Lefty Frizzell Bio

One of the most important country artists of the 1950's and 1960's, Lefty Frizzell recorded numerous classic hits and influenced the singing of many future stars. Willie Nelson, Randy Travis, John Anderson, Merle Haggard, Keith Whitley and George Jones are just some of the artists who credit Frizzell with helping mold their own styles. Lefty’s music embodied the new “Honky Tonk” sound developed in the 1940’s with electric guitars and sound systems allowing the singer to get away from the old mountain “shouting” of Roy Acuff or Bill Monroe. The Frizzell style was sincere, intimate and haunting even when the music was loud and upbeat. He attributed the break in his voice to his “mixed-up” Arkansas-Texas-Louisiana accent and added slurs, twists and curves to his singing. Frizzell was not only original in his sound - he was an early exponent of the flashy stage outfits of the 1950’s and the first country singer to wear rhinestones on stage.

William Orville Frizzell was born on March 31, 1928 in Corsicana, TX, son of an oil driller. The family soon moved to El Dorado, Arkansas where Lefty’s Uncle Lawrence bought the boy his first guitar from a black tenant farmer for $2. He soon learned every song of his hero and greatest influence, Jimmie Rogers. Called Sonny by his family and friends, “Lefty” picked up a new nickname after a series of schoolyard scraps. By age 12, he had a spot on an El Dorado radio station. Back in Texas by the early 1940’s, he won a talent contest in Dallas and began years of singing on the radio and countless honky tonks, barn dances and parties. In July 1950 Lefty recorded a demo of “If You’ve Got The Money Honey, I’ve Got The Time” with Jim Beck of Dallas, who pitched it to Columbia Records’ Don Law. Frizzell signed with the label at the age of 22, and hit records quickly began to pile up. Between late 1950 and mid-1951 Frizzell held the number one spot for 26 weeks having 4 songs in the top 10 at the same time, a feat unmatched to this day. In April 1951 Frizzell toured with Hank Williams...reportedly the towns blitzed by the two honky-tonk kings were never the same. Lefty said, “Hank and I did shows together. We’d flip a coin to see who would go first… Lefty also appeared at Hank’s suggestion on the Grand Ole Opry.

Late in 1952, Lefty and manager Jack Starnes had a major falling out, ending up in court. Frizzell lost most of his royalties and came away with a lasting distrust of the music business. In 1954 Lefty moved his family to California, where stardom continued through the 1950’s. He toured constantly, headlining the Hollywood Bowl in 1955 and appearing regularly on the popular local country TV show “Town Hall Party”. Lefty charted 15 top ten records between 1950 and 1954 before Rock ‘n Roll began to erode the country audience, but his recording career slowed by the end of the decade. The ghostly ballad “Long Black Veil” restored him briefly in the top 10 in 1959, and 1964’s “Saginaw Michigan” was a genuine smash; a #1 Country record nominated for a Grammy and a crossover hit on the pop chart

Lefty’s long stay with Columbia ended in 1972; he signed with ABC Records recording two albums that many regard as his masterpieces. With songs like “That’s The Way Love Goes” and “I Never Go Around Mirrors” these records were deeply felt mature statements that like many of Frizzell’s earlier hits continue to stand the test of time. His best songs always explored the conflict-and bond- between the lure of good times and the sadness that invariably follows. Lefty was inducted into the Nashville Songwriter’s Hall of Fame in 1972 and eventually to the Country Music Hall of Fame in 1982, but did not live to receive the honor. Lefty Frizzell died in Nashville of a stoke at the age of 47 and is buried just north of Nashville.

Merle Haggard has since been the most prominent promoter of Lefty’s legacy, recording a tribute single “That’s The Way It Was In ‘51”, later the title song of Haggard’s album of Frizzell and Hank Williams songs. Willie Nelson also recorded an album of Frizzell songs entitled, “To Lefty, From Willie”. Lefty Frizzell’s complete recorded legacy is available on the Bear Family boxed set LIFE’S LIKE POETRY, and several smaller anthologies are also in print keeping some of the best country singing ever recorded available to today’s listeners.