Country’s Hank Locklin dies

Published 5:02 pm Monday, March 9, 2009

Country singer Hank Locklin, whose smooth tenor voice on hits like “Send Me the Pillow You Dream On” and “Please Help Me I’m Falling” marked a career that spanned half a century, has died. He was 91.

Locklin died Sunday at his home in Brewton, Ala., Opry publicist Jessie Schmidt said. She said the cause of death was not being released.

Locklin helped usher in “the Nashville Sound” that gave country music a more lush feel. He performed on the Grand Ole Opry for 47 years.

He recently released his 65th album, “By the Grace of God.”

His “Send Me the Pillow You Dream On” was a hit in 1958 and “Please Help Me I’m Falling” in 1960.

“Send Me the Pillow You Dream On,” which Locklin wrote, also was recorded later by Johnny Tillotson and Dean Martin.

His other hits included “Let Me Be the One,” “Geisha Girl,” “Why, Baby, Why” and “It’s a Little More Like Heaven.”

He joined the Grand Ole Opry cast in 1960 and last performed there on Sept. 8, 2007, Schmidt said.