Hank Thompson (musician)
Hank Thompson ( born September 3, 1925 as Henry William Thompson in Waco, Texas, † November 6, 2007 in Fort Worth, Texas ) was an American country singer who was represented over several decades in the charts. His biggest success was The Wild Side Of Life.
Hank Thompson's first instrument was a harmonica. From enthusiasm for the singing cowboys in the then very popular B- Western he saved the money for a cheap guitar together and began to replay their songs. It was not long before he had an opportunity to public appearances. When a local radio station, he earned first money as " Hank, The Hired Hand ". During a three-year period of service with the U.S. Navy where he was trained as a radio technician, he began to write songs.
Following his military service, he studied in 1945 in Princeton and at the University of Texas. He put together his own band, the Brazos Valley Boys, appeared frequently on the radio and playing records a smaller labels.
Career
Tex Ritter heard one day Thompson on the radio and advised him of his record company. In 1947, then signed with the Capitol label a contract. Already the first single, Humpty Dumpty Heart, was able to place in the country charts in 1948. It was the beginning of a long series of successes that should last until the eighties. The highlight was the 1952 classic The Wild Side Of Life, which could hold fifteen weeks at number one. Kitty Wells played a called a response song, It't Was not God Who Made Honky Tonk Angels, who also became a classic.
Even after Hank Thompson was regularly represented on the charts. He was supported by guitarist Merle Travis usually, with whom he published the Instrumentalhit Wildwood Flower. Had he first started with his Brazos Valley Boys with Western Swing, he later moved to the Honky Tonk and occasionally played rockabilly songs a.
In 1965 he moved to Warner Brothers label, and shortly thereafter to Dot, where he recorded another series of Top 10 hits. The last time he was represented the beginning of the eighties in the charts. His charts presence thus comprised five decades. In 1989 he received the highest award of country music: He was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame.
Thompson died in November 2007 at the age of 82 years to lung cancer; a few days after he had given his farewell to the stage known.