- He eventually went to Houston, where he hosted his own radio show. After his first broadcast of "Send Me the Pillow You Dream On", the station was deluged with about 200 pillows sent in by fans.
- He was one of the "4 Hanks" of country music. The other three were Hank Williams, Hank Thompson, and Hank Snow.
- Country singer. Performed at Nashville's Grand Ole Opry for 47 years.
- As a youth, he sang in church, where his mother played the piano. He learned to play the guitar, and won several amateur contests.
- As a teenager, he was a featured performer on a Pensacola radio station. He left high school to become a traveling musician. To supplement his income, he worked on farms and at shipyards.
- His career took off when he signed with RCA in 1955. Roy Acuff and Ernest Tubb were his main influences. His 1960 hit, "Please Help Me, I'm Falling" spent 36 weeks on the Billboard country charts, including 14 weeks at number one. It was also number 8 on the pop charts.
- His other hit songs include "Let Me Be the One", "It's a Little More Like Heaven", "Happy Birthday to Me", and "Country Hall of Fame".
- At the time of his death, he was the oldest member of the Grand Ole Opry.
- He was one of the first US country singers to tour overseas. He particularly helped popularize the genre in Ireland.
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