Claude King, the pioneering American country music singer/songwriter, died yesterday at his home in Shreveport, Louisiana. He was 90 years old.

King got his start in music as part of the Louisiana Hayride, a TV and radio show produced in Shreveport. It was here that King got the opportunity to be featured alongside greats like Johnny Cash, Hank Williams, and Kitty Wells. In 1961, he got his first major label record deal and made an impact on the country music charts with “Big River, Big Man” and “The Comancheros.” However, his 1962 classic “Wolverton Mountain” turned him into a household name, topping the country music charts for nine weeks and even breaking into the Billboard Top 10. By the time he left Columbia Records in 1973, he had recorded 29 hit singles for the label.

The lasting impact of King’s music has been felt in many ways, even under some unusual circumstances (Arkansas celebrates “Wolverton Mountain Day” on August 7th). He will be sorely missed.