Al Dexter

Al Dexter

Clarence Albert Poindexter (May 4, 1905 – January 28, 1984), known as Al Dexter, was an American country musician and songwriter. He is best known for "Pistol Packin' Mama," a 1943 hit that was one of the most popular recordings of the World War II years and later became a hit again with a cover by Bing Crosby and The Andrews Sisters.

Birth and Death Data: Born May 4, 1905 (Jacksonville), Died January 28, 1984 (Denton)

Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1939 - 1953

Roles Represented in DAHR: vocalist, leader, composer, electric guitar, lyricist, songwriter, electric mandolin, mandolin

= Recordings are available for online listening.
= Recordings were issued from this master. No recordings issued from other masters.

Recordings

Company	Matrix No.	Size	First Recording Date	Title	Primary Performer	Description	Role
Victor	BS-056531	10-in.	10/12/1940	Blue eyed baby	Cecil Campbell ; Tennessee Ramblers	Male vocal solo, with instrumental ensemble	songwriter
Victor	D6VB-2277	10-in.	6/4/1946	Guitar polka (old Monterey)	Rosalie Allen ; Black River Boys	Female vocal solo, with instrumental ensemble	composer
Columbia	RHCO3943	10-in.	11/14/1949	Each night I cry over your picture	Al Dexter and his Troopers	String band, with male vocal solo	leader, vocalist
Columbia	RHCO3944	10-in.	11/14/1949	I don't suppose	Al Dexter and his Troopers	String band, with male vocal solo	leader, vocalist
Columbia	H735	10-in.	3/18/1942	It's up to you	Al Dexter and his Troopers	String band, with male vocal solo	vocalist, composer, instrumentalist, electric guitar, leader
Columbia	H736	10-in.	3/18/1942	So long pal	Al Dexter and his Troopers	String band, with male vocal solo	vocalist, composer, instrumentalist, electric guitar, lyricist, leader
Columbia	H737	10-in.	3/18/1942	Too late to worry	Al Dexter and his Troopers	String band, with male vocal solo	vocalist, composer, instrumentalist, electric guitar, lyricist, leader
Columbia	H738	10-in.	3/18/1942	Rosalita	Al Dexter and his Troopers	String band, with male vocal solo	vocalist, composer, instrumentalist, electric guitar, lyricist, leader
Columbia	H741	10-in.	3/18/1942	Pistol packin' mama	Al Dexter and his Troopers	String band, with male vocal solo	vocalist, composer, instrumentalist, electric guitar, lyricist, leader
Columbia	H742	10-in.	3/20/1942	Why did it have to be	Al Dexter and his Troopers	String band, with male vocal solo	vocalist, composer, instrumentalist, electric guitar, leader
Columbia	H743	10-in.	3/20/1942	I'll wait for you dear	Al Dexter and his Troopers	String band, with male vocal solo	vocalist, composer, instrumentalist, electric guitar, lyricist, leader
Columbia	H744	10-in.	3/18/1942	There'll come a time	Al Dexter and his Troopers	String band, with male vocal solo	vocalist, composer, instrumentalist, electric guitar, lyricist
Columbia	H745	10-in.	3/21/1942	Maybe, baby it's me	Al Dexter and his Troopers	String band, with male vocal solo	vocalist, instrumentalist, electric guitar, composer, leader
Columbia	H746	10-in.	3/21/1942	Guitar polka	Al Dexter and his Troopers	String band	instrumentalist, electric guitar, composer, leader
Columbia	H748	10-in.	3/21/1942	I'm losing my mind over you	Al Dexter and his Troopers	String band, with male vocal solo	vocalist, instrumentalist, electric guitar, composer, leader
Columbia	H1338	10-in.	4/4/1945	My love goes with you	Al Dexter and his Troopers	String band, with male vocal solo	vocalist, composer, instrumentalist, electric guitar, lyricist, leader
Columbia	H1341	10-in.	4/4/1945	Honey do you think it's wrong	Al Dexter and his Troopers	String band, with male vocal solo	vocalist, instrumentalist, electric guitar, leader
Columbia	H1342	10-in.	4/5/1945	Who's gonna love you when I'm gone	Al Dexter and his Troopers	String band, with male vocal solo	vocalist, composer, instrumentalist, electric guitar, lyricist, leader
Columbia	H1343	10-in.	4/5/1945	Can this love be real	Al Dexter and his Troopers	String band, with male vocal solo	vocalist, composer, instrumentalist, electric guitar, lyricist, leader
Columbia	H1344	10-in.	4/5/1945	Am I to blame	Al Dexter and his Troopers	String band, with male vocal solo	vocalist, songwriter, instrumentalist, electric guitar, leader
Columbia	H1345	10-in.	4/5/1945	Wine, women and song	Al Dexter and his Troopers	String band, with male vocal solo	vocalist, songwriter, instrumentalist, electric guitar, leader
Columbia	H1361	10-in.	4/11/1945	Love lanes of yesterday	Al Dexter and his Troopers	String band, with male vocal solo	vocalist, songwriter, instrumentalist, electric guitar, leader
Columbia	H1362	10-in.	4/11/1945	I'm lost without you	Al Dexter and his Troopers	String band, with male vocal solo	vocalist, songwriter, instrumentalist, electric guitar, leader
Columbia	H1363	10-in.	4/11/1945	Two broken hearts	Al Dexter and his Troopers	String band, with male vocal solo	vocalist, songwriter, instrumentalist, electric guitar, leader
Columbia	H1365	10-in.	4/11/1945	Triflin' gal	Al Dexter and his Troopers	String band, with male vocal solo	vocalist, songwriter, instrumentalist, electric guitar, leader
Columbia	HCO1900	10-in.	7/15/1946	Kokomo Island	Al Dexter and his Troopers	Male vocal solo, with string band	vocalist, songwriter, leader
Columbia	HCO1901	10-in.	7/15/1946	I learned about love (from you)	Al Dexter and his Troopers	Male vocal solo, with string band	vocalist, composer, lyricist, leader
Columbia	HCO1902	10-in.	7/15/1946	Down at the roadside inn	Al Dexter and his Troopers	String band, with male vocal solo	vocalist, composer, lyricist, leader
Columbia	HCO1903	10-in.	7/15/1946	Remember you're mine	Al Dexter and his Troopers	String band, with male vocal solo	vocalist, composer, lyricist, leader
Columbia	HCO2333	10-in.	5/26/1947	New broom boogie	Al Dexter and his Troopers	String band, with male vocal solo	vocalist, leader
Columbia	HCO2334	10-in.	5/26/1947	I told my heart	Al Dexter and his Troopers	String band, with male vocal solo	vocalist, composer, lyricist, leader
Columbia	HCO2335	10-in.	5/26/1947	Texas waltz	Al Dexter and his Troopers	String band, with male vocal solo	vocalist, songwriter, leader
Columbia	HCO2336	10-in.	5/26/1947	I waited too long	Al Dexter and his Troopers	String band, with male vocal solo	vocalist, composer, lyricist, leader
Columbia	HCO2800	10-in.	11/15/1947	It's just because of you (the frog song)	Al Dexter and his Troopers	String band, with male vocal solo	vocalist, songwriter, leader
Columbia	HCO2801	10-in.	11/15/1947	Barrel house boogie	Al Dexter and his Troopers	String band, with male vocal solo	vocalist, composer, lyricist, leader
Columbia	HCO2802	10-in.	11/15/1947	New pistol packin' mama	Al Dexter and his Troopers	String band, with male vocal solo	vocalist, songwriter, leader
Columbia	HCO2803	10-in.	11/15/1947	Saturday night boogie	Al Dexter and his Troopers	String band	vocalist, leader, composer
Columbia	HCO2806	10-in.	11/15/1947	High price for love	Al Dexter and his Troopers	String band, with male vocal solo	vocalist, songwriter, leader
Columbia	HCO2807	10-in.	11/15/1947	Calico rag	Al Dexter and his Troopers	String band, with male vocal solo	vocalist, songwriter, leader
Columbia	HCO2808	10-in.	11/15/1947	Rose of Mexico	Al Dexter and his Troopers	String band, with male vocal solo	vocalist, songwriter, leader
Columbia	HCO2809	10-in.	11/15/1947	Texas rose	Al Dexter and his Troopers	String band	leader, composer
Columbia	HCO2899	10-in.	12/7/1947	Just take a little time	Al Dexter and his Troopers	String band, with male vocal solo	vocalist, composer, lyricist, leader
Columbia	HCO2900	10-in.	12/7/1947	I cry when I'm blue	Al Dexter and his Troopers	String band, with male vocal solo	vocalist, composer, lyricist, leader
Columbia	HCO2902	10-in.	12/7/1947	Is that the way to treat a friend	Al Dexter and his Troopers	String band, with male vocal solo and group vocal ensemble	vocalist, leader
Columbia	HCO2903	10-in.	12/8/1947	Calamity Jane	Al Dexter and his Troopers	String band, with male vocal solo	vocalist, leader, songwriter
Columbia	HCO2904	10-in.	12/8/1947	A good man is hard to find	Al Dexter and his Troopers	String band, with male vocal solo	vocalist, leader
Columbia	HCO2905	10-in.	12/8/1947	Rock and rye rag	Al Dexter and his Troopers	String band	instrumentalist, mandolin, composer, leader
Columbia	HCO2906	10-in.	12/8/1947	I'm leaving my troubles behind	Al Dexter and his Troopers	String band, with male vocal solo	vocalist, songwriter, leader
Columbia	HCO2979	10-in.	11/15/1947	Barrel house polka	Al Dexter and his Troopers	String band, with male vocal solo	vocalist, leader
Columbia	HCO2982	10-in.	12/15/1947	I'll always be loving you	Al Dexter and his Troopers	String band, with male vocal solo	vocalist, leader
Columbia	HCO2998	10-in.	12/15/1947	At the end of each day	Al Dexter and his Troopers	String band, with male vocal solo	vocalist, composer, lyricist, leader
Columbia	HCO2999	10-in.	12/15/1947	New guitar polka	Al Dexter and his Troopers	String band, with male vocal solo	vocalist, composer, lyricist, leader
Columbia	CO38753	10-in.	12/28/1947	Just say a little prayer	The Johnson Family Singers	Mixed vocal group, with piano and guitar	composer, lyricist
Columbia	CO41781	10-in.	October 1949	I'm startin' sweetheartin' again	Al Dexter and his Troopers	Male vocal solo, with string band	vocalist, leader
Columbia	CO41782	10-in.	October 1949	Always in my heart	Al Dexter and his Troopers	Male vocal solo, with string band	vocalist, leader
Brunswick	DAL787	10-in.	6/13/1939	Jelly roll special	Al Dexter and his Troopers	String band, with male vocal solo	vocalist, instrumentalist, electric guitar, songwriter, leader
Brunswick	DAL792	10-in.	6/13/1939	Sunshine	Al Dexter and his Troopers	String band, with male vocal solo	instrumentalist, electric guitar, songwriter, leader
Brunswick	DAL1217	10-in.	3/4/1941	Meet me down in honky tonk town	Al Dexter and his Troopers	String band, with male vocal solo	vocalist, instrumentalist, electric guitar, composer, lyricist, leader
Brunswick	DAL1221	10-in.	3/4/1941	Darling, it's all over now	Al Dexter and his Troopers	String band, with male vocal solo	vocalist, composer, lyricist, instrumentalist, electric mandolin, leader
Brunswick	DAL1225	10-in.	3/4/1941	Honky tonk Chinese dime	Al Dexter and his Troopers	String band, with male vocal solo	vocalist, songwriter, instrumentalist, electric guitar, leader
Brunswick	DAL1226	10-in.	3/5/1941	All I want is you	Al Dexter and his Troopers	String band, with male vocal solo	vocalist, instrumentalist, electric guitar, songwriter, leader
Brunswick	DAL1227	10-in.	3/5/1941	Who's been here?	Al Dexter and his Troopers	String band, with male vocal solo	vocalist, composer, lyricist, leader
Brunswick	DAL1228	10-in.	3/5/1941	Sundown polka	Al Dexter and his Troopers	String band	composer, instrumentalist, electric guitar, leader
Decca	84457		4/16/1953	Move over Rover	Al Dexter		vocalist
Decca	84458		4/16/1953	That's how gossip gets around	Al Dexter		vocalist
Decca	84459		4/16/1953	I got a guilty conscience	Al Dexter		vocalist
Decca	84460		4/16/1953	My careless heart	Al Dexter		vocalist

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Dexter, Al," accessed November 9, 2024, https://adpprod1.library.ucsb.edu/names/106833.

Dexter, Al. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved November 9, 2024, from https://adpprod1.library.ucsb.edu/names/106833.

"Dexter, Al." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 9 November 2024.