One of the biggest stars of country music's honky-tonk era of the 1950's was Webb Pierce. He had thirteen singles on the Billboard chart.

Webb was a wealthy man, a very successful investor. He knew how to spend cash to heighten and boost his image. Born Webb Michael Pierce in West Monroe, Louisiana August 8, 1921. Pierce landed a spot on Shreveport 50,000 watt giant radio station KWKH and it's Saturday night broadcast, "The Louisiana Hayride."

Pierce built a band around himself with future legends Floyd Cramer and Faron Young to name a few. He joined the Grand Ole Opry  in 1952. He also was featured on ABC TV's "Ozark-Jubilee" out of Springfield, Missouri. After Jubilee he found lots of TV work and film.

His biggest hit was "In The Jail House Now," which charted for 37 weeks in 1955, 21 weeks at number one. In 1942 he married Betty Jane Lewis. In the summer of 1950, the couple divorced Pierce waged a long battle with pancreatic cancer, which he lost on February 24, 1991. He was 69 years old. He was a singer-songwriter and was active from 1952 till 1982.

Hear the music of Webb Pierce Sunday morning February 24 on the Sunday Morning Country Classic Spotlight at 11 a.m.  It's a part of the 98 Country Classic Show from 9 a.m. till 1 p.m. on 98.1 FM 98 Country.

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