HMR Project: History of Music & Modern Recording

Canadian Cowboy Hank Snow

Hank Snow

Born in Nova Scotia on 9 May 1914, Canadian yodeler, Clarence Eugene Hank Snow, made his first recordings in 1936 upon a brief period in radio. He went as the Yodeling Ranger early in his career, later as the Singing Ranger. Snow had left home at the age of twelve to work on a fishing schooner. Returning home four years later, he purchased his first guitar out of an Eaton catalogue for thirteen dollars. His first professional gig was in 1933 for CHNS radio in Nova Scotia, a Saturday radio program that he performed for free, but which led to further gigs in clubs and theatres.

Praguefrank's has Snow holding his initial sessions in Montreal, Quebec, on October 29, 1936, for 'Prisoned Cowboy' / 'Lonely Blue Yodel' (Bluebird 4614). Hithistory and Rocky52 have those released in 1937. Johnny Beaudoin, his major partner on steel throughout his career in Canada to 1947, collaborated with him on his second session on November 6, 1937, for 'Blue For Old Hawaii' (Bluebird 4645), 'We Met Down In The Hills Of Wyoming' (Bluebird 4637) and 'My San Antonio Mama' (Bluebird 4640) released in 1938.

'Prisoned Cowboy' Solo by Hank Snow

10 Oct 1936 at the church at 1001 Lenoir Street in Montreal, Quebec

Matrix 8132-1 Bluebird B-4614

Composition: Hank Snow

'Lonesome Blue Yodel' Solo by Hank Snow

10 Oct 1936 at the church at 1001 Lenoir Street in Montreal, Quebec

Matrix 8133-1 Bluebird B-4614

Composition: Hank Snow

'I'll Ride Back to Lonesome Valley' Hank Snow

5 Feb 1939 at the Victor Recording Studio at 1050 Lacasse Street in Montreal, Quebec

Matrix 8471 Bluebird B-4661

Steel guitar: Johnny Beaudoin

Composition: Hank Snow

'My Sweet Texas Blue Bonnet Queen' Hank Snow

5 Feb 1939 at the Victor Recording Studio at 1050 Lacasse Street in Montreal, Quebec

Matrix 9287 RCA Victor 52-3234

Steel guitar: Johnny Beaudoin Bsss: Teddy Miller

Composition: Hank Snow

'Brand On My Heart' Hank Snow

17 Dec 1945 at the Victor Recording Studio at 1050 Lacasse Street in Montreal, Quebec

Matrix 9291 Bluebird B-4661

Steel guitar: Johnny Beaudoin Bsss: Teddy Miller

Composition: Hank Snow

Snow forayed into the United States severally before moving to Nashville in 1949. Bearfamily has promoter, Jack Howard, arranging gigs for Snow in Philadelphia in 1944, also hooking him up with the first of multiple performances at the WWVA Jamboree. Charles Wolfe's 'Classic Country: Legends of Country Music' ('01) has Snow performing in Hollywood in 1946 with his trick pony, Shawnee.

Snow's last session in Canada was in Montreal on December 2, 1947, for a string of titles including such as 'Within This Broken Heart of Mine' / 'Night I Stole Old Sammy Morgan's Gin' (Bluebird 3244) and 'Somewhere Along Life's Highway' / 'I Knew We'd Met Again' (Bluebird 3243).

'The Night I Stole Old Sammy Morgan's Gin' Hank Snow

From final session in Canada before moving to Nashville

2 Dec 1947 at the Victor Recording Studio at 1050 Lacasse Street in Montreal, Quebec

RCA Victor 55-3244

Steel guitar: Johnny Beaudoin Bsss: Teddy Miller

Composition: Hank Snow

Snow was in Dallas in 1948 with KRLD's 'Big D Jamboree', also performing at the Silver Spur, when he met Ernest Tubb, that leading to Snow's move to Nashville in 1949 and his first performance at the Grand Ole Opry on January 7, 1950. Snow would perform at the Opry for above four decades, starting at $75 week.

Snow's first recording sessions in the States were with his new organization, the Rainbow Ranch Boys, on March 8, 1949, in Chicago to result in such as 'Marriage Vow' / 'Star Spangled Waltz' (RCA Victor 21-0062). The former lassoed Billboard's #10 spot, launching a prominent presence in country music into and throughout the sixties. His next three Top Ten titles peaked at #1: 'I'm Moving On' (1950), 'The Golden Rocket' (1951) and 'The Rhumba Boogie' (1951). "I Don't Hurt Anymore' saw #1 in 1954 followed by 'Let Me Go, Lover!' the next year. Come 'I've Been Everywhere' at #1 in 1962. Snow roped his last #1 title, also his last Top Ten, in 1974 per 'Hello Love'.

'My Filipino Rose' Hank Snow

From first session in the United States

8 March 1949 at 445 N. Lake Shore Drive in Chicago

RCA Victor 21-0101

Steel guitar: Johnny Beaudoin Bsss: Teddy Miller

Composition: Hank Snow

'The Law of Love' Hank Snow

From first session in the United States

8 March 1949 at 445 N. Lake Shore Drive in Chicago

Matrix 9538 RCA Victor 21-0101

Steel guitar: Johnny Beaudoin Bsss: Teddy Miller

Composition: Fred Williams

Among the more highly regarded compilations of Snow is the 'Thesaurus Transcriptions' of 1988 which document 140 titles recorded on radio from 1950 to 1956. Discogs has Snow releasing an album of three 45 RPMs titled 'Favorites' in 1950, also issued individually. Numerous shellac EPs followed to his first LPs in 1952, 'Country Classics' and 'Hank Snow Sings'. Of the above 40 albums which Wikipedia has Snow leading, both 'Railroad Man' in 1963 and 'Hello Love' in 1974 reached Country's Top Ten.

'Brand On My Heart' Hank Snow

Thesaurus Transcription No.8 of sometime 1950

See 'The Thesaurus Transcriptions' issued in a box set of 5 CDs in 1988

Composition: Hank Snow

Bear Family Discogs Hank Snow Thom Jurek

'I'm Movin' On' Hank Snow

26 March 1950 at Brown Radio Productions at 240 1/2 4th Ave. North in Nashville

RCA Victor 48-0328

Fiddle: Tommy Waden Steel guitar: Joseph Talbot III Bass: Ernie Newton

Composition: Hank Snow

See 'Country Classics: Hank Snow (The Singing Ranger)' issued on RCA Victor EPB 3026 in 1952:

Discogs

'I've Been Everywhere' Hank Snow

7-10 PM of 27 June 1962 at the RCA Victor Studio at 1611 Hawkins Street in Nashville

Matrix N2-WW-0780 RCA Victor 47-8072

Guitar: Snow / Harold Bradley / Velma Smith / Howard White

Fiddle: Chubby Wise Vibes: Marvin Hughes Piano: Hargus Robbins

Bass: Junior Huskey Drums: William Ackerman Glaser Brothers

Composition: Geoff Mack / Michael J. Faubion

'My Mother' Hank Snow Television Venue unknown Sometime 1965

Composition: Hank Snow

'I'm Movin' On' Hank Snow Television Venue unknown Sometime 1967

Composition: Hank Snow

'I've Done At least One Thing That Was Good In My Life' Hank Snow Television

'Marty Robbins Spotlight Show' sometime 1977

Composition: ?

Snow's career was good for more than eighty million albums sold. He also collaborated on albums with Anita Carter, Chet Atkins and Jimmy Snow (son), Kelly Foxton. Praguefrank's uncovers Snow to as late as September of 1984 in Spicewood, Texas, for tracks with Willie Nelson that would see release on 'Brand on My Heart' (Columbia PC 39977) in 1985.