Dateline: October 9, 2000

"Lefty Frizzell was 90 percent of the reason that I'm in the music business. He was my inspiration and I feel the most unique thing that has ever happened to country music. When I was 15 years old I thought he hung the moon, You know I'm not sure that he didn't." -- Merle Haggard

Look on any Merle Haggard, Willie Nelson or even any Dwight Yoakam album, and more likely then not there will be at least one Lefty Frizzell song.

William Orville Frizzell was born in 1928. His music skills became apparent at an early age when he won a radio station talent contest, and soon after began singing in school and church. By the age of 16 he was singing in local Honky Tonks.

You may be wondering where William's nickname of "Lefty" came from. It was said in his younger days that he was a boxer.

In 1950 a tape of Lefty singing "If You've Got The Money I've Got The Time" was heard by a talent scout from CBS records. And the rest they say is country music history.

It's interesting to note that the "B" side of his first hit song, "If You've Got The Money Honey I've Got The Time" was the immensely popular "I Love You A Thousand Ways." (This is one of my all time favorite songs.)

Lefty was the first country singer to be featured on the Hollywood Walk Of Stars and the first country singer to be the headlining artist at the Hollywood Bowl.

Popular Songs

• "If You've Got The Money I've Got The Time"
• "Long Black Veil"
• "That's The Way Love Goes "
• "Always Late (With Your Kisses)"
• "I Never Go Around Mirrors"