Born on This Day in 1923, the 1960s Country Hitmaker Who Got His Start Alongside Hank Williams, George Jones, Johnny Cash, and Lefty Frizzell

On this day (February 5) in 1923, Claude King was born in Keithville, Louisiana. Before he entered the music world, he served in World War II and went to college on a baseball scholarship. After finishing his military service, he chose to walk away from sports and focus on music. He became a regular on The Louisiana Hayride and released a string of hits in the 1960s. His biggest hit and best-known song was “Wolverton Mountain.”

Videos by American Songwriter

King grew up on what could be called a dirt farm in Louisiana. The red clay on which his family farm sat would not allow any decent crop to grow. However, poverty didn’t stop him from developing a lasting love for music and baseball. He reportedly bought his first guitar for $0.50 from one of his family’s neighbors and learned to play.

[RELATED: The Louisiana Hayride, the Radio Show that Launched Hank Williams & Elvis Presley, Made Their Broadcast Debut on This Day in 1948]

After his military service ended, King returned to Louisiana and formed a band called the Rainbow Boys with Tillman Franks and Buddy Attaway. Later, he went solo and landed a regular spot on The Louisiana Hayride. There, he shared the stage with the likes of Hank Williams, Elvis Presley, Lefty Frizzell, Johnny Cash, Jim Reeves, and George Jones, according to 64 Parishes.

Claude King’s Recording Career

Claude King signed a deal with Columbia Records in the early 1960s. His 1961 debut single, “Big River, Big Man,” reached No. 7 on the country chart. His next single, “The Comancheros,” saw the same success.

King co-wrote “Wolverton Mountain” with Merle Kilgore and released it in March 1962. It quickly became the biggest hit of his career. The single topped the country chart for nine weeks, reached No. 6 on the Hot 100, and sold more than a million copies.

While “Wolverton Mountain” was his biggest hit, it wasn’t his last. He released another 15 top 40 hits, three of which landed in the top 10.

Claude King released his final single, “Cotton Dan,” in 1977. However, he wasn’t done recording. In 2003, he released his last album, Cowboy in the White House. Ten years later, he died suddenly in his Shreveport, Louisiana, home at the age of 90.

Featured Image by Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images