Available for freelance writing commissions on a variety of subjects including family history, nostalgic Belfast and its famous people, shops, shoppers & shopping, the golden age of Hollywood (esp westerns) and humorous pieces on life's weird and wonderful. Op-eds, columns, non-fiction book reviews too.
joecushnan@aol.com & @JoeCushnan
I have a portfolio of features, reviews, poetry and short fiction published in all sorts of places - Belfast Telegraph, Tribune, Ireland's Own, Dalhousie Review, Fairlight Books, Reader's Digest, Reality, Lapwing Poetry, Ink, Sweat & Tears, Spillwords, Dear Reader, Amethyst Review, to name a selection. Oh, and the odd BBC radio contribution.
This is a series of very, very short items that have nothing to do with the current news agenda. Swift diversions for a moment or two.
Apropos of Nothing #22 – 9 May 1914
Clarence Eugene “Hank” Snow was born on 9 May, 1914 in Brooklyn, Nova Scotia. He was a hugely successful country singer with many bestselling albums and singles to his credit. He wrote several of his hits and sang in a calm baritone voice. He wore snazzy suits too.
At home in Belfast when I was young, country music dominated our record collection and Hank Snow was in amongst it. One of my favourites was I’ve Been Everywhere Man, a toe-tapper that reeled off place names in America. I also recall one of his tear-jerkers, There’s a Little Box of Pine on the 7.29. You can guess what that was about.
But I found this nugget of information on Wikipedia:
A regular at the Grand Ole Opry, in 1954 Snow persuaded the directors to allow a young Elvis Presley to appear on stage. Snow used Presley as his opening act and introduced him to Colonel Tom Parker. In August 1955, Snow and Parker formed the management team, Hank Snow Attractions. This partnership signed a management contract with Presley but before long, Snow was out and Parker had full control over the rock singer's career. Forty years after leaving Parker, Snow stated, "I have worked with several managers over the years and have had respect for them all except one. Tom Parker [Snow refused to recognize the honorary title "Colonel"] was the most egotistical, obnoxious human being I've ever had dealings with."
Hank Snow died at 85 in Tennessee in 1999.
Sources: Wikipedia and others
No comments:
Post a Comment