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.
Take Me Home Country Roads
Del Wood Lyrics
We have lyrics for 'Take Me Home Country Roads' by these artists:
8. Olivia Newton John Country roads,take me home To the place I belong West Virgin…
Bill Danoff Taffy Nivert & John Denver Almost heaven, West Virginia Blue Ridge Mountains, Shenandoa…
Billy Vaughn Almost heaven, West Virginia, Blue Ridge Mountains Shenandoa…
Bob Marley Toots & The Maytals Listen Almost heaven, West Jamaica True ridge mountains Shi…
Brandi Carlile Almost Heaven, West Virginia Blue Ridge Mountains, Shenandoa…
Charlie McCoy Almost heaven, West Virginia Blue ridge mountains Shenandoah…
Choi Seung-Chan Take Me Home, Country Roads (Live) 唱︰李國祥 / 韋綺姍 / 陳德彰…
Copilot Music Almost heaven, West Virginia Blue Ridge Mountains, Shenandoa…
Country Rock Party Almost heaven, West Virginia, Blue ridge mountain, Shenandoa…
Dickey Lee Almost heaven West Virginia Blue Ridge Mountains Shenandoah …
Erlando Panoramica Ascolta Altre registrazioni Risultati principa…
Geoff Castellucci Whoo hoo-hoo hoo, hoo-hoo hoo Whoo-hoo-hoo hoo, hoo-hoo hoo,…
Graham BLVD Almost heaven, West Virginia Blue Ridge Mountains, Shenandoa…
Grant & Forsyth Take Me Home, Country Roads John Denver Lirik Almost heaven,…
Home Free Almost heaven, West Virginia Blue ridge mountains, Shenandoa…
John Denver (Holiday) Almost heaven, West Virginia Blue Ridge Mountains, Shenando…
John Denver- Almost heaven, West Virginia Blue Ridge Mountains, Shenandoa…
John Farnham Olivia Newton-john & Anthony Warlow Country roads,take me home To the place I belong West Virgin…
Julie Mintz Almost heaven, West Virginia Blue Ridge Mountains, Shenandoa…
Lawrence Welk Almost heaven, West Virginia, Blue ridge mountain, Shenandoa…
Lee Towers Almost heaven, west virginia Blue ridge mountains Shenandoah…
Lena Zavaroni Country roads, take me home To the place I belong West Virgi…
Lisa Ono Almost heaven, West Virginia Blue ridge moutains, Shenandoah…
Lisa Ono 小野リサ Almost heaven, West Virginia Blue Ridge Mountains, Shenandoa…
Lynn Anderson Almost heaven West Virginia Blue Ridge Mountains Shenandoah …
Mary Duff Almost heaven, West Virginia, Blue Ridge Mountains Shenandoa…
Mike Doughty Almost heaven, West Virginia Blue Ridge Mountains, Shenandoa…
Neebs Gaming Almost heaven West Virginia Blue Ridge Mountains Shenandoah …
Newton John Olivia Country roads,take me home To the place I belong West Virgin…
Olivia Newton-John Anthony Warlow Country roads,take me home To the place I belong West Virg…
Olivia Newton‐John Country roads,take me home To the place I belong West Virgin…
Onde Acustiche Almost heaven, West Virginia Blue Ridge Mountains, Shenandoa…
Ray Charles clmost Heaven, West Virginia Blue Ridge Mountains, Shenandoa…
Roch Voisine Almost heaven, west virginia Blue ridge mountains Shenandoah…
Russell Moore & IIIrd Tyme Out Almost heaven, west virginia Blue ridge mountains, shenandoa…
Southern Raised Almost heaven West Virginia Blue Ridge Mountains Shenandoah …
The Band of Heathens ALMOST HEAVEN WEST VIRGINIA BLUE RIDGE MOUNTAINS SHENANDOAH …
The Billy's Almost heaven, West Virginia, Blue Ridge Mountains Shenandoa…
The Osborne Brothers Almost heaven, West Virginia, Blue Ridge Mountains, Shenando…
The Petersens Almost heaven, West Virginia Blue Ridge Mountains, Shenandoa…
The Statler Brothers Almost heaven Ol' Virginia Blue Ridge Mountains, Shenandoah …
toots the maytals Almost heaven, West Jamaica True ridge mountains Shining M…
Toots & The Maytals Almost heaven, West Jamaica True ridge mountains Shining Min…
Toots & The Maytals (Children's) Listen Almost heaven, West Jamaica True ridge mountains Shi…
Various Artists X-Perience Take Me Home Take Me Home Take me home please tak…
Whitney Almost heaven, West Virginia Blue Ridge Mountains, Shenandoa…
Yōko Honna カントリー・ロード この道 ずっとゆけば あの街に つづいてる 気がする カントリー・ロード ひとりぼっち おそれずに…
塔斯肯 Take Me Home Country Roads (Live) - 塔斯肯 Written by:John Den…
小野リサ Almost heaven, West Virginia Blue Ridge Mountains, Shenandoa…
本名陽子 カントリー・ロード この道 ずっとゆけば あの街に つづいてる 気がする カントリー・ロード ひとりぼっち おそれずに…
李燕君 Almost heaven west virginia Blue ridge mountains shenandoah …
許冠傑 Almost Heaven, West Virginia Blue Ridge Mountains, Shenandoa…
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@theresachiorazzi4571
An amazing song it’s so happy sounding.
@theresachiorazzi4571
Even the fish are happy.