ABSTRACT

American country singer, guitarist, songwriter, and publisher, born in West Monroe, Louisiana. After local performances, he appeared on the Louisiana Hayride radio program in 1950 and gained recording contracts with several labels, including Decca. He was successful with a nasal voice that helped to establish the so-called honky-tonk style. His first hit records were “Wondering” (Decca #46364; 1952) and “Back Street Affair” (Decca #28369; 1952). “Slowly” (Decca #28991; 1954) and “In the Jailhouse Now” (Decca #29391; 1955) were important records of the mid-1950s, when Pierce was featured on Grand Ole Opry. He established a Nashville publishing firm, Cedarwood Music, in 1953, and made a success of it while continuing his performances and recordings. By 1976 he had recorded 84 country chart songs. After the 1970s he was less active. He died in Nashville after being diagnosed with cancer.