Biography of Hank Snow

Canada's greatest contribution to country music, for over forty years Hank Snow has been famous for his "travelling" songs. It's no wonder. At age twelve he ran away from his Nova Scotia home and joined the Merchant Marines, working as a cabin boy and laborer for four years. Once back on shore, he listened to Jimmie Rodgers records and started playing in public, building up a following in Halifax. His original nickname, the Yodelling Ranger, was modified to the Singing Ranger when his high voice changed to the great baritone it is today. And great his voice is -- great enough for him to record on the same label, RCA, for forty-five years. In 1950, the year he became an Opry regular, his self-penned "I'm Moving On" (the first of his many great travelling songs) became a smash hit, reaching #1 and remaining on the charts for 40 weeks. "Golden Rocket" (also 1950) and "I've Been Everywhere" (1962), two other hits, show his life-long love for trains and travel. But he was as much at home with two other styles, the ballad and the rhumba/boogie. Among his many great ballads are "Bluebird Island" (with Anita Carter, of The Carter Family), "Fool Such As I," and "Hello, Love" a hit when Snow was 60 years old. Still appearing regularly on the Opry, Snow shows that his incredible voice has suffered no loss of quality over the last half-century. And he still proves what a tasteful, understated guitar stylist he is. To show you his impact on the business, in 1963 the nation's disk jockeys voted I'm Moving On as their favorite all-time country record. With small stature and huge voice, Snow is a country traditionalist who has given much more to the business than he's taken. Hit output of over 100 albums gives a sense of his importance to country music history. ~ David Vinopal