Dowell Joe

American pop singer whose version of the song "Wooden Heart" sold over one million copies and was awarded a gold disc. It was the first single released on Smash Records to shoot to #1 on the Hot 100 in 1961. Previously a hit for Elvis Presley in Europe, it was never released as a single stateside until Dowells rendition. Dowell had two further hits, "The Bridge of Love" (US #50) and "Little Red Rented Rowboat" (US #23). He went on to record one single for Monument Records, a folk album in the 1960s, and a number of singles and a gospel album for his own Journey label in the 1970s and 1980s. He also recorded a bicentennial EP for the Boy Scouts of America and radio jingles. In 2004 Bear Family Records released a CD on Joe Dowells music, including unreleased recordings. Joe Dowell died on 4 February 2016, aged 76, in Bloomington, Illinois, after suffering a heart attack the prior weekend. Link to Wikipedia biography Read less