This article is about the Canadian country singer. For 'Hal Willis, student at law' the 19th century English writer, see
Charles Robert Forrester.
Hal Willis is a Canadian country singer, living in Nashville Tennessee USA. He was born Leonald Gauthier in Rouyn-Noranda, Quebec on July 15, 1933. He is the youngest son of Alfred and Evelina Gauthier.
[edit] Career
His biggest success was "The Lumberjack", an international hit that sold over 1.5 million copies. In 1965, it peaked at #5 on the Billboard country charts in the USA. This success was so phenomeneous that he has been since called Mr Lumberjack.
His popularity started rising in 1956, when he and his wife, Ginger Willis, were hired by Colonel Tom Parker to tour with the music phenomenon of the hour, Elvis Presley. At this time Hal and Ginger were also Rock & Roll singers recording songs like My Pink Cadillac and Bop a Dee Bop a Doo. Hal and Ginger, along with Hank Snow, were the only Canadian performers to tour with Elvis Presley. He also performed and toured through his career with many American Country Hall of Fame's singers such as Patsy Cline, Webb Pierce, Loretta Lynn, Dolly Parton, Porter Wagoner, Johnny Cash and Willie Nelson. His recent album are Coast to Coast, a Christmas album Santa's Clones
Hal and Ginger Willis were inducted into the Canadian Country Music Hall of Fame in 2010.[1]
[edit] Discography
[edit] Studio albums
| Year |
Album |
Label |
| 1966 |
Mr. Lumberjack |
Arc |
| 1967 |
Mr. Lumberjack: Volume 2 |
| 1972 |
Hal Willis |
Bonanza |
| 1999 |
Santa's Clones |
Pearl |
| 2000 |
Coast to Coast |
| 2006 |
A Cut Above |
| Better 'N Ever |
[edit] Singles
| Year |
Title |
Chart Positions |
| CAN Country |
US Country |
US |
| 1964 |
"The Lumberjack" |
1 |
5 |
120 |
| 1965 |
"Nopper the Topper" |
7 |
— |
— |
| "Klondike Mike" |
1 |
— |
— |
| 1966 |
"Doggin' in the US Mail" |
— |
45 |
— |
[edit] References
[edit] External links
| Persondata |
| Name |
Willis, Hal |
| Alternative names |
|
| Short description |
Canadian singer |
| Date of birth |
July 15, 1933 |
| Place of birth |
|
| Date of death |
|
| Place of death |
|
