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Eddy Arnold (May 15, 1918) is an United
States|American country music singer.

Born Richard Edward Arnold on in Henderson,
Tennessee, he made his first radio appearance in
1936. During his childhood, he suffered through
the death of his father and the loss of the family
farm. When he turned 18, he left home to try to
make his mark in the music world. 

Eddy Arnold's formative musical years included
early struggles to gain recognition until he
landed a job as the lead male vocalist for the Pee
Wee King band. By 1943, Arnold had become a solo
star on the Grand Ole Opry. The dream of a
recording contract finally became a reality when
Arnold was signed by RCA. In December of 1944, he
cut his first record. Although all of his early
records sold well, his initial big hit did not
come until 1946 with "That's How Much I Love You."


Managed by Colonel Tom Parker|Col. Tom Parker, who
later went on to control the career of Elvis
Presley, Arnold began to dominate country music.
In 1947-48 he had 13 of the top 20 songs. He
successfully made the transition from radio to
television, appearing frequently in the new
medium. In 1955, he upset many in the country
music establishment by going to New York to record
with the Hugo Winterhalter Orchestra. The pop
oriented arrangements of "Cattle Call" and "The
Richest Man (In the World)" helped to expand his
appeal. 

With the advent of Rock and Roll, Arnold's record
sales dipped in the late 1950's. He continued to
try to court a wider audience by using
pop-sounding, string-laced arrangements, a style
that would come to be known as the Nashville
Sound. 

After Jerry Purcell became his manager in 1964,
Arnold embarked on a "second career" that
surpassed the success of the first one. In the
process, he realized his dream of carrying his
music to a more diverse audience. Having already
been recorded by several other artists, "Make The
World Go Away" was just another song until it
received the Arnold touch. Under the direction of
producer Chet Atkins, and showcased by Bill
Walker's arrangement, and the talents of the Anita
Kerr Singers and pianist Floyd Cramer, Arnold's
soaring rendition of "Make The World Go Away"
became an international hit. 

Bill Walker's precise, intricate arrangements
provided the lush background for 16 straight
Arnold hits that sparkled through the late 1960's.
Arnold started performing with orchestra|symphony
orchestras in virtually every major city. New York
City|New Yorkers jammed prestigious Carnegie Hall
for two concerts. Arnold captivated the Hollywood
crowd at the Coconut Grove. He also had long
sold-out engagements in Las Vegas and Lake Tahoe. 

There are many reasons for Eddy Arnold's
incredible success. From the beginning he stood
out from his contemporaries. He never wore gaudy,
glittering outfits. He sang from his diaphragm
(anatomy)|diaphragm, not through his nose. He
avoided honky-tonk themes, preferring instead to
sing songs that explored the intricacies of love. 

Arnold also benefitted from his association with
some marvelous musicians. The distinctive steel
guitar of the late Roy Wiggins highlighted early
recordings. Charles Grean, once employed by the
Glenn Miller Orchestra, played bass and wrote
early arrangements, adding violins for the first
time in 1956. Chet Atkins played on many of
Arnold's records, even after he started serving as
producer. Arnold also benefited from the
management of Col. Parker, who guided his first
career, and Jerry Purcell, who masterminded the
second. 

Of course, the most important factor for his
success is his voice. Steve Sholes, who produced
all of his early hits, called Arnold a natural
singer, comparing him to the likes of Bing Crosby
and Caruso. Arnold worked hard perfecting his
natural ability. A musical trip through the his
catalog reveals his progression from young singer
to polished performer. 

Arnold's longevity is simply amazing. For more
than 50 years, he has transcended changing musical
mores. His recent concerts often attracted three
generations of fans.  He also serves as an
inspiring role model; in a field often awash with
alcohol and drugs, he has remained temperate. In
an era where marriage vows are often taken
lightly, Eddy and Sally Arnold are on the verge of
59 years together. 

Arnold has been honored with induction into the
Country Music Hall of Fame (in 1966), voted
Entertainer Of The Year and received the Pioneer
Award.  Over his career, Eddy has sold over 85
million records and had 147 songs on the charts,
including 28 number 1 hits on Billboard
magazine|Billboard's "Country Singles" top. Among
his recordings are songs for mothers and children,
hymns, show tunes and novelty numbers. But,
undoubtedly, Eddy Arnold is best known for his
inimitable way with a love song. 

Some of his hits include: (numbers in parentheses
are positions on country charts)

* "Cattle Call" - June 1955 (#1)
* "Just Call Me Lonesome" - August 1955 (#1)
* "Tennessee Stud" - June 1959 (#5)
* "Molly" - January 1964 (#5)
* "What's He Doing in My World" - March 1965 (#1)
* "Make the World Go Away" - October 1965 (#1 / #6
Pop)
* "I Want to Go With You" - January 1966 (#1)
* "Last Word in Lonesome is Me" - April 1966 (#2)
* "Tip of My Fingers" - June 1966 (#3)
* "Somebody Like Me" - September 1966 (#1)
* "Lonely Again" - January 1967 (#1)
* "Misty Blue" - April 1967 (#3)
* "Turn the World Around" - July 1967 (#1)
* "Here Comes Heaven" - October 1967 (#2)
* "Then You Can Tell Me Goodbye" - August 1968
(#1)

==See also==
* Best selling music artists - World's top selling
music artists chart.