Hal Willis
Encyclopedia
Hal Willis is a Canadian
country singer, living in Nashville Tennessee USA. He was born Leonald Gauthier in Rouyn-Noranda, Quebec
on July 15, 1933. He is the youngest son of Alfred and Evelina Gauthier.
", an international hit that sold over 1.5 million copies. In 1965, it peaked at #5 on the Billboard
country charts in the USA. This success was so phenomeneous that he has been since called Mr Lumberjack.
His popularity started rising in 1956, when he and his wife, Ginger Willis, were hired by Colonel Tom Parker
to tour with the music phenomenon of the hour, Elvis Presley
. At this time Hal and Ginger were also Rock & Roll singers recording songs like My Pink Cadillac and Bop a Dee Bop a Doo. Hal and Ginger, along with Hank Snow
, were the only Canadian performers to tour with Elvis Presley
. He also performed and toured through his career with many American Country Hall of Fame's singers such as Patsy Cline
, Webb Pierce
, Loretta Lynn
, Dolly Parton
, Porter Wagoner
, Johnny Cash
and Willie Nelson
. His recent album are Coast to Coast, a Christmas album Santa's Clones
Hal and Ginger Willis were inducted into the Canadian Country Music Hall of Fame
in 2010.
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
country singer, living in Nashville Tennessee USA. He was born Leonald Gauthier in Rouyn-Noranda, Quebec
Rouyn-Noranda, Quebec
Rouyn-Noranda is a city on Osisko Lake in northwestern Quebec, Canada.The city of Rouyn-Noranda is coextensive with a territory equivalent to a regional county municipality and census division of Quebec of the same name...
on July 15, 1933. He is the youngest son of Alfred and Evelina Gauthier.
Career
His biggest success was "The LumberjackThe Lumberjack (song)
"The Lumberjack" is a single by Canadian country music artist Hal Willis. The song peaked at number 1 on the RPM Country Tracks chart. It also reached number 5 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles chart in the United States.-Chart performance:...
", an international hit that sold over 1.5 million copies. In 1965, it peaked at #5 on the Billboard
Billboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
country charts in the USA. This success was so phenomeneous that he has been since called Mr Lumberjack.
His popularity started rising in 1956, when he and his wife, Ginger Willis, were hired by Colonel Tom Parker
Colonel Tom Parker
"Colonel" Thomas Andrew "Tom" Parker born Andreas Cornelis van Kuijk, was a Dutch-born entertainment impresario known best as the manager of Elvis Presley...
to tour with the music phenomenon of the hour, Elvis Presley
Elvis Presley
Elvis Aaron Presley was one of the most popular American singers of the 20th century. A cultural icon, he is widely known by the single name Elvis. He is often referred to as the "King of Rock and Roll" or simply "the King"....
. At this time Hal and Ginger were also Rock & Roll singers recording songs like My Pink Cadillac and Bop a Dee Bop a Doo. Hal and Ginger, along with Hank Snow
Hank Snow
Clarence Eugene "Hank" Snow was a Canadian-American country music artist. He charted more than 70 singles on the Billboard country charts from 1950 until 1980...
, were the only Canadian performers to tour with Elvis Presley
Elvis Presley
Elvis Aaron Presley was one of the most popular American singers of the 20th century. A cultural icon, he is widely known by the single name Elvis. He is often referred to as the "King of Rock and Roll" or simply "the King"....
. He also performed and toured through his career with many American Country Hall of Fame's singers such as Patsy Cline
Patsy Cline
Patsy Cline , born Virginia Patterson Hensley in Gore, Virginia, was an American country music singer who enjoyed pop music crossover success during the era of the Nashville sound in the early 1960s...
, Webb Pierce
Webb Pierce
Webb Michael Pierce was one of the most popular American honky tonk vocalists of the 1950s, charting more number one hits than any other country artist during the decade. His biggest hit was "In The Jailhouse Now," which charted for 37 weeks in 1955, 21 of them at number one...
, Loretta Lynn
Loretta Lynn
Loretta Lynn is an American country music singer-songwriter, author and philanthropist. Born in Butcher Hollow, Kentucky to a coal miner father, Lynn married at 13 years old, was a mother soon after, and moved to Washington with her husband, Oliver Lynn. Their marriage was sometimes tumultuous; he...
, Dolly Parton
Dolly Parton
Dolly Rebecca Parton is an American singer-songwriter, author, multi-instrumentalist, actress and philanthropist, best known for her work in country music. Dolly Parton has appeared in movies like 9 to 5, The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas, Steel Magnolias and Straight Talk...
, Porter Wagoner
Porter Wagoner
Porter Wayne Wagoner was a popular American country music singer known for his flashy Nudie and Manuel suits and blond pompadour. He introduced the young Dolly Parton near the beginning of her career on his long-running television show, and they were a well-known duet throughout the late 1960s and...
, Johnny Cash
Johnny Cash
John R. "Johnny" Cash was an American singer-songwriter, actor, and author, who has been called one of the most influential musicians of the 20th century...
and Willie Nelson
Willie Nelson
Willie Hugh Nelson is an American country music singer-songwriter, as well as an author, poet, actor, and activist. The critical success of the album Shotgun Willie , combined with the critical and commercial success of Red Headed Stranger and Stardust , made Nelson one of the most recognized...
. His recent album are Coast to Coast, a Christmas album Santa's Clones
Hal and Ginger Willis were inducted into the Canadian Country Music Hall of Fame
Canadian Country Music Hall of Fame
The Canadian Country Music Hall of Fame, located in Merritt, British Columbia, was established in 1984 to honour Canadian country music artists, builders or broadcasters, living or deceased...
in 2010.
Singles
| Year | Title | Chart Positions | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CAN Country | US Country Hot Country Songs Hot Country Songs is a chart published weekly by Billboard magazine in the United States.This 60-position chart lists the most popular country music songs, calculated weekly mostly by airplay and occasionally commercial sales... |
US Billboard Hot 100 The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday... |
||
| 1964 | "The Lumberjack The Lumberjack (song) "The Lumberjack" is a single by Canadian country music artist Hal Willis. The song peaked at number 1 on the RPM Country Tracks chart. It also reached number 5 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles chart in the United States.-Chart performance:... " |
1 | 5 | 120 |
| 1965 | "Nopper the Topper" | 7 | — | — |
| "Klondike Mike" | 1 | — | — | |
| 1966 | "Doggin' in the US Mail" | — | 45 | — |
External links
- Hal Sings Nostalgia 101 http://lswazzo.topcities.com/showcase.html
- Hal Willis
- Hal Willis' songs with BMI Music