b. Fred Segrest, 21 December 1926, Loachapoka, Alabama, USA. Hart was one of 10 boys and five girls born to a family of sharecroppers. He left school at the age of 12 and started working for his parents. When he was only 15, he lied about his age - and his parents signed the papers - so that he could join the marines. He saw action at both Guam and Iwo Jima. Four years later he was back as a civilian and taught karate to the Los Angeles police. He acquired a black belt, but in 1951, he went into country music when he joined Lefty Frizzell's band. In 1953 he was given a recording contract with Capitol Records, but it was not until 1959 that he had his first hit - "The Wall" with Columbia Records. He recorded further country hits with Monument Records and Kapp Records, including "Hank Williams' Guitar", and, in 1969, he rejoined Capitol as a successful country performer.

Listen to Freddie Hart at Finetune.

• (1997)  The Best Of Freddie Hart

• Easy Loving
• My Hang Up Is You
• The First Time
• Trip to Heaven
• Got the All Overs for You (All Over Me)

• Conway Twitty
• George Jones
• Merle Haggard
• Waylon Jennings
• Charlie Rich
• Marty Robbins
• Willie Nelson
• Charley Pride
• Hank Williams
• Ray Price
• Loretta Lynn
• Tammy Wynette
• Johnny Paycheck
• Freddy Fender
• Buck Owens
• Dolly Parton
• Johnny Cash
• Jim Reeves
• Bill Anderson
• Faron Young

• elizabethjarrett