If the name Cliffie Stone sounds unfamiliar, that’s not entirely surprising. The youngest among us likely have never heard of Cliffie Stone at all. However, if you’re a country music fan, learning a bit about him might be beneficial, considering he was a major influence in country music’s popularity in 20th-century California… as well as the rest of the country.
Cliffie Stone was born on this day, March 1, 1917, in Stockton, California. Let’s celebrate the singer, producer, and publisher’s valuable contributions to country music and its impact on California cultural history.
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The Legacy of Cliffie Stone
Clifford Gilpin Synder was born on March 1, 1917, in Stockton, California to a musical family. In his early years, Stone played bass in a number of big bands, and started his career in radio at local radio stations in Long Beach, California. By 1935, he was already singing and performing on radio shows in Los Angeles.
In 1946, Stone took an offer from Capitol Records to work as an A&R man. Throughout his tenure as a “discovery” man, Stone discovered the likes of Tennessee Ernie Ford, Hank Thompson, Molly Bee, and others. He worked extensively with Merle Travis, Zane Ashton, and others. He had a big hand in promoting the music careers of local California country musicians by getting them slots on TV broadcasts.
While Stone was incredibly successful at Capitol Records, he’ll likely always be remembered best for his work on radio. Stone recorded six albums with various backing bands. He enjoyed a No. 14 hit on the Billboard charts in 1955 with “The Popcorn Song”. Ahead of that, he enjoyed three charting singles on the country charts.
“I happen to have been lucky,” said Stone in a 1993 interview with The Times. “I think luck and persistence, the more persistent you are the luckier you get, is the answer to the entertainment world. It’s not talent. That sounds weird, but I know a lot of talented people that are starving.”
Cliffie Stone passed away on January 17, 1998, in Santa Clarita, California at the age of 80. His influence on California country music can still be felt today, decades after his passing and over a century after his birth.
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