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.
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.
Sylvia's Mother
Del Wood Lyrics
We have lyrics for 'Sylvia's Mother' by these artists:
2-9 Dr. Hook & The Medicine Show Sylvia's mother says "Sylvia's busy, too busy to come to…
Bhonus Sylvia's mother says Sylvia is busy Too busy to come to the…
Bobby Bare Sylvia's mother says, "Sylvia's busy, too busy to come to th…
Dennis Locorriere (The Voice of Dr. Hook) Sylvia's mother says "Sylvia's busy, too busy to come to…
Dr Hook & The Medicine Show Sylvia's mother says Sylvia's busy, too busy to come to…
Dr. Hook Sylvia's mother says "Sylvia's busy, too busy to come to…
Dr. Hook & The Medicine Show Sylvia's mother says Sylvia's busy, too busy to come to…
DR. HOOK AND THE MEDICINE BAND Sylvia's mother says "Sylvia's busy, too busy to come to…
Dr. Hook And The Medicine Show Sylvia's mother says Sylvia's busy, too busy to come to…
Eric Donaldson Sylvia's mother says Sylvia is busy Too busy to come to the…
Perikles Sylvia's mother says Sylvia's busy, too busy to come to…
The Medicine Show Sylvia's mother says "Sylvia's busy, too busy to come to…
We have lyrics for these tracks by Del Wood:
The lyrics are frequently found in the comments by searching or by filtering for lyric videos
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@RonjasDrHookChannel
Lyrics:
Dr Hook perform Sylvias Mother
Sylvia's mother says Sylvia's busy, too busy to come to the phone
Sylvia's mother says Sylvia's tryin' to start a new life of her own
Sylvia's mother says Sylvia's happy so why don't you leave her alone
And the operator says forty cents more for the next three minutes
Please Mrs. Avery, I just gotta talk to her,
I'll only keep her a while
Please Mrs. Avery, I just wanna tell her goodbye
Sylvia's mother says Sylvia's packin' she's gonna be leavin' today
Sylvia's mother says Sylvia's marryin' a fella down Galveston way
Sylvia's mother says please don't say nothin' to make her start cryin' and stay
And the operator says forty cents more for the next three minutes
Please Mrs. Avery, I just gotta talk to her,
I'll only keep her a while
Please Mrs. Avery, I just wanna tell her goodbye
Sylvia's mother says Sylvia's hurryin' she's catchin' the nine o'clock train
Sylvia's mother says take your umbrella cause Sylvie, it's startin' to rain
And Sylvia's mother says thank you for callin' and sir won't you call back again
And the operator says forty cents more for the next three minutes
Please Mrs. Avery, I just gotta talk to her,
I'll only keep her a while
Please Mrs. Avery, I just wanna tell her goodbye
Tell her goodbye...
Please... tell her goodbye.
@annmariealexis3659
How do you stop listening to songs like this?
You just can't!
Its still soooooo relevant now and always will be ....as long as we continue to exist in this life.
What a voice,
What a story,
What great passion and emotion put into that performance!
WOW!
Thank you Dr Hook and the Medicine Show.
Great singers and songwriters👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤🙋🏾♀️
@RonjasDrHookChannel
Lyrics:
Dr Hook perform Sylvias Mother
Sylvia's mother says Sylvia's busy, too busy to come to the phone
Sylvia's mother says Sylvia's tryin' to start a new life of her own
Sylvia's mother says Sylvia's happy so why don't you leave her alone
And the operator says forty cents more for the next three minutes
Please Mrs. Avery, I just gotta talk to her,
I'll only keep her a while
Please Mrs. Avery, I just wanna tell her goodbye
Sylvia's mother says Sylvia's packin' she's gonna be leavin' today
Sylvia's mother says Sylvia's marryin' a fella down Galveston way
Sylvia's mother says please don't say nothin' to make her start cryin' and stay
And the operator says forty cents more for the next three minutes
Please Mrs. Avery, I just gotta talk to her,
I'll only keep her a while
Please Mrs. Avery, I just wanna tell her goodbye
Sylvia's mother says Sylvia's hurryin' she's catchin' the nine o'clock train
Sylvia's mother says take your umbrella cause Sylvie, it's startin' to rain
And Sylvia's mother says thank you for callin' and sir won't you call back again
And the operator says forty cents more for the next three minutes
Please Mrs. Avery, I just gotta talk to her,
I'll only keep her a while
Please Mrs. Avery, I just wanna tell her goodbye
Tell her goodbye...
Please... tell her goodbye.
@jenipeachy
Ronja´s Dr Hook Channel you must of guest by now I love your channel . I was lucky to see them when they came to Australia in the 80’s . I wish at times I could of travelled far and wide but alas no . Only done Europe as I’m from there but spent 15 years in NZ building a family . Now back in The land of Oz . Thank you for your page , your music .... you have a ally in the land of Oz.
@lorettawalsh6897
Love this song, band is iconic! thank you :)
@TheAnniemus
I asked my mother to be Mrs. Avery; then, she would take it upon herself bc she didn't want me to leave home
@brainsareus
maybe, Sylvia's mommy can go Cougar on ya, son.
help you 4get Sylvia.
@TheBotosanu
I love this song, it reminds me of when l was 16 yrs old and my ❤️ Heart and the love of my life just was leaving for Viet Nam war, my mother would not let me talk to him. I wanted to die, l did not know if my son or l would ever see him again. Lucky my son saw him once and I never got to see him again. I just died for a very long time, then when l was 32 l met another man who healed my broken ❤️ Heart. God bless you Dr Hook for your song. JOB
@johnjenkins1449
This song was released the week I was discharged from the army. I sent a letter every week to the girl I loved but her mother never gave them to her. Her mother wanted her to marry a man with money and not someone who loved and cherished her. She was abused mentally and physically for almost 25 years until she finally had enough. After her divorce I finally reunited with her and the last 21 years have been the best years of our lives. If you truly love someone, don't give up. My father told me the night we broke up in 1971, Son, if it's meant to be, it will happen, just be patient.
@patriciaharknett3272
Cried reading your story
@mariposaperdida1501
I love this
@denzilthomas1
So lovely God bless