His first band, The Blue Ridge Boys, performed on radio station KWPM from a butcher shop in his native West Plains, Missouri where Wagoner cut meat. Wagoner's big break came in 1951, when he was hired as a performer by station KWTO in Springfield, Missouri. This led to a contract with RCA Records. With lagging sales, Wagoner and his trio played schoolhouses for the gate proceeds.
In 1953, his song entitled "Trademark" became a hit for Carl Smith, followed by a few hits of his own on RCA. He was a featured performer on ABC's Ozark Jubilee and moved to Nashville and joined the Grand Ole Opry in 1957.
Wagoner was elected to the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2002. His 81 charted records include "Satisfied Mind" (#1, 1955), “Misery Loves Company” (#1, 1962), “I've Enjoyed As Much of This As I Can Stand” (#7, 1962–1963), “Sorrow on the Rocks” (#5, 1964), “Green, Green Grass of Home” (#4, 1965), “Skid Row Joe” (#3, 1965–1966), “The Cold Hard Facts of Life” (#2, 1967), and “The Carroll County Accident” (#2, 1968–1969). Among his hit duets with Dolly Parton were a cover of Tom Paxton's "The Last Thing on My Mind" (1967), "We'll Get Ahead Someday" (1968), "Just Someone I Used To Know" (1969), "Better Move it on Home" (1971), "Please Don't Stop Loving Me" (#1, 1974) and "Making Plans" (#2, 1980). He also won three Grammy Awards for gospel recordings.
The Porter Wagoner Show ran on syndicated television from 1960 to 1981. There were 686 thirty minute episodes filmed, the first 104 being shot in black and white, the remainder in color. At its peak, it was featured in over 100 markets, with an average viewership of over three million. Reruns of the program currently air on the rural cable network RFD-TV.
Wagoner brought James Brown to the Grand Ole Opry, produced a rhythm & blues album for Joe Simon, and appeared in the Clint Eastwood film Honkytonk Man. [1] During the mid 1980s, Wagoner formed an all girl group called The Right Combination which was named after one of Porter and Dolly Parton's hit records. He also hosted "Opry Backstage" during the 1990s on The Nashville Network where he interviewed guests. Though Parton's departure caused some animosity on both sides, the two reconciled in the late 1980s and have appeared together a number of times in the years since; Parton inducted Wagoner into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2002.
Wagoner made a guest appearance on the HBO comedy series Da Ali G Show, being interviewed by the fictional character Borat, in its second season.
On July 14, 2006, Wagoner was hospitalized and underwent surgery for an abdominal aneurysm.
Wagoner was honored on May 19, 2007 at the Grand Ole Opry for both his fifty years of membership and his 80th birthday. This was telecast on GAC's Grand Ole Opry Live that day with artists such as Stuart, Parton, and Patty Loveless. Grand Ole Opry Live host Nan Kelley was part of the birthday celebration as well.
On June 05, 2007, Wagoner released his final album called Wagonmaster. The album was produced by Marty Stuart for the Anti-label. This album received the best reviews ever in Porter's career and briefly charted on the country charts.
Wagoner also toured during the summer of 2007 to promote the album. One of these was opening for the rock group The White Stripes at a sold-out concert at Madison Square Garden in New York City.
Wagoner's publicist Darlene Bieber announced on October 19, 2007 that the singer had been hospitalized and was in very serious condition. WSMV-TV reported that Wagoner was admitted earlier that week for observation from an illness. Bieber gave no further information but said that the country star was asking for prayers from his family and fans.
On October 21, 2007, his publicist confirmed that Wagoner had been diagnosed with lung cancer.
On October 26, 2007, Porter was released into hospice care. He died two days later in Nashville, Tennessee. Wagoner's funeral was held on November 1, 2007 at the Grand Ole Opry House followed by interrment at the Woodlawn Memorial Park Cemetery in Nashville.
Up until his illness and death, he appeared regularly on the Grand Ole Opry and toured actively.
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Sleep
Porter Wagoner Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Sleep come over me let me rest and dream awhile
Of two young lovers making plans of dreams I dreamed when dreams began
Of things that could and should have been before the eternal sadness moved in
Sleep take over me set me free to dream awhile
Of sunlight shining in her hair of days with laughter in the air
Of my world of sweetness again before the eternal sadness moved in
In Porter Wagoner's song Sleep, the lyrics describe a desire for rest and escape from the burdens of reality. The singer longs to dream of happier times, particularly the memories of a young love before "eternal sadness moved in." Through the repeated refrain of "sleep sweet and deep," Wagoner captures the peacefulness and tranquility of sleep and its ability to transport the mind to a different world.
The lyrics also suggest a feeling of regret and nostalgia for a lost love. The dreams of "two young lovers making plans of dreams I dreamed when dreams began" echo the sentiment of wanting to re-live past experiences and correct past mistakes. The repeated phrase "before the eternal sadness moved in" underscores the feeling of longing and a yearning for what once was.
Overall, Sleep is a poignant and heartfelt ballad that speaks to the universal longing for rest and escape from the hardships of life, as well as the human desire to reconnect with joyful memories and past loves.
Line by Line Meaning
Sleep sweet and deep visit me for awhile
Please let me fall into a deep, peaceful sleep for a little while.
Sleep come over me let me rest and dream awhile
Ease my mind and allow me to rest and escape into my dreams.
Of two young lovers making plans of dreams I dreamed when dreams began
In my dreams, I envision two young people planning their future together, just like I did when I was young and full of hope.
Of things that could and should have been before the eternal sadness moved in
My dreams are filled with images of the life I wish I had lived, before my overwhelming sadness took over.
Sleep take over me set me free to dream awhile
Let sleep take control of my thoughts and allow me to find freedom and solace in my dreams.
Of sunlight shining in her hair of days with laughter in the air
My dreams are filled with images of happy times - sunlight on her hair, laughter in the air - something I don't experience much anymore.
Of my world of sweetness again before the eternal sadness moved in
In my dreams, I long to return to a time when my world was filled with sweetness and joy, before my sadness took hold.
Sleep sweet and deep let me rest and dream awhile let me rest and dream awhile
Let me find comfort and escape in the beautiful world of my dreams, allowing me to rest and forget my worries, at least for a little while longer.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: JACK CLEMENT
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind