Click Here to continue Songwriters >>>
For June Webb CDs detail, audio clips, and purchase options Click Here
Radio Station button links to Real Traditional Country Music streaming online
Notes: 1. Click on ANY TEXT in BLUE ... it is a link to a SONG, VIDEO, PHOTO or INFO 2. Click on each photo to enlarge unless otherwise noted 3. If a video does not load, try refreshing the page
Four Great Traditional Country Music Songwriters
Press
The 45
To Play
Today
All
Free!
Harlan dropped out of school after ninth grade … instead, he was an avid reader … which led him to start writing songs as a 12-year-old. The words and phrases in the books drove his enthusiasm.
Songs Written by Harlan Howard
Mini Bio
Typical of past eras in the United States, Harlan joined the service, in his case the Army, … he became a Paratrooper. Following completing his tour of duty, Harlan moved to LA to pursue a songwriting career. Like nearly all folks trying to get a foot into the entertainment business door, Harlan worked odd jobs to feed himself and put a roof over his head while continuing his songwriting … and trying to sell his songs.
Harlan was mainly a country music songwriter … he grew up on a farm in Michigan ... listened to the Grand Ole Opry when it was on the radio. Why? He said the words and stories of country music “grabbed my heart”. In fact, he leaned toward the sad songs … he felt they “talked about true life"
Like Cindy Walker and other greats, Harlan Howard piled up the awards ... 1973 Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame, 1997 Country Music Hall of Fame and also in ’97, the Songwriters Hall of Fame.
Ta-da, after some minor successes, Harlan got his big break … Charlie Walker recorded and released Pick Me Up On Your Way Down in 1958 … it made it to #2 on Country Charts. A year later Ray Price topped the charts with Heartaches By The Number [1959] … interestingly, some of you may remember, at the same time, Guy Mitchell topped the Pop Charts with the now classic standard. This is a good time to note, Harlan is credited with a quote often used ... “A great country song is three chords and the truth”.
Finally, in 1960, Harlan, driven by his recent success, moved to the Country Music Capital of the World, Nashville. Harlan hit Nashville by storm ... with a large catalog of songs he penned and a fresh new contract, his success was immediate ... in 1961 15 of his songs charted leading to numerous awards. Really, who can forget classics like I Fall To Pieces or She or He Called Me Baby. Here is a twist ... not considered a rhythm and blues guy, in ‘69 Harlan wrote Joe Simon's million-selling No. 1 R&B chart hit The Chokin' Kind.
09-08-1927
03-03-2002
I Fall To...
P Cline
Don't Rem...
Don't Bel...
R Van S...
C Sizemore
Buck Owens
J Dean
D Hartley
D Curless
Foresters
Yours Love
Pick Me Up
She Called
Too Many.
Life Turned
CLICK ON RECORD TO PLAY EACH SONG
Music!
