From:   "Dik de Heer" 
Date:  Mon Feb 18, 2002  1:14 am
Subject:  Born To Be With You : Pee Wee King
 
PEE WEE KING (By Shaun Mather)

Born Julius Frank Kuczynski, 18 February, 1914, Abrams, Wisconsin

Died 7 March, 2000, Louisville, Kentucky

Pee Wee King developed a love for music at an early age, playing fiddle and
accordion in his father's polka band. In 1934 he joined Gene Autry's band in
Kentucky, but moved on after Autry went out to Hollywood. King formed his
own band, The Golden West Cowboys, and joined the Opry in 1937.
As a bandleader, King nurtured many talented vocalists who went on to their
fame and fortune, among them Eddy Arnold, Cowboy Copas and Tommy
Sosebee. The mainstay though was Redd Stewart who joined in '37 and
sang on most of the big hits including the # 3 hit Tennessee Waltz (penned
by King) in '48. By the mid-50's they had accumulated an unbroken string of
ten consecutive Top 15 hits, including 1951's number 1 country and pop
smash, Slow Poke. King retired in 1969 and moved into the business side of
music, including a spell as director of the Country Music Foundation. He
was inducted into the Country Music Hall Of Fame and the Nashville
Songwriters Hall Of Fame but passed away peacefully in March 2000.

Recommended listening: Hillbilly Boogie (Big Tone Records)