Ronnie Self

Ronnie Self (July 5, 1938 – August 28, 1981) was an American rockabilly singer and songwriter. His solo career was unsuccessful, despite being signed to contracts with Columbia and then Decca from the late 1950s through the early 1960s. His only charted single was "Bop-A-Lena"; recorded in 1957 and released in 1958, it reached No. 68 on the Billboard charts. His boastful country anthem "Ain't I'm a Dog" was a regional hit in the South, but failed to score nationally. It reached #31 in Australia and Bop-A-Lena #25.

A talented performer and songwriter, Self's career was blighted by his severe alcoholism and erratic behavior, including incidents of violence. However, Brenda Lee's recordings of his songs "I'm Sorry", "Sweet Nothin's", and "Everybody Loves Me But You" became major pop classics. His country gospel song "Ain't That Beautiful Singing", recorded by Jake Hess, was awarded a Grammy Award for Best Sacred Performance in 1969. He also wrote Brenda Lee's 1963 No. 28 UK hit single "Sweet Impossible You" (the B-side to "The Grass is Greener" in the United States).

He died in Springfield, Missouri, in 1981 aged 43.

Birth and Death Data: Born July 5, 1938 (Tin Town), Died August 28, 1981 (Missouri)

Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1959 - 1962

Roles Represented in DAHR: vocalist

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

Recordings

Company Matrix No. Size First Recording Date Title Primary Performer Description Role Audio
Decca NA 10793 7/17/1959 Big town Ronnie Self vocalist  
Decca NA 10794 7/17/1959 This must be the place Ronnie Self vocalist  
Decca NA 11162 5/26/1960 So high Ronnie Self vocalist  
Decca NA 11163 5/26/1960 I've been there Ronnie Self vocalist  
Decca NA 11311 11/15/1960 Ugly stick Ronnie Self vocalist  
Decca NA 11312 11/15/1960 Some other world Ronnie Self vocalist  
Decca NA 11313 11/15/1960 Go go cannibal Ronnie Self vocalist  
Decca NA 11708 9/13/1961 Instant man Ronnie Self vocalist  
Decca NA 11709 9/13/1961 Some things you can't change Ronnie Self vocalist  
Decca NA 11710 9/13/1961 Moon burn Ronnie Self vocalist  
Decca NA 12156 8/15/1962 Oh me, oh my Ronnie Self vocalist  
Decca NA 12157 8/15/1962 Whistling words Ronnie Self vocalist  
Decca NA 12158 8/15/1962 Past, present and future Ronnie Self vocalist  

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Self, Ronnie," accessed March 28, 2024, https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/343024.

Self, Ronnie. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved March 28, 2024, from https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/343024.

"Self, Ronnie." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 28 March 2024.

DAHR Persistent Identifier

URI: https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/343024

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