Lefty Pritchett
And His Country Cats
CP-4103 - Just An Ole Has Been
(Pritchett-Dickenson)
(Pritchett)
Vocal By Lefty Pritchell
Vocal By Lefty Pritchell
From The Heart of Dixie It's
Bama Records 00001
1960
Claude "Lefty" Pritchett, a self-taught musician, was born in 1931 in Alabama, the son of Alabama sharecroppers. He had an ear for music at a young age, especially the guitar. "My first guitar was used. I paid $1.75 for it," he recalls.
*Released on Dee Lark Records, you can hear the song here
Claude "Lefty" Pritchett, a self-taught musician, was born in 1931 in Alabama, the son of Alabama sharecroppers. He had an ear for music at a young age, especially the guitar. "My first guitar was used. I paid $1.75 for it," he recalls.
His guitar playing and singing were constant companions when he joined the Army in 1950. Korea was his first stop after basic training at Fort Knox, Kentucky. Serving with the Seventh Infantry Division in Korea, he organized a
country music group, which has became popular with the GI's
overseas. "Lefty Pritchett and His Country Rhythm Boys", as the group
was commonly known in Korea, played at service clubs, parties and entertainment programs in Korea. Pritchett wrote many of his songs
and broadcasted his original tunes on a weekly radio program
The troops weren't the only ones Claude serenaded. Korea is also where he met his future bride Bonnie. "I saw her for the first time with a dark corduroy uniform on and she had pigtails and she just took my heart away."
Claude also saw duty in Vietnam in the late 60's. And, yes, his guitar made the trip, too. "If I wasn't on duty I'd start playing and singing and all the troops would come around. We'd have a big jam session."
When Claude got back to the states he recorded one of the 150 songs he has written. It was called "Vietnam Rotation Blues." (*) Claude says over there they wanted to hear something about coming home, so that's why he wrote the song.
Claude also saw duty in Vietnam in the late 60's. And, yes, his guitar made the trip, too. "If I wasn't on duty I'd start playing and singing and all the troops would come around. We'd have a big jam session."
When Claude got back to the states he recorded one of the 150 songs he has written. It was called "Vietnam Rotation Blues." (*) Claude says over there they wanted to hear something about coming home, so that's why he wrote the song.
Once back home Claude became an Army recruiter. His guitar was one of his recruiting tools. "When (a recruit) would make up his mind to go, I would sing him a song and ask him when he wanted to leave. We'd have to send him to get his exam and everything. I always met my quota," Claude said with a big smile.
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*Released on Dee Lark Records, you can hear the song here
