On this day (August 12) in 1927, Porter Wagoner was born in West Plains, Missouri. The “Thin Man From West Plains” had a long line of hit singles in the 1950s and ’60s. He also hosted a variety show, which was viewed by millions of fans every week. In the late ’60s, he invited a then-unknown Dolly Parton to join the show’s cast. The exposure she received from her partnership with Wagoner helped boost her career.
Wagoner started his career with the Blue Ridge Boys in the late 1940s. By 1950, they were performing on the local radio station from the butcher shop where Wagoner worked. A year later, he landed a gig on the Springfield, Missouri-based KWTO. This gave him the boost he needed to finally sign a deal with RCA.
According to the Country Music Hall of Fame, his early records didn’t sell well. As a result, he and his Porter Wagoner Trio toured regionally, playing schoolhouses and other small venues.
Wagoner’s fortune began to change when “Trademark,” a song he wrote, became a hit for Carl Smith in 1953. The next year, he scored a top 10 hit with “Company’s Comin’.” Then, in 1955, he notched his first No. 1 with “A Satisfied Mind.” That same year, he became a regular on Ozark Jubilee. However, that didn’t last, because he moved his family to Nashville a year later. Then, in 1957. he joined the Grand Ole Opry.
The Porter Wagoner Show and Commercial Success
In 1960, the Chattanooga Medicine Company tapped Porter Wagoner to host a syndicated TV program. This resulted in his eponymous variety show, which welcomed celebrity guests and up-and-comers like Willie Nelson and Waylon Jennings.
The show was available in roughly 100 markets. As a result, more than 3 million viewers tuned in every week to see Wagoner, Norma Jean, Speck Rhodes, and the rest of the cast crack jokes and sing songs. This helped boost Wagoner’s sales, which brought him a string of hits throughout the 1960s.
In 1967, Dolly Parton replaced Norma Jean, beginning a 14-year partnership and lifelong friendship with Wagoner. He introduced her to his massive audience, helped her land a deal with RCA Records, and took her on tour with him. She provided her immense talent and magnetic personality. They recorded 13 duet albums, which resulted in 14 top 10 hits. “Please Don’t Stop Loving Me” topped the country chart in 1974. That year, she exited the show and launched her solo career.
The Wagonmaster Kept Driving Forward
Wagoner released his final album, Wagonmaster, in 2007 to rave reviews. He promoted the album with a tour that included opening for the White Stripes for a sold-out crowd at Madison Square Garden. He died from lung cancer in October 2007.
Featured Image by David Redfern/Redferns
The post Born 99 Years Ago Today, “The Thin Man From West Plains” Who Became a Nashville Country Legend and Helped Launch Dolly Parton to Stardom appeared first on American Songwriter.
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