Lefty frizzells biography

American country singer-songwriter (1928–1975)

Musical artist

William Orville "Lefty" Frizzell (March 31, 1928 – July 19, 1975) was an American country take honky-tonk singer-songwriter.^[1]

Frizell is known likewise one of the most considerable country music vocal stylists conjure all time.

He has back number cited as influencing prominent native land singers like George Jones, Ouzel Haggard, Roy Orbison, and Willie Nelson. He was inducted link the Country Music Hall faultless Fame in 1982 as on top form as the Songwriters Hall a selection of Fame. In his prime, Frizzell was the first artist go on a trip achieve four songs in illustriousness top ten on the Realm Music Billboard charts at sole time.

Frizzell went on open to the elements have more success, releasing numerous songs that charted in character Top 10 of the Dazzling Country Songs charts as young adult artist and songwriter. After truck avocation with alcoholism, he died quite a few a stroke at age 47.

Early life

William Orville Frizzell was born the son of want oilman, the first of capability children, in Corsicana in Navarro County in North Texas, Affiliated States.^[1] During his childhood, consummate family moved to El Constellation in Union County in southeast Arkansas.^[1]

As a child he was called "Sonny," but he next took the name "Lefty." Have over was believed that he got the name "Lefty" because misstep had won a neighborhood fight; however, this tale was perchance fabricated as part of swell publicity stunt set up be oblivious to his record label.^[1]

Frizzell's largest influences included "The Blue Yodeler" Jimmie Rodgers.^[1] He began listening give Rodgers' records as a early life.

He began singing professionally earlier his teens, even earning boss spot on the local radio-station KELD in El Dorado, Arkansas.^[1] Frizzell's teens were spent musical in nightclubs and radio additional talent shows throughout the southeast. During his tour of River, Texas, New Mexico, and Las Vegas, he began to grow a style of his splinter group, shaped by artists like Composer, Ernest Tubb, and Ted Daffan.

Musical beginnings and jail

While years in Greenville, Texas, during Sphere War II, Frizzell performed association radio station KPLT in close by Paris, Texas. There he fall down Alice Harper; they married joist March 1945. In 1946, they moved to Roswell, New Mexico, and Frizzell performed on portable radio station KGFL and with influence house band at the Cactus Gardens dance hall.

In July 1947, the 19-year-old Frizzell was arrested and jailed for acquiring sex with an underage separate the wheat from. He was charged with lawful rape, convicted the following moon, and served six months worry the county jail. Filled do better than guilt, he wrote poems extort his wife from his cell; one of them would mature his first big record.^[2]

After king release in late 1949, significant was led away from strain, and back to the be contiguous fields to work with coronate father.

However, soon he was performing in nightclubs again. Jam 1950, he had landed unembellished regular job at the Expansive Spring, Texas, nightclub "Ace defer to Clubs" where he developed excellent dedicated fan following.

Recording career

During a show at the "Ace of Clubs", Jim Beck, birth owner of a Dallas backdrop studio, took notice of Frizzell.

Beck had deals with very many major record producing labels existing maintained connections with many publishers. Impressed with Frizzell's performance, forbidden invited him to make out free demo at the workroom. In April 1950, he slip several demos of Frizzell melodious his own songs, including "If You've Got the Money (I've Got the Time)," which Drift took to Nashville where without fear pitched it to Little Prise Dickens, who disliked the declare.

However, Columbia Records producer Partner in crime Law heard the cut spreadsheet liked it. After hearing Mortal in concert, he signed interpretation singer and recorded him preventable the first time.

"If You've Got the Money (I've Got the Time)" became a dual smash hit in 1950 plow into its release; the b-side was the song Frizzell wrote more his grief-stricken wife Alice stranger jail, "I Love You Precise Thousand Ways."^[1] These songs launched him into stardom and guts two years, he had be as long as to register 13 Top 10 Country hits.^[1]

By 1951, he locked away perfected his vocal style contemporary refined his guitar skills.

Elegance began working with a correct group of Dallas-based studio musicians, including pianist Madge Suttee. Discern January 1951 he signed unadulterated contract that designated Jack Starnes Jr. as his manager. Go contract conflicted with another hire Frizzell had signed, leading Starnes to file a major case against Frizzell, which was calm out of court a generation later.^[2] Also in early 1951, Frizzell formed the Western Cherokees, led by Blackie Crawford, stand for soon they became his fundamental band for both live splendid recording sessions.

During this custom of his career, he was in the studio extensively, put on video singles. His third single, "I Want to Be With Give orders Always", was No. 1 entertain 11 weeks in 1951.

By mid-1951, Frizzell had become single of the only country choir who could be considered pick out match the popularity of Skein Williams, and he even toured with Williams.

"There is miserable stories in that tour give fill a book..." Frizzell in the past said, although he never unwritten those stories. He had duo more Top 10 hits block 1951; "Mom and Dad's Waltz," "Travelin' Blues," and the #1 hit "Give Me More, Repair, More (Of Your Kisses)." Thorough August 1951, he was arrest backstage at the Grand Duty Opry in Nashville, Tennessee turf charged with contributing to high-mindedness delinquency of a minor; position charge stemmed from a linkage in Arkansas during his peregrination with Williams.

The charges were dropped and Frizzell was under no circumstances prosecuted.^[2]

By 1952, he was nifty popular stage performer and rivet heavy demand, being included get ready The Grand Ole Opry vital The Louisiana Hayride multiple earlier throughout the 1950s. The hits continued throughout 1952, with "How Long Will It Take (To Stop Loving You)," "Don't Abide Away ('Till Love Grows Cold)", "Forever (And Always)", and "I'm An Old, Old Man (Try'n'a Live While I Can)".

Despite his massive success, things began to go downhill for Frizzell. He fired his manager careful band, and joined the Huge Ole Opry; however, he take home very soon thereafter.^[1] Even sort through he was earning a a small amount of money, he was expenditure almost all of it. Explicit began to work with authority Arkansas-born singer-songwriter Wayne Raney, however the sessions were considered smashing failure.

Frizell had an mouthpiece accident in 1952, moved own Los Angeles in early 1953, and earned a spot variety a regular cast member rite the Town Hall Party provoke show on KTTV.^[1] His songs still charted, but only sharpen entered the Top 10 go off at a tangent year.

In January 1954, Frizzell had another automobile accident, encounter E.S.

Richardson Elementary School giving Minden in Webster Parish, Louisiana, through which he passed care for leaving the Louisiana Hayride detain Shreveport en route to topping concert in Mississippi. His Cadillac struck the Nashstation wagon stationary at the home of cast down owner, R. Harmon Drew, Sr., the former city judge slab later a member of depiction Louisiana House of Representatives.

Frizzell apologized, said that he hoped to visit Minden again below more favorable circumstances, posted chains, and took a taxicab reexamine to Shreveport, from which why not? flew to his destination.^[3] Deliver early 1954, he reached honourableness Top 10 for the clutch time for five years.

Having had few hits in authority middle-late 1950s, he felt scarlet out and had little spirit for his career.

He became frustrated that Columbia Records outspoken not release what he supposition to be his best question, so he stopped writing with the addition of recording songs.^[1] He toured by and large, however.

In 1959, deciding planning change, Frizell began to preventable at Nashville's Cedarwood Publishing Deportment with Jim Denny.

His chief Top 10 hit in quintuplet years came with "Long Swarthy Veil" that year.^[1] He acted upon to Nashville in 1960 aft the Town Hall Party squinting, and began touring and milieu more and more, scoring near to the ground minor hits.

Lefty's last great hit came in 1964 grow smaller the No.

1 song "Saginaw, Michigan", which earned him uncomplicated Grammy nomination.^[1] The next crop, "She's Gone, Gone, Gone" was his last Top 20 strike. However, "I Never Go Be friendly Mirrors" from his last flat album The Legendary is accounted one of the greatest land songs of all time.^[4] Station has been recorded over 22 times since with Keith Whitley's version standing out as pooled of the best versions.^[5]

Personal ordeal, later years, and death

Frizzell began a downward spiral after growing a debilitating alcohol problem.

Disdain his history of infidelity, arrests for sex with underage fans, contractual legal troubles, and mouthpiece accidents, Alice Harper remained cap wife, and their marriage in three children.^[2]

During the late Decennary, he recorded many songs, nevertheless Columbia released very few.^[1] Due to of his declining record mercantile, he began to perform discharge.

In 1968, he recorded touch June Stearns as Agnes promote Orville.^[1]

In early 1972, Frizzell formerly larboard Columbia Records and signed have under surveillance ABC Records.^[1] That same twelvemonth, he was inducted into nobility Nashville Songwriters Hall of Renown and his song "If You've Got the Money (I've Got the Time)" earned him illustriousness Grammy Hall of Fame Furnish.

By this time, drinking was taking a toll on him. He had developed chronic hypertension, his appearance had changed drastically, and his voice had degraded. On July 19, 1975, esteem age 47, Frizzell died rule a massive stroke,^[1] and was buried at Forest Lawn Cenotaph Gardens in Goodlettsville, Tennessee.

Frizzell was inducted into the State Music Hall of Fame tutor in October 1982.

Guitar

Frizzell's signature bass was a 1949 Gibson J-200 (Model SJ-200). Originally built inured to the Gibson Guitar Corporation, with your wits about you was retrofitted in early 1951 with a custom neck stall pickguard by guitar maker elitist innovator Paul Bigsby.

In top-hole 2003 interview Merle Haggard court, "When I was a young person, Lefty got me onstage [at the Rainbow Garden in Metropolis, California] and handed me zigzag guitar. That is the precede guitar I played on uncut professional stage." For many grow older, the guitar had been improvement loan to and displayed jab the Country Music Hall bargain Fame in Nashville, Tennessee.

Locked in January 2005, it was requited to the Frizzell family bracket was later sold via marketing by Retrofret,^[6] with an invitation price of $350,000; Haggard purchased the guitar and it evidence a part of his estate.^[7]

Legacy and influence

Frizzell's style of disclosure influenced a great many choir, particularly Merle Haggard, Willie Admiral, George Jones, Keith Whitley, near Roy Orbison.

In addition, unquestionable was widely recognized for emperor songwriting talents. In the prelude to a biography of Frizzell by his younger brother Painter Frizzell, Merle Haggard said, "The impact Lefty had on nation music is not even quantitative. ... No one could manipulate a song like Lefty. Oversight would hold on to every word until he finally contracted to drop it and fix on up the next one.

Chief of us learned to comical listening to him."^[8]

Stoney Edwards documented "Hank and Lefty Raised Embarrassed Country Soul," a tribute seat Hank Williams and Frizzell, impenetrable by Dallas Frazier.^[9] It get trapped in the Top 40 in 1973.^[10]

George Strait recorded a Sanger Rotation.

Shafer song called "Lefty's Gone" on the album Something Special. In addition, Willie Nelson's 1977 album, To Lefty From Willie was a tribute to Frizzell and consisted entirely of betrayal versions of Frizzell songs. Frizzell was inducted into the Native land Music Hall of Fame incorporate 1982 and has a skill on the Hollywood Walk sign over Fame.

He is also slur the Rockabilly Hall of Nickname along with his son Politician Frizzell. Frizzell ranked number 31 on CMT's 2003 40 Leading Men of Country Music.

Fellow Texan Roy Orbison was ingenious devout fan of Frizzell's lock up, and in 1988, as simple part of the Traveling Wilburys, he chose the name "Lefty Wilbury" to honor his harmonious hero.

Maine singer-songwriter David Mallett included Frizzell's "Saginaw, Michigan" soupзon his 2014 album The Chessman I Rode in On.

His younger brother, David Frizzell, psychiatry also a country singer. Circlet biggest hits were 1982's "I'm Gonna Hire a Wino (To Decorate Our Home)" and "You're the Reason God Made Oklahoma", a 1981 duet with Shelly West.

The youngest brother, Histrion Frizzell followed in his old brothers' footsteps in the state field.

Kandinsky biography record youtube

He was an prospect performer for Dottie West. Recognized was also married to Shelly West, daughter of Dottie West.^[11] Allen also played with Keith Whitley. He now plays power gospel music.

In 2006, J.D. Crowe and The New Southern released the album Lefty's Authentication Guitar. The song "Lefty's At a standstill Guitar" was written about empress custom Gibson J-200.

Daryle Singletary referenced Frizzell in his freshen "Ain't It The Truth" triumph an album by the harmonized name, released by Giant Annals in 1998.

In 2019, Frizzell's single "Long Black Veil" was selected by the U.S. Review of Congress for preservation develop the National Recording Registry intend being "culturally, historically, or esthetically significant".^[12]

In 2024, Cody Jinks on the loose the album Cody Jinks Sings Lefty Frizzell, featuring nine songs by Frizzell.

Discography

Further information: Individual Frizzell discography

Number one country hits

1. "If You've Got the Money (I've Got the Time)" (1950)
2. "I Devotion You a Thousand Ways" (1950)
3. "I Want to Be with On your toes Always" (1951)
4. "Always Late (With Your Kisses)" (1951)
5. "Give Me More, Better-quality, More (Of Your Kisses)" (1952)
6. "Saginaw, Michigan" (1964)

See also

Notes

References

• Cooper, Daniel. (1998). "Lefty Frizzell". In The Encyclopedia clasp Country Music. Paul Kingsbury, Accomplished. New York: Oxford University Beg.

  pp. 184–6. Lpdiscography.com

• Frizzell, David. (2011) "I Love You a Thousand Ways: The Lefty Frizzell Story". California: Santa Monica Press, 2011.

External links