Red Foley


Clyde Julian Foley was born in Blue Lick, Kentucky on June 17,
1910. As a child he began playing the guitar and harmonica and
as a teenager won a statewide talent show. As a young man “Red”
performed in Chicago on the WLS National Barn Dance radio
show and on the KWKH Louisiana Hayride in Shreveport before
hosting the Ozark Jubilee series on ABC-TV in the mid 50’s.

In 1941, the same year he made his film debut in “The Pioneers”,
he signed a recording contract with Decca Records resulting in
his first #1 country hit “Smoke On The Water” in 1944. During
the next ten years, Red Foley had nine #1 country hits including,
“Shame on You”, “Tennessee Saturday Night”, “Birmingham
Bounce” and “Goodnight Irene”. His “Chattanooga Shoe Shine
Boy” topped the country charts and was #2 on the Pop charts in
1950. “Cincinnati Dancing Pig” also was a top ten country
and pop hit. The duo of Red and Kitty Wells topped the country
chart in 1954 with “One By One”.

Also among his more than 70 hits were top ten charters, “Sugarfoot
Rag”, “Have I Told You Lately That I Love You”, “There’ll Be Peace In
The Valley”, “Alabama Jubilee”, “Too Old To Cut The Mustard”, “No
Help Wanted”, “Jilted”, “Hearts Of Stone” and “Satisfied Mind”.

Red was a regular cast member in the 1960’s television series “Mr.
Smith Goes to Washington”, was elected to the Country Music Hall
of Fame in 1967 and also has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

Red Foley died from a heart attack on September 19, 1968,
in Fort Wayne, Indiana at the age of 58.

Red Foley
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