 2012 |df=mdy }}</ref> In 2008, EMI released the greatest hits album ''Best of the EMI Years 1961–1972''. He still writes and records on his own independent record label, Select Records, and performs in the UK in Sixties-themed concerts.
==Early life== Proby was born James Marcus Smith on November 6, 1938 in Houston, Texas.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Brady |first1=Bradford |last2=Maron |first2=John |title=On the Record: What albums are the best 'morning music'? {{!}} Community {{!}} heraldcourier.com |url=https://heraldcourier.com/community/on-the-record-what-albums-are-the-best-morning-music/article_8675ba4b-1428-5eb1-b4fb-496c193bd86e.html |access-date=September 6, 2020 |work=Bristol Herald Courier |date=August 9, 2020}}</ref><ref name="CBS-Foote-birth">{{cite web |title=The Foote Files: Lost Hit Of The 60s With PJ Proby – CBS Dallas / Fort Worth |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/dfw/news/foote-files-lost-hit-60s-p-j-proby/ |access-date=September 6, 2020 |publisher=CBS Broadcasting |date=October 15, 2019}}</ref> He is a great-grandson of Old West outlaw John Wesley Hardin.<ref name=TI11/> His father was an affluent banker;<ref name=TI11/> at nine, his parents divorced and as part of the custody deal, Proby was sent to military school.<ref name=MOJO97>{{cite web|url=https://www.rocksbackpages.com/Library/Article/thats-torn-it-the-story-of-pj-proby|title=That's Torn It! - The Story of P.J. Proby|first=Rob|last=Chapman|date=May 1997|work=Mojo|via=Rock's Backpages|access-date=August 24, 2021}}</ref> He began at San Marcos Military Academy, and followed with stints in Culver Naval Academy and Western Military Academy.
==Career== ===1960s=== By the time Proby left school, he had already wanted a career "in the movies" and moved to California to become an actor and recording artist.<ref name=MOJO97/> Given the stage name Jett Powers by Hollywood agents Gabey, Lutz, Heller, and Loeb,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://rcs-discography.com/rcs/artists/p/powe6200.htm |title=Powers, Jett (RCS Artist Discography) |access-date=2016-02-08 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120728210742/http://rcs-discography.com/rcs/artists/p/powe6200.htm |archive-date=July 28, 2012 |df=mdy-all }}</ref> he took acting and singing lessons and played small roles in films. Two singles, "Go, Girl, Go" and "Loud Perfume" appeared on two small independent record labels. In 1960, songwriter Sharon Sheeley persuaded him to adopt the stage name P. J. Proby, the name of a former boyfriend from high school, and secured Proby an audition for Dick Glasser of Liberty Records. It was a success, and Proby signed with the label and the music publisher Metric Music.<ref name=MOJO97/> After a number of unsuccessful singles, in 1962 Proby began writing songs and recording demos for artists such as Elvis Presley, Bobby Vee, and Johnny Burnette, who had his final UK chart success with the song "Clown Shoes", credited to Proby's real name.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.45cat.com/record/lib55416|title=Johnny Burnette - Clown Shoes|access-date=April 16, 2019|website=45cat.com}}</ref>
Proby travelled to London after being introduced to Jack Good by Sheeley and Jackie DeShannon. He appeared on The Beatles' ''Around the Beatles'' television special in 1964.<ref name=RCM18/> Under Good, Proby had UK top 10 hits in 1964 and 1965 including "Hold Me" (UK Number 3), "Together" (UK Number 8), "Somewhere" (UK Number 6), and "Maria" (UK Number 8); the last two songs were both lifted from the musical ''West Side Story''. He also recorded the Lennon–McCartney composition "That Means a Lot", a song the Beatles recorded in 1965, but never officially released until 1996.
Proby is remembered for an incident in England in January 1965, when his trousers split across the knees during a show in Croydon, Surrey. As a result, Proby was banned in every major theatre in Britain, plus appearing on the BBC and ITV television channels.<ref name=TI11>{{cite web|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/profiles/pj-proby-could-now-penniless-singer-be-ready-comeback-403806.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220524/https://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/profiles/pj-proby-could-now-penniless-singer-be-ready-comeback-403806.html |archive-date=May 24, 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live|title=PJ Proby: Could the now-penniless singer be ready for a comeback?|first=Robert|last=Chalmers|date=September 18, 2011|work=The Independent|access-date=August 24, 2021}}</ref> The incident scandalised the British press and public, causing Proby's career to lose momentum.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.express.co.uk/news/showbiz/416180/I-should-still-be-as-famous-as-Tom-Jones|title=I Should Still Be As Famous As Tom Jones |date=July 20, 2013 |publisher=The Daily Express |access-date=May 13, 2015}}</ref><ref>''Guinness Book of Rock Stars'', Dafydd Rees & Luke Crampton, 1991</ref> Minor hits in 1966 were followed by flops, and in March 1968, "It's Your Day Today", gave Proby his last UK chart entry for nearly 30 years.{{citation needed|date=December 2015}}
In 1967 Proby scored his only ''Billboard'' Hot 100 top forty hit with "Niki Hoeky". In September 1968, he recorded ''Three Week Hero'', released in 1969. A collection of country-style ballads mixed with blues, it used the New Yardbirds, later to become Led Zeppelin, as the backing band. The album was produced by Steve Rowland.{{citation needed|date=December 2015}}
===1970s–1980s=== In 1971, he appeared as Cassio in a rock musical of Shakespeare's ''Othello'', ''Catch My Soul''.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://home.online.no/~frodebye/dana_gillespie/lp_catch_my_soul.htm |title=Home.online info |website=Home.online.no |access-date=November 13, 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111208231031/http://home.online.no/~frodebye/dana_gillespie/lp_catch_my_soul.htm |archive-date=December 8, 2011 |df=mdy-all }}</ref> He performed in cabaret and nightclubs, singing 1960s ballads and rhythm and blues.
In 1977, he appeared as a contestant on the UK television talent show ''Opportunity Knocks''. He wore an eye-mask and was billed as "The Masked Singer".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.examiner.co.uk/news/60s-icon-pj-proby-reveals-5671100|title=Colne Valley 60s icon PJ Proby reveals hunt for Yorkshire Ripper and truth behind Opportunity Knocks scandal|first=Nick|last=Lavigueur|date=August 7, 2013|website=Huddersfieldexaminer|access-date=April 16, 2019}}</ref> Signing with Good again that year, he portrayed Elvis in ''Elvis – The Musical'' but was fired for ignoring the script and talking to the audience.<ref name=Q93>{{cite web|url=https://www.rocksbackpages.com/Library/Article/pj-proby-where-is-he-now|title=P.J. Proby: Where Is He Now?|first=Martin|last=Aston|date=May 1993|work=Q|via=Rock's Backpages|access-date=August 24, 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|author=Angie, Fumble |url=http://www.fumbleontheweb.com/sites/elvis.htm |title=Best Musical of the Year |website=Fumbleontheweb.com |date=November 28, 1977 |access-date=November 13, 2011}}</ref>{{Unreliable source?|date=August 2009}} Later in 1977, Proby agreed to record lead vocals on some tracks by Dutch progressive rock band Focus that were released on ''Focus con Proby'', their final album before the group disbanded in the following year.
In the 1980s, writers David Britton and Michael Butterworth attempted to revive Proby's career.<ref name=Q93/> The pair got the singer to record covers of various songs for their label Savoy Records, including "Tainted Love" by Gloria Jones, "Love Will Tear Us Apart" by Joy Division, "Anarchy in the UK" by The Sex Pistols, "Sign o' the Times" by Prince, and "In the Air Tonight" by Phil Collins. The project failed; Britton recalled Proby "hated everything we ever did" and only wanted to sing "country stuff and ballads, the old-fashioned kitschy stuff."<ref name=Q93/>
In 1987, his Savoy Records single "M97002 Hardcore"<ref name="Savoy Records PJS6, 1987">Savoy Records PJS6, 1987</ref> credited Madonna as "Second Vocal (Special Guest)", although this was untrue.<ref>''Critical Vision'', edited by David Kerekes and David Slater, 1995, {{ISBN|0-9523288-0-1}}, p. 156</ref><ref>(London) Evening News, September 22, 1987</ref>
===1990s=== In the early 1990s Proby released an EP, "Stage of Fools", and an album, ''Thanks''. They were issued by J'ace Records, distributed by BMG. Granada TV featured Proby in a documentary.{{citation needed|date=December 2015}}
In the early 1990s, Proby reappeared on stage as himself in the musical ''Good Rockin' Tonight'', followed by playing Roy Orbison in ''Only The Lonely''. A year later Proby returned to a new production of ''Elvis – The Musical'', and made the album ''Legend''.<ref>[http://web.telia.com/~u83903811/reddevil.html] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071121010505/http://web.telia.com/~u83903811/reddevil.html|date=November 21, 2007}}</ref> It had songwriting and production from Marc Almond, and Neal X from Sigue Sigue Sputnik. A single, "Yesterday Has Gone", a duet with Almond, reached 58 on the UK Singles Chart at the end of 1996.<ref name="British Hit Singles & Albums">{{cite book|first=David|last=Roberts|year=2006|title= British Hit Singles & Albums|edition=19th|publisher=Guinness World Records Ltd|location=London, UK|isbn=1-904994-10-5|page=440}}</ref>
In 1997, Proby toured with The Who in the United States and Europe, performing as 'The Godfather' in the road production of ''Quadrophenia''.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.thewho.com/index.php?module=movies&movies_item_id=87|title=Tommy & Quadrophenia Live|access-date=December 23, 2011}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.kathyszaksite.com/q97euro.html|title=Kathyszaksite|website=Kathyszaksite.com|access-date=November 13, 2011}}</ref> After ''Quadrophenia'', Proby played the UK, Sweden,<ref>{{cite web|author=Björn Lund|url=http://home2.swipnet.se/~w-25396/gotakallare.html|title=Home2.swipnet|website=Home2.swipnet.se|access-date=November 13, 2011}}</ref> Denmark,<ref>[http://web.telia.com/~u83903811/randers.html] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060504183702/http://web.telia.com/~u83903811/randers.html|date=May 4, 2006}}</ref> and Germany.<ref>[http://web.telia.com/~u83903813/pjinberlin.html] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050125052100/http://web.telia.com/~u83903813/pjinberlin.html|date=January 25, 2005}}</ref> Proby collaborated with Savoy Books, reading for a 1999 audiobook of David Britton's formerly banned novel ''Lord Horror''.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Savoy Records: Lord Horror CD|url=http://www.savoy.abel.co.uk/HTML/horrcd.html|access-date=2021-07-23|website=www.savoy.abel.co.uk}}</ref>
===2000s–present=== In 2002, Van Morrison recorded a song for his album ''Down the Road'' entitled "Whatever Happened to P. J. Proby?".
In August 2004, Proby toured in Australia. From February until May 2006, he appeared with the 'Solid Silver Sixties Show 2006' – and went through six road managers/drivers<ref>[http://www.flyingmusic.com/ss06_book.shtml] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060510142410/http://www.flyingmusic.com/ss06_book.shtml|date=May 10, 2006}}</ref> – throughout much of the UK, ending at the London Palladium.<ref>[http://web.telia.com/~u83903814/Palladium.html] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060806023751/http://web.telia.com/~u83903814/Palladium.html|date=August 6, 2006}}</ref>
In November 2008, Proby celebrated his 70th birthday. EMI released a 25-track retrospective, ''Best of the EMI Years 1961-1972''. This featured his singles, eight rarities that debuted on the CD format, and two unreleased recordings (Les Reed and Barry Mason's "Delilah"; and Jim Ford's "I'm Ahead If I Can Quit While I'm Behind"). Reed wrote "Delilah" for Proby's 1968 album ''Believe It Or Not'', but it was omitted and became a hit for Tom Jones. Proby wrote and recorded a Christmas single entitled "The Bells of Christmas Day" with guitarist and producer, Andy Crump.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.pjproby.net|title=PJ Proby's official website|website=Pjproby.net|access-date=December 5, 2015}}</ref>
In 2010, Proby toured in 'Sixties Gold'<ref>[http://web.telia.com/~u83903812/CroydonVideo.html] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060504191921/http://web.telia.com/~u83903812/CroydonVideo.html|date=May 4, 2006}}</ref> another revival series of shows.
In 2015, he performed in a duet with Van Morrison on the album ''Duets: Re-working the Catalogue'', singing "Whatever Happened to P. J. Proby".<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.cbcmusic.ca/|title=CBC Music|website=Cbcmusic.ca|access-date=April 16, 2019}}</ref>
==Personal life== In 1968, Proby ran into tax problems and declared himself bankrupt.<ref name=MOJO97/> Proby was once arrested in Texas for vagrancy.<ref name=MOJO97/> In 1973, Proby was jailed for the shooting of an illegally-possessed weapon after threatening his partner Claudia Martin, daughter of Dean Martin, with a gun and firing several shots.<ref name=BB18>{{cite web|url=https://beat-magazine.co.uk/2018/proby-in-love|title=Proby in love?|first=Ron|last=Tennant|date=August 2018|work=The Beat|access-date=August 24, 2021}}</ref><ref name=Q93/>
After years of heavy drinking, Proby became sober in 1992, after experiencing a heart attack while on a beach in Florida.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.yourlocalguardian.co.uk/news/436439.ripping-yarns/|title=Ripping yarns|date=November 26, 2003|work=Sutton & Croydon Guardian|access-date=August 24, 2021}}</ref><ref name=RCM18>{{cite web|url=https://recordcollectormag.com/articles/pj-proby|title=Articles - PJ Proby|first=Simon|last=Goddard|date=November 27, 2018|publisher=Record Collector|access-date=August 24, 2021}}</ref>
In 2011, Proby was charged with nine counts of benefit fraud, totalling over £47,000. He was cleared of all charges at Worcester Crown Court in March 2012.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-hereford-worcester-17402140| title=Singer PJ Proby cleared of benefit fraud|work=BBC News|location=UK|date=March 17, 2012|access-date=March 16, 2012}}</ref> To celebrate, Proby recorded "I'm PJ." and "We The Jury" (which Proby wrote).<ref name="pjproby1">{{cite web|url=http://www.pjproby.net/P-J-Proby-We-The-Jury-Im-PJ-2012-CD-Single.htm| title=P J Proby We The Jury/I'm PJ. (CD single)|location=UK|date=April 4, 2012|access-date=April 4, 2012}}</ref> Proby said: "I was not dishonest when I claimed benefits, which I needed in order to live."<ref name=TG12>{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2012/mar/16/pj-proby-benefit-case-dropped|title=PJ Proby benefit fraud case dropped|date=March 16, 2012|work=The Guardian|access-date=August 24, 2021}}</ref>
Proby married and divorced several times. He had a relationship with singer Billie Davis.<ref name=TI11/> In a March 2019 interview, he said he had married Marianne Adams when she was 16, Judy Howard when she was 17, and Dulcie Taylor when she was 21 and said "The last lady in my life was Elizabeth Conway in 1997. She was 13 when I met her. I don’t think there’ll be another because it’s against the law. I won’t marry a girl I can’t raise from the age of 12, 13 or 14. I like that they’re young and fresh-looking and don’t come with baggage – nobody’s messed with their heart and broken it." Proby made these comments ahead of his 20-date farewell UK tour, which led to several shows being cancelled at first, followed by the whole tour.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Webster |first=Nick |last2=Robertson |first2=Peter |date=2019-03-26 |title=Pop star PJ Proby, 80, confessed disgusting lust for girls as young as 12 |url=https://www.mirror.co.uk/3am/celebrity-news/pop-star-pj-proby-80-14190760 |access-date=2025-10-01 |website=Daily Mirror |language=en}}</ref>
Proby lives in Pinvin, Worcestershire.<ref name=TG12/><ref name=RCM18/>
==Discography== ===Albums=== * ''I Am P. J. Proby'' (1964) – UK Number 16 * ''P. J. Proby'' (1965) * ''P. J. Proby in Town'' (1965) * ''Enigma'' (1966) * ''Phenomenon'' (1967) * ''Believe It or Not'' (1968) * ''Three Week Hero'' (1969) * ''California License'' (1970) * ''I'm Yours'' (1973) * ''The Hero'' (1981), re-released as ''Clown Shoes'' in 1987 * ''Thanks'' (1991) * ''The Enigma in Gold – Volume 1'' * ''Memories'' (2003) * ''Sentimental Journeys'' (2003) * ''Wanted'' (2003)
===Spoken word albums=== * ''P. J. Proby Reads Lord Horror'' (1999, spoken word album with musical accompaniment) * ''The Waste Land'' (1999, spoken word album of T. S. Eliot's poem)
===Collaborative album=== * ''Focus con Proby'' (1978) with Dutch band Focus
===Compilations=== * ''Somewhere'' (1977) * ''The Savoy Sessions'' (1995) * ''Legend'' (1996) * ''20th century Hits'' (2005) * ''Best of the EMI Years 1961-1972'' (2008) * ''Sixties Gold 2010'' (2010) * ''The Real California License'' (2011) * ''Greatest Hits from the Sixties'' (2011)
===Early singles discography=== ====Jett Powers==== * "Go, Girl, Go"/"Teen Age Quarrel" (March 1958) * "Loud Perfume"/"My Troubles" (September 1959)
====P. J. Proby==== * "Try to Forget Her"/"There Stands the One" (1961) * "The Other Side of Town"/"Watch Me Walk Away" (1962) * "So Do I"/"I Can't Take It Like You Can" (1963)
====Orville Woods==== * "Wicked Woman"/"Darlin'" (1963)
===Selected singles discography=== * "Hold Me" (1964) – UK Number 3, Canada Number 5, Australia Number 13, Ireland Number 10 * "Together" (1964) – UK Number 8, Australia Number 93 * "Somewhere" (1964) – UK Number 6, Canada Number 17 * "I Apologise" (1965) – UK Number 11 * "Rockin' Pneumonia (1965) – Canada Number 34 * "Mission Bell" (1965) – Australia Number 3 * "Let The Water Run Down" (1965) – UK Number 19, Canada Number 30 * "That Means a Lot" (1965) – UK Number 30 * "Maria" (1965) – UK Number 8 * "You've Come Back" (1966) – UK Number 25 * "To Make A Big Man Cry" (1966) – UK Number 34 * "I Can't Make It Alone" (1966) – UK Number 37 * "Niki Hoeky" (1967) – US Number 23, Canada Number 22 * "Butterfly High" (1967) * "It's Your Day Today" (1968) – UK Number 32 * "The Day That Lorraine Came Down" (1968) * "Hanging From Your Loving Tree" (1969) * "Today I Killed A Man" (1969) * "It's Goodbye" (1970) * "We'll Meet Again" (1972) * "Tainted Love" (1985) * "Love Will Tear Us Apart" (1985) * "Anarchy in the UK" (1987)<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.savoy.abel.co.uk/HTML/anarchy.html |title=Savoy Records: Anarchy in the UK |website=Savoy.abel.co.uk |access-date=November 13, 2011}}</ref> * "M97002 Hardcore" (1987)<ref name="Savoy Records PJS6, 1987"/> * "Sign 'o' the Times" (1989)<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.savoy.abel.co.uk/HTML/signo.html |title=Savoy Records: Sign O The Times |website=Savoy.abel.co.uk |access-date=November 13, 2011}}</ref> * "In the Air Tonight" (1990) * "Garbageman" (1990) * "Stage of Fools" (1990) – (J'Ace Records) * "Yesterday Has Gone" (1996) – UK Number 58 (Credited to P. J. Proby and Marc Almond featuring the My Life Story Orchestra) * "Love Me Tender" (2004) * "Oh My Papa" (2004) * "The Bells of Christmas Day" (2008) * "We The Jury" / "I'm PJ." (2012)<ref name="pjproby1"/>
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== *[http://www.pjproby.net/ P. J. Proby's official website] (includes soundclips, downloads, bookings information & press kit) *[https://web.archive.org/web/20100923203508/http://www.houseofproby.co.uk/ House Of Proby official website] (includes tour dates, illustrated life story and news forum) *[https://www.myspace.com/pjproby P. J. Proby's MySpace profile] *[http://www.songwriter.co.uk/page738.html Interview with P J Proby in International Songwriters Association's ''Songwriter Magazine'']" *[http://www.kilkens.com/Welcome/ 1e P.J.Proby pages started 1996] {{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Proby, P. J.}} Category:1938 births Category:Living people Category:Lamar High School (Houston) alumni Category:American male singers Category:Songwriters from Texas Category:Singers from Houston Category:Liberty Records artists Category:Decca Records artists Category:London Records artists Category:Select Records artists Category:American expatriates in the United Kingdom Category:Focus (band) members Category:Obscenity controversies in music Category:Audiobook narrators Category:American male songwriters Category:Male actors from Houston