On this day (July 9) in 1929, Lee Hazlewood was born in Mannford, Oklahoma. After a relatively brief career in radio, he started his own label and began producing and writing songs full-time. Hazlewood was instrumental in the formation of the Phoenix, Arizona, music scene. Additionally, he worked closely with guitar luminary Duane Eddy. Later in his career, he helped launch Nancy Sinatra to stardom. His songs have also been recorded by Beck, Nick Cave, the Jesus and Mary Chain, and many others.
Hazlewood spent most of his childhood bouncing between towns in Oklahoma, Arkansas, and Texas. Finally, his family settled in the Lone Star State long enough for him to finish high school. After graduating from high school, he began attending Southern Methodist University in Dallas. However, his academic career was cut short when he was drafted into the Korean War.
Lee Hazlewood’s Short Radio Career
According to his official biography, Hazlewood didn’t return to SMU after his military service ended. Instead, he relocated to California, where he attended broadcasting school. After graduation, he took a job as a DJ at KCKY in Coolidge, Arizona. His on-air performances earned him a local following. One of his biggest fans was a teenage guitar player named Duane Eddy, who would come to the station to hang with Hazlewood. Before long, they were friends and collaborators. They worked together to flesh out songs Hazlewood had penned and recorded them in a local studio.
In 1955, Hazlewood relocated to Phoenix, where he became the city’s first DJ to play an Elvis Presley record. While there, he started the Viv record label on which to release his recordings. Eddy and another guitarist named Al Casey were among the label’s session musicians. Casey also helped Hazlewood get his first hit as a songwriter. He passed “The Fool” to his high school friend Sanford Clark. It was a top 10 hit and launched the young singer’s career. Clark’s success helped establish the music scene in Phoenix…