Saturday, March 19, 2011

So long, Ferlin

We got so wrapped up in March Madness we completely missed the passing of country crooner Ferlin Husky on Thursday. To read the obituary by Peter Cooper of the Nashville Tennessean click here.

Back in December we posted this blog on the occasion of Husky's 85th birthday, and we return now to pay our final respects.  From a farm in Flat River, Missouri to the Country Music Hall of Fame, Husky carved out a fine career as a singer and performer who had a string of hits through the 50s, 60s and 70s, none bigger than "Wings of a Dove" and "Gone," each of which spent 10 weeks atop the Billboard chart.

We found a great video of Husky performing "Gone" on YouTube but the embed code was disabled. You can still get to it by clicking here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EQ4rvIdNAXM

Many artists have covered Bob Ferguson's "Wings of a Dove," but Husky's 1960 recording is the benchmark. He sang these words as if they had been sent from above:

When troubles surround us, when evils come
The body grows weak
The spirit grows numb
When these things beset us, He doesn't forget us

He sends down His love
On the wings of a dove

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