Google "Al Hibbler" on the internet. Chances are the information you'll find will never mention that Hibbler ever lived in Dell, Arkansas. But, he did. In fact, it was while he was living in Dell as a boy that Mrs. Myrtle Martin took an interest in the obviously talented young man. She worked diligently to get Al and his brother accepted into the Arkansas State School for the Blind in Little Rock, Arkansas, where they began classes in 1930. And, as they say, "the rest is history!" In 1935 while Al was studying voice at the Blind School, he first met Duke Ellington. Almost a decade later, they met again. This time The Duke hired Hibbler. From there Al Hibbler became a legend, singing for many great bands before going solo. His biggest and best known hit "Unchained Melody" sold 3.5 million copies in just six months. "He" sold 2.5 million copies.
The Arkansas State School for the Blind may claim they taught Hibbler voice, but he always told friends that he learned more about singing while sitting at Brownlee's Store (in Dell), listening to the radio. He was known as a "street singer" even then. Dallas Brownlee often spoke of he and other friends, sitting on the Hibbler front porch and listening to the young Al sing.
The following article appeared in the Blytheville Courier News ca 1991.
Dell Native Makes a Swing Through
by Tammie Howell, CN Staff WriterBLYTHEVILLE--One of Missisppi County's own came back for a visit last week, jazz singer, Al Hibbler.
Hibbler was visiting Alle Freeman from Little Rock when he decided that 40 years was too long to go without coming home for a visit. Hibbler grew up in Dell and shared several memories of his childhood. Blind from birth, Hibler said, he used to sit all day in the Brownlee's Store in Dell and listen to the radio. "I learned more about singing by listening to that store radio," he said. "I used to sit there all day long, just listening." All of that listening must have paid off for Hibbler, because at the age of 75, he's still singing and has been ever since those days of listening to the radio in Brownlee's store in Dell. Hibbler said that Myrtle Martin of Dell helped him and his brother, who was also blind, to attend the Arkansas State School for the Blind in Little Rock. In Little Rock, Hibbler was known as a street singer, because he sang everywhere he could. In 1935, Hibbler graduated from the blind school and went to work singing with local bands. He sang with Monroe Fingers and His Yellow Jackets, Tex Boots and His Buddies and ended up singing with Duke Ellington in the 1940's. After singing with Ellington, Hibbler went out on his own. "He" was the title of one album he put out that sold 2.5 million copies and "The Unchanged Melody" which he released in 1955 sold 3.5 million copies in six months. "I made five cents a record on that," he said. Another of his songs, "After the Lights Go Down Low," sold 950,000 copies. As Hibbler reminisces, names such as Nat King Cole and the young Frank Sinatra flow with the conversation. "I knew Frank when he was just starting out," he said.During the interview, a childhood friend, Frank Collins, resident of Blytheville, came in to visit. The men shook hands, and Hibbler told his friend, "You look good! You look real good."About his blindness, Hibbler said, "People tell me that I can't see, I don't tell them, because I see a lot.""Life can be so beautiful, whether you're blind or not, if you know how to live it!" he said.One of his secrets to living a happy life, he said, was "I don't worry about things that I can't do anything about." Problems, he said, were made by people who enjoyed creating problems! "I do my best to make everything easy," he said.Hibbler said he'd had a very good life. He's been around the world twice, with his singing career, even to Australia, he added. He's won many awards, including the Down Beat Award-three times, the Esquire Award-twice, and lots of awards from colleges including "The Kings Of Singers" award, given to him in 1955 from Columbia University. One plaque that his is very proud of is from Gov. Bill Clinton, which was presented to him for doing a benefit concert for Philander Smith College.Of all this, Hibbler said, one of his greatest achievements was to be able to come back home after all these years and visit the people. For the past two or three years, Hibbler has been working on his autobiography. The book entitled, "Al Hibbler: Sees All and Tells All," should be out by the end of the year, he said.When asked if he was still recording, Hibbler said, "Yes, when I find a recording company who wants to record something sane. I like to sing so that People know what I'm talking about!"As the interview drew to a close, Freeman, played several of Hibbler's songs on a cassette player. The three men, Hibbler, Collins, and Freeman, sat there, not speaking, but listening to Hibbler's voice coming from the cassette player as he sang, "He Is Always There," and "What Tis," each lost in their own thoughts.
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----Al Hibbler died 2001 in Chicago, Illinois. He was 85 years old.----
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More of his story, his family and ancestors to come. . .
