Brook Benton

Brook Benton (born September 19, 1931 as Benjamin Franklin Peay in Camden, South Carolina, † April 9, 1988 in New York City)

American singer and songwriter.

Brook Benton (born September 19, 1931 as Benjamin Franklin Peay in Camden, South Carolina, † April 9, 1988 in New York City) was an American singer and songwriter. With pieces like It's Just a Matter of Time and Endlessly, the African American artist had numerous crossover hits in the pop and rhythm & blues charts, especially in the 1950s and 1960s.

With pieces like It's Just a Matter of Time and Endlessly, the African American artist had numerous crossover hits in the pop and rhythm & blues charts, especially in the 1950s and 1960s.

Until 1965 Benton was regularly placed in the Hot 100 with 44 titles. 

His most recent Hot 100 success was the title Mother Nature, Father Time, another co-production by Benton-Otis, which reached number 58. The single had already appeared on RCA Victor after Benton's contract with Mercury expired after seven years. 

In the meantime, the so-called British invasion with its pop groups had reached North America and Benton's records like those of other US stars no longer sold. After no further successes at RCA, Benton changed the record companies in quick succession (Reprise, Cotillion, MGM and others).

At Cotillion in 1970 he had another successful title with Rainy Night in Georgia, which reached number 4 in the Hot 100 and No. 1 in the R&B hit parade and also became a millionaire hit.