Pee Wee King

The country music accordionist, bandleader, and impresario Pee Wee King began his career in 1934 as a member of Gene Autry’s band, later leading Autry’s outfit himself and performing at the Grand Ole Opry throughout the 1940s. His then-unique accordion and steel guitar sound was highly successful throughout the 1950s, with his run of hits--including “Tennessee Waltz,” a reworked version of Bill Monroe’s “Kentucky Waltz”--ending only with the rise of rock & roll. A significant figure on the business side of the industry in later life, he was inducted into the Country Music Hall Of Fame in 1974.