Cliffie Stone
Encyclopedia
Cliffie Stone born Clifford Gilpin Snyder, was an American country
singer, musician, record producer
, music publisher, and radio and TV personality who was pivotal in the development of California’s thriving country music
scene after World War II during a career that lasted six decades. He was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 1989.
, Stone's father was country musician Herman the Hermit. The family moved to Burbank
, and early in his life, he played bass in the big band
s of Freddie Slack
and Anson Weeks
in Southern California, as well as working at local radio stations KXLA, KFVD
and KFWB. Starting in 1935, Stone appeared on the Los Angeles
-based radio shows Covered Wagon Jubilee, Hollywood Barn Dance, Dinner Bell Roundup, and Lucky Stars, singing as well as performing comedy routines and acting as host and DJ
in the mid-1940s. In 1939, he married his first wife, Dorothy, and they had four children.
Stone began working at Capitol Records
in 1946, and became an A&R
man there; among the talents he discovered were Tennessee Ernie Ford
(for whom he acted as manager from 1947 to 1957), Molly Bee
, and Hank Thompson. He was instrumental in helping various young musicians get their start in television, such as guitarist Zane Ashton (aka Bill Aken) who would also write songs for Stone's Central Songs publishing firm. His Hometown Jamboree
premiered as a weekly TV broadcast in December 1949 over KCOP-TV in Pasadena; in 1953 it moved to KTLA-TV, where it ran until its cancellation in 1959.
Stone's career at Capitol was successful, but he was ultimately better known for his successes in radio. He recorded six albums with a backing band which went under various names, including Cliffie Stone & His Orchestra, Cliffie Stone & His Barn Dance Band, and Cliffie Stone's Country Hombres. His 1955 hit, "The Popcorn Song", peaked at No. 14 on the just-launched Billboard magazine's singles charts in 1955.
By the 1960s, Stone was doing well in music publishing with his company, Central Songs; and for a short period launched a label called Granite Records. Stone's son, Curtis Stone, played in Highway 101
. 1989, he married his second wife, songwriter Joan Carol. Cliffie Stone died from a heart attack on January 17, 1998 at his Saugus, California, home.
Country music
Country music is a popular American musical style that began in the rural Southern United States in the 1920s. It takes its roots from Western cowboy and folk music...
singer, musician, record producer
Record producer
A record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music...
, music publisher, and radio and TV personality who was pivotal in the development of California’s thriving country music
Country music
Country music is a popular American musical style that began in the rural Southern United States in the 1920s. It takes its roots from Western cowboy and folk music...
scene after World War II during a career that lasted six decades. He was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 1989.
Biography
Born in Stockton, CaliforniaStockton, California
Stockton, California, the seat of San Joaquin County, is the fourth-largest city in the Central Valley of the U.S. state of California. With a population of 291,707 at the 2010 census, Stockton ranks as this state's 13th largest city...
, Stone's father was country musician Herman the Hermit. The family moved to Burbank
Burbank, California
Burbank is a city in Los Angeles County in Southern California, United States, north of downtown Los Angeles. The estimated population in 2010 was 103,340....
, and early in his life, he played bass in the big band
Big band
A big band is a type of musical ensemble associated with jazz and the Swing Era typically consisting of rhythm, brass, and woodwind instruments totaling approximately twelve to twenty-five musicians...
s of Freddie Slack
Freddie Slack
Frederick Charles Slack was an American swing and boogie-woogie pianist and bandleader.He played with the Jimmy Dorsey Band in the 1930s and was a charter member of the Will Bradley Orchestra when it formed in 1939...
and Anson Weeks
Anson Weeks
Anson Weeks was leader of a popular West Coast dance band in the late 1920s through the 1960s, primarily in San Francisco. His first recording was in Oakland on February 7, 1925, but it was not successful.He formed his first band in 1924 and had key hotel jobs in Oakland and Sacramento...
in Southern California, as well as working at local radio stations KXLA, KFVD
KTNQ
KTNQ is a radio station licensed to Los Angeles, California, with a Spanish News/Talk format. It is owned by Univision. on June 13, 1925 until 1955 it was called . From August 1, 1955 until 1960 it was called KPOP. From June 29, 1960 until 1976, it was called KGBS...
and KFWB. Starting in 1935, Stone appeared on the Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
-based radio shows Covered Wagon Jubilee, Hollywood Barn Dance, Dinner Bell Roundup, and Lucky Stars, singing as well as performing comedy routines and acting as host and DJ
Disc jockey
A disc jockey, also known as DJ, is a person who selects and plays recorded music for an audience. Originally, "disc" referred to phonograph records, not the later Compact Discs. Today, the term includes all forms of music playback, no matter the medium.There are several types of disc jockeys...
in the mid-1940s. In 1939, he married his first wife, Dorothy, and they had four children.
Stone began working at Capitol Records
Capitol Records
Capitol Records is a major United States based record label, formerly located in Los Angeles, but operating in New York City as part of Capitol Music Group. Its former headquarters building, the Capitol Tower, is a major landmark near the corner of Hollywood and Vine...
in 1946, and became an A&R
A&R
Artists and repertoire is the division of a record label that is responsible for talent scouting and overseeing the artistic development of recording artists. It also acts as a liaison between artists and the record label.- Finding talent :...
man there; among the talents he discovered were Tennessee Ernie Ford
Tennessee Ernie Ford
Ernest Jennings Ford , better known as Tennessee Ernie Ford, was an American recording artist and television host who enjoyed success in the country and Western, pop, and gospel musical genres...
(for whom he acted as manager from 1947 to 1957), Molly Bee
Molly Bee
Molly Bee , born Mollie Gene Beachboard, was an American country music singer famous for her 1952 recording of the early perennial, "I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus", and as Pinky Lee's sidekick on The Pinky Lee Show.Bee was also well known in the 1950s in Los Angeles, California as a regular on...
, and Hank Thompson. He was instrumental in helping various young musicians get their start in television, such as guitarist Zane Ashton (aka Bill Aken) who would also write songs for Stone's Central Songs publishing firm. His Hometown Jamboree
Hometown Jamboree
Hometown Jamboree was an American country music radio and television show broadcast each Saturday night by KXLA radio, Pasadena, California and KTLA-TV, Los Angeles, California. The show was hosted by Cliffie Stone and first held at the American Legion Stadium in El Monte, California, and later at...
premiered as a weekly TV broadcast in December 1949 over KCOP-TV in Pasadena; in 1953 it moved to KTLA-TV, where it ran until its cancellation in 1959.
Stone's career at Capitol was successful, but he was ultimately better known for his successes in radio. He recorded six albums with a backing band which went under various names, including Cliffie Stone & His Orchestra, Cliffie Stone & His Barn Dance Band, and Cliffie Stone's Country Hombres. His 1955 hit, "The Popcorn Song", peaked at No. 14 on the just-launched Billboard magazine's singles charts in 1955.
By the 1960s, Stone was doing well in music publishing with his company, Central Songs; and for a short period launched a label called Granite Records. Stone's son, Curtis Stone, played in Highway 101
Highway 101
Highway 101 is an American country music band founded by Paulette Carlson , Jack Daniels , Curtis Stone and Scott "Cactus" Moser . With Carlson as lead vocalist, the band recorded three albums for Warner Bros. Records Nashville and charted ten consecutive Top Ten hits on the Hot Country Songs...
. 1989, he married his second wife, songwriter Joan Carol. Cliffie Stone died from a heart attack on January 17, 1998 at his Saugus, California, home.
Chart singles
| Year | Single | Chart Positions | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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... |
||
| 1947 | "Silver Stars, Purple Sage, Eyes of Blue" | 4 | — |
| 1948 | "Peepin' Thru the Keyhole (Watching Jole Blon)" (Cliffie Stone and His Barn Dance Band) |
4 | — |
| "When My Blue Moon Turns to Gold Again" | 11 | — | |
| 1955 | "The Popcorn Song" | — | 14 |
Guest singles
| Year | Single | Artist | Chart Positions |
|---|---|---|---|
| US Country | |||
| 1966 | "Little Pink Mack" | Kay Adams (with the Cliffie Stone Group) |
30 |