Floyd Cramer

Floyd Cramer (October 27, 1933 – December 31, 1997) was an American pianist who became famous for his use of melodic "whole-step" attacks. He was inducted into both the Country Music Hall of Fame and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. His signature playing style was a cornerstone of the pop-oriented "Nashville sound" of the 1950s and 1960s. Cramer's "slip-note" or "bent-note" style, in which a passing note slides almost instantly into or away from a chordal note, influenced a generation of pianists. His sound became popular to the degree that he stepped out of his role as a sideman and began touring as a solo act. In 1960, his piano instrumental solo, "Last Date" went to number two on the Billboard Hot 100 pop music chart and sold over one million copies. Its follow-up, "On the Rebound", topped the UK Singles Chart in 1961. As a studio musician, he became one of a cadre of elite players dubbed the Nashville A-Team and he performed on scores of hit records.

Birth and Death Data: Born Shreveport (parish seat of Caddo Parish, Louisiana, United States), Died December 31, 1997 (Nashville (capital and largest city of Tennessee, United States) )

Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1952 - 1969

Roles Represented in DAHR: piano, organ

= Recordings are available for online listening.
= Recordings were issued from this master. No recordings issued from other masters.

Recordings (Results 126-150 of 484 records)

Company Matrix No. Size First Recording Date Title Primary Performer Description Role Audio
Decca NA 10445 10/29/1958 Giveaway girl Justin Tubb instrumentalist, piano  
Decca NA 10446 10/29/1958 Heart's command Justin Tubb instrumentalist, piano  
Decca NA 10503 11/20/1958 Let the whole world know Arnie Derksen instrumentalist, piano  
Decca NA 10504 11/20/1958 I'd like to be alone Arnie Derksen instrumentalist, piano  
Decca NA 10554 1/8/1959 I'm moving along Patsy Cline instrumentalist, piano  
Decca NA 10555 1/8/1959 I'm blue again Patsy Cline instrumentalist, piano  
Decca NA 10556 1/8/1959 Love, love, love me honey do Patsy Cline instrumentalist, piano  
Decca NA 10557 1/9/1959 Yes, I understand-1 Patsy Cline instrumentalist, piano  
Decca NA 10558 1/9/1959 Gotta lot of rhythm in my soul Patsy Cline instrumentalist, piano  
Decca NA 10625 2/23/1959 What I know about her The Texas Troubadours ; Ernest Tubb instrumentalist, piano  
Decca NA 10626 2/23/1959 I cried a tear The Texas Troubadours ; Ernest Tubb instrumentalist, piano  
Decca NA 10627 2/24/1959 Let's say goodbye like we said hello The Texas Troubadours ; Ernest Tubb instrumentalist, piano  
Decca NA 10628 2/24/1959 Driftwood on the river The Texas Troubadours ; Ernest Tubb instrumentalist, piano  
Decca NA 10629 2/24/1959 I wonder why you said goodbye The Texas Troubadours ; Ernest Tubb instrumentalist, piano  
Decca NA 10630 2/26/1959 Tomorrow never comes The Texas Troubadours ; Ernest Tubb instrumentalist, piano  
Decca NA 10631 2/26/1959 Filipino baby The Texas Troubadours ; Ernest Tubb instrumentalist, piano  
Decca NA 10632 2/26/1959 I'd rather be The Texas Troubadours ; Ernest Tubb instrumentalist, piano  
Decca NA 10633 3/2/1959 Letters have no arms The Texas Troubadours ; Ernest Tubb instrumentalist, piano  
Decca NA 10634 3/2/1959 Rainbow at midnight The Texas Troubadours ; Ernest Tubb instrumentalist, piano  
Decca NA 10635 3/2/1959 Have you ever been lonely The Texas Troubadours ; Ernest Tubb instrumentalist, piano  
Decca NA 10636 3/2/1959 I will miss you when you go The Texas Troubadours ; Ernest Tubb instrumentalist, piano  
Decca NA 10637 3/2/1959 I'd rather be The Texas Troubadours ; Ernest Tubb instrumentalist, piano  
Decca NA 10683 4/15/1959 She wanna rock Arnie Derksen instrumentalist, piano  
Decca NA 10684 4/15/1959 The party was over Arnie Derksen instrumentalist, piano  
Decca NA 10685 4/15/1959 My dancing shoes Arnie Derksen instrumentalist, piano  
(Results 126-150 of 484 records)

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Cramer, Floyd," accessed January 7, 2026, http://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/202179.

Cramer, Floyd. (2026). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved January 7, 2026, from http://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/202179.

"Cramer, Floyd." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2026. Web. 7 January 2026.

DAHR Persistent Identifier

URI: http://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/202179

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