David Ackles

David Ackles (born February 20, 1937, Rock Island, Illinois, USA; died: March 2, 1999, Tujunga, California, USA) was an American singer-songwriter, pianist, and child actor. He recorded four albums between 1968 and 1973.
Describing Ackles' style in 2003, critic Colin McElligatt wrote, "An unlikely clash of anachronistic show business and modern-day lyricism...deeply informs his recorded output. Alternately calling to mind Hoagy Carmichael, Irving Berlin, Robbie Robertson, Tim Hardin, and Scott Walker, Ackles forged an utterly unique sound out of stray parts that comprise a whole that is as uncompromising as it is unrivaled."
Although he never gained wide commercial success, he influenced other artists, especially British singer-songwriters such as Elvis Costello, Elton John, and Phil Collins, all of whom declared themselves fans of Ackles. 
After Ackles' death Costello said, "It's a mystery to me why his wonderful songs are not better known."
== Links To Peel ==
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Peel liked the work of David Ackles, whose first album was released in mid-1968 on Elektra, which, thanks to the DJ's help, had become a fashionable label in the UK. Ackles made a short visit to Britain to promote his records and was interviewed by Peel on Night Ride In October 1968, His first LP was well-received by critics, and his song "Down River" was issued as a single and gained some radio airplay. It wasn't a hit but remained his best-known song and was covered by Spooky Tooth and the Hollies; later it was performed by Elton John and Elvis Costello, both big admirers of David Ackles' songwriting, and Phil Collins chose it as one of his selections when he appeared on Desert Island Discs
Another Ackles song, "Road To Cairo", became well-known thanks to a cover version by Julie Driscoll, which the singer mentioned in his Peel interview. During his visit, David Ackles also recorded a session for the BBC, backed by the band Glass Menagerie, but only 3 of the tracks were for Peel himself and the others for Top Gear.(?). Ackles was older than most of the singer-songwriters of the era and seemed set for the kind of cult status enjoyed by Leonard Cohen, but despite the admiration of his peers he had no major commercial success, seemed uninterested in a performing career and eventually retired from the music industry. Peel played a couple of tracks from what was to be David Ackles' final LP for Elektra, American Gothic, in 1972. The album was widely acclaimed as a masterpiece, but one dissenting voice was Peel's friend Pete Roche. Reviewing the LP in the July 1972 edition of Cream magazine (p.37), he wrote:
"I thought that David Ackles' "Down River" was one of the finest songs written in the last ten years, and his "Subway To The Country" one of the better albums of its year. Having said that, I wish to on record[sic] with the considered opinion that "American Gothic" is the biggest load of solemnly pretentious pseudo-Brechtian drivel it's ever been my misfortune to sit through....Geoff Hill called round when I was listening to it and said it sounded like the Fugs doing "Rameses the Second is Dead, My Love". I wish I'd said that."
However, David Ackles' reputation was maintained by rock critics and the celebrity fans mentioned above. When David had passed in 1999, Peel paid tribute by playing a song of his from his debut LP, " Sonny Come Home".
== Sessions ==
1. Recorded: 1968-10-01. Broadcast: 27 October 1968. Repeated: 24 November 1968
*Down River / Laissez Faire / When Love Is Gone / Road To Cairo / Be My Friend
==Other Shows Played==
;1968
*15 September 1968: What A Happy Day (album - David Ackles) Elektra EKS 74022
*18 September 1968: (Peel interviews David Ackles about his LP – he says Julie Driscoll has recorded his song “Road to Cairo”)
*29 September 1968: Down River (7") Elektra (JP: "If you think that's good, wait until you hear the LP")
*04 December 1968: Down River (album - David Ackles) Elektra EKS 74022
;1970
*03 January 1970: The Mainline Saloon (LP - Subway To The Country) Elektra EKS 74060
*04 April 1970: Subway To The Country (LP - Subway To The Country) Elektra EKS 74060
; 1972
*13 June 1972: Blues For Billy Whitecloud (LP – American Gothic) Elektra
*20 June 1972: American Gothic (LP – American Gothic) Elektra
;1999
*09 March 1999: Sonny Come Home (LP: David Ackles) Elektra
==See Also==
*Record Collection: A
*Gigography 1968
== External Links ==
* Website
* Wikipedia
* Discogs
Category:Artists