According to PorterWagoner.com, Wagoner was born on Aug.12, 1927, in Missouri.

His music career began while he was an employee at a local butcher shop. Wagoner sang and read commercials during a morning show on his hometown radio station.

Wagoner recorded his first RCA release with Hank Williams’ “Settin’ the Woods On Fire.” Wagoner then found success as a songwriter with Carl Smith’s “Trademark,” according to PorterWagoner.com.

Wagoner’s 1954 Top 10 hit “Company’s Comin’" and his 1955 No. 1 hit “A Satisfied Mind” paved the way for a 30-year string of chart-topping songs.

Wagoner is also credited with spreading country and gospel music across the country. The “Porter Wagoner Show” made its premier in 1960 and remained on the air for 21 years. It was during the show’s run that Wagoner helped introduce Dolly Parton into the country music scene when she replaced Pretty Miss Norma Jean on the show.

The well-known Parton and Wagoner duets produced more than a dozen Top 10 hits with while both also enjoyed solo success.

Wagoner also crossed over into movies with his role as Dusty in the Clint Eastwood film, “Honkytonk Man,” according to the International Movie Database’s Web site.

A recipient of numerous Grammy, ACM and CMA awards, Porter Wagoner celebrated 50 years as a member of the Grand Ole Opry on May 19, 2007. The evening at the Opry was a special one, as Dolly Parton, Marty Stuart and Patty Loveless were on hand for the celebration.

Parton sang her hit "I Will Always Love You" for Porter and the audience. She said she wrote the song for Wagoner to let him know how she felt about him. The song went to No. 1 for Parton in the 70s and then again in the 90s for Whitney Houston.

Wagoner’s latest recording was released in June 2007 on the eclectic rock label Anti. It’s entitled “Wagonmaster," and was produced by fellow Opry member Marty Stuart.

Wagoner was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2002.

*Information courtesy Porter Wagoner.com, IMDB.com and the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum.