Dallas Frazier, a name that echoes through the halls of country music history, passed away in 2022, leaving behind a legacy that includes a stellar songwriting career and a profound impact on the lives of many through his ministry.
Born on October 27, 1939, in Spiro, to William Floyd Frazier and Eva Marie Laughlin Frazier, Dallas Frazier’s journey into music began early. Moving to Bakersfield, California, he immersed himself in the burgeoning music scene as a teenager.
"We were part of The Grapes of Wrath. We were the Okies who went out to California with mattresses tied on the tops of their Model A Fords," Frazier recalled in an interview with Perfect Sound Forever magazine in 2008.
At the tender age of 12, he moved away from home with his parents’ permission, working with Ferlin Husky and recording his first single, "Space Command," for Capitol Records at 14.
In 1957, Frazier’s first major hit, "Alley Oop," became a chart-topping success for The Hollywood Argyles.
However, it was in the 1960s that his songwriting prowess truly flourished, penning hits like "There Goes My Everything," recorded by Jack Greene, and "Elvira," which became a signature song for The Oak Ridge Boys in the 1980s.
Frazier's version of "Elvira" initially peaked modestly on the Billboard Hot 100, but the Oak Ridge Boys' rendition catapulted the song to fame, reaching number one on the Cashbox Top 100 and number five on the Billboard Hot 100.
With certified platinum for sales of two million units, "Elvira" remains one of the all-time great songs in country music, sharing this distinction with only a few others like "Islands in the Stream" by Kenny Rogers and Dolly Parton.
Throughout his career, Frazier's songs were recorded by a multitude of artists, including George Jones, Waylon Jennings, Merle Haggard, Elvis Presley, Diana Ross, Engelbert Humperdinck, Jerry Lee Lewis, Connie Smith, Willie Nelson, Brenda Lee, and many more.
His ability to weave deep emotion and storytelling into his lyrics earned him three Grammy nominations and solidified his place in country music history. He was inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1976.
Despite his success in music, Frazier experienced a profound spiritual transformation and became a born-again Christian in 1961. By 1988, he had left the music industry to dedicate his life to Christian ministry, eventually serving as pastor of Grace Community Fellowship in White House, Tennessee, from 1999 to 2006.
Yet, the call of music was strong, and in 2007, he released a CD titled "Dallas Frazier - Writing & Singing Again," blending new songs with some of his cherished hits.
Dallas Frazier passed away on January 14, 2022, due to complications from two strokes he had suffered since August 2021. He was surrounded by loved ones at a rehabilitation facility in Gallatin, Tennessee.
He was survived by his wife, Sharon Carpani Frazier, their daughters, Robin Proetta and Alison Thompson, four grandchildren, one great-grandson, and a sister, Judy Shults.
Frazier was laid to rest in a family columbarium in Sumner Memorial Gardens in Gallatin, Tennessee, marking the end of a remarkable journey of music and faith.
