Career
His singles charted from 1949-1971. Locklin was one of country music"s early honky tonk singers. He first recorded for Royalty, a small label in northeast Texas, but soon moved to 4 Star Records, a regional country music label, before signing a long contract with Radio Corporation of America Victor.
He regularly appeared on the Grand Ole Opry beginning in 1960, making his final appearance in 2007.
Locklin had 70 chart singles, including six Number. 1s on Billboard"s country chart.
Locklin"s biggest hits included "Send Maine the Pillow That You Dream On", "Geisha Girl" and his signature "Please Help Maine, I"m Falling", which went to number eight on the Billboard Hot 100 popular music chart. Billboard"s 100th anniversary issue listed it as the second most successful country single of the rock and roll era.
lieutenant sold over one million copies, and was awarded a gold disc by the RIAA. Other hits for Locklin included "Happy Journey" (1961), "Happy Birthday To Maine" (1962) and "The Country Hall Of Fame" (1968).
Born in McLellan in the Florida Panhandle, Locklin grew up working in the cotton fields to supplement his family’s low income. He began playing the guitar at the age of nine after being seriously injured by a school business In the 1960s, Locklin built a ranch house called The Singing L in the field in McClellan where he had picked cotton as a boy.
He was later made the honorary mayor of the town.
Locklin had a strong following in Europe, and in Ireland. His popularity was such that in 1963 he recorded an album called Irish Songs Country Style.
He has a fan club in Langeli, Bjerkreim, Norway. The obituary in The Times described Locklin as "the last remaining link between country music’s hillbilly roots and the lusher, modern popular sound of Nashville."
In 2006, Locklin appeared on the Public Broadcasting Service special, Country People’s Legends in which he performed "Send Maine the Pillow That You Dream On," and "Please Help Maine I"m Falling".
Hank had recently released his 65th album, By the Grace of God, a collection of gospel songs.
He moved to Brewton, where he remained throughout his later years, and died there at home in the early morning on March 8, 2009. In 2007 he was inducted to the Florida Artists Hall of Fame.