Ottis Dewey Whitman JR was born on the 20th January 1923 and was professionally known by the stage name, Slim Whitman. Although I'm familiar with the name, I can't say that I'm sure if he was all that 'slim' or not.

He was an American country music singer, songwriter and instrumentalist known for his yodeling abilities and his unique voice best suited for the genre.

Born in Oak Park, Florida, he was one of six siblings. Growing up he liked the country music of Jimmie Rodgers and Gene Autry but did not embark on a musical career of his own until the end of World War II; after he had served in the South Pacific with the US Navy. While aboard the ship, he would often sing and entertain his fellow members. This resulted in the Captain blocking his transfer to another ship. This, in the end, saved Slim's life - the ship he was meant to be transferred to later sank leaving behind no survivors.

Although Whitman's earlier ambitions included becoming a boxer or a professional baseball player, all roads led to the stage for Slim.

Whitman was a self taught left handed guitarist, even though he was actually right handed. He had lost almost all of his second finger on his right hand whilst working at a meat packing plant, which would explain why he learnt left handed.

He worked off jobs at a shipyard whilst developing a musical career performing with bands such as the Variety Rhythm Boys and the Light Crust Doughboys. Whitman was briefly nicknamed the smiling stardust, after a stint with a group called The Stardusters. If their names are anything to go by, they sound like they'd cook up a storm on the stage for all to enjoy.

His first big break came when the talent manager Thomas Parker heard him singing on the radio and offered to represent him.

After signing with RCA Records he was billed as the 'cowboy singer, Slim Whitman' after the Canadian singer Wilf Carter who was known in the US as Montana Slim. (No relation of Nathan Carter, I would imagine!)

Whitman released his first single in 1948 entitled 'I'm casting my lasso towards the sky' complete with yodeling.

At first he was unable to make a living from music and kept a part-time job at the local post office. That changed in the 1950s after he recorded a version of the Bob Nolan's hit 'Love Songs of the Waterfall' which made it into the country music top ten.

His next single 'Indian Love Call' was even more successful, reaching number two in the country music charts and appearing in the US pop music charts top ten.

A yodeler, Whitman avoided country music's sorrowful songs all about heartache and booze, he instead sang laid back romantic melodies about simple life and love.

Critics duped his style as 'Countrypolitan' owing to its fusion of country music and a more sophisticated crooning vocal style. Although he recorded many country songs including hits such as 'Tumbling Tumbleweeds,' 'Singing Hills' and 'The Cattle Call,' he also recorded love and romance songs such as 'Serenade' and 'Keep it a Secret.'

In 1955 he would have a number one hit on the pop music charts in the UK with the theme song to the operetta Rose Marie with 19 weeks in the charts and 11 weeks at the top of the UK singles chart. This set a record that lasted for 36 years.

Throughout the early 70s he continued to record. 'The Very Best of Slim Whitman' was number one for six weeks, staying 17 weeks on the charts. Another number one album followed in 1977 with 'Red River Valley' (sound familiar, Dergians?) staying for four weeks at number one and 14 weeks in the charts.

After much success in his trade, Slim Whitman died of heart failure on 19th June 2013 at the age of 90. He left such legacies behind that he even inspired a young Paul McCartney, who struggled playing a guitar left handed until he saw a picture of Whitman playing a standard guitar left handed after he had it restrung.