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Donald's Encyclopedia of Popular MusicA B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y ZLOCKLIN, Hank(b Lawrence Hankins Locklin, 15 February 1918, McLellan FL; d 8 March 2009, Brewton AL) Veteran country singer with distinctive nasal tenor voice who began in honky-tonk, then specialized in heart songs and helped to create country music's smooth 'countrypolitan' style, for better or worse. Locklin was especially popular in Ireland, where he was voted most popular country singer five years in a row. He did farm work and road construction, singing in clubs evenings and weekends across the South; he signed with the 4-Star label '49 for a no. 2 hit 'Let Me Be The One' '54; he also recorded his own 'Send Me The Pillow That You Dream On' for 4-Star. He recorded for Decca '54, then went to RCA '57, where hits included 'Geisha Girl' '57 and a remake of 'Pillow' for a top 5 '58 (it was covered by Dean Martin '65 for a top 25 pop hit). His no. 1 country hit 'Please Help Me I'm Falling' '60 was written by Don Robertson, an international hit, a top ten in USA/UK pop charts and inspired 'answer' discs. It was on that record that pianist Floyd Cramer developed his 'slip-note' piano style, heard on a great many subsequent RCA country hits. The song was re-recorded '70 with Danny Davis and the Nashville Brass and charted again. Locklin never had another hit that big, but carried on with country hits every year into the '70s. He bought a ranch called the Singing L near McLellan in the mid-'60s and was made honorary mayor. He recorded for MGM '74-6, Plantation '77, and remained popular in Europe due to frequent touring. He made 65 albums and sold 15 million records. He was said to be the oldest member of the Grand Old Opry. Five-CD Send Me The Pillow That You Dream On on Bear Family compiled '48-55 tracks. |