Vern Gosdin, nicknamed – The Voice, was an American country music singer best known for the hits I’m Still Crazy, Set ‘Em Up Joe, and I Can Tell By the Way You Dance (You’re Gonna Love Me Tonight).

He was described by country music singer-songwriter Tammy Wynette as ”the only other singer who can hold a candle to George Jones.”

Biography

Gosdin was born on August 5, 1934, in Woodland, Alabama, USA, as Vernon Gosdin.

During his youth, Vern sang with his brothers as a gospel group on a Birmingham radio station.

”My dad didn’t want me to make music,” Gosdin said in an interview. He added: ”He’d been in bands before, and he didn’t want me getting involved with all the bars and the fights.”

In 1953, Vern moved to Atlanta, where he worked as a singer in the evening.

In 1961, Gosdin moved with his brother Rex to Southern California, where they became part of the bluegrass group The Golden State Boys, which also included Don Parmley on banjo and Hal Poindexter on guitar.

In September 1968, The Gosdin Brothers released the first album, Sounds of Goodbye.

In 1976, Vern inked with Elektra Records.

In 1977, Vern released the album ”Till the End.”

He signed with Ovation Records in 1981. In March 1982, Gosdin released another album, titled – ”Today My World Slipped Away.”

He had two #5 hits in 1983 – Way Down Deep and If You’re Gonna Do Me Wrong (Do It Right). 

In 1984, he got his first #1 hit, titled – ”I Can Tell by the Way You Dance (You’re Gonna Love Me Tonight).”

On January 15, 1988, Vernon released the album ”Chiseled in Stone” via Columbia Records. It featured guest appearances from Jimmy Burch, Brenda Burch, Buddy Cannon, Dean Dillon, Hank Cochran, and Max D. Barnes. Vern Gosdin’s ”Chiseled in Stone” reached #7 on the Billboard Top Country Albums chart.

In 1989, the Country Music Association named Vern’s song ”Chiseled In Stone” as the song of the year.

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On June 19, 1989, Gosdin released the album called ”Alone” via Columbia Records. The album featured guest appearances from Buddy Cannon, Mack Vickery, Hank Cochran, and Max D. Barnes. It reached #11 on the Billboard Top Country Albums chart.

On August 14, 1990, he released the compilation album ”10 Years of Greatest Hits – Newly Recorded.” The album reached #21 on the Billboard Top Country Albums chart.

On September 15, 1998, Vern released the album ”The Voice” via Beckett and Tharp.

In 2017, he was named in the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame. Buddy Cannon accepted the award on behalf of Vern.

Wife

Vern Gosdin was married to Cathy Gosdin.