Posted by :Pete Smith on May 12, 2009, 9:59 pm
86.163.128.13
Hank Snow was one of the most influential country artists of the 50s and 60s. His hits were numerous and he was the first non-American performer to be inducted into the “Country Music Hall of Fame”. Clarence Eugene Snow was born ninety-five years ago tomorrow (9 May 1914) in Nova Scotia, Canada. At the age of fourteen he bought his first guitar and two years later played his first public engagement – in the basement of a church. Later he travelled to nearby Halifax where he played in clubs and bars. In 1936 an appearance on a local radio station led to a successful audition for RCA Victor, a label Hank stayed with for more than forty-five years! His weekly appearances on a Canadian Broadcasting Corporation show led to extensive touring of his homeland as “the Yodelling Ranger and by the late 40s American radio had picked up on his records. Hank decided to move to Nashville to further his career. Changing his title to the “Singing Ranger” Hank, in 1950, was invited to play the “Grand Ole Opry” and in that same year released his biggest hit, “I'm Moving' On”. The song stayed at number one on the charts for twenty-one weeks, the all-time record for weeks at the top spot. This would be the first of seven number ones for Hank. By 1954 Snow was an “Opry” regular who wielded some influence. He persuaded the management to allow a young unknown to open his segment of the show. That young unknown was Elvis Presley. In 1958 Hank became an American citizen. Famous for his lavish sequin studded suits, Hank enjoyed a career spanning six decades during which time he sold in excess of 80 million albums. Despite his lack of formal schooling Snow was a fine song writer and was elected, in 1978, to the “Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame” and elected to the “Country Music Hall Of Fame”, “The Canadian Music Hall of Fame”, the “Nova Scotia Music Hall of Fame” and the “Canadian Country Music Hall of Fame”. During his career Hank had seven number one hits, some of them covered by such diverse artists as Emmylou Harris, The Rolling Stones, Johnny Cash, Elvis Presley and Ray Charles. Hank died in Madison, Tennessee on 20 December 1999 at the age of eighty-five.
Sixty-nine years ago today (8 May) Rick Nelson was born in Los Angeles. His parents had a television show for some years so it was inevitable that the young Ricky, who appeared on that show, would follow a show biz career. After a successful recording career in pop he turned to country rock in 1967, forming the Stone Canyon Band two years later. He died in a plane crash on 31 December 1985 whilst on his way to a show in Dallas, Texas. He was just forty-five years of age.
Remember there are stars in the southern sky.
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