Webb Pierce ~ Nobody's Darling But Mine

Webb Pierce: 8/8/1921 ~ 2/24/1991

Webb Pierce was one of the most popular and successful honky-tonk vocalists of the '50s in a competitive arena that included such greats as Ray Price, Hank Williams, Carl Smith, Marty Robbins, Faron Young, Hank Snow and Eddy Arnold. His success was reflect in his Billboard chart activity as Pierce racked up sixty one Top-20 hits between 1952 and 1962.

Webb Pierce was born on August 8, 1921 in West Monroe, Louisiana and grew up with the music of Jimmie Rodgers, Gene Autry, western swing bands of Texas and Oklahoma, and the Cajun bands of his native state. He enlisted in the US Army and in 1942 he married Betty Jane Lewis. After he was discharged, the couple moved to Shreveport, Louisiana, where he found work on KTBS.

In late 1949, Pierce accepted a spot on the Louisiana Hayride (KWKH). Building a band around himself with such future legends as Floyd Cramer (piano), Tillman Franks (manager and bass), Jimmy Day (steel guitar), Tex Grimsley (fiddle), Teddy and Doyle Wilburn and Faron Young (vocals), Webb was soon the hottest act on the Hayride. With Hayride producer Horace Logan, Pierce launched a record label, Pacemaker, which featured several Hayride acts in addition to Pierce himself, who was by then also recording for California's Four Star Records.

In 1951, Pierce got out of his 4 Star contract and was signed by Decca Records. His debut chart single, "Wondering," became his breakthrough hit, climbing to No. 1 in January 1952. After the single became a hit, Pierce left Louisiana for Nashville, where he met and married his second wife, Audrey Greisham. Pierce had his second No. 1 single, "That Heart Belongs to Me" in June. In September, the Grand Ole Opry needed to fill the vacancy left by the firing of Hank Williams, so they invited Pierce to join the cast. After Williams' death (1/1/1953), Pierce became the most popular singer in country music for the period 1953 ~ 1959.

For the next five years, every single he released hit the Top 10, with a total of eleven reaching number one, including "There Stands the Glass" (1953), "Slowly" (1954), "More and More" (1954), and a song that is ranked No.3 All-time in country music "In the Jailhouse Now" (1955). That song stayed at the top of the Billboard chart for 21 weeks. Pierce left the Opry in 1955 and began appearing on Ozark Jubilee, a television program on the ABC network. He left Ozark Jubilee in 1956 and returned to the Opry but left for good the following year.

After "I'm Tired (No.3, 1957)," "Honky Tonk Song" (No. 1, 1957) and "Tupelo County Jail" (No. 7, 1958), his run on top ten records continued until 1964. His final top 10, "Fool, Fool, Fool," charted in 1967, though his singles regularly charted until 1972. Pierce left Decca Records in 1975, making a handful of records for Plantation Records (1975 ~ 1976), but with little chart success. Pierce continued charting until 1982. That year, Willie Nelson asked Pierce to sing with him on a remake of "In the Jailhouse Now." It was Pierce's ninety-sixth and last charted record.

Pierce died of pancreatic cancer on February 24, 1991. He was inducted into the Country music posthumously in 2001. Webb Pierce's career stands as one of the most successful in the history of country music.

RJB: Country Music Historian, Nashville, Tennessee, USA

Category:

Music

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[DazedConfused1969]

@roberttudhope find her on facebook?

[roberttudhope]

I had all WEBB`S albums up till 1971,I came back to Scotland and left them with a good friend called Cathie Reese fron Oceola Indiana.Any one know her????

[StCroiux]

Thank you!

[1mscoyote]

Wow! Talk about memories. My dad used to sing this when I was a little girl and that has been a long, long time ago.

[zethnathaniel16]

nice one! love it!

[TheKev1960]

Sounds like Floyd Crammer on piano.

[sueforsoftails]

Reminds me of a guy I knew a long time ago!!!

[2packs4sure]

Fallen Angel/Cross Country

Label: Hux Records

Released: June 27, 2011

[james28570]

@nancypratt1 There is a little know songwriter ( me ) lol , that writes the same type of traditional music . You can find my works on ITUNES and on Amazon

[nancypratt1]

@MrBloograss wow...I never knew that... I love this song... when i close my eyes and listen...i can see my Grammie sitting at her piano...

[diana80458]

WOW Great Song!!

[SICKOFNOISE]

@TheLGS1959:

Heard the "Christmas at Home" song on a compilation CD called "JINGLE BELL ROCK The Original Bobby Helms Hit!" There are some used copies for sale on Amazon. Can't find an MP3 download, so far.

Good luck and Mele Kalikimaka! 

[sueforsoftails]

Wow, does this bring back memories of an old boyfriend....love this song yet!

[glipzik]

This is the best cover of this classic I've heard yet.

[TheLGS1959]

Thank you for this wonderful song . I wonder if anyone have heard a song called "Christmas at home" with Webb Pierce . Iwould be so happy to hear it again.

[4712star]

I think, Webb Pierce makes every song a winner!

This one is a beauty, too!

[TheLDLady]

Sang this song to my kids when they were babies....bless you for posting!!

[candw87]

@BABSINUK Bing Crosby made a recording in 1940 -44

[jtls8]

One of my favorite singers! 5*****

[BABSINUK]

Hi,grew up with Frank Ifield singing this song,which has a very special moment for me.

He is a new singer to me,but did a good version of a beautiful love sonf.