Obie Burnett "O. B." McClinton (April 25, 1940 – September 23, 1987) was an American black country music singer and songwriter. The second-youngest child born to Rev. G. A. McClinton, a clergyman and farmer who owned a ranch near Memphis, Tennessee. Listening to Hank Williams as a child around the age of nine or 10 sparked his interest in performing country music.
Before beginning his country music career, he tried to break into R&B. Although he was unable to secure a recording contract as a soul singer himself, he did pen several songs recorded by James Carr, including the title songs to Carr's albums You Got My Mind Messed Up and A Man Needs a Woman.
Known to refer to himself as the "Chocolate Cowboy", McClinton successfully marketed his album called The Only One on television long before the practice was commonplace. Featuring his first country chart single "Don't Let The Green Grass Fool You", a top 40 song in 1972, he considered it to be his finest work.
He died on September 23, 1987, after a year-long battle with abdominal cancer.
Discography
Albums Year Album US Country Label 1971 O.B. McClinton Country — Enterprise 1973 Obie From Senatobie — Enterprise 1973 Live at Randy's Rodeo — Enterprise 1974 If You Loved Her That Way — Enterprise 1981 The Chocolate Cowboy — Lakeshore Music 1986 O.B. McClinton — Hometown 1987 The Only One 55 Epic 1988 Just For You — CBS/Hometown
Singles Year Single Chart Positions Album Label US Country CAN Country US Cashbox Country Singles US Record World Country Singles 1964 "Tradin' Stamps"† — — — — singles only Beale Street 1965 "The Day The World Cried"† — — — — Goldwax "She's Better Than You"± — — — — 1966 "Trying To Make It"† — — — — 1971 "Country Music, That's My Thing" — — — — O.B. McClinton Country Enterprise "Bad Guys Don't Always Wear Black Hats" — — — — 1972 "Deep In The Heart Of Me" — — — — "Six Pack of Trouble" 70 — —57 Obie From Senatobie "Don't Let the Green Grass Fool You" 37 723138 1973 "My Whole World Is Falling Down" 36 —3935 "I Wish It Would Rain" 67 —5957 "You Don't Miss Your Water" — — — — single only "The Unluckiest Songwriter In Nashville" — —85 — Obie From Senatobie 1974 "Something Better" 62 —7165 If You Loved Her That Way "If You Loved Her That Way" 86 —87 — "Blind, Crippled and Crazy" — — — — singles only "Yours and Mine" 77 —8472 1975 "The Most Wanted Woman (Is An Unloved Wife)" — — — — "Just In Case" — — — — Mercury 1976 "It's So Good Lovin' You" 100 —71 — "Black Speck" — —103 — "Let's Just Celebrate The Temporary" — — — — 1977 "Country Roots" — — — — ABC/Dot "Talk To My Children's Mama" — — — — 1978 "Hello, This Is Anna" (w/ Peggy Jo Adams) 90 —8489 Epic "Natural Love" 82 —7376 1979 "The Real Thing" 79 —6672 "Soap" 58 —4653 1980 "Not Exactly Free"‡ 62 —7775 The Chocolate Cowboy Sunbird 1984 "Honky Tonk Tan" 69 — — — Just For You Moonshine "Last Rights" — — — — singles only 1986 "Everybody's Talking About Ol' Herb ("The Whopper Song")" — — — — Track 1987 "Turn the Music On" 61 — — — The Only One Epic "Still A Wanted Man" — — — — † "Oboe" ± "Oboe with The Keys" ‡ "O.B. McClinton (The Chocolate Cowboy)"
References
External links McClinton, O. B.