Hank Snow

Hank Snow
Snow in 1970
Snow in 1970
Background information
Birth nameClarence Eugene Snow
Also known asHank, The Yodeling Ranger
Hank Snow, The Singing Ranger
Born(1914-05-09)May 9, 1914
Brooklyn, Nova Scotia, Canada
DiedDecember 20, 1999(1999-12-20) (aged 85)
Madison, Tennessee, U.S.
GenresCountry
Occupation(s)
  • Singer
  • songwriter
  • composer
  • musician
Instrument(s)Vocals, guitar
Years active1936–1996
LabelsRCA Victor

Clarence Eugene "Hank" Snow (May 9, 1914[1] – December 20, 1999)[2] was a Canadian-American country music guitarist, singer, and songwriter. Most popular in the 1950s, he was active more than 50 years. He recorded 140 albums, and charted more than 85 singles on the Billboard country charts from 1950 until 1980. His number-one hits include the self-penned songs "I'm Moving On", "The Golden Rocket", and "The Rhumba Boogie"; and covers of "I Don't Hurt Anymore", "Let Me Go, Lover!", "I've Been Everywhere", "Hello Love", as well as other top 10 hits.[3][4]

As a songwriter he wrote on a wide range of topics, including the joys of freedom and travel as well as the anguish of tortured love - often inspired by his personal experiences. His music was rooted in his beginnings in small-town Nova Scotia where he endured extreme poverty, physical and psychological abuse as well as physically punishing labour during the Great Depression. His mother provided the emotional support and encouraged him to follow his dream of becoming an entertainer like his idol, country star Jimmie Rodgers.[3][4]

Snow won a number of music awards and is a member of the Country Music Hall of Fame, the Canadian Country Music Hall of Fame and the Canadian Music Hall of Fame.[4] The Hank Snow Museum in Liverpool, Nova Scotia celebrates his life and work.[5][6]

  1. ^ Colin Larkin, ed. (1992). The Guinness Encyclopedia of Popular Music (First ed.). Guinness Publishing. p. 2315/6. ISBN 0-85112-939-0.
  2. ^ "Hank Snow Biography, Songs, & Albums". AllMusic. Archived from the original on 28 October 2021. Retrieved 11 October 2021.
  3. ^ a b Neil Strauss (21 December 1999). "Hank Snow, Country Singer is Dead at 85". New York Times. Archived from the original on March 25, 2014. Retrieved January 16, 2013.
  4. ^ a b c Cite error: The named reference HankSnow was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  5. ^ "Hank Snow Museum". Hank Snow Home Town Museum. Archived from the original on January 23, 2013. Retrieved January 16, 2013.
  6. ^ Jason Schneider. (2009) Whispering Pines: The Northern Roots of American Music from Hank Snow to The Band. Toronto: ECW Press.