Rhinestone Nudie suits, silver dollar Cadillacs and guitar shaped swimming pools might be some of the things that come to mind when you think of Webb Pierce but if you’ve never listened to his music or let yourself drift away with the high lonesome sounds of the “Wondering Boy,” then you don’t really know Webb Pierce.

Born Webb Michael Pierce in West Monroe, Louisiana, on August 8, 1927, Webb grew up on the music of Jimmie Rodgers, Gene Autry, the western swing bands of Texas and Oklahoma and the raw Cajun sounds so common around his hometown.

Throughout his long and illustrious career, one that extended into 1982, Webb Pierce charted 96 singles, 54 Top Ten songs and 13 No.1 singles. In 1955, three of his tunes topped the charts for an unprecedented 46 weeks, almost the entire year. Using a point scale that takes into account both chart positions and longevity, Joel Whitburn ranks Webb Pierce as the No.1 artist of the 50’s, leagues ahead of Jim Reeves (No.14) Eddy Arnold (No.2) Hank Williams (No.6) and Lefty Frizzell (No.16). It is estimated that his record sales to date total over 65 million copies and his influence can still be felt throughout the world at every age level and in every musical genre.

Webb Pierce died of cancer on February 24, 1991. He was finally inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame on October 5th, 2001.

Webb Pierce Website