Cecil Allen Null was an American songwriter

Songwriter

A songwriter is an individual who writes both the lyrics and music to a song. Someone who solely writes lyrics may be called a lyricist, and someone who only writes music may be called a composer...

. He began writing songs and singing publicly while serving in the Navy during World War II

World War II

World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...

. After leaving the service, he performed with various groups on radio station

Radio station

Radio broadcasting is a one-way wireless transmission over radio waves intended to reach a wide audience. Stations can be linked in radio networks to broadcast a common radio format, either in broadcast syndication or simulcast or both...

s in Bristol, Va

Bristol, Virginia

Bristol is an independent city in Virginia, United States, bounded by Washington County, Virginia, Bristol, Tennessee, and Sullivan County, Tennessee....

. He wrote the song "I Forgot More Than You'll Ever Know

I Forgot More Than You'll Ever Know

"I Forgot More Than You'll Ever Know" was a number one country music single for The Davis Sisters in 1953. The song, written by Cecil Null, was the first hit for the duo of Skeeter Davis and Betty Jack Davis and their only one as Betty Jack was killed in an automobile accident the week the record...

" which became a hit for The Davis Sisters

The Davis Sisters

The Davis Sisters was an American gospel group founded by Ruth Davis and featuring her sisters Thelma, Audrey and Alfreda. Imogene Greene joined the group in 1950, and was later replaced by Jackie Verdell when Greene left to join the Caravans....

 in 1953.

Null became an expert at playing and designing autoharps

Autoharp

The autoharp is a musical string instrument having a series of chord bars attached to dampers, which, when depressed, mute all of the strings other than those that form the desired chord. Despite its name, the autoharp is not a harp at all, but a chorded zither. -History:There is debate over the...

and ultimately served as a consultant for a manufacturer of the instrument.

Songs

• Close your eyes (and I'll be there)
• Love isn't love (until you give it away) (Cecil Null & E. C. Chance).
• Mother Maybelle, 1964.
• She's Hungry Again. Recorded by Bill Philips - 1970.