Subject: RE: Origin/Tune Add: Wolverton Mountain (Merle Kilgore From: GUEST,hb Date: 24 Mar 13 - 12:24 PM Merle Kilgore died on Feb. 6, 2005. Buried in Hendersonville TN. Claude King died on March 7, 2013. Buried in Shreveport LA. |
Subject: Lyr Add: WOLVERTON MOUNTAIN MAN From: GUEST,Larry W Jones - Kingwood Kowboy Date: 23 Mar 13 - 04:39 PM Tribute song for Claude King: WOLVERTON MOUNTAIN MAN (Larry W Jones 03/20/2013) (song#6679) Well, I was just a young lad going with the flow When I first heard Claude King sing on the radio I was at a soda fountain in Louisian Listnin' 'bout a big bad Wolverton Mountain man Now, old man Clowers made good hard liquor brandy With a gun and a knife he was mighty handy He had a pretty young daughter with raven hair But Wolverton bears and birds protected her there (instrumental) Now I'm an older man and time goes marching on And it was in March when I heard Claude King was gone I wonder if he ever kissed Clifton's daughter's sweet lips Or if he married that girl on one of his trips I know Claude King climbed up on Wolverton Mountain Cause all of his dreams were with that young girl he loved He took his chances up on Wolverton Mountain It was too lonesome down below than up above Well, I was just a young lad going with the flow When I first heard Claude King sing on the radio Up on that Wolverton Mountain he loved her so http://kingwoodkowboy.com/WolvertonMountainMan.html |
Subject: Lyr Add: THE GIRL FROM WOLVERTON MOUNTAIN From: GUEST,Dale Date: 31 Oct 04 - 09:15 PM Sigh. Four more years have gone by and I STILL have not made it up on Wolverton Mountain. As I was on my way to a High School Cross Country Meet in Russellville on Thursday, I passed by the sign pointing toward Wolverton Mountain. It certainly was enticing to take that right turn and finally get there, but I didn't have enough spare time, so continued on. One of these days . . . And to make this post worthwhile, some while ago I came across the "answer song", The Girl From Wolverton Mountain, by Jo Ann Campbell, 1962. I rather suspect that those who didn't care for Claude King's original version may well go screaming from the room while listening to these pearls, delivered in a very thick pseudo-Southern accent. The Girl From Wolverton Mountain As sung by Jo Ann Campbell Yes, I'm The Girl From Wolverton Mountain I wish someone would make me their wife I cain't help bein' lonesome on Wolverton Mountain When your daddy's handy with a gun and a knife Chorus They said my lips were sweeter than honey But how do they know, when no one's made the dare I hate the bears and the birds on Wolverton Mountain They tell my daddy and it just ain't fair Many a lad has tried to climb this mountain But they never seem to reach the top My daddy Clifton Clowers is always there to meet them His gun and a knife brings them to a stop Chorus Yes, I'm the girl from Wolverton Mountain And if something don't change, I'll be an old maid all my life But I keep hopin' somebody will climb this mountain And take me to the valley to be his wife Chorus There'll be somebody who really loves me And he'll climb up on the mountain He won't care about Clifton Clowers (fade out) |
Subject: RE: MUS ADD: Wolverton Mountain From: Peter T. Date: 01 Oct 00 - 11:06 AM Don't you just love this place? Dale, tops, as ever. yours, Peter T. |
Subject: RE: MUS ADD: Wolverton Mountain From: Dale Rose Date: 01 Oct 00 - 12:45 AM Just a few notes/corrections to add to my earlier posts. Now I can say that I have seen Wolverton Mountain, though at a fair distance and from the opposite side of a school bus, while returning from a volleyball match. It is a fairly prominent peak near Formosa, Arkansas, actually a bit Southwest of Clinton, rather than West as I indicated earlier. I was also wrong about the Mountain View Baptist Church mentioned in the obituary. While there is a church by that name just North of Clinton, the one in question was on Wolverton Mountain, and burned just prior to his death, which is why I found no record of it in my admittedly hasty research. (That makes a lot more sense ~~ I never could figure out how or why he would have been a member of a church so far from home) I also found that his home burned not too long after his death as well. I don't have exact dates for either fire, and though I could do the research and date them exactly, I don't think it would add all that much to the story.
I also had a conversation with someone who lives near Wolverton Mountain and knew Clifton Clowers all her life. She said that Clowers raised hay and had apple orchards.
So there you have it, a bit of a wrapup of loose ends ~~ now I need to get down there and actually set foot on the mountain . . . I also expect this might be of interest to those who came to the Mudcat in the nearly two years since this thread was started ~~ some stories are just too interesting to stay buried forever. |
Subject: RE: MUS ADD: Wolverton Mountain From: Banjer Date: 20 Jul 99 - 07:15 PM Wow, ask a simple question and get a compound answer!! Thanks for all the fine info on merle Kilgore. I never realized he was so prolific a writer or so active it the field of Country Music. Learned a lot form that post. Thanks.... |
Subject: RE: MUS ADD: Wolverton Mountain From: Peter T. Date: 20 Jul 99 - 02:29 PM Thanks! yours, Peter T. |
Subject: RE: MUS ADD: Wolverton Mountain From: bob schwarer Date: 20 Jul 99 - 02:09 PM Well, that's a lot easier to read. Bob |
Subject: RE: MUS ADD: Wolverton Mountain From: bob schwarer Date: 20 Jul 99 - 02:08 PM Merle Kilgore Hall of Fame Birth Name: Wyatt Merle Kilgore Induction Year: 1998 Date of Birth: 8/9/1934 Place of Birth: Chickasha, OK -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- [Former Occupations] [Education] [Career Milestones] [Awards] [Catalog Highlights ] --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Former Occupations: delivered glasses for American Optical during high school, insurance salesman -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Education: Grade School--Creswell (Shreveport, LA) (from 1940-1947) High School--Byrd High (Shreveport, LA) (graduated in 1952) College--Louisiana Tech (Ruston, LA) (from 1952-1953) [Top] --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Career Milestones: 1948--at age 14, started carrying Hank Williams Sr.'s guitar at Louisiana Hayride
1980--appeared in the movie "Coal Miner's Daughter" --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Awards: 1955--BMI Performance Award\Country\More and More
Catalog Highlights:
Artists: Merle Kilgore (1953), Webb Pierce (1954), Guy Lombardo (1954), Charley Pride (1983) Dear Mama Artists: Merle Kilgore (1958) A Long Time Ago
Co-writer: Faron Young Artists: Faron Young (1957) I Know It's Still Goodbye
Co-writer: Faron Young Artists: Faron Young (1958) Love Has Made You Beautiful
Artists: Merle Kilgore (1959) Johnny Reb
Artists: Johnny Horton (1959), Johnny Cash (1962), Merle Kilgore (1963), Marty Robbins (1982) 42 In Chicago
Artists: Merle Kilgore (1962) Wolverton Mountain
Co-writer: Claude King Artists: Claude King (1962), Bing Crosby (1963), Louis Armstrong (1962), Nat King Cole (1962), Great Plains (1996) Old Records
Co-writer: Margie Singleton Artists: Margie Singleton (1964), Kay Starr Ring Of Fire
Co-writer: June Carter Artists: Johnny Cash (1963), Anita Carter, Merle Kilgore, Ray Charles, Olivia Newton-John, Blondie, Jerry Lee Lewis, Lynn Anderson, Tom Jones, Earl Scruggs, Mac Wiseman, Kitty Wells, Burl Ives, Hank Williams Jr. She (He) Went a Little Bit Farther
Co-writer: Mack Vickery Artists: Faron Young (1968), Hank Williams Jr., Merle Kilgore, Ernest Tubb, Sammi Smith Tiger Woman
Co-writer: Claude King Artists: Claude King (1965), Merle Kilgore, Johnny Wright The Folk Singer Artists: Tommy Roe (1963), Eddy Arnold, Jim Ed Brown She (He) Understands Me/Dum De Da (recorded under all three titles
Co-writer: Margie Singleton Artists: Teresa Brewer, Johnny Tillotson, Bobby Vinton Old Enough to Know
Co-writer: Al Jones, Billy Jones Artists: Ricky Nelson (1959) Let Somebody Else Drive
Co-writer: Mack Vickery Artists: John Anderson (1984)
Artists: Eddy Arnold (1965), Merle Kilgore Confused
Co-writer: Abe Mulkey, Lefty Frizzell Artists: Lefty Frizzell, Hank Williams Jr. (1974) Fast Talking Louisiana Man
Artists: Faron Young (1967)
Co-writer: Ronny Wilkins Artists: Ronny & The Daytonas (1966) The Easy Way
Co-writer: Glenn Sutton Artists: Eddy Arnold (1965) Guess What That's Right, She's Gone
Co-writer: Glenn Sutton Artists: Hank Williams Jr. (1964) Happy To Be With You
Co-writer: Johnny Cash, June Carter Artists: Johnny Cash (1966)
Artists: Hank Williams Jr. (1964) I'd Rather Be Sorry (Than Safe All Alone)
Co-writer: Gail Talley Artists: Pattie Page (1971), Ray Price James River
Co-writer: June Carter Artists: Lefty Frizzell (1964) Swing Daddy Swing
Co-writer: Dale Hawkins Artists: Jerry Hawkins (1959)
Co-writer: Leon Ashley Artists: Merle Kilgore (1971) Not Too Long Ago
Co-writer:Joe Stampley Artists: The Uniques (1965), Joe Stampley Too Many Mountains
Artists: Faron Young (1966), Merle Kilgore Wandering Mind
Co-writer: Margie Singleton Artists: Margie Singleton (1968), Lynn Anderson, Goldie Hill Smith When There's a Fire In Your Heart
Co-writer: Sonny Williams Artists: Teresa Brewer (1967), Tammy Wynette, Laura Lee, Eddy Arnold, Karen Black (in movie "Five Easy Pieces")
Whiskey Road Artists: Merle Kilgore (1963) You'll Drive Me Back Into Her Arms Again
Co-writer: Miriam Lewis Artists: Faron Young (1964)
Artists: Eddy Arnold (1965)
Co-writer: Bob Tubert Artists: David Rogers (1969)
Artists: Lorne Greene (1964)
Artists: Rex Allen (1963), Merle Kilgore (1963)
Artists: Frankie Miller (1960), Merle Kilgore
Co-writer: Tillman Franks Artists: Johnny Horton (1960), Marty Stuart
Co-writer: Hank Williams Jr. Artists: Hank Williams Jr. (1973)
Artists: Merle Kilgore (1958)
Co-writer:Abe Mulkey Artists: Hank Williams Jr. (1977), Merle Kilgore
Artists: Mel Tillis (1972), Merle Kilgore
Co-writer: Margie Singleton Artists: Lorne Greene (1963)
Co-writer: Kay Arnold Artists: Demetriss Tapp (1963), Nancy Adams
Artists: Faron Young (1963), Vaughn Monroe
Artists: Faron Young (1964), The Sherwoods, Merle Kilgore Co-writer: Claude King (1963) Artists: Claude King (1963) -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Comments:
Received a BMI Million-airs Award in 1990 for "Ring of Fire" |
Subject: RE: MUS ADD: Wolverton Mountain From: Peter T. Date: 20 Jul 99 - 10:53 AM yes, thanks. Stupid question: what happened to Merle Kilgore? People on this thread seem to take him for granted. Was he a one hit wonder, or is he still big in C&W? yours, Peter T. |
Subject: RE: MUS ADD: Wolverton Mountain From: Banjer Date: 19 Jul 99 - 07:28 PM Thank you Dale for sharing that bit of history with us. Just imagine, living the better part of 102 years on the same farm....I don't know if I ever knew his fathers name but it is interesting to note whom he was named after. These little historical insights are every bit as interesting and in some cases much more entertaining than the songs which caused them to be looked at. Thanks again! |
Subject: RE: MUS ADD: Wolverton Mountain From: Dale Rose Date: 18 Jul 99 - 09:21 PM As John says, some things give a song much more humanity. Here are some excerpts from the Van Buren County Democrat (I looked it up yesterday at the OFC)
Clifton T. Clowers , 102, of Wolverton Mountain, died Monday, August 15, at his home. Funeral was August 18 at Wolverton Mountain Cemetery.
He was born on October 30, 1891, at Center Ridge in Conway County, son of the late Jefferson Davis and Mary Prince Clowers. In July, 1919, he married the former Ester Bell. He was a veteran of World War I and a Deacon in Mountain View Baptist Church. He was made famous in the 1960's by the song "Wolverton Mountain," written about him and his family by his nephew, Merle Kilgore Clowers. (this is followed by the usual list of survivors, but of interest here are daughters Virginia, now living in West Virginia, and Burlene still in Arkansas. For those few of you familiar with the geography of Arkansas, Mountain View Missionary Baptist Church is not in Mountain View, but just north of Clinton.
Burial was at Wolverton Cemetery by Bob Neal and Sons Funeral Home of Morrilton.
and finally from the Formosa community news:
Several from the community attended the funeral Thursday of Clifton Clowers of Wolverton Mountain. He had lived most of his 102 years on his farm, located on the northern edge of the mountain. He was buried in Wolverton Mountain Cemetery near his farm. He and his wife, Ester Bell Clowers had six children, and five are still living. He was one of very few surviving World War I veterans. Clifton Clowers is remembered by his neighbors for his friendly, kind, and generous deeds, but to a much larger group, he is remembered by the song his nephew wrote about him called "Wolverton Mountain."
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Subject: RE: MUS ADD: Wolverton Mountain From: Banjer Date: 15 Jul 99 - 11:48 PM When Wolverton Mountain was released it was for me 'the best of times and the worst of times' No longer a kid, not yet a man....Mixed bag of memories, some to be cherished, some best to be forgotten. I suppose all music holds a different set of memories for us all. The early teen and pre teen years are where many of us developed our individual taste in music. I developed a very broad musical interest range from what is today known as 'Classic Country' to a little of Mom's influence with her classical music. While I consider myself fairly tolerant of all forms of musical expression, much of what today passes as 'music' to some is no more than noise to me. It seems to be a contest to see who can make the rudest sounds and scream the loudest. Give me tunes like Wolverton Mountain any day! |
Subject: RE: MUS ADD: Wolverton Mountain From: Peter T. Date: 15 Jul 99 - 10:04 AM Thanks Dale and Banjer for the extra work. The song is completely woven into my childhood. Of course even then I hated the stupid echo chorus. But at that time I was living near the Ozarks in Missouri, and the song always brings back those times. I guess it is a lousy song, but nothing you hear before the age of 12 is lousy, right? (Hence Britney Spears and the Backstreet Boys) yours, Peter T. |
Subject: RE: MUS ADD: Wolverton Mountain From: Banjer Date: 14 Jul 99 - 07:05 PM In my collection of vidoes called "Country's Family Reunion" Merle Kilgore tells of how he went to his uncles home and told him he had an inspiration for a song about the mountain. After he had written it he offered it to several then current arists and producers and they all laughed at him saying, "Who wants to do a song like that?" or words to that effect. |
Subject: RE: MUS ADD: Wolverton Mountain From: Dale Rose Date: 14 Jul 99 - 11:37 AM That's pretty much it, Peter. Clifton Clowers, Wolverton Mountain, and the daughters (actually two of them) are real, but everything else was total fabrication. I have never been to that part of the county, (pretty rugged and relatively isolated and I don't know anyone there) but I suppose that I should go just to say that I have been there.
While thinking about a response for you, I made an internet check, and found this interview with Merle Kilgore in the Wichita (Kansas) Eagle. http://www.newstimes.com/archive97/feb0697/mug.htm It tells it pretty much the way I know the story. The only error I saw in it is the reference to Van Buren. The town of Van Buren, AR is over by Fort Smith, change that to Van Buren County for accuracy.
And for those who have been deprived of hearing this gem, there is a realaudio on this page: http://www.rockinwoman.com/memorable.html It is the type that downloads completely before playing ~~ takes a bit of time, but makes for uninterrupted listening. Lots of other good listening on the page, too.
One last comment. Back when this was popular, a friend was a DJ at the Rock station in Carbondale, Illinois. I was at the station just hanging out with Rich and looking through their reject pile of 45s ~~ I ran across TWO dj copies of the song! (They had been playing it off the album, since naturally in the beginning, it was not the sort of thing they would have put into their playlists) So WCIL got one copy and I still have the other! |
Subject: RE: MUS ADD: Wolverton Mountain From: Peter T. Date: 14 Jul 99 - 10:42 AM Dale, what is the story behind this old favourite of mine? Did the nephew just make up the story and use his uncle's name? yours, Peter T. |
Subject: RE: MUS ADD: Wolverton Mountain From: Alan of Australia Date: 14 Jul 99 - 10:33 AM G'day, Some years ago, let's say when I was 40, some young cousins of mine asked me, "Where did Clifton Clowers live?". Instant response, "Wolverton Mountain." To my surprise this resulted in howls of laughter. They then explained that it was a trivial pursuit question that none of them knew, but in a footnote to the answer was the comment that any 40 year old would know. I'd just proved it right.
Cheers, |
Subject: RE: MUS ADD: Wolverton Mountain From: Gene Date: 13 Jul 99 - 11:07 PM Well J/I/B If you thought Wolverton Mountain was a hoot then you oughta hear 3 MILE ISLAND - a spoof on the tune by Pinkard & Bowden email me if you want to hear it... I'm IN THE BOOK - [er! ON THE LIST, that is] |
Subject: RE: MUS ADD: Wolverton Mountain From: John in Brisbane Date: 13 Jul 99 - 08:01 PM Refresh |
Subject: RE: MUS ADD: Wolverton Mountain From: Dale Rose Date: 20 Nov 98 - 12:06 AM Oh, I was teasing, just as I figured you were. What I said was all true. I do regret never having met him, though. |
Subject: RE: MUS ADD: Wolverton Mountain From: John in Brisbane Date: 20 Nov 98 - 12:01 AM Dale, thank you for the info. No offence intended - I was honestly expecting the answer that both the place and Mr Clowers were entirely fictional. Your response certainly gives the song much more humanity. TGIF John |
Subject: RE: MUS ADD: Wolverton Mountain From: Dale Rose Date: 19 Nov 98 - 11:41 PM Just after finishing that, I remembered that I could search the Social Security Death Index for information on him. Here it is:
Clifton Clowers born 30 Oct 1891, died 15 Aug 1994, Residence 72031, Clinton, Arkansas
As you can see, I did get his age wrong~~he was actually nearly 103 when he died, and of course, it has been FOUR years since his death. |
Subject: RE: MUS ADD: Wolverton Mountain From: Dale Rose Date: 19 Nov 98 - 11:30 PM Well, I do object just a bit to that comment. Practically every story has another side to it. Clifton Clowers died just two or three years ago, well up into his 90s. He lived just about his entire life up on (yes) Wolverton Mountain, over west of here on the other side of Van Buren County. Up until recently, I had a copy of the Van Buren County Democrat (published weekly in Clinton, Arkansas) which contained his obituary. Just a few weeks ago, however, I donated it to the Ozark Cultural Resource Center in Mountain View, Arkansas. Otherwise, I could give you the dates, etc. There was also an article in the Chimes community news (we still have those sorts of things in the local paper) telling who went to the funeral from there, and it also took great pains to tell that Mr. Clowers was a kind and generous man who was not at all as he was portrayed in the song. During his lifetime, Mr. Clowers apparently derived a great deal of enjoyment from his rather undeserved "notoriety"
The song was written by his nephew, Merle Kilgore, in 1962.
Dale Rose, a Van Buren County, Arkansas resident, and proud to say that. |
Subject: MUS ADD: Wolverton Mountain From: John in Brisbane Date: 19 Nov 98 - 10:49 PM Click here for the lyrics (from our database). The kindest thing I can say about this song ... is that the lyrics and tune are now happily re-united. Regards John PS Which US State lays claim to this location? Remind me never to visit.
Click to playTo play or display ABC tunes, try concertina.netABC format: X:1
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