born Feb. 9, 1914, Crisp, Texas, U.S.
died Sept. 6, 1984, Nashville, Tenn.
U.S. country music singer and songwriter.
His first musical influence was the yodeling of Grand Ole Opry in 1942, and he became one of the first musicians to record in Nashville. He was a pioneer of the electric guitar in the early 1950s. His Nashville radio program, Midnight Jamboree (from 1947), helped launch many stars, including the Everly Brothers and {{link=Presley, Elvis Aaron">Elvis Presley . In 1947 he starred in the first country music show at Carnegie Hall.