Claude King | |
|---|---|
 King in 1966 | |
| Background information | |
| Born | (1923-02-05)February 5, 1923 Keithville, Louisiana, U.S.[1] |
| Died | March 7, 2013(2013-03-07) (aged 90) Shreveport, Louisiana, U.S. |
| Genres | Country |
| Occupation | Singer-songwriter |
| Instrument(s) | Guitar, vocals |
| Years active | 1961–2013 |
| Labels | Columbia Records Specialty Records |
| Formerly of | Louisiana Hayride |
Claude King (February 5, 1923 – March 7, 2013) was an Americancountry music singer and songwriter, best known for his 1962 million-sellinghit, "Wolverton Mountain".[2]
King was born inKeithville in southernCaddo Parish south ofShreveport in northwesternLouisiana. At a young age, he was interested in music but also in athletics and the outdoors. He purchased a guitar at the age of twelve, and although he learned to play, most of his time was devoted to sports.[citation needed] He received a baseball scholarship to theUniversity of Idaho atMoscow, Idaho.
From 1942 to 1945, he served in theUnited States Navy during World War II.[3]
King formed a band with his friends Buddy Attaway andTillman Franks called the Rainbow Boys. The trio played around Shreveport in their spare time while working an assortment of other jobs.[3] He joined theLouisiana Hayride, a television andradio show produced at theShreveport Municipal Auditorium and broadcast throughout the United States and in the United Kingdom. King was frequently on the same programs withElvis Presley,Tex Ritter,Johnny Cash,Hank Williams,Webb Pierce,Kitty Wells,Jimmie Davis,Slim Whitman,Faron Young,Johnny Horton,Jim Reeves,George Jones,Tommy Tomlinson, andLefty Frizzell.
King recorded a few songs forGotham Records though none were successful. In 1961, he became more serious about a musical career and signed with theNashville division ofColumbia Records. He struck immediately, cutting "Big River, Big Man," both a country top 10 and a small pop crossover success. He soon followed with "The Comancheros" inspired by theJohn Waynefilm of the same name It was a top 10 country hit in late 1961 and crossed over into the popular chart.
King released his best-known recording in the spring of 1962. "Wolverton Mountain," written with Nashville veteranMerle Kilgore, is based on a real character, Clifton Clowers, an uncle of Kilgore's who lived on Wolverton Mountain north ofMorrilton, Arkansas. King and Kilgore agree that the original composition of the song lacked polish and that King eventually shaped the song into the hit that it became. According to long-time King guitarist, Robin Vosbury, Clowers came to numerous shows and asked everybody to call him "Uncle Clifton." The song became an immediate hit. For nine weeks beginning on June 30, 1962, it ranked No. 1 on theBillboard countrychart, on which it remained for a total of twenty-six weeks. It was also aTop 10 hit on theBillboard Hot 100. Having sold more than one million copies, it was awardedgold disc status.[4]
King followed up with a song about the1864 battle of Atlanta in theCivil War. "The Burning Of Atlanta"[5] also reached the Top 10 on the country chart and made the pop chart. In late 1962, King recorded "I've Got The World By The Tail," which narrowly missed the country Top 10.
In 1963, King scored three country hits with "Sheepskin Valley," "Building a Bridge," and "Hey Lucille!" The hits continued in 1964 with "Sam Hill," and in 1965 he was back in the Top 10 with "Tiger Woman," co-written with Merle Kilgore. King did well that year with "Little Buddy." His smooth style continued to find favor throughout the decade, especially songs like "Catch a Little Raindrop" and the Top 10 hit, "All for the Love of A Girl" in 1969. His singles continued to make the country charts through 1972. He left the label in 1973 after twenty-nine hits.
In 1977, King recorded in some sessions for producerHoward A. Knight, Jr. On March 23 of that year he recorded "No Thanks Boys" which wasn't released. On the 25th he recorded and one of the tracks was "Cotton Dan". Other sessions that were produced by Knight were on April 26 and June 7 and 8.[6]
Besides a career in recording and touring, King performed as an actor in several movies. Along with his great-nephew, Chris Aable, King is among the few actors who are members in both theScreen Actors Guild and theAmerican Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers. King had roles in several feature films, including 1971'sSwamp Girl and 1972'sYear of the Yahoo!.
In 1981,GovernorFrank D. White of Arkansas paid tribute to King by declaring August 7 "Wolverton Mountain Day."
On June 3, 2003, King released a CD calledCowboy in the White House, co-produced with Robin Vosbury and Tillman Franks and released by Sun Records. Elvis Presley's guitarist,James Burton, also performs on the album.
On February 11, 2007, King was inducted into the Greater Shreveport Chamber of Commerce Walk of Stars. He joined other celebrities with strong ties to the Greater Shreveport area in this honor, includingTerry Bradshaw,Kix Brooks,Johnnie Cochran,Tom Jarriel,Joe Ferguson,Eddie Robinson,Hal Sutton, andDavid Toms, as well as his musical colleagues, James Burton, Jim Reeves, Faron Young, Jimmie Davis, Chris Aable, Elvis Presley, and Tillman Franks.
King was a part of the "Magic Circle", which was a description of the ArkLaTex area coined by his longtime friend Tillman Franks, described as: "an area 50 miles in radius from downtown Shreveport. All kinds of music evolved from this Magic Circle."
In 2011, King was named one of "Five Living Legends of Shreveport" by Danny Fox ofKWKH radio.[7]
King died suddenly at his home in Shreveport on March 7, 2013, at the age of ninety. He is survived by his wife, the former Barbara Coco, with whom he had celebrated their 67th wedding anniversary a month prior to his death. Together they had three sons.[8]
Services were held on March 13, 2013, at the Centuries Funeral Home Chapel in Shreveport, with the Reverend William D. "Billy" Franks and the Reverend Tim Maloy officiating. Interment followed at Centuries Memorial Park.[3]
| Year | Album | Chart Positions | Label | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US Country | US | |||
| 1962 | Meet Claude King | — | 80 | Columbia |
| 1965 | Tiger Woman | — | — | |
| 1968 | The Best of Claude King | — | — | |
| 1969 | I Remember Johnny Horton | 24 | — | |
| 1970 | Friend, Lover, Woman, Wife | — | — | |
| 1971 | Chip 'N' Dale's Place | 45 | — | |
| Year | Single | Chart Positions | Album | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US Country | USCash Box Country | US | CAN Country | |||
| 1961 | "Big River, Big Man" | 7 | 9 | 82 | — | Meet Claude King |
| "The Comancheros" /"A | 7 | 6 | 71 | — | ||
| 1962 | "Wolverton Mountain" /"B | 1 | 1 | 6 | — | |
| "Little Bitty Heart" | — | 41 | — | — | ||
| "The Burning of Atlanta" | 10 | 9 | 53 | — | singles only | |
| 1963 | "I've Got the World by the Tail" | 11 | 11 | 111 | — | |
| "Sheepskin Valley" | 12 | 17 | — | — | ||
| "Building a Bridge" | 12 | 41 | — | — | ||
| "Hey Lucille! /" | 13 | 13 | — | — | ||
| "Scarlet O'Hara" | — | 34 | — | — | ||
| 1964 | "That's What Makes the World Go Around" | 33 | 28 | — | — | |
| "Sam Hill" | 11 | 12 | — | 2 | ||
| 1965 | "Whirlpool (Of Your Love)" | 47 | 31 | — | — | |
| "Tiger Woman" | 6 | 5 | 110 | — | Tiger Woman | |
| 1966 | "Little Buddy" | 17 | 15 | — | — | |
| "Catch a Little Raindrop" | 13 | 12 | — | — | ||
| "The Juggler" | — | 34 | — | — | singles only | |
| "Little Things That Every Girl Should Know" | 50 | 44 | — | — | ||
| 1967 | "The Watchman" | 32 | 34 | — | — | |
| "Laura (What's He Got That I Ain't Got)" | 50 | 44 | — | — | ||
| "Yellow Haired Woman" | 59 | 40 | — | — | ||
| 1968 | "Parchman Farm Blues" | 67 | — | — | — | |
| "The Power of Your Sweet Love" | 48 | — | — | — | ||
| 1969 | "Sweet Love On My Mind" | 52 | 43 | — | — | Friend, Lover, Woman, Wife |
| "All for the Love of a Girl" | 9 | 8 | — | — | ||
| "Friend, Lover, Woman, Wife" | 18 | 50 | — | 14 | ||
| "House Of The Rising Sun" | — | — | — | 28 | ||
| 1970 | "I'll Be Your Baby Tonight" | 33 | 24 | — | 39 | Chip 'N' Dale's Place |
| "Mary's Vineyard" | 17 | 23 | — | 13 | ||
| 1971 | "Chip 'N' Dale's Place" | 23 | 8 | — | 7 | |
| "When You're Twenty-One" | 54 | — | — | — | singles only | |
| 1972 | "Darlin' Raise the Shade (Let the Sun Shine In)" | 57 | 46 | — | 32 | |
| "The Lady Of Our Town" | — | 73 | — | — | ||
| "He Ain't Country" | 48 | 45 | — | — | ||
| 1977 | "Cotton Dan" | 94 | — | — | — | |
| International | |
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| National | |
| Artists | |
| Other | |
