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Born 111 Years Ago Today in Oklahoma, the Country Singer Who Rewrote His Famous Cousin’s Song and Took It to No. 1
Jack Guthrie, born in Oklahoma in 1915, rewrote his cousin Woody Guthrie’s “Oklahoma Hills” and turned it into a Western swing hit. His version reached No. 1 on the Juke Box Folk Records chart in 1945, making the song the defining success of his short career.
A skilled multi-instrumentalist and horseman, Jack performed with Woody on Los Angeles radio before securing a Capitol Records contract. After Army service in the Pacific, he toured and recorded more songs, including “Oakie Boogie”, despite tuberculosis. He died aged 32 in 1948, after recording more than 30 songs while terminally ill.
In short
- Jack Guthrie’s version of “Oklahoma Hills” topped a chart in 1945.
- He was Woody Guthrie’s cousin and a Capitol Records artist.
- He continued recording and performing despite terminal tuberculosis.