Frank "Pee Wee" King

Perhaps best known for composing the Tennessee Waltz, Frank “Pee Wee” King’s long and distinguished career began when he was a Wisconsin high school student and his first dance band was featured on a Racine radio station. By 1934, King had joined Gene Autry and his troupe and toured the upper mid-west. Later he became a member of the Log Cabin Boys on WHAS radio and then formed his own WHAS band. From 1937 to 1947, Pee Wee was a cast member of WSM radio’s Grand Ole Opry.

 His recording career began in 1946 and was helped by his then willingness to use the new medium of television. WEWS TV (Cleveland) was one local station on which he appeared. ABC featured Pee Wee on a network show for a time.

 Singer-writer-bandleader, King was voted into the Country Music Association’s Hall of Fame in 1974.