Ten Acts Who Belong in the Country Hall of Fame: Cowboy Copas (#7)

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Along with the other "top ten" lists, where I talk about songs, I'm including this different sort of "top ten" list. This one shines a light on ten acts that I feel have been ignored way too long when it comes to being inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame. #7: Cowboy Copas Legendary DJ and country music historian Eddie Stubbs puts it this way every time he plays a Cowboy Copas song on WSM: "Cowboy Copas did more in country music than just die in a plane crash with Patsy Cline." Sadly, he's little more than an afterthought (along with his longtime friend and former label mate, Hawkshaw Hawkins) to that tragic 1963 crash. Born in Ohio, Lloyd Copas became known as "Cowboy" in the 30s when he and a fiddler by the name of Vernon Stover billed themselves as "Cowboy Copas and Natchee the Indian." In the mid-40s Copas signed to Cincinnati's King Records and began a long string of hits that didn't end until his life did nearly 20 years later. Among his hits were "Signed, Sealed, and Delivered," "Hangman's Boogie," and "Filipino Baby." Copas also had the distinction of being the first person to ever record "Tennessee Waltz." Pee Wee King, the song's author, offered the song rights to Copas for $50, but Copas didn't have the money on him. The song went on to become an iconic number in American music (not just country music) and is one of the official state songs for Tennessee. Copas had a massive comeback in 1960 with his song "Alabam." Consider that in 1960 there were only four songs to top the Billboard country singles charts: "Please Help Me, I'm Falling," "Wings of a Dove," "He'll Have to Go," and "Alabam." Copas was riding high as a veteran superstar when, on March 5, 1963, the plane he was riding in crashed near Camden, Tennessee, killing him, Hawkins, rising star Patsy Cline, and pilot Randy Hughes. It was a double tragedy for Kathy Copas: she lost her father and her husband, Hughes. Over the years Patsy Cline has become the best-known victim of that terrible day, but that is as gross an injustice to the other two singers as only mentioning Buddy Holly and ignoring Ritchie Valens and the Big Bopper with the other infamous tragic plane crash in music history. Eddie Stubbs is spot-on accurate. Cowboy Copas did so much more in country music than just die with Patsy Cline. He needs to be inducted. Cowboy Copas Born: July 15, 1913, Adams County, Ohio Died: March 5, 1963, Camden, Tennessee (plane crash) Claim to fame: singer, songwriter, guitarist Best work: "Alabam" "Hangman's Boogie" "From the Manger to the Cross" "Three Strikes and You're Out" Here's Cowboy Copas' runaway smash hit from 1960: