Hank Locklin dies

Locklin, was born Feb. 15, 1918 in McLellan, Fla. At age nine, Locklin was bedridden after getting hit by a school bus. He learned to play guitar and already had started singing at church. He had a regular radio station gig on WCOA in Pensacola, Fla. in 1942 and later was a regular on the Big D Jamboree on KRLD in Dallas. During the 1940s, Locklin played in Mississippi, Louisiana and Texas where his career began to take off. In 1948, Locklin and his band, The Rocky Mountain Playboys, had a morning radio show on KLEE in Houston. He made his first record on the Gold Star label that year before joining Four Star Records in 1949 for a 6-year stint. By 1949, he joined the Louisiana Hayride in Shreveport, La.

Locklin, a tenor, had his first Top 10 single, The Same Sweet Girl, in 1949. His first number 1 was Let Me Be the One in 1953. He also had hits with Why, Baby, Why in 1956 and a pop-country crossover song, Geisha Girl in 1946.

Send Me the Pillow You Dream On was a hit in 1958, while Please Help Me, I'm Falling went all the way to the top in 1960. The song reached number eight on the pop charts. Locklin became a member of the Grand Ole Opry in 1960. Locklin's music helped popularize The Nashville Sound as country music.

Locklin was at RCA Records for 19 years and recorded tribute discs to Eddy Arnold, Hank Williams and Roy Acuff. Locklin also later recorded for MGM Records.