Celebrate the Heart of Country, Americana, and Roots Music!

Drop Us A Line, Y'all

Y'all interested in advertising, partnering up, contributing stories, joining our team, or just got a question? Well, don't be shy, drop us a line!

Follow Us

Here Are Some Facts About Webb Pierce, One Of The Most Distinctive Country Music Stylists

Webb Peirce Facts
by
  • Arden is a Senior Country Music Journalist for Country Thang Daily, specializing in classic hits and contemporary chart-toppers.
  • Prior to joining Country Thang Daily, Arden wrote for Billboard and People magazine, covering country music legends and emerging artists.
  • Arden holds a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism from the University of Tennessee, with a minor in Music Studies.

In the 1950s and 1960s, Webb Pierce dominated country music, tallying more No. 1 hits than similar country legends like Hank Williams. His twangy tenor and loud, nasal, high-pitched delivery even influenced a generation of country artists such as Mel Tillis, Faron Young, and Willie Nelson.

Throughout his career, he remains among the cornerstone figures of honky tonk. 

Well, without further ado, let’s get to know more about Webb Pierce. Here are some exciting facts you might not have heard about him yet.

1. He’s a native of West Monroe, Louisiana. 

Born Michael Webb Pierce on August 8, 1921, the country singer was actually a farmer’s stepson. Hence, he spent most of his boyhood in the fields. His birth father sadly passed away three months after he was born. 

2. He had his own local radio show by the time he was sixteen. 

While no one in his family performed music, his mother had a collection of country music recordings that inspired him to learn to play guitar before he was a teenager. Soon enough, people started to notice Pierce playing local gigs. Eventually, he earned his own weekly fifteen-minute radio show called Songs by Webb Pierce.

3. He married twice. 

In 1942, Pierce married Betty Jane Lewis. The two went on as a duo and appeared on a morning show called Webb Pierce with Betty Jane, the Singing Sweetheart. They divorced later in 1950. He then moved to Nashville, Tennessee, where he met and married his second wife, Audrey Greisham.

4. He conceived a plan to reach instant stardom. 

Pierce supposedly gave a number of young girls some free tickets before the show and would let them sit in the first row. He then asked them to scream and beg for more whenever he ended one song. Well, it truly worked as the enthusiasm spread all through the audience. 

5. He resigned from the Grand Ole Opry. 

In 1952, Pierce took Hank Williams‘ place in the beloved institution after the latter was fired. Ironically, Pierce quit three years later after refusing to pay commissions for booking and associated talent.

6. He lived a lavish lifestyle. 

Another thing Pierce is famous for is his excessive lifestyle. His Nashville home features a $30,000 guitar-shaped swimming pool that eventually became a famous paid tourist attraction with almost 3,000 people visiting weekly.

7. He went through a long battle with pancreatic cancer. 

Sadly, Pierce succumbed to the disease and breathed one’s last on February 24, 1991. He was laid to rest at Nashville’s Woodlawn Memorial Park Cemetery.

8. He was inducted posthumously into the Country Music Hall of Fame. 

In 2001, Pierce’s significant contribution to the genre was recognized by the Country Music Hall of Fame.

While Pierce has one of the most controversial careers, his music carried a magnificent, personal stamp that positions him among the genre’s legendary figures. Everyone will surely agree that Webb Pierce songs are among the best in country music. 

Latest Stories

Dolly Parton looks down emotionally while speaking into a rhinestone-covered microphone during a candid moment on stage.

Dolly Parton Was So Broke When She First Moved to Nashville She Ate Leftover Room Service to Survive

Some people chase dreams. Dolly Parton chased survival. Long before the wigs, the theme park, and the billion-dollar legacy, Dolly was just a teenage girl in cheap shoes with a ...

Kelly Clarkson closes her eyes while singing into a microphone during her raw performance of Cody Johnson’s “When It Comes To You.”

Kelly Clarkson’s Cody Johnson Cover Reminded Folks What Country’s Supposed to Feel Like

Kelly Clarkson’s voice could melt asphalt in the middle of a Texas summer, and when she turned her sights on Cody Johnson‘s “When It Comes To You,” it wasn’t just ...

Connie Francis smiles with hands clasped in front of a pink backdrop and orchids, remembered for her timeless hit “Pretty Little Baby.”

Connie Francis, the Original Pop Icon Behind “Pretty Little Baby,” Dies at 87

She ruled the airwaves before most of us were born, and somehow, against all odds, Connie Francis was going viral on TikTok at 87. The pop powerhouse behind hits like ...

Luke Bryan performs with high energy on stage in a plaid shirt and cap, dividing fans over whether he's saving or ruining country music.

Why Some Country Fans Can’t Stand Luke Bryan and Others Say He Saved the Genre

Country fans don’t just listen, they debate. And if there’s one name that’s kept the whiskey flowing and keyboards clacking over the last decade, it’s Luke Bryan. Depending on who ...

Luke Bryan looks emotional during a heartfelt interview as he reflects on the personal tragedies of losing his brother and sister years apart.

Luke Bryan’s Brother and Sister Died Years Apart and He’s Still Carrying That Pain Today

Country music’s known for telling stories, but Luke Bryan’s life reads more like a ballad you never want to live through. Before the chart-toppers, before the sold-out stadium tours, before ...

Chris Stapleton and Miranda Lambert perform together in cowboy hats as their new duet “A Song to Sing” sparks mixed reactions from critics and fans.

Chris Stapleton and Miranda Lambert’s New Duet Slammed by Critics but Loved by Listeners

You’d think pairing two of the biggest voices in country music would set the world on fire. Instead, some critics are out here pouring cold water on what was supposed ...

More than 50 country legends and stars join together onstage at the Grand Ole Opry’s 100th celebration for a surprise performance of “Will the Circle Be Unbroken.”

Opry 100 Crowd Thought It Was Over Then 50 Country Legends Sang “Will the Circle Be Unbroken”

Thought the show was over? Not even close. The Grand Ole Opry’s 100th anniversary celebration already had fans floating on a high of nostalgia, surprise collaborations, and once-in-a-lifetime performances. But ...

Chris Stapleton performing onstage in a cowboy hat and black suit while playing guitar, tied to his big $1 million donation to help Texas families after devastating floods.

Chris Stapleton Steps Up to Help Texas Families After Devastating Floods With Big Donation

When the waters rise, real country shows up. Texas got hit with a storm over Fourth of July weekend that nobody saw coming, a wall of rain that turned the ...

Beyoncé performing in a white rhinestone outfit and cowboy hat during her Cowboy Carter Tour, amid news her unreleased music and setlists were stolen from a car in Atlanta.

Beyoncé’s Unreleased Music Stolen From Car in Atlanta Along With Cowboy Carter Tour Plans and Setlists

Well, here we go. Beyoncé might want to saddle up that golden horse of hers because this Cowboy Carter circus just keeps getting wilder, and not in a way that’ll ...

Darius Rucker passionately singing on stage before walking off after four songs and refunding fans when he lost his voice in Atlantic City.

Darius Rucker Walks Off Stage After 4 Songs Says “I Can’t Sing Anymore” and Refunds Fans

Sometimes the road just knocks the wind right out of you, or in Darius Rucker‘s case, it takes your voice and leaves you standing there, hat in hand, with nothing ...