Clarence “Hank” Snow
May 9, 1914 – December 20, 1999
Hank Snow was a prolific country star who, during a 30-year stretch of his career, logged in more than 70 country-charting singles, including at least seven that reached number one. Over the course of a career that spanned six decades, he sold more than 80 million albums. His songs have been covered by such greats as Johnny Cash, Ray Charles, Dolly Parton, Kenny Rogers, Willie Nelson, and the Rolling Stones. After running away from an abusive home at 12, Snow went to work as a cabin boy on a fishing boat, learned to play the guitar he ordered from a department store catalog, and by 16, he was playing his first his first gigs. He signed with RCA Records in 1936 and released records for them for the next 45 years. After moving to Nashville, it was Snow who convinced the Grand Ole Opry to let a young Elvis Presley grace their stage for the first time in 1954. He continued to use Presley as his opening act and later introduced him to Col. Tom Parker. Hank Snow was 85 when he passed away at his home on December 20, 1999.
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