Claude King

Claude King (February 5, 1923 – March 7, 2013) was an American country music singer and songwriter. He is best known for his 1962 million-selling hit, "Wolverton Mountain".

Biography King was born in Keithville in southern Caddo Parish south of Shreveport in northwestern Louisiana. At a young age, he was interested in music but also in athletics and the outdoors. He purchased a guitar at the age of 12, and although he learned to play, most of his time was devoted to sports. He received a baseball scholarship to the University of Idaho at Moscow, Idaho.

From 1942 to 1945, he served in the United States Navy during World War II.

King followed up with a song about the 1864 battle of Atlanta in the Civil War. "The Burning Of Atlanta" also reached the Top 10 on the country chart and made the pop chart. In late 1962, King recorded "I've Got the World by The Tail", which narrowly missed the country Top 10.

In 1963, King scored three country hits with "Sheepskin Valley", "Building a Bridge", and "Hey Lucille!" The hits continued in 1964 with "Sam Hill", and in 1965, he was back in the Top 10 with "Tiger Woman", co-written with Merle Kilgore. King did well that year with "Little Buddy". His smooth style continued to find favor throughout the decade, especially songs such as "Catch a Little Raindrop" and the Top-10 hit, "All for the Love of a Girl" in 1969. His singles continued to make the country charts through 1972. He left the label in 1973 after 29 hits.

In 1977, King recorded in some sessions for producer Howard A. Knight, Jr. On March 23 of that year, he recorded "No Thanks Boys", which was not released. On the 25th, he recorded again, and one of the tracks was "Cotton Dan". Other sessions that were produced by Knight were on April 26 and June 7 and 8.

Besides a career in recording and touring, King performed as an actor in several movies. Along with his great-nephew, Chris Aable, King is among the few actors who are members in both the Screen Actors Guild and the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers. King had roles in several feature films, including 1971's Swamp Girl and 1972's Year of the Yahoo!.

In 1981, Governor Frank D. White of Arkansas paid tribute to King by declaring August 7 "Wolverton Mountain Day".

On June 3, 2003, King released a CD called Cowboy in the White House, co-produced with Robin Vosbury and Tillman Franks and released by Sun Records. Elvis Presley's guitarist, James Burton, also performs on the album.

On February 11, 2007, King was inducted into the Greater Shreveport Chamber of Commerce Walk of Stars. He joined other celebrities with strong ties to the Greater Shreveport area in this honor, including Terry Bradshaw, Kix Brooks, Johnnie Cochran, Tom Jarriel, Joe Ferguson, Eddie Robinson, Hal Sutton, and David Toms, as well as his musical colleagues, James Burton, Jim Reeves, Faron Young, Jimmie Davis, Chris Aable, Elvis Presley, and Tillman Franks.

King was a part of the "Magic Circle", which was a description of the ArkLaTex area coined by his longtime friend Tillman Franks, described as: "an area 50 miles in radius from downtown Shreveport. All kinds of music evolved from this Magic Circle."

In 2011, King was named one of "Five Living Legends of Shreveport" by Danny Fox of KWKH radio.

Death King died suddenly at his home in Shreveport on March 7, 2013, at the age of 90. He was survived by his wife, the former Barbara Coco, with whom he had celebrated their 67th wedding anniversary a month prior to his death. Together, they had three sons.

Services were held on March 13, 2013, at the Centuries Funeral Home Chapel in Shreveport, with the Reverend William D. "Billy" Franks and the Reverend Tim Maloy officiating. Interment followed at Centuries Memorial Park.

Discography

Albums Year Album Chart Positions Label US Country US 1962 Meet Claude King — 80 Columbia 1965 Tiger Woman — — 1968 The Best of Claude King — — 1969 I Remember Johnny Horton 24 — 1970 Friend, Lover, Woman, Wife — — 1971 Chip 'N' Dale's Place 45 —

Singles Year Single Chart positions Album US Country US Cash Box Country US CAN Country 1961 "Big River, Big Man" 7 9 82 — Meet Claude King "The Comancheros"a 7 6 71 — 1962 "Wolverton Mountain"b 1 1 6 — "Little Bitty Heart" — 41 — — "The Burning of Atlanta" 10 9 53 — singles only 1963 "I've Got the World by the Tail" 11 11 111 — "Sheepskin Valley" 12 17 — — "Building a Bridge" 12 41 — — "Hey Lucille! /" 13 13 — — "Scarlet O'Hara" — 34 — — 1964 "That's What Makes the World Go Around" 33 28 — — "Sam Hill" 11 12 — 2 1965 "Whirlpool (Of Your Love)" 47 31 — — "Tiger Woman" 6 5 110 — Tiger Woman 1966 "Little Buddy" 17 15 — — "Catch a Little Raindrop" 13 12 — — "The Juggler" — 34 — — singles only "Little Things That Every Girl Should Know" 50 44 — — 1967 "The Watchman" 32 34 — — "Laura (What's He Got That I Ain't Got)" 50 44 — — "Yellow Haired Woman" 59 40 — — 1968 "Parchman Farm Blues" 67 — — — "The Power of Your Sweet Love" 48 — — — 1969 "Sweet Love On My Mind" 52 43 — — Friend, Lover, Woman, Wife "All for the Love of a Girl" 9 8 — — "Friend, Lover, Woman, Wife" 18 50 — 14 "House Of The Rising Sun" — — — 28 1970 "I'll Be Your Baby Tonight" 33 24 — 39 Chip 'N' Dale's Place "Mary's Vineyard" 17 23 — 13 1971 "Chip 'N' Dale's Place" 23 8 — 7 "When You're Twenty-One" 54 — — — singles only 1972 "Darlin' Raise the Shade (Let the Sun Shine In)" 57 46 — 32 "The Lady Of Our Town" — 73 — — "He Ain't Country" 48 45 — — 1977 "Cotton Dan" 94 — — — a"The Comancheros" reached number 9 on Canada's CHUM chart. b"Wolverton Mountain" peaked at number three on Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks and number one on Canada's CHUM chart.