Behind Closed Doors – Charlie Rich

“Behind Closed Doors” is a country song written by Kenny O’Dell. It was first recorded by Charlie Rich for his 1973 album Behind Closed Doors. The single was Rich’s first number-one hit on the country charts, spent 20 weeks on this chart, and was also a crossover hit on the pop charts. It was certified Platinum by the RIAA for U. S. sales in excess of two million copies.[1] Background vocals were provided by The Nashville Edition.

Rich’s producer, Billy Sherrill, encouraged O’Dell to write music for the singer. O’Dell recalled the creation of “Behind Closed Doors” to Tom Roland in The Billboard Book of Number One Country Hits. “It was just a title I had written down, and I had a little guitar riff that I’d carried with me for a couple of years. The chorus was pretty much a little deviation on that.” Sherrill later changed some lines at the end of the second verse, but some radio stations banned the record initially as being racy.[2]

“Behind Closed Doors” earned awards for Song of the Year (for O’Dell) and Single of the Year (for Rich) from both the Country Music Association and the Academy of Country Music, and Rich also received a Grammy Award for Best Male Country Vocal Performance. In 2003, it ranked #9 in CMT’s 100 Greatest Songs in Country Music.

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