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Donald's Encyclopedia of Popular MusicA B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y ZDRAPER, Rusty(b Farrell Draper, 25 January 1923, KIrksville MO; d 28 March 28 2003) Pop/country singer, actor. He worked night clubs, radio and TV early '50s; signed to Mercury '51, had no. 15 pop hit 'No Help Wanted' '53: Hank Thompson and the Carlisles had country hits with the song, but Draper had no. 6 country/no. 10 pop hit same year with 'Gambler's Guitar', further top 20 pop hits 'Seventeen', 'The Shifting, Whispering Sands' (no. 3), 'Are You Satisfied?' all '55; 'In The Middle Of The House' '56, 'Freight Train' '57. 'Please Help Me, I'm Falling'/ 'Muleskinner Blues', 'Signed, Sealed And Delivered' were lesser pop hits '60-1. He switched to Monument '62; 'Night Life' was a minor pop hit '63; 'My Elusive Dreams', 'California Sunshine', 'Buffalo Nickel', 'Two Little Boys' were minor country hits '67-70. He appeared in productions of Oklahoma!, Annie Get Your Gun, Carousel; on TV in 77 Sunset Strip, Rawhide, Laramie, etc. |