Polly Adelaide Hendricks Hazelwood (February 22, 1920 – October 3, 1989), k… Read Full Bio ↴Polly Adelaide Hendricks Hazelwood (February 22, 1920 – October 3, 1989), known professionally as Del Wood, was an American pianist.

Hendricks was born in Nashville, Tennessee. A lifetime resident of Nashville, she was surrounded by the influences of early country music and the remaining vestiges of ragtime, particularly through the guitar pickers. She took up piano at age five, and played ragtime, gospel, and country music. Despite her parent's best efforts to encourage a direction towards classical music, the environment in Nashville, plus the early local programming on radio, convinced her that she wanted to play piano in the honky-tonk style. Her dream goal was the Grand Ole Opry, something she would realize in her early 30s.
Shortening her married name (Adelaide Hazelwood) to something easier to remember (and intentionally non-gender specific), Wood began playing in bands and honky-tonk joints in her 20s. After a decade of building repertoire and reputation, she spent some time as a staff pianist at WLBJ in Bowling Green, Kentucky. It was there that she was heard playing "Down Yonder" among other pieces, which led to a gig with a recording group called Hugh `Baby' Jarrett and his Dixieliners. This led to the first of many recording sessions for the Tennessee Records label starting in 1951. "Down Yonder" soon became a national hit in both the country and pop categories in Billboard record charts, sold over one million copies, and was awarded a gold disc. She is probably the first female country solo instrumentalist to sell a million copies of a record.
This success was turned into appearances on the Grand Ole Opry starting in 1952, which led to an eventual full-time gig there in 1953, fulfilling her long-time dream. Two years later her fame culminated with a contract from RCA Victor Records, where she would make some of the first country/honky-tonk stereo recordings in the late 1950s. While nothing else that she put out had the same success as "Down Yonder", her offerings over the next decade were frequent and consistent. Wood gained the title, Queen of the Ragtime Pianists, sometimes shared with junior fellow plunker Jo Ann Castle. She was also divorced from her stage-namesake, Carson Hazelwood, during this period, but not before adopting a son they named Wesley.
During the Vietnam War, Wood was part of one of the Grand Ole Opry package tours that entertained troops overseas in 1968. Her recordings after the late 1960s were infrequent at best, but her appearances on the Opry continued until just before her death from a stroke on October 3, 1989 at the age of 69.
She was interred in the Mount Olivet Cemetery in Nashville.

Sixteen Tons
Del Wood Lyrics

We have lyrics for 'Sixteen Tons' by these artists:

Alexis Korner & CCS Some people say a man is made outta mud A poor…
Anna Domino Some people say a man is made outta' mud A poor…
B. B. "Blues Boy" King and His Orchestra Some people say a man is made outta mud A poor…
B.B. King Some people says the man's made out of mud, Some people…
Big Bill Broonzy Some people says the man's made out of mud Man's made…
Bo Diddley People say a man is made outta mud Poor man made…
Brave Combo I...........was born one morning When the sun didn't shine …
C.C.S Some people say a man is made outta mud A poor…
Cactus Brothers Some people say a man is made outta mud A poor…

Cash Johnny Some people say a man is made out of mud A…
CCS Some people say a man is made outta mud A poor…
Ccs (Collective Consciousness Society) Some people say a man is made outta mud A poor…
Classic Country Some people say a man is made outta mud A poor…
Corb Lund Some people say a man is made outta mud A poor…
Dave Dudley Some people say a man's made outta mud a poor…
Don Harrison Band Some people say a man, I made out of mud. Well…
Eddie Cochran Some people say a man is made outta mud A poor…
Edmundo Ros Some people say a man is made outta mud A poor…
Edmundo Ros & His Orchestra Some people say a man is made outta mud A poor…
Eric Burdon Some people say a man is made outta' mud A poor…
Frankie Laine Some people say a man is made outta mud A poor…
Geoff Castellucci Some people say a man is made out of mud A…
Golden Gate Quartet Some people say man is made out of mud A poor…
Hank Thompson SIXTEEN TONS Writer Merle Travis Some people say man is mad…
Homer & Jethro Some people say a man is made outta mud A poor…
I Giganti Some people say a man is made outta' mud A poor…
Ina Forsman Katarina Pejak Ally Venable Some people say a man is made outta mud A poor…
Jack Fascinato And His Orchestra Tennessee Ernie Ford Some people say a man is made outta mud A poor…
Jack Parnell & His Orchestra Some people say a man is made outta mud A poor…
Jerry Reed Some people say man is made out of mud A poor…
Jim Post Some people say a man is made outta mud A poor…
Jimmy & Johnny Some people say a man is made out of mud A…
Jimmy Dean Some people say a man is made outta mud. A poor…
Johnnie Taylor Some people say a man is made outta mud A poor…
Johnny Cash & June Carter Some people say a man is made out of mud A…
Johnny Desmond Some people say a man Is made out of mud A poor…
Kate Smith Some people say man is made out of mud A poor…
Lester Some people say a man is made outta mud A poor…
Lorne Greene I was born one mornin' when the sun didn't shine…
Louis Neefs Now right back from Germany We duce the fabulous Lou Neefs …
Maciej Maleńczuk Niektórzy mówią że człowiek jest z błota Biedni są inni ich…
Marvin & Johnny Some people say a man is made out of mud A…
Merle Travis I was born one mornin' when the sun didn't shine Picked…
Nighthawks Some people say a man is made outta mud A poor…
Pete Seeger Some people say a man is made out of mud A…
Platters & Drifters Some people say a man is made outta mud A poor…
Platters (the) Some people say a man is made outta mud A poor…
Platters The Some people say a man is made outta mud A poor…
Reed Les Orchestra/Tom Jones Some people say a man is made out of mud Well,…
Restless Some people say a man is made outta mud A poor…
Stevie Wonder (I'm a hardworking man) Some folks say a man is made…
Tennessee E. Ford Some people say a man is made out of mud A…
Tennessee Ernie Some people say a man is made outta mud A poor…
Tennessee Ernie Ford Some people say a man is made out of mud A…
The Bar J Wranglers; Merle Travis Some people say a man is made outta mud A poor…
The Don Harrison Band Some people say a man, I made out of mud. Well a…
The Flames Of Discontent Some people say a man is made outta mud A poor…
The Golden Gate Quartet Some people say man is made out of mud A poor…
The Hi-Lo's Some people say man is made out of mud A poor…
The Nighthawks Some people say a man is made outta mud A poor…
The Rattles Some people say man's made out mud, Well, a good man's…
The Starlite Orchestra Some people say a man is made outta mud A poor…
The Weavers Some people say a man is made out of mud A…
Tom Jones Some people say a man is made outta mud A poor…
Western Flyer Some people say a man is made outta mud A…
Willie Nelson Some people say man is made out of mud A poor…
Woody Guthrie And Pete Seeger Some people say a man is made out of mud A…