Snow, Hank (1914-1999), was a Canadian-born American country music singer, guitarist, and composer. He played a key role in making country music internationally popular. Snow recorded more than 80 albums and sold more than 70 million records. Many performers recorded his songs. Snow had one of the longest careers in country music, performing from the 1930’s until the late 1990’s.
Snow was born on May 9, 1914, in Brooklyn, Queens County, Nova Scotia. His real name was Clarence Eugene Snow. He ran away from home at age 12 and became a cabin boy aboard a fishing boat. Snow learned to play guitar while in his teens. In 1933, he began performing on his own radio show in Halifax, Nova Scotia. Snow became popular in Canada. He toured, recorded, and performed on radio as “Hank, the Yodeling Ranger” and “The Singing Ranger.” Snow gradually gained success in the United States in the 1940’s. Snow’s American debut single, “Marriage Vow,” became a minor hit in 1949. In 1950, Snow made his first appearance on the popular “Grand Ole Opry” radio program. Later that year, “I’m Movin’ On,” written and recorded by Snow, became a number-one country hit. Snow moved to Nashville about this time. Nashville is the center of the country music industry.
Snow also wrote and recorded the number-one hits “Golden Rocket” (1950) and “Rhumba Boogie” (1951). Snow recorded, but did not write, the number-one hits “I Don’t Hurt Anymore” (1954), “Let Me Go, Lover” (1954), “I’ve Been Everywhere” (1962), and “Hello Love” (1974).
In 1958, Snow became a citizen of the United States. He was elected to the Country Music Hall of Fame in 1979. He wrote the autobiography The Hank Snow Story (1994). Snow died on Dec. 20, 1999.
