Your Grandparents (Or Maybe Great Grandparents) Would Crank Up The Radio When ‘Pistol Packin’ Mama’ Came On The Airwaves
1942-1943 was a dark time in American (and World) history. World War II raged on two fronts and the outcome was highly in doubt. Millions were already dead and it would be another 2-3 years before it would come to an end.
In America there wasn't a community or area that wasn't affected by the war. Gold Stars hung in windows of house in cities and small towns, on farm's all across the country. The news that came out of Philco radio's was almost always bad.
Mothers and Fathers, Brothers and Sisters, Grandparents and Grandchildren would escape, if just for a few minutes, listening to music. And on of the biggest hit's of that time was by a guy named Al Dexter.
Born Clarence Albert Poindexter, Al would not go on to become one of those legendary names in country music. He wouldn't be mentioned with people like Hank Williams, Webb Pierce, Marty Robbins or Ernest Tubb. But for a short time, for several months, he would provide a kind of relief seldom seen or heard in music.
'Pistol Packin' Mama' would go on to be recorded by artist's like Bing Crosby and the Andrews Sisters, and in fact would be awarded Grammy Hall of Fame Award in 1999. But it was in those dark years of '42-'43 that it provided perhaps a brief respite from a war torn world.
Al Dexter passed away in 1984. But even today, all these many decades later, 'Pistol Packin' Mama' can still bring a smile. And just a final note: Notice that Al was smart enough to include his own name in the song!
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