CROCKETT, HOWARD (1925–1994). Singer and songwriter Howard Crockett was born Howard Hausey in Yellow Pine, Webster Parish, Louisiana, on December 25, 1925. He pitched in the Brooklyn Dodgers' farm system but turned to singing and songwriting after a shoulder injury ended his baseball career.

Among the best known of the more than 200 songs he wrote are "Whispering Pines," "Slew Foot," and "Honky Tonk Man." These three, plus several others, were released and made famous by Johnny Horton.^qv According to fellow songwriter Joe Davis, Crockett wrote what might be his most famous song, "Honky Tonk Man," at a club called Yankee's in Mississippi and almost never released it, because he figured someone else had already written something similar. Four of his numerous songs went gold, two platinum, and one double-platinum. As a young man Crockett also performed on the "Louisiana Hayride."^qv

Beginning in 1957 he made several recordings with Dot Records, at which time he changed his name to Crockett. He recorded with Mercury Records as well. His "The Last Will and Testament of a Drinking Man" was a hit in 1973. He retired from singing in 1981, though he continued to write songs up until a few months before his death. Dwight Yoakam had a hit with "Honky Tonk Man" in 1986.

Crockett's wife, Patricia Carol Hausey, died on November 28, 1989. Crockett died of lung cancer in Fort Worth on December 27, 1994, and was survived by three sons and three daughters, as well as four grandchildren. His memorial service was held at Shannon Funeral Chapel, Fort Worth. In 1999 he was inducted into the LSSCMA of Texas Country Music Hall of Fame along with other Texas greats Lefty Frizzell,^qv Lenora Sinistre, Gordon Jones, and Jess Beaumont.

BIBLIOGRAPHY: Rockin' Country Style: Crockett, Howard (http://rcs.law.emory.edu/rcs/artists/c/croc1000.htm), accessed March 4, 2003. Dallas Morning News, December 31, 1994. Fort Worth Star-Telegram, December 30, 1994. Houston Chronicle, December 31, 1994. LSSCMA of Texas Halls of Fame website (http://ssrecords.techplanet.net/lsscma_halls_of_fame.htm), accessed March 4, 2003.

Hugh O'Donovan