- Al Dexter
-
Al Dexter 
Background information Birth name Clarence Albert Poindexter Born May 4, 1905 Origin Jacksonville, Texas Died January 28, 1984 (aged 78) Genres Country Occupations Singer-songwriter Instruments Guitar Years active 1944–1968 Al Dexter (May 4, 1905 – January 28, 1984) was an American country musician and songwriter. He is best known for "Pistol Packin' Mama," a 1944 hit that was one of the most popular recordings of the World War II years and later became a hit again with a cover by Bing Crosby and The Andrews Sisters.
Contents
Biography
Born Clarence Albert Poindexter in Jacksonville, Texas, Dexter owned a bar in the 1930s and helped popularize the style of country music known as honky tonk.[1] He made his recording debut on November 28, 1936 for ARC Records.[2] and he was probably the first artist to use the term "honky tonk" in a country song when he recorded "Honky Tonk Blues" at his first session.[1][3] His tremendous hit "Pistol Packin' Mama" became the 1943 marching chorus of the New York Yankees. The 1943 movie of the same name, made by the Republic Pictures, gave Dexter close to $250,000 in royalties. Another hit from the 1940s was "Guitar Polka", which entered Billboard's list as the "Most Played Juke Box Folk Record" for 16 weeks running in 1946.[4] Still other hits include "So Long Pal", "Triflin' Gal", "I'm Losing My Mind Over You" and "Too Late to Worry."
Dexter was the first country singer to perform on Broadway, and in 1971, was inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame. He died January 28, 1984 in Lewisville, Texas. On August 21, 2010, Dexter was inducted into the Texas Country Music Hall Of Fame, located in Carthage, TX. Other inductees that night along with Dexter were George Jones and Ray Winkler.
Discography
Albums
Year Single Label 1954 Songs of the Southwest Columbia 1961 Pistol Packin' Mama Harmony 1962 Sings and Plays His Greatest Hits Capitol 1968 The Original Pistol Packin' Mama Hilltop Singles
Year Single Chart Positions US Country US 1944 "Pistol Packin' Mama" 1 1 "Rosalita" 1 22 "So Long Pal" 1 "Too Late to Worry, Too Blue to Cry" 1 18 1945 "I'm Losing My Mind Over You" 1 "I'll Wait for You Dear" 2 "Triflin' Gal" 2 "I'm Lost Without You" 5 1946 "Guitar Polka" 1 16 "Honey Do You Think It's Wrong" 2 "Wine Women and Song" 1 "It's Up to You" 3 1947 "Kokomo Island" 4 "Down at the Roadside Inn" 4 1948 "Rock and Rye Rag" 14 "Calico Rag" 11 References
Bibliography
- Peter La Chapelle, Proud To Be An Okie, University of California Press, 2007
- Tony Russell, Country Music Originals: The Legends and the Lost, Oxford University Press, 2007
- Tony Russell, Bob Pinson, Country Music Records: A Discography 1921-1942, Oxford University Press, 2004
External links
Categories:- 1905 births
- 1984 deaths
- American country singers
- American male singers
- Songwriters from Texas
- American country singer-songwriters
- People from Cherokee County, Texas
- King Records artists
- Vocalion Records artists
Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.
