Uploaded by HillbillyBoogie1 on Jan 19, 2010
Julius Frank Anthony Kuczynski (February 18, 1914 March 7, 2000), known professionally as Pee Wee King, was an American country music songwriter and recording artist best known for co-writing "The Tennessee Waltz."
He was born in Milwaukee to a Polish American family and lived in Abrams, Wisconsin, during his youth. King learned to play fiddle from his father, who was a professional polka musician. In the 1930s, he toured and made cowboy movies with Gene Autry.[1] King joined the Grand Ole Opry in 1937.
In 1946, while the bandleader of the Golden West Cowboys, King, together with the band's vocalist, Redd Stewart, composed "The Tennessee Waltz," inspired by "The Kentucky Waltz" by bluegrass musician Bill Monroe. King and Stewart first recorded "The Tennessee Waltz" in 1948, and it went on to become a country music standard.[1]
King's other songs included "Slow Poke" and "You Belong to Me," both co-authored with Chilton Price and Redd Stewart. His songs introduced waltzes, polkas, and cowboy songs to country music.
Pee Wee refused to change his band's sound at the Grand ol' Opry, over the years being the first to introduce drums, horns, the accordion, and electric instruments including the pedal steel guitar to country music.[2] His band also introduced Nudie Cohn's customized "Rhinestone Cowboy" outfits[3] to the Opry which later became popular with Nashville and country musicians, including Elvis Presley. [4]
He was inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1970 and the Country Music Hall of Fame in 1974.
He joined producers Randall Franks and Alan Autry for the In the Heat of the Night (TV Series) cast CD Christmas Times A Comin performing "Christmas Time's A Comin'" with the cast on the CD released on Sonlite and MGM/UA for one of the most popular Christmas releases of 1991 and 1992 with Southern retailers.
He died of a heart attack in Louisville, Kentucky, at age 86.
38 videosYouTube Mix for Pee Wee King- 2:34
Hank The Drifter And His Drifting Hillbillies - Don't You Lock Your Daddy Outby HillbillyBoogie12,280 views
- 2:22
Wayne Raney - Adam Come & Get Your Ribby HillbillyBoogie12,048 views
- 2:48
Pee Wee King-I Hear You Knockin'by 54Richie3,213 views
- 3:02
Pee Wee King - Tennessee Waltz (original recording)by flashbell30,124 views
- 2:35
Pee Wee King - Bull Fiddle Boogie (1949)by HillbillyBoogie116,371 views
- 2:09
Pee Wee King - Ballroom Babyby HepKat594,685 views
- 2:32
PEE WEE KING mop rag boogieby lafurax252,960 views
- 2:06
Pee Wee King - Blue Suede Shoesby HepKat595,268 views
- 3:31
Lenny Dee - Plantation Boogie IIIby DJCOOLDANY2,462 views
- 2:25
PEE WEE KING & HIS BAND - SEVEN COME ELEVENby DJBOPHOP695 views
- 2:57
Pee Wee King And The Golden West Cowboys - "Whisper Waltz"by VinylNostalgia1,100 views
- 2:25
Harry Adams - Milk Bucket Boogieby HillbillyBoogie11,285 views
- 2:33
Billy Briggs - Pretty Baby Boogieby 50sRocKabilly7,303 views
- 3:35
Lenny Dee - Plantation Boogie IIIby DJCOOLDANY3,349 views
- 2:00
Pee Wee King And The Golden West Cowboys - "Busybody"by VinylNostalgia1,239 views
- 2:32
Earl Stone - Bull Frog Boogieby HillbillyBoogie13,794 views
- 2:31
Grandpa Jones - Fix Me A Pallet 1952by HillbillyBoogie113,495 views
- 2:46
Tex Grimsley & His Texas Show Boys - Shuffle On Downby HillbillyBoogie1545 views
- 2:16
Rose Maddox - Kiss Me Like Crazy (1953)by HillbillyBoogie14,435 views
Pee Wee King's is much underrated. Check out "Mop Rag Boogie" and his versions of "Tweedle Dee" and "Blue Suede Shoes"
zola78rpm 9 months ago
great job 5*****
realmarian 2 years ago
About time someone You Tubes Pee Wee
Great sound !
427snakefan 2 years ago