Lefty Frizzell Biography

Fast Facts

• Was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 1982
• Had a streak of 13 Top 10 hits during the early 1950s, including "Money," "I Love You," and "Forever (and Always)․"
• Began performing on local radio stations in Texas and New Mexico during his early teenage years
• Best known as a country and honky tonk music singer and songwriter of the 1950s
• Signed with Columbia Records in 1950 after recording engineer Jim Beck heard his song "If You've Got the Money, I've Got the Time․"
• Started his long-term engagement at the Ace of Clubs in Big Spring, Texas in 1950
• His signature guitar was a 1949 Gibson J-200 that was customized in 1951 by Paul Bigsby
• His singing style influenced later stars like Roy Orbison, Willie Nelson, and George Strait