Country Music Singer, Songwriter. He is best remembered for his 1943 hit "Pistol Packin' Mama," one of the most popular recordings during World War II, which became the marching chorus of the New York Yankees Major League Baseball team. It became the first Number 1 hit on the Juke Box Folk Records chart, which was later known as the Hot Country Songs chart, when it was recorded by Bing Crosby and the Andrews Sisters, selling over one million records within six months of its release. Born Clarence Albert Poindexter, he owned a bar in the 1930s and helped to popularize the style of Country music known as honky tonk. In November 1936 he made his recording debut for ARC Records and was probably the first recording artist to use the term "honky tonk" in a country song when he recorded "Honky Tonk Blues" at his first session. His "Guitar Polka" (1946) entered Billboard's list as the "Most Played Juke Box Folk Record" for 16 weeks running in 1946. Other notable hits that reached Number 1 on the Country Charts include "Rosalita" (1946, the B-side of "Pistol Packin' Mama"), "So Long Pal" (1944, the B-side of "So Long, Pal"), "Too Late to Worry, Too Blue to Cry" (1944), "I'm Losing My Mind Over You" (1945), and "Wine Women and Song" (1946). From 1943 until 1948 he recorded 16 singles, all of which ranked no lower that Number 14 on the Country Charts. He was the first country singer to perform on Broadway, and was inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1971. His songs were recorded by Country artists Glen Campbell, Ronnie Milsap, Rosalie Allen, and others. He died at the age of 78. In August 2010 he was inducted into the Texas Country Music Hall Of Fame.
Country Music Singer, Songwriter. He is best remembered for his 1943 hit "Pistol Packin' Mama," one of the most popular recordings during World War II, which became the marching chorus of the New York Yankees Major League Baseball team. It became the first Number 1 hit on the Juke Box Folk Records chart, which was later known as the Hot Country Songs chart, when it was recorded by Bing Crosby and the Andrews Sisters, selling over one million records within six months of its release. Born Clarence Albert Poindexter, he owned a bar in the 1930s and helped to popularize the style of Country music known as honky tonk. In November 1936 he made his recording debut for ARC Records and was probably the first recording artist to use the term "honky tonk" in a country song when he recorded "Honky Tonk Blues" at his first session. His "Guitar Polka" (1946) entered Billboard's list as the "Most Played Juke Box Folk Record" for 16 weeks running in 1946. Other notable hits that reached Number 1 on the Country Charts include "Rosalita" (1946, the B-side of "Pistol Packin' Mama"), "So Long Pal" (1944, the B-side of "So Long, Pal"), "Too Late to Worry, Too Blue to Cry" (1944), "I'm Losing My Mind Over You" (1945), and "Wine Women and Song" (1946). From 1943 until 1948 he recorded 16 singles, all of which ranked no lower that Number 14 on the Country Charts. He was the first country singer to perform on Broadway, and was inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1971. His songs were recorded by Country artists Glen Campbell, Ronnie Milsap, Rosalie Allen, and others. He died at the age of 78. In August 2010 he was inducted into the Texas Country Music Hall Of Fame.
Bio by: William Bjornstad
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