In Honor of International Country Music Day, I’d like to share with you four fabulous pencil drawings that I had commissioned formerly incarcerated artist – Mark L. Wright – to create.
Mark’s artwork has been exhibited at several major league venues under the auspices of P.A.T.H., including the Band Practice Room at Alcatraz (CA), and the Alcatraz East Crime Museum in Pigeon Forge, TN. In fact, the Alcatraz East Crime Museum purchased Mark’s artwork (depicting one of two last surviving guards who worked at Alcatraz – Mr. George deVincenzi) for their permanent collection.
My four favorites are as follows:
Hank Williams, Sr. : Hiram "Hank" Williams(September 17, 1923 – January 1, 1953) was an American singer, songwriter, and musician. Regarded as one of the most significant and influential American singers and songwriters of the 20th century, he recorded 35 singles (five released posthumously) that reached the top 10 of the Billboard Country & Western Best Sellers chart, including 11 that reached No. 1 (three posthumously).
Patsy Cline (born Virginia Patterson Hensley; September 8, 1932 – March 5, 1963) was an American singer. She is considered one of the most influential vocalists of the 20th century and was one of the first country music artists to successfully cross over into pop music. Cline had several major hits during her eight-year recording career, including two number-one hits on the Billboard Hot Country and Western Sides chart.
Hank Snow: Clarence Eugene "Hank" Snow(May 9, 1914 – December 20, 1999) was a Canadian-American country music artist. Most popular in the 1950s, he had a career that spanned more than 50 years, he recorded 140 albums and charted more than 85 singles on the Billboardcountry charts from 1950 until 1980.
Tammy Wynette: (born Virginia Wynette Pugh; May 5, 1942 – April 6, 1998) was an American country music singer-songwriter and musician and was one of country music's best-known artists and biggest-selling female singers during the late 1960s and first half of the 1970s. Called the "First Lady of Country Music"; one of her best-known songs is "Stand by Your Man”. Much of Wynette’s music dealt with themes of loneliness, divorce, and the difficulties of life and relationships. Hmmm…no wonder she was so popular.
Thank you, and enjoy!
Blessings,
Leslie Lakes, Dir.
Art Credit: Mark L. Wright