Moon Mullican was born Aubrey Mullican on March 29, 1909 in Corrigan, Polk County, Texas and he died on January 1, 1967 in Beaumont, Texas. Mullican was raised on a farm that was manned by black workers. One sharecropper, Joe Jones, taught Mullican how to play blues guitar. His father bought an old pump organ so that the family could practice hymn-singing, but Aubrey preferred to pound out boogie-woogie and the blues. When Mullican was 14 years old, he went into a cafe in nearby Lufkin and sat at the piano, he came out two hours later with $40 in tips. When aged 16, and after an argument with his father, he moved to Houston and started playing the piano in brothels and honky tonks. He would work all night and sleep all day, hence his nickname “Moon.”

In the late 30s Mullican made his first recordings for Decca Records as part of Cliff Bruner’s Texas Wanderers, taking the lead vocal for “Truck Driver Blues,” arguably the first trucking song. He also recorded as part of Leon Selph’s Blue Ridge Playboys. He helped musician Jimmie Davis became the State Governor of Louisiana and later joined his staff. In 1944 he invested his savings in 10 large jukeboxes, but they were confiscated by the authorities, because he refused to pay the appropriate tax. In 1946 he was signed by Sid Nathan to the new King label and “New Pretty Blonde,” a parody in pigeon French of “Jole Blon,” became a million-seller. He won another gold disc with “I’ll Sail My Ship Alone,” and also found success with a tribute to mothers, “Sweeter Than The Flowers,” the double-sided “Mona Lisa” / “Goodnight Irene” and “Cherokee Boogie,” which was one of a succession of boogie records.

In 1962, the 19-stone Mullican collapsed on stage in Kansas City. He stopped drinking and returned to performing, making an album for Kapp, The Moon Mullican Showcase, produced by Jack Clement. He recorded the novelty number “I Ain’t No Beatle (But I Want To Hold Your Hand)” for Spar. On New Year’s Eve 1966, he resolved to cut down on pork chops but died the following day. Governor Jimmie Davis sang at his funeral.

Colin Larkin
The Virgin Encyclopedia of Country Music

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