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The height of his career
Rabbitt signed with Elektra Records in 1,974. His first single, "You Get To Me" made the Top 40 that year, and two songs in 1,975, "Forgive And Forget" and "I Should Have Married You" nearly made the Top 10, but in 1,976, Rabbitt got his first #1 Country hit with the song "Drinkin' My Baby (Off My Mind)". He achieved more recognition with the songs "You Don't Love Me Anymore" and "Every Which Way But Loose" (the title track from the Clint Eastwood movie of the same name).
However, his biggest hits were "I Love a Rainy Night" (Pop #1), "Drivin' My Life Away" (Pop #5), and "Step By Step" (Pop #5), which were hits for him in 1,981. These hits are probably his best-known and signature tunes. In the 1,980s, Rabbitt enjoyed further success in music. In 1,982, he teamed up with another Country/Pop crossover star, Crystal Gayle, to record the duet "You and I". The duet eventually became a big crossover smash. "Someone Could Lose a Heart Tonight" cracked the Top 20 on the Pop charts, peaking at #15. His other #1s include "The Best Year of My Life," a cover of Dion's "The Wanderer," "I Wanna Dance With You," "On Second Thought," and "Both to Each Other (Friends and Lovers)" (a duet with Juice Newton). However, in the late 1,980s, his success was starting to fade. His singles did not crack the Pop Top 40 during this time.
In 1,977, he was named Top New Male Vocalist by the Academy of Country Music Awards. In 1,981, he also won an American Music Award for Best Pop Male Vocalist in 1,981. But as the 1,980s came to an end, Rabbitt moved further from crossover-styled music. His career declined as contemporary artists such as Garth Brooks and Clint Black rose on the country music charts. However he did continue to record and tour. In the 1,990s, he recorded very little, in part because of the illness and subsequent death of his young son. After his son died, Rabbitt became active in raising money for organizations that aid sick children.
During his career, Rabbitt scored 26 #1 hits on the country charts and eight Top 40 pop hits.
[edit] Death
On May 7, 1,998, Rabbitt died due to lung cancer at the age of 56, and is interred in the Calvary Cemetery in Nashville, Tennessee. Although during his career he was widely believed to have been born in 1,944, at the time of his death, it was revealed that he was in fact 56 years old, putting his year of birth in 1,941. |
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