The venerable Claude King was known for his country songs and knack at performing arts. According to The Huffington Post, the country singer/songwriter has died. He was 90.
King was best known for his best-selling single "Wolverton Mountain" from 1962 and a member of the Saturday-night Louisiana Hayride, the radio and television show that was broadcasted from the Shreveport Municipal Memorial Auditorium in Louisiana and jumpstarted the career of Elvis Presley.
King recently celebrated his 67th wedding anniversary to his wife, Barbara, in February and also his 90th birthday, reported The Post. According to King's eldest son, the country star was found unresponsive in his Shreveport home on Thursday morning.
"Wolverton Mountain," the hit he penned down along side Merle Kilgore was inspired by a real mountaineer, Clifton Clowers of Arkansas who was also Kilgore's uncle. It told a telling tale of Clifton guarding his daughter from suitors, reported The Associated Press. According to Billboard, the song remained number one on the country charts for nine out of 26 weeks and sold more than a million copies.
As one of the original cast members of Louisiana Hayride he played a role in reshuffling the country and western genres of music at a critical time. Between 1948 and 1960 a vast variety of genres were being born from hillbilly and Western swing to jazz and the blues.
"Claude was a legend in the Louisiana music industry, one of the greatest songwriters, and a wonderful friend," said Maggie Warwick, owner of the Louisiana Hayride trademark and the production company, Louisiana Hayride Co. in an interview with AP. "Claude and Tillman Franks were on the Hayride from the very beginning."
Warwick is also the chairwoman of the Louisiana Music Commission, which seeks to promote and develop Louisiana music, said the singer-actor was known for guitar playing, song writing talents.
"He had a gift for melody and lyrics that was very definable," Warwick told the AP. "The range and melody and the feeling that goes with his songs, when you hear it, it's very unique and identifiable with Claude King. He had a personal style that was all his own."
