Claude King
A country storyteller who turned a folk tale about a backwoods hermit into a chart-topping, era-defining crossover hit.
1923–2013 (age 90)·American country music singer-songwriter·Birthday: February 5·The Greatest Generation
Biography
Claude King carved his path in country music with a voice that was warm, authoritative, and perfect for narrative songs. Born in Louisiana, he initially aimed for a baseball career before a shoulder injury redirected him towards music. After serving in the Pacific during World War II, he landed in Shreveport, Louisiana, and became a regular on the Louisiana Hayride, a famed radio show that rivaled Nashville's Grand Ole Opry. His breakthrough was seismic. In 1962, 'Wolverton Mountain,' a song co-written with Merle Kilgore based on the legend of a real-life Arkansas recluse, Clifton Clowers, captured the national imagination. It climbed to No. 1 on the country charts and crossed over to the pop Top 10, selling over a million copies. King followed it with a string of story-songs like 'The Comancheros' and 'Big River, Big Man,' but 'Wolverton Mountain' remained his signature, a slice of American folklore set to a catchy, galloping rhythm.
The Greatest Generation
1901–1927
Grew up during the Depression, fought World War II, and built the postwar economic boom. Defined by shared sacrifice, institutional trust, and a belief that hard work and loyalty would be rewarded.
Claude was born in 1923, placing them squarely in The Greatest Generation. The events that shaped this generation — world wars, depression, and rapid industrialization — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Claude Was Born
The biggest hits of 1923
#1 Movie
The Covered Wagon
Claude's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1923Born
The Great Kanto earthquake devastates Tokyo
President: Calvin Coolidge"Yes! We Have No Bananas" — Billy Jones
1928Started school
Alexander Fleming discovers penicillin; Mickey Mouse debuts
President: Calvin Coolidge"Ol' Man River" — Paul WhitemanBest Picture: Wings
1936Became a teenager
Jesse Owens wins four golds at the Berlin Olympics
Gas: $0.19/galPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"The Way You Look Tonight" — Fred AstaireBest Picture: The Great Ziegfeld
1939Could drive
World War II begins; The Wizard of Oz premieres
Gas: $0.19/galMin wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Over the Rainbow" — Judy GarlandBest Picture: Gone with the Wind
1941Could vote
Pearl Harbor attack brings the US into WWII
Gas: $0.19/galHome: $3,060Min wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Chattanooga Choo Choo" — Glenn MillerBest Picture: How Green Was My Valley
1944Turned 21
D-Day: Allied forces land at Normandy
Gas: $0.21/galHome: $3,400Min wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Swinging on a Star" — Bing CrosbyBest Picture: Going My Way
1953Turned 30
DNA structure discovered by Watson and Crick
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $8,750Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Song from Moulin Rouge" — Percy FaithBest Picture: From Here to Eternity
1963Turned 40
JFK assassinated in Dallas; Martin Luther King's 'I Have a Dream' speech
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $13,100Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"Sugar Shack" — Jimmy Gilmer & The FireballsBest Picture: Tom Jones
1973Turned 50
US withdraws from Vietnam; Roe v. Wade decided
Gas: $0.39/galHome: $22,100Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Tie a Yellow Ribbon Round the Ole Oak Tree" — Tony Orlando & DawnBest Picture: The Sting
1983Turned 60
Internet adopts TCP/IP, creating the modern internet
Gas: $1.16/galHome: $57,700Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Every Breath You Take" — The PoliceBest Picture: Terms of Endearment
1993Turned 70
European Union officially established
Gas: $1.11/galHome: $86,600Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"I Will Always Love You" — Whitney HoustonBest Picture: Schindler's List
2003Turned 80
US invades Iraq; Human Genome Project completed
Gas: $1.59/galHome: $146,000Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"In Da Club" — 50 CentBest Picture: The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
2013Died at 90
Edward Snowden reveals NSA surveillance programs
Gas: $3.53/galHome: $152,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Thrift Shop" — Macklemore & Ryan LewisBest Picture: 12 Years a Slave
Key Achievements
- Scored a million-selling No. 1 country hit with 'Wolverton Mountain' in 1962, which also reached the Top 10 on the Billboard Hot 100.
- Was a longtime featured performer on the influential 'Louisiana Hayride' radio and stage show.
- Had a successful career as a songwriter, penning hits for himself and other artists in the country genre.
- Maintained a consistent recording and touring career for decades following his initial breakthrough.
Did You Know?
He was a skilled outdoorsman and hosted his own television fishing show called 'The Claude King Outdoors Show.'
Before music, he was a semi-professional baseball player in the St. Louis Cardinals' farm system.
The character in 'Wolverton Mountain' was based on Clifton Clowers, a real man who lived on the mountain and was known for guarding his daughters.
“That old river's been here a long time, and it's seen a lot of things like you and me.”
