RESERVOIR ACQUIRES PUBLISHING RIGHTS TO THE CATALOG OF “A LITTLE LESS CONVERSATION” SONGWRITER BILLY STRANGE
Published
*New York, August 28, 2024— *Reservoir Media, Inc. (NASDAQ: RSVR), an award-winning independent music company, today announced the acquisition of the publishing rights to the catalog of the late Billy Strange. The deal includes hit songs such as Elvis Presley’s “A Little Less Conversation,” “Memories,” and “Clean Up Your Own Back Yard.”
Born in Long Beach, California in 1930, Strange began his music career as a session guitarist in the 1950s before making a name for himself as a guitarist, songwriter, and arranger. He frequently collaborated on hits for Elvis Presley, such as “A Little Less Conversation,” “Memories,” and “Clean Up Your Own Back Yard,” as well as the theme from the 1969 American Western film Charro! starring Presley. “A Little Less Conversation” originally appeared in the 1968 film Live a Little, Love a Little, which also starred Presley and for which Strange also composed the musical soundtrack. In 2001, the song was used in the hit heist film Ocean’s Eleven, inspiring a remix by Dutch musician Junkie XL. “A Little Less Conversation – JXL Radio Edit Remix” was officially released in 2002, becoming a worldwide hit that topped the singles charts in nine countries, including spending four consecutive weeks at #1 in the U.K.
As a composer, Strange also worked on the musical soundtrack for the 1969 Elvis film The Trouble with Girls, which featured the hit song “Clean Up Your Own Backyard.” Strange also co-wrote “Limbo Rock,” recorded by The Champs and Chubby Checker, which reached #2 on the Hot 100. In addition to his work as a songwriter, Strange played guitar with several major acts including the Beach Boys, Nancy Sinatra, Willie Nelson, Randy Newman, and Nat King Cole, and he can be heard on the themes for television shows, such as The Munsters (1964), Batman (1966), and Have Gun – Will Travel (1957). Strange also arranged and conducted several Nancy Sinatra albums, including arranging her single “These Boots Are Made for Walkin,” which reached #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and UK Singles Chart. He was inducted into the Musicians Hall of Fame as a member of The Wrecking Crew in 2007.
On the acquisition, Reservoir President and Chief Operating Officer Rell Lafargue said, "Billy Strange’s influence is woven into the fabric of American pop culture. 'A Little Less Conversation' is one of the most recognizable songs and has influenced popular music since Elvis first sang it in 1968. We are honored to have Strange's music in our catalog and amplify the mark he left on this world."
Reservoir is proud to play a small role in supporting that legacy, and this acquisition affirms our dedication to timeless catalogs that continue to resonate with listeners.
*ABOUT RESERVOIR*
Reservoir is an independent music company based in New York City and with offices in Los Angeles, Nashville, Toronto, London, and Abu Dhabi. Reservoir is the first female-founded and led publicly traded independent music company in the U.S. Founded as a family-owned music publisher in 2007, Reservoir has grown to represent over 150,000 copyrights and 36,000 master recordings with titles dating as far back as 1900 and hundreds of #1 releases worldwide. Reservoir frequently holds a Top 10 U.S. Market Share according to Billboard’s Publishers Quarterly, was twice named Publisher of the Year by Music Business Worldwide’s The A&R Awards and won Independent Publisher of the Year at the 2020 and 2022 Music Week Awards.
Reservoir also represents a multitude of recorded music through Chrysalis Records, Tommy Boy Music, and Philly Groove Records and manages artists through its ventures with Blue Raincoat Music and Big Life Management.
Media Contact
Reservoir Media, Inc.
Suzy Arrabito
Vice President, Marketing & Communications
sa@reservoir-media.com
www.reservoir-media.com
Investor Contact
Alpha IR Group
Jackie Marcus
RSVR@alpha-ir.com
Source: Reservoir Media, Inc.
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