ROOTS of Country Music

The Professional Work of Carl and Pearl Butler

Carl Butler (Jun. 2, 1927 ~ Sep. 4, 1992)
Pearl Butler (Sep. 20, 1927 ~ Mar. 1, 1988)

Carl and Pearl Butler were a country music husband-and-wife duo. Between 1962 and 1969, they released several singles and placed thirteen times on the charts, reaching the top chart position in 1962 with their only No. 1single, Don't Let Me Cross Over.

Carl Roberts Butler was born on June 2, 1927 in Knoxville, Tennessee. He grew up influenced by Roy Acuff and the old time music around his home. Carl began singing at local dances at an early age. .After serving in World War II, Butler sang with several bluegrass bands and then as a solo at on numerous radio shows, including the mid Day Merry Go Round on WNOX in Knoxville, Tennessee.

In 1950, he signed a contract with Capitol Records, but he was unable to place songs on the chart. During that time, Carl he met Pearl Dee Jones, a Nashville native, who he married in 1952. That year, they signed a recording with Columbia and became best known as Carl and Pearl Butler, a duet act with his wife.

They joined the Grand Ole Opry in 1962 and became regular members of the Porter Wagoner TV show. Through the 1960's, they had many country chart hits including Don't Let Me Cross Over (No. 1, 1962), which was the biggest chart single in country music that year. It held the number one Billboard chart position for eleven weeks that year. Carl & Pear recorded for Columbia Records for seven years turning out such charted hits as, I Wouldn't Change You If I Could, Loving Arms (No. 14, 1963), Forbidden Street (No. 23, 1964), Just Thought I'd Let You Know (No. 22, 1965) and Punish Me Tomorrow (No. 28, 1968).

Carl also wrote songs recorded by artist Roy Acuff, Rosemary Clooney, Carl Smith, Ricky Skaggs and Bill Monroe. A gifted songwriter, he penned such classics as If Teardrops Were Pennies, a No. 8 chart single for Carl Smith in 1951 and a top 10 single for Porter Wagoner and Dolly Parton in 1973 and Crying My Heart out Over You, which became Ricky Skaggs' first number one hit in 1982.

The Butlers were also among Dolly Parton's earliest supporters, whom they had worked with in Knoxville in the 50's and helped her get a footing into the country music arena in Nashville in the early 60's.

TheButlers continued to record throughout the 70's but essentially retired to their ranch, Crossover Acres, nearFranklin,Tennessee, in the early 80's. They made occasional guest appearances on the Opry until Pearl Butler died at the age of 61. Carl made an unsuccessful attempt at a comeback after her death and died of a heart attack on September 4, 1992.

Researched, compiled and written by Richard Bell, Roots of Country Music, ay 22, 2009.