Richard Edward "Eddy" Arnold (May 15, 1918 ? May 8, 2008) was among the most popular country music singers in American history and helped create the Nashville sound during the late 1950s.
He sold more than 85 million records and had 147 songs on the charts, including 28 number one hits on Billboard's Country Singles chart. Although George Jones had more individual country hits, one authoritative study ranks Arnold as the the all-time leader for hits and their time on the charts.
His longevity was exceptional; Arnold transcended changing musical tastes for more than 50 years, and his later concerts attracted three generations of fans. To some he also served as a role model; in a field often awash with alcohol and drugs, he remained temperate. A member of the Grand Ole Opry and the Country Music Hall of Fame, Arnold ranked 22nd on County Music Television's 2003 list of The 40 Greatest Men of Country Music. Read more on Last.fm. User-contributed text is available under the Creative Commons By-SA License; additional terms may apply.