Harold Keller Blair was known as "Hal." He got the nickname of "Blue Eyes" from his friend Andy Rodgers, The Midnight Cowboy.
Hal was born in Kansas City, Mo. and changed his surname to Blair as an adult after his mother remarried.
He served in World War 11. Moving from Kansas to Los Angeles in the 1940's as a member of the western band, "Cal Strum and his Rhythm Rangers," he soon became noted for his songs in many western movies.
Appearing in Tex Ritter's movie "Rolling Home To Texas" with Cal Strum and his Rhythm Rangers, Hal also wrote for Eddie Dean western movies.
These were, Black Hills, Check Your Guns, Stars Over Texas, Tornado Range, and Wild Country. Hal also played the villian in Eddie Dean's live stage appearances.
Hal wrote his first triangle song with Eddie and Dearest Dean in 1948, "One Has My Name, The Other Has My Heart."
Over 70 artists have recorded this song.
His first song for Elvis Presley, on the flipside of Heartbreak Hotel, was Hal's song, "I Was The One." Hal wrote 13 songs for Elvis Presley.
In the late 1950's Hal wrote with his partner, Don Robertson for Elvis movies from 1961 to 1967, including such greats as "No More" (1962 Blue Hawaii), "I Think I'm Gonna Like It Here (Fun In Acapulco), "I'm Yours (Tickle Me), and "What Now, What Next, Where To? (Double Trouble) are just a few of there songs.
Other songs Hal wrote with his friend, Don Roberston were:
Please Help Me I'm Falling, Ninety Miles An Hour Down A Dead End Street, Not One Minute More, I Was Born To Love You, My Lips Are Sealed,and Ringo.
Hal also wrote Rosemary's Baby. The list goes on and on. More information can be obtained on Hal's life as a writer by looking him up as a member of ASCAP or contacting his dear friend, Dean Kay who he also wrote with.
He retired from the busy life in Los Angeles to a small town of Biggs, California and continued his love of fishing. He made specialty fly fishing rods under the name of Blair House. He was a master fly fisherman.
He had a big heart and warm personality.
Along with being an ASCAP member, he was inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame 2 Nov 2003.
This is just a partial list of the songs he wrote:
Condemed Without Trail, I'm Yours, I Laughed Until I Cried, I Met Her Today, I Think I'm Gonna Like It Here, I Was Born To Love You, I Was The One, Love Finds A Way, Nienty Miles An Hour Down A Dead End Street, No More, Not One Minute More, One Has My Name, The Other Has My Heart, Please Help Me I'm Falling, Ringo, What Have I Done For Her Lately, What Now, What next, Where To, and You Don't Need Me Anymore.
As a personal friend of Hal's he told me many stories of his days in the industry and how his songs came about. Much of the history above was taken from Dean Kay, ASCAP, and from what he had told me over the years.
Hal loved his privacy but did not mind his dear friend, Andy Rodgers, The Midnight Cowboy visiting. This is where I got alot of my history from our visits to Hal and Joanie's.
If I could just write the many things he told as I sat between the two of these legends in music, it would make your ears ring.
The one thing he taught me in writing was, "Do not worry how you write it, write it down the way you feel it or later on you will not be able to recapture the same essense of the feeling. You can always go back and make spelling corrections, etc." He was my friend and mentor in my poetry writing. He also said, "I leave a note pad and pencil in every room of the house, even the bathroom." He never stopped writing. When his eyesight was failing him, in 1999 I brought him a big tablet and wider felt pen so he could see to write.
Hal was loved and is missed by so many of his family and friends.
In 1999 was his last interview of which he graciously let me video tape. His legacy lives on through his music and from those who knew him well.
He leaves a wife, Joan Downs Roberts Blair and her three children, David Roberts, John Roberts and Linda Roberts.
A complete list of his songs can be obtained by looking his history up on ASCAP.
Snowflake-Georgie Ann Hankins Waddell
Hal was born in Kansas City, Mo. and changed his surname to Blair as an adult after his mother remarried.
He served in World War 11. Moving from Kansas to Los Angeles in the 1940's as a member of the western band, "Cal Strum and his Rhythm Rangers," he soon became noted for his songs in many western movies.
Appearing in Tex Ritter's movie "Rolling Home To Texas" with Cal Strum and his Rhythm Rangers, Hal also wrote for Eddie Dean western movies.
These were, Black Hills, Check Your Guns, Stars Over Texas, Tornado Range, and Wild Country. Hal also played the villian in Eddie Dean's live stage appearances.
Hal wrote his first triangle song with Eddie and Dearest Dean in 1948, "One Has My Name, The Other Has My Heart."
Over 70 artists have recorded this song.
His first song for Elvis Presley, on the flipside of Heartbreak Hotel, was Hal's song, "I Was The One." Hal wrote 13 songs for Elvis Presley.
In the late 1950's Hal wrote with his partner, Don Robertson for Elvis movies from 1961 to 1967, including such greats as "No More" (1962 Blue Hawaii), "I Think I'm Gonna Like It Here (Fun In Acapulco), "I'm Yours (Tickle Me), and "What Now, What Next, Where To? (Double Trouble) are just a few of there songs.
Other songs Hal wrote with his friend, Don Roberston were:
Please Help Me I'm Falling, Ninety Miles An Hour Down A Dead End Street, Not One Minute More, I Was Born To Love You, My Lips Are Sealed,and Ringo.
Hal also wrote Rosemary's Baby. The list goes on and on. More information can be obtained on Hal's life as a writer by looking him up as a member of ASCAP or contacting his dear friend, Dean Kay who he also wrote with.
He retired from the busy life in Los Angeles to a small town of Biggs, California and continued his love of fishing. He made specialty fly fishing rods under the name of Blair House. He was a master fly fisherman.
He had a big heart and warm personality.
Along with being an ASCAP member, he was inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame 2 Nov 2003.
This is just a partial list of the songs he wrote:
Condemed Without Trail, I'm Yours, I Laughed Until I Cried, I Met Her Today, I Think I'm Gonna Like It Here, I Was Born To Love You, I Was The One, Love Finds A Way, Nienty Miles An Hour Down A Dead End Street, No More, Not One Minute More, One Has My Name, The Other Has My Heart, Please Help Me I'm Falling, Ringo, What Have I Done For Her Lately, What Now, What next, Where To, and You Don't Need Me Anymore.
As a personal friend of Hal's he told me many stories of his days in the industry and how his songs came about. Much of the history above was taken from Dean Kay, ASCAP, and from what he had told me over the years.
Hal loved his privacy but did not mind his dear friend, Andy Rodgers, The Midnight Cowboy visiting. This is where I got alot of my history from our visits to Hal and Joanie's.
If I could just write the many things he told as I sat between the two of these legends in music, it would make your ears ring.
The one thing he taught me in writing was, "Do not worry how you write it, write it down the way you feel it or later on you will not be able to recapture the same essense of the feeling. You can always go back and make spelling corrections, etc." He was my friend and mentor in my poetry writing. He also said, "I leave a note pad and pencil in every room of the house, even the bathroom." He never stopped writing. When his eyesight was failing him, in 1999 I brought him a big tablet and wider felt pen so he could see to write.
Hal was loved and is missed by so many of his family and friends.
In 1999 was his last interview of which he graciously let me video tape. His legacy lives on through his music and from those who knew him well.
He leaves a wife, Joan Downs Roberts Blair and her three children, David Roberts, John Roberts and Linda Roberts.
A complete list of his songs can be obtained by looking his history up on ASCAP.
Snowflake-Georgie Ann Hankins Waddell
Harold Keller Blair was known as "Hal." He got the nickname of "Blue Eyes" from his friend Andy Rodgers, The Midnight Cowboy.
Hal was born in Kansas City, Mo. and changed his surname to Blair as an adult after his mother remarried.
He served in World War 11. Moving from Kansas to Los Angeles in the 1940's as a member of the western band, "Cal Strum and his Rhythm Rangers," he soon became noted for his songs in many western movies.
Appearing in Tex Ritter's movie "Rolling Home To Texas" with Cal Strum and his Rhythm Rangers, Hal also wrote for Eddie Dean western movies.
These were, Black Hills, Check Your Guns, Stars Over Texas, Tornado Range, and Wild Country. Hal also played the villian in Eddie Dean's live stage appearances.
Hal wrote his first triangle song with Eddie and Dearest Dean in 1948, "One Has My Name, The Other Has My Heart."
Over 70 artists have recorded this song.
His first song for Elvis Presley, on the flipside of Heartbreak Hotel, was Hal's song, "I Was The One." Hal wrote 13 songs for Elvis Presley.
In the late 1950's Hal wrote with his partner, Don Robertson for Elvis movies from 1961 to 1967, including such greats as "No More" (1962 Blue Hawaii), "I Think I'm Gonna Like It Here (Fun In Acapulco), "I'm Yours (Tickle Me), and "What Now, What Next, Where To? (Double Trouble) are just a few of there songs.
Other songs Hal wrote with his friend, Don Roberston were:
Please Help Me I'm Falling, Ninety Miles An Hour Down A Dead End Street, Not One Minute More, I Was Born To Love You, My Lips Are Sealed,and Ringo.
Hal also wrote Rosemary's Baby. The list goes on and on. More information can be obtained on Hal's life as a writer by looking him up as a member of ASCAP or contacting his dear friend, Dean Kay who he also wrote with.
He retired from the busy life in Los Angeles to a small town of Biggs, California and continued his love of fishing. He made specialty fly fishing rods under the name of Blair House. He was a master fly fisherman.
He had a big heart and warm personality.
Along with being an ASCAP member, he was inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame 2 Nov 2003.
This is just a partial list of the songs he wrote:
Condemed Without Trail, I'm Yours, I Laughed Until I Cried, I Met Her Today, I Think I'm Gonna Like It Here, I Was Born To Love You, I Was The One, Love Finds A Way, Nienty Miles An Hour Down A Dead End Street, No More, Not One Minute More, One Has My Name, The Other Has My Heart, Please Help Me I'm Falling, Ringo, What Have I Done For Her Lately, What Now, What next, Where To, and You Don't Need Me Anymore.
As a personal friend of Hal's he told me many stories of his days in the industry and how his songs came about. Much of the history above was taken from Dean Kay, ASCAP, and from what he had told me over the years.
Hal loved his privacy but did not mind his dear friend, Andy Rodgers, The Midnight Cowboy visiting. This is where I got alot of my history from our visits to Hal and Joanie's.
If I could just write the many things he told as I sat between the two of these legends in music, it would make your ears ring.
The one thing he taught me in writing was, "Do not worry how you write it, write it down the way you feel it or later on you will not be able to recapture the same essense of the feeling. You can always go back and make spelling corrections, etc." He was my friend and mentor in my poetry writing. He also said, "I leave a note pad and pencil in every room of the house, even the bathroom." He never stopped writing. When his eyesight was failing him, in 1999 I brought him a big tablet and wider felt pen so he could see to write.
Hal was loved and is missed by so many of his family and friends.
In 1999 was his last interview of which he graciously let me video tape. His legacy lives on through his music and from those who knew him well.
He leaves a wife, Joan Downs Roberts Blair and her three children, David Roberts, John Roberts and Linda Roberts.
A complete list of his songs can be obtained by looking his history up on ASCAP.
Snowflake-Georgie Ann Hankins Waddell
Hal was born in Kansas City, Mo. and changed his surname to Blair as an adult after his mother remarried.
He served in World War 11. Moving from Kansas to Los Angeles in the 1940's as a member of the western band, "Cal Strum and his Rhythm Rangers," he soon became noted for his songs in many western movies.
Appearing in Tex Ritter's movie "Rolling Home To Texas" with Cal Strum and his Rhythm Rangers, Hal also wrote for Eddie Dean western movies.
These were, Black Hills, Check Your Guns, Stars Over Texas, Tornado Range, and Wild Country. Hal also played the villian in Eddie Dean's live stage appearances.
Hal wrote his first triangle song with Eddie and Dearest Dean in 1948, "One Has My Name, The Other Has My Heart."
Over 70 artists have recorded this song.
His first song for Elvis Presley, on the flipside of Heartbreak Hotel, was Hal's song, "I Was The One." Hal wrote 13 songs for Elvis Presley.
In the late 1950's Hal wrote with his partner, Don Robertson for Elvis movies from 1961 to 1967, including such greats as "No More" (1962 Blue Hawaii), "I Think I'm Gonna Like It Here (Fun In Acapulco), "I'm Yours (Tickle Me), and "What Now, What Next, Where To? (Double Trouble) are just a few of there songs.
Other songs Hal wrote with his friend, Don Roberston were:
Please Help Me I'm Falling, Ninety Miles An Hour Down A Dead End Street, Not One Minute More, I Was Born To Love You, My Lips Are Sealed,and Ringo.
Hal also wrote Rosemary's Baby. The list goes on and on. More information can be obtained on Hal's life as a writer by looking him up as a member of ASCAP or contacting his dear friend, Dean Kay who he also wrote with.
He retired from the busy life in Los Angeles to a small town of Biggs, California and continued his love of fishing. He made specialty fly fishing rods under the name of Blair House. He was a master fly fisherman.
He had a big heart and warm personality.
Along with being an ASCAP member, he was inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame 2 Nov 2003.
This is just a partial list of the songs he wrote:
Condemed Without Trail, I'm Yours, I Laughed Until I Cried, I Met Her Today, I Think I'm Gonna Like It Here, I Was Born To Love You, I Was The One, Love Finds A Way, Nienty Miles An Hour Down A Dead End Street, No More, Not One Minute More, One Has My Name, The Other Has My Heart, Please Help Me I'm Falling, Ringo, What Have I Done For Her Lately, What Now, What next, Where To, and You Don't Need Me Anymore.
As a personal friend of Hal's he told me many stories of his days in the industry and how his songs came about. Much of the history above was taken from Dean Kay, ASCAP, and from what he had told me over the years.
Hal loved his privacy but did not mind his dear friend, Andy Rodgers, The Midnight Cowboy visiting. This is where I got alot of my history from our visits to Hal and Joanie's.
If I could just write the many things he told as I sat between the two of these legends in music, it would make your ears ring.
The one thing he taught me in writing was, "Do not worry how you write it, write it down the way you feel it or later on you will not be able to recapture the same essense of the feeling. You can always go back and make spelling corrections, etc." He was my friend and mentor in my poetry writing. He also said, "I leave a note pad and pencil in every room of the house, even the bathroom." He never stopped writing. When his eyesight was failing him, in 1999 I brought him a big tablet and wider felt pen so he could see to write.
Hal was loved and is missed by so many of his family and friends.
In 1999 was his last interview of which he graciously let me video tape. His legacy lives on through his music and from those who knew him well.
He leaves a wife, Joan Downs Roberts Blair and her three children, David Roberts, John Roberts and Linda Roberts.
A complete list of his songs can be obtained by looking his history up on ASCAP.
Snowflake-Georgie Ann Hankins Waddell
Family Members
Sponsored by Ancestry
Advertisement
Explore more
Sponsored by Ancestry
Advertisement
