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Clarence Albert
Poindexter, country and western singer known as Al
Dexter, was born in Jacksonville, Texas, in 1902.
While working as a house painter, Dexter began
performing in local bars and clubs. In the early
1930s he collected a band to perform in the
outskirts of Longview, Texas.
Dexter signed a
recording contract with American Recording
Corporation in 1936. Dexter’s “Honky Tonk Blues,”
which he wrote with his writing partner James B.
Paris, was the first country song to use the term.
In the late 1930s Dexter owned a honky tonk
himself, called the Roundup Club in Turnertown,
Texas.
Through his
experiences there and in other roadhouses, Dexter
developed the idea for his future hit, “Pistol
Packin’ Mama.” Art Satherley, Dexter’s producer,
helped him by arranging a recording session with
Gene Autry’s backup band, for which Dexter had
expressed admiration. Dexter recorded “Pistol
Packin’ Mama” and “Rosalita” with them at
Columbia’s Hollywood studios. The record was
released in 1943 and in its first six months sold
one million copies.
The song
“Pistol Packin’ Mama,” a controversial number due
to its lyrics, remained at Number One on Billboard
Magazine’s best sellers chart for eight weeks. In
1944, when Billboard started its “Most Played Juke
Box Folk Records” chart for country music, “Pistol
Packin’ Mama” was still at the top. “Rosalita”
also enjoyed a week at Number One, and Dexter
received such
widespread recognition that he launched
national tours.
From 1944
through 1948 Dexter recorded other country hits,
including “Too Late to Worry,” “Wine, Women and
Song,” and “Calico Rag.” The popularity of his
honky tonk sound decreased over time. He recorded
other songs with King, Decca, and Capitol but
never had another hit.
In 1971 Dexter
was inducted into the Nashville Songwriter’s Hall
of Fame. He had invested in savings and loan,
motel, and real estate businesses in Texas and
died a wealthy man. On January 28, 1984, Dexter
died from a heart attack in his home on Lake
Lewisville in Lewisville, Texas.
Jill S. Seeber
Handbook of Texas Online
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