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| birth_date = {{Birth date|1923|01|20}}
| birth_date = {{Birth date|1923|01|20}}
| birth_place = [[Tampa, Florida]], U.S.
| birth_place = [[Tampa, Florida]], U.S.
| death_date = {{Death date and age|2013|05|19|1923|01|20}}
| death_date = {{Death date and age|2013|06|19|1923|01|20}}
| death_place = [[Orange Park, Florida]], U.S.
| death_place = [[Orange Park, Florida]], U.S.
| instrument = [[Acoustic guitar]], vocals
| instrument = [[Acoustic guitar]], vocals

Revision as of 00:54, 20 June 2013

Slim Whitman
1968 publicity photo of Slim Whitman
1968 publicity photo of Slim Whitman
Background information
Birth nameOttis Dewey Whitman, Jr.
Also known asO. D. Whitman,
Slim Whitman
Born(1923-01-20)January 20, 1923
Tampa, Florida, U.S.
DiedJune 19, 2013(2013-06-19) (aged 90)
Orange Park, Florida, U.S.
GenresCountry and Western music, folk music
Occupation(s)Singer-songwriter, musician
Instrument(s)Acoustic guitar, vocals
Years active1948–2013
LabelsRCA Records
Imperial Records
United Artists Records
Epic Records
Suffolk Records

Ottis Dewey Whitman, Jr. (January 20, 1923 – June 19, 2013),[1] known professionally as Slim Whitman, was an American country music and western music singer/songwriter and instrumentalist known for his yodeling abilities and his smooth high octave falsetto. He sold in excess of 120 million records.

He was consistently more popular throughout Europe, and in particular Britain, than in his native America, especially with his covers of pop standards, movie songs, love songs, folk tunes and gospel melodic hymns. His 1955 hit single "Rose Marie" held the Guinness World Record for the longest time at number 1 on the UK Singles Chart until Bryan Adams broke the record in 1991 after 36 years. In the US his "Indian Love Call" (1952) and "Secret Love" (1953) both reached number 2 on the Billboard country chart. Whitman had a string of hits from the mid-1960s and into the 1970s and became known to a new generation of fans through television direct marketing in the 1980s. Throughout the 1990s and into the 21st century, he continued to tour extensively around the world and release new material, and he was featured on the soundtrack of the 1996 film Mars Attacks!. His last album, Twilight on the Trail, was released in 2010.

Biography

Whitman was born in Tampa, Florida, as Ottis Dewey Whitman, Jr. on January 20, 1923.[2][3][4] Growing up, he liked the country music of Jimmie Rodgers and songs of Gene Autry, but he did not embark on a musical career of his own until the end of World War II, after he had served in the South Pacific with the United States Navy.

Whitman, a self-taught left-handed guitarist, was right-handed, but he had lost almost all of the second finger on his left hand in an accident. He worked at a Tampa shipyard while developing a musical career, eventually performing with a band known as the Variety Rhythm Boys. Whitman's first big break came when talent manager "Colonel" Thomas Parker heard him singing on the radio and offered to represent him. Signed with RCA Records, he was billed as "the cowboy singer Slim Whitman" and released his first single in 1948. He toured and sang at a variety of venues, including on the radio show Louisiana Hayride.

At first, he was not able to make a living from music and kept a part-time job. That changed in the early 1950s after he recorded a version of the Bob Nolan hit Love Song of the Waterfall, which made it into the country music top 10. His next single, "Indian Love Call," was even more successful, reaching number 2.

A yodeller, Whitman avoided the "down on yer luck buried in booze" songs, preferring instead to sing laid-back romantic melodies about simple life and love. Critics dubbed his style "countrypolitan," owing to its fusion of country music and a more sophisticated crooning vocal style. Although he recorded many western tunes, love and romance songs figured prominently in his repertoire.

In 1955 in the United Kingdom, he had a No.1 hit on the pop music charts with "Rose Marie." With 11 weeks at the top of the UK Singles Chart, the song set a record that lasted for 36 years. Soon after, Whitman was invited to join the Grand Ole Opry, and in 1957, along with other musical stars, he appeared in the film musical Jamboree. Despite this exposure, he never achieved the level of stardom in the United States that he did in Britain, where he had a number of other hits during the 1950s and 1960s. Throughout the early 1970s, he continued to record and was a guest on Wolfman Jack's television show The Midnight Special. At the time, Whitman's recording efforts were yielding only minor hits.

In 1979, Whitman produced a TV commercial to support Suffolk Marketing's release of a greatest hits compilation titled All My Best, which went on to be the best-selling TV-marketed record in music history, with almost 1.5 million units sold. Just For You (also under the Suffolk umbrella), followed in 1980, with a commercial that claimed Whitman "was number one in England longer than Elvis and The Beatles." The Best followed in 1982, with Whitman concluding his TV marketing with Best Loved Favorites in 1989 and 20 Precious Memories in 1991.

The TV albums made Whitman (briefly) a household name in America for the first time in his career, resulting in everything from a first-time appearance on The Tonight Show starring Johnny Carson to Whitman being spoofed in a comic skit on SCTV with him (played by Joe Flaherty) starring in the Che-like male lead in an Evita-like Broadway musical on the life of Indira Gandhi. More importantly, the TV albums gave him a brief resurgence in mainstream country music with new album releases on major labels and a few new singles making the country chart. During this time he toured Europe and Australia with moderate success.

In late January 2008, a false rumour of his death spread through the Internet, believed to have been started by an erroneous report posted on the Web site of the Nashville Tennessean newspaper.[5] Country singer George Hamilton IV even dedicated and sang a hymn in Whitman's honor at a concert appearance.[citation needed]

In 2010, Whitman released the album, Twilight on the Trail, his first new studio LP in 26 years.

After 1957 Whitman lived at Woodpecker Paradise, in Middleburg, Florida, a city located south of Orange Park, Florida in Clay County.[6][7]

Personal life

Whitman's wife of 67 years, Alma "Jerry" Crist Whitman, was a songwriter and embroiderer as well as the daughter of a church minister. She died in 2009 as a result from complications arising from kidney failure. They had a daughter Sharon, and a son Byron K. Whitman, who is also a performer and who toured and recorded with Whitman on numerous occasions.[8]

Slim Whitman died of heart failure[9] on June 19, 2013 surrounded by family at Orange Park Medical Center in Orange Park, Florida. He was 90.[1][10]

Legacy

Narcissus ('Slim Whitman' cultivar), Real Jardín Botánico de Madrid

For his contribution to the recording industry, Slim Whitman was given the accolade of a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 1709 Vine Street. He was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum's Walkway of Stars in 1968.

The late pop singer Michael Jackson cited Whitman as one of his ten favorite vocalists.[11] Beatle George Harrison cited Whitman as an early influence: "The first person I ever saw playing a guitar was Slim Whitman, either a photo of him in a magazine or live on television. Guitars were definitely coming in."[12] Paul McCartney credited a poster of Whitman with giving him the idea of playing his guitar left-handed with his guitar strung the opposite way to a right-handed player's.[13][14]

Discography

Albums

Year Album Chart Positions Label
US Country US UK[15]
1954 America's Favorite Folk Artist Imperial
Favorites
1957 Slim Whitman Sings
1959 My Best to You
Country Favorites
1960 I'll Walk with God
Songs of the Old Waterwheel
1961 I'll Never Stop Loving You
Just Call Me Lonesome
Cool Water
Annie Laurie
1962 Forever
Sings
Heart Songs / Love Song
I'm a Lonely Wanderer
1963 Yodeling Country Songs/City Hits
Irish Songs
1964 All Time Favorites
1965 Love Song of the Waterfall 20
Reminiscing
1966 More Than Yesterday
(More Country Songs & City Hits) 		28
God's Hand in Mine
Travelin' Man
A Time for Love
1967 15th Anniversary Album 25
Country Memories 42
1968 In Love the Whitman Way 16
Happy Street 34
1969 Slim
Christmas Album
1970 Tomorrow Never Comes United Artists
1971 Guess Who 31
It's a Sin to Tell a Lie 23
1972 The Best of Slim Whitman
1973 I'll See You When
25th Anniversary Concert
1974 Happy Anniversary
1976 Everything Leads Back to You 42
1977 Red River Valley 1
Home On the Range 2
1980 Songs I Love to SingA 25 175 Cleveland Int'l.
Christmas with Slim Whitman 47 184
1981 Mr. Songman
I'll Be Home for Christmas
1984 Angeline
1988 Magic Moments
1989 Best Loved Favorites
1991 20 Precious Memories
1998 The Legendary Slim Whitman – Traditional Country
2010 Twilight on the trail
  • ASongs I Love to Sing also peaked at No. 24 on the RPM Country Albums chart in Canada.

Singles

Year Single Chart Positions Album
US Country US UK[15] CAN Country
1952 Love Song of the Waterfall 10 America's Favorite Folk Artist
"Bandera Waltz"
"In a Hundred Years or More" single only
"Indian Love Call" 2 9 7 Favorites
"Amateur in Love"
"Keep It a Secret" 3
"My Heart Is Broken in Three" 10 America's Favorite Folk Artist
1953 "All That I'm Asking Is Sympathy" Slim Whitman Sings
"Song of the Old Waterwheel" America's Favorite Folk Artist
"Danny Boy" singles only
"North Wind" 8
"Lord Help Me Be as Thou"
1954 "Secret Love" 2 Favorites
"Rose Marie" 4 1
"Beautiful Dreamer"
"Singing Hills" 4 single only
1955 "The Cattle Call" 11 Favorites
"Roll On Silvery Moon" Slim Whitman Sings
"I'll Never Stop Loving You" singles only
"Song of the Wild"
1956 "Tumbling Tumbleweeds" 19 Slim Whitman Sings
"I'm a Fool" 16
"Whiffenpoof Song" singles only
"Smoke Signals"
1957 "Careless Love"
"I'll Take You Home Again, Kathleen" 93 7 Slim Whitman Sings
"Unchain My Heart" Country Favorites
1958 "Careless Hands" My Best to You
"Candy Kisses"
"Put Your Trust in Me"
"At the End of Nowhere"
1959 "I Never See Maggie Alone"
"Tree in the Meadow"
"Fool Such as I"
"Roll River Roll" Cool Water
1960 "I'll Walk with God" I'll Walk with God
"Wind" Cool Water
"Ramona" Just Call Me Lonesome
1961 "Just Call Me Lonesome"
"The Bells That Broke My Heart" 30
"Once in a Lifetime" Cool Water
"Old Spinning Wheel" Annie Laurie
"It Sure Looks Lonesome Outside"
1962 "Annie Laurie"
"Backward Turn Backward" I'm a Lonely Wanderer
"Blues Stay Away from Me" Heart Songs / Love Song
"Wayward Wind" Sings
1963 "Love Letters in the Sand"
"So Long Mary" All Time Favorites
"Broken Down Merry-Go-Round"
"My Wild Irish Rose" Irish Songs
"Maria Lena" single only
1964 "Tell Me Pretty Words" 48 All Time Favorites
"I'll Hold You in My Heart" Country Songs, City Hits
"Virginia" Love Song of the Waterfall
1965 "Reminiscing"A Reminiscing
"More Than Yesterday" 8 More Than Yesterday
(More Country Songs & City Hits)
1966 "The Twelfth of Never" 17
"I Remember You" 49 134 Travelin' Man
"One Dream" 54 A Time for Love
1967 "What's This World A-Comin' To" 56
"I'm a Fool" 61 15th Anniversary Album
"The Keeper of the Key" 65 Country Memories
1968 "Rainbows Are Back in Style" 17 6 In Love the Whitman Way
"Happy Street" 22 10 Happy Street
"Livin' On Lovin' (And Lovin' Livin' with You)" 43
1969 "My Happiness" 43
"Irresistible" 61 Slim
1970 "Tomorrow Never Comes" 27 Tomorrow Never Comes
"Shutters and Boards" 26
1971 "Guess Who" 7 121 5 Guess Who
"Something Beautiful (To Remember)" 6 23 It's a Sin to Tell a Lie
"It's a Sin to Tell a Lie" 21
1972 "Loveliest Night of the Year" 56
"Little Drops of Silver" single only
"(It's No) Sin" 51 The Best of Slim Whitman
1973 "Hold Me" 73 I'll See You When
"Where the Lilacs Grow" 88
1974 "It's All in the Game" 82 Happy Anniversary
"Happy Anniversary" 14
1975 "Foolish Question" I'll See You When
"Everything Leads Back to You" Everything Leads Back to You
"Mexicali Rose"
1977 "Red River Valley" Red River Valley
1980 "When" 15 17 Songs I Love to Sing
"That Silver-Haired Daddy of Mine" 69
1981 "I Remember You" (re-recording) 44
"Can't Help Falling in Love with You" 54 Mr. Songman
"If I Had My Life to Live Over"
1982 "My Melody of Love"
1984 "Cry Baby Heart" Angeline
  • A"Reminiscing" peaked at No. 4 on the RPM Adult Contemporary Tracks chart in Canada.

B Sides

Year Song Peak positions A-Side
UK[15]
1955 "China Doll" 15 "Rose Marie"

Soundtracks

Filmography

  • The Midnight Special TV (January 23, 1981)
  • The Midnight Special TV (August 19, 1972)
  • Jamboree (1957)
  • Stir Crazy (1980, vocal)

References

  1. ^ a b "Country singer Slim Whitman, 90, dies overnight". First Coast News. Retrieved June 19, 2013.
  2. ^ [http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/2013/jun/19/slim-whitman-dies-89 Tony Russell, Slim Whitman obituary, The Guardian, 19 June 1923
  3. ^ [http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/06/19/slim-whitman-dead_n_3465762.html Terry Spencer, Slim Whitman Dead: Country Singer Dies At Age 90, Huffington Post, 19 June 2013
  4. ^ First Coast News, Slim Whitman: A Living Legend on the First Coast. May 28, 2008
  5. ^ Treen, Dana (January 24, 2008). "Singer says rumors that he is dead aren't true". The Florida Times-Union. Jacksonville.
  6. ^ "Woodpecker Paradise".
  7. ^ Times, The. "''The Florida Times-Union'', via Jacksonville.com: Many of the area's music landmarks no longer exist (1998-07-05)". Jacksonville.com. Retrieved August 17, 2012.
  8. ^ "Wife of Slim Whitman dies at 84". jacksonville.com.
  9. ^ Spencer, Terry (June 19, 2013). Slim Whitman Dead: Country Singer Dies At Age 90. The Huffington Post. Retrieved June 19, 2013.
  10. ^ Bortzfield, Bill (June 19, 2013). Local country star Slim Whitman has died. The Florida Times Union. Retrieved June 19, 2013.
  11. ^ Marsh, Dave; Bernard, James (1994). The New Book of Rock Lists. New York: Simon & Schuster. p. 362.
  12. ^ Harrison, George (2000). The Beatles Anthology. New York: Chronicle Books. p. 28.
  13. ^ Miles 1997, p. 21.
  14. ^ Larkin, Colin (1993). The Guinness Who's Who Of Country Music: Slim Whitman entry. Guinness Publishing. ISBN 0-85112-726-6
  15. ^ a b c Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 600. ISBN 1-904994-10-5.
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