On this day (August 12) in 1927, Porter Wagoner was born in West Plains, Missouri. The “Thin Man From West Plains” had a long line of hit singles in the 1950s and ’60s. He also hosted a variety show, which was viewed by millions of fans every week. In the late ’60s, he invited a then-unknown Dolly Parton to join the show’s cast. The exposure she received from her partnership with Wagoner helped boost her career.
Wagoner started his career with the Blue Ridge Boys in the late 1940s. By 1950, they were performing on the local radio station from the butcher shop where Wagoner worked. A year later, he landed a gig on the Springfield, Missouri-based KWTO. This gave him the boost he needed to finally sign a deal with RCA.
According to the Country Music Hall of Fame, his early records didn’t sell well. As a result, he and his Porter Wagoner Trio toured regionally, playing schoolhouses and other small venues…