Clarence Albert Poindexter (May 4, 1905 – January 28, 1984), known best as Al Dexter, was an American country musician and songwriter.

He is best known today for his most popular song, "Pistol Packin' Mama", a 1943 hit which was one of the most popular recordings of the World War II years, and later became a hit again with a cover by Bing Crosby, as well as the Andrews Sisters.

Biography

Born in Jacksonville, Texas, United States, He made his recording debut on November 28, 1936, for ARC Records. and was probably the first artist to ever use the term "honky tonk" in a country song when he recorded "Honky Tonk Blues" at his first session.

His self-penned hit, "Pistol Packin' Mama", became the 1943 marching chorus of the New York Yankees. The 1943 movie of the same name, made by the Republic Pictures, gave Dexter close to $250,000 in royalties. Another hit from the 1940s was "Guitar Polka", which entered Billboard's list as the "Most Played Juke Box Folk Record" for 16 weeks running in 1946. Other hits include "So Long Pal", "Triflin' Gal", "I'm Losing My Mind Over You" and "Too Late to Worry, Too Blue to Cry."

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| rowspan="5"| 1941

| "Down At The Roadside Inn"

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| "The Money You Spent Was Mine"

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| "You Will Always Be My Darling"

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| "Darling, It's All Over Now"

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| "Meet Me Down In Honky Tonk Town"

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| rowspan="1"| 1942

| "Honky Tonk Chinese Dime"

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| rowspan="2"| 1943

| "Pistol Packin' Mama"

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| "Rosalita"

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| rowspan="2"| 1944

| "So Long Pal"

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| "Too Late to Worry, Too Blue to Cry"

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| rowspan="4"| 1945

| "I'm Losing My Mind Over You"

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| "I'll Wait for You Dear"

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| "Triflin' Gal"

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| "I'm Lost Without You"

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| rowspan="4"| 1946

| "Guitar Polka"

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| "Honey Do You Think It's Wrong"

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| "Wine Women and Song"

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| "It's Up to You"

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| rowspan="2"| 1947

| "Kokomo Island"

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| "Down at the Roadside Inn"

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| rowspan="2"| 1948

| "Rock and Rye Rag"

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| "Calico Rag"

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References

Bibliography

  • Peter La Chapelle, Proud To Be An Okie, University of California Press, 2007
  • Tony Russell, Country Music Originals: The Legends and the Lost, Oxford University Press, 2007
  • Tony Russell, Bob Pinson, Country Music Records: A Discography 1921–1942, Oxford University Press, 2004
  • obituary for Al Dexter's son Carl Wayne
  • obituary for Al Dexter's son-in-law Leon Dudley