Vern Gosdin
| Vern Gosdin | |
|---|---|
Vern Gosdin performing on TNN (1999)
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Vernon Gosdin |
| Born | August 5, 1934 |
| Origin | Woodland, Alabama, USA |
| Died | April 28, 2009 (aged 74) Nashville, Tennessee, USA |
| Genres | Country, Gospel |
| Occupation(s) | Singer, songwriter |
| Instruments | Vocals, guitar |
| Years active | 1967–2009 |
| Labels |
Elektra Ovation AMI A&M Compleat Columbia Records VGM |
| Associated acts |
Emmylou Harris George Jones George Strait |
Vernon "Vern" Gosdin (August 5, 1934 – April 28, 2009) was an American country music singer. Known as "The Voice" he had 19 top-10 solo hits on the country music charts from 1977 through 1990. Three of these hits went to number one: "I Can Tell By the Way You Dance (You're Gonna Love Me Tonight)", "Set 'Em Up Joe" and "I'm Still Crazy".
As the sixth child in a family of nine, Vern Gosdin began singing in Bethel East Baptist Church in Woodland, Alabama, where his mother played piano. Gosdin and two brothers sang gospel on Birmingham radio station WVOK. Gosdin later moved to Chicago, Illinois, where he operated the D&G Tap. He idolized The Louvin Brothers and The Blue Sky Boys as a young man.
In 1961, Gosdin moved to California, where he joined the West Coast Country music movement, first as a member of the Golden State Boys, which became The Hillmen, and included Chris Hillman. Gosdin then formed The Gosdin Brothers with brother Rex. The duo appeared on the charts in the late 1960s with a song titled "Hangin' On" on the Bakersfield International label, then with "Till The End" on Capitol Records. During the same time period, the Gosdin Brothers were featured on Hillman's former Byrds mate Gene Clark's first solo album, the 1967 well-regarded Gene Clark with the Gosdin Brothers, singing backing vocals on all of the tracks behind the lead vocals of Clark and lead guitars of Clarence White, Glen Campbell, and Bill Rinehart (later of the Merry-Go-Round).
Gosdin retired from performing during the 1970s and moved to Cartersville, Georgia, where he operated a glass company. In 1976, he signed with Elektra Records and his first hit was a remake of "Hangin' On", which featured Emmylou Harris on harmony vocals and peaked at No. 16. His next single, "Yesterday's Gone", which also featured Harris, became his first Top 10 hit in 1977. Several more hits followed between 1977 and 1979 with the biggest of these hits being a remake of "Till the End" and a cover of The Association's "Never My Love" which also featured harmony vocals from Janie Frickie.
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