Hank Snow

Hank Snow was born Clarence Eugene Snow in Brooklyn in 1914, but his family moved to Halifax, Nova Scotia, where he grew up. He started recording for RCA Victor in the late 1930s. His big break came in 1946 with 'I'm Movin' On,' which spent weeks at the top of the country charts. That nasal twang and his mix of traditional country with Western swing became his sound.

He kept recording through the 1950s, putting out songs like 'Address Unknown' and 'Blue Side of Lonesome.' In 1959, he released 'On the Beach at Waikiki,' which stuck around as one of those country standards people remember. He worked with a band called the Rainbow Ranch Boys, which at different times included steel guitarist Don Helms and fiddler Ralph Mooney.

Snow recorded steadily for decades, with a catalog that includes 'The Golden Rocket,' 'I Don't Hurt Anymore,' and 'Hello Love.' He was outspoken about things like the Vietnam War and rock and roll's rise, which didn't always sit well with everyone. But he kept singing until he stopped, leaving behind a stack of records and a voice that doesn't sound quite like anyone else's.