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Porter Wagoner

From HitStory, the pop encyclopedia of School of Rock · Artist

Porter Wagoner (1927 to 2007) was an American country singer, known for his flamboyant Nudie suits and his blond pompadour. He was born in West Plains, Missouri, the youngest of five children of a farmer. He worked as a butcher's assistant and performed with his first band, the Blue Ridge Boys, on local radio. In 1951 he got a job at radio station KWTO in Springfield, which led to a contract with RCA Victor. In 1955 he became a regular guest on the TV show Ozark Jubilee, and in 1957 he moved to Nashville to become a member of the Grand Ole Opry. There he was called Mr. Grand Ole Opry.

Music and breakthrough

Wagoner had eighty-one records in the charts. His first number one was A Satisfied Mind in 1955, followed by Misery Loves Company in 1962 and, among others, Green, Green Grass of Home, The Cold Hard Facts of Life and The Carroll County Accident. From 1960 to 1981 his TV programme The Porter Wagoner Show ran, with some 686 episodes. In 1967 he introduced the singer Dolly Parton on it. Together they made hits such as The Last Thing on My Mind and Daddy Was An Old Time Preacher Man, until Parton chose her own path. Her song I Will Always Love You, written about that break, topped the country chart in 1974.

Influence

Wagoner brought James Brown to the Grand Ole Opry, produced an R&B album for Joe Simon and appeared in Clint Eastwood's Honkytonk Man. In 2002 he was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame.

Listening

Listening tip. Listen to Misery Loves Company or a duet with Dolly Parton and notice the storytelling vocals over a simple country accompaniment. Try to hear how the steel guitar follows the singing.

Discography

Studio albums

See also

Categories: Artists