Cliffie Stone
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Cliffie Stone (March 1, 1917 in Burbank, California – d. January 17, 1988) was a country singer, musician, producer, and music publisher.
Son of Herman the Hermit, Stone was known during his generation for his struggle to bring California's country & western music into favor in post-World War II America. He began playing bass in big bands with Freddie Slack and Anson Weeks as well as with other bands around Hollywood and Pasadena. It was then his work on radio stations KFUD and KFWB that brought him respect. Covered Wagon Jubilee and Lucky Stars, broadcast out of Los Angeles, allowed him to show off his numerous skills. Working as a Disc Jockey, comedian, performer, and host, Stone won fame doing 28 radio shows a week between 1943-47. As a performer on the Hollywood Barn Dance, he marked his name in country music history.
During 1946 he accepted a position with Capitol Records, who were gearing up for the still as yet undefined Bakersfield movement. An A&R executive with Capitol for twenty years, Stone discovered Tennessee Ernie Ford, whom he managed from 1947 to 1957, Molly Bee, Hank Thompson, and others who were flocking to Los Angeles to record. In spite of his success at Capitol, however, Stone was best remembered for his radio work. His show on Pasadena radio station KXLA that was called Dinner Bell Roundup, was a daily variety presentation that brought big numbers of country & western entertainers. In 1944 the show picked up and moved to El Monte. The new location would be named, Hometown Jamboree. Recording six albums of his own he earned co-writing credits on hits "Divorce Me C.O.D.," "So Round, So Firm, So Fully Packed," and in 1947, "Silver Stars, Purple Sage, Eyes of Blue."
He recorded with various versions of his own band, including Cliffie Stone & His Orchestra, Cliffie Stone & His Barn Dance Band, as well as Cliffie Stone's Country Hombres.
Concentrating on the business side of things, the 1960s saw Stone's publishing company, Central Songs, flourish. He even headed up a label, Granite, for a time. The father of Curtis Stone (one of the founding members of Highway 101), Steve Stone (songwriter and music publisher), and Jonathan Stone (music publisher), Stone wrote several books, including Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Songwriting but Didn't Know Who to Ask, published in 1991.
