In 1967, a 16-year-old was failing school. That summer, he had a number one hit
In 1967, 16-year-old Alex Chilton was struggling at school when his band, the Box Tops, released “The Letter”. The song became a number one hit in the US and Canada, abruptly giving the teenager the chance to pursue music instead of repeating a year at high school.
The Memphis group recorded the track with support from session musicians known as the Memphis Boys. Chilton later described it as the biggest record of his career, though the Box Tops went on to have other hits, including “Cry Like a Baby” and “Soul Deep”. “The Letter” endured through later cover versions and an appearance in the film *Minions*.
- Alex Chilton was 16 and failing tenth grade when “The Letter” became a hit.
- The Box Tops’ single topped charts in the US and Canada.
- Later success never matched the song’s peak.