Al Dexter
Clarence Albert Poindexter (May 4, 1905 – January 28, 1984), known best as Al Dexter, was an American country musician and songwriter. He is best known today for his most popular song, "Pistol Packin' Mama", a 1943 hit which 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, as well as the Andrews Sisters. |
Birth and Death Data: Born Jacksonville (city in Cherokee County, Texas, United States), Died January 28, 1984 (Denton (city in Denton County, Texas, United States) )
Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1936 - 1953
Roles Represented in DAHR: vocalist, leader, songwriter, composer, electric guitar, lyricist, electric mandolin, guitar, mandolin
= Recordings are available for online listening.
= Recordings were issued from this master. No recordings issued from other masters.
Recordings (Results 1-25 of 128 records)
| Company | Matrix No. | Size | First Recording Date | Title | Primary Performer | Description | Role | Audio |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | H735 | 10-in. | 3/18/1942 | It's up to you | Al Dexter ; 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 ; 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 ; Troopers | String band, with male vocal solo | vocalist, composer, instrumentalist, electric guitar, lyricist, leader | |
| Columbia | H738 | 10-in. | 3/18/1942 | Rosalita | Al Dexter ; Troopers | String band, with male vocal solo | vocalist, composer, instrumentalist, electric guitar, lyricist, leader | |
| Columbia | H739 | 10-in. | 3/18/1942 | Remember you're mine | Al Dexter ; Troopers | String band, with male vocal solo | instrumentalist, electric guitar, leader, vocalist, composer, lyricist | |
| Columbia | H740 | 10-in. | 3/18/1942 | My blue eyes | Al Dexter ; Troopers | String band, with male vocal solo | instrumentalist, electric guitar, leader, vocalist, composer, lyricist | |
| Columbia | H741 | 10-in. | 3/18/1942 | Pistol packin' mama | Al Dexter ; 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 ; 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 | 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 ; Troopers | String band, with male vocal solo | vocalist, composer, instrumentalist, electric guitar, lyricist, leader | |
| Columbia | H745 | 10-in. | 3/21/1942 | Maybe, baby it's me | Al Dexter ; Troopers | String band, with male vocal solo | vocalist, instrumentalist, electric guitar, composer, leader | |
| Columbia | H746 | 10-in. | 3/21/1942 | Guitar polka | Al Dexter ; Troopers | String band | instrumentalist, electric guitar, composer, leader | |
| Columbia | H747 | 10-in. | 3/21/1942 | What is life lined alone | Al Dexter ; Troopers | String band, with male vocal solo | instrumentalist, electric guitar, leader, composer, lyricist | |
| Columbia | H748 | 10-in. | 3/21/1942 | I'm losing my mind over you | Al Dexter ; Troopers | String band, with male vocal solo | vocalist, instrumentalist, electric guitar, composer, leader | |
| Columbia | DAL785 | 10-in. | 6/13/1939 | Daddy's in the dog house now | Al Dexter ; Troopers | String band, with male vocal solo | leader, vocalist, instrumentalist, electric mandolin, composer, lyricist | |
| Columbia | DAL786 | 10-in. | 6/13/1939 | Diddy, wah, diddy with a blah! blah! | Al Dexter ; Troopers | String band, with male vocal solo | leader, vocalist, songwriter, instrumentalist, guitar | |
| Columbia | DAL787 | 10-in. | 6/13/1939 | Jelly roll special | Al Dexter ; Troopers | String band, with male vocal solo | vocalist, songwriter, leader | |
| Columbia | DAL788 | 10-in. | 6/13/1939 | My troubles don't trouble me no more | Al Dexter ; Troopers | String band, with male vocal solo | leader, vocalist, instrumentalist, electric mandolin, composer, lyricist | |
| Columbia | DAL789 | 10-in. | 6/13/1939 | My blue eyes are not my blue eyes now | Al Dexter ; Troopers | String band, with male vocal solo | leader, vocalist, instrumentalist, electric mandolin, composer, lyricist | |
| Columbia | DAL790 | 10-in. | 6/13/1939 | Why do I think of someone | Al Dexter ; Troopers | String band, with male vocal solo | leader, vocalist, instrumentalist, electric mandolin, composer, lyricist | |
| Columbia | DAL791 | 10-in. | 6/13/1939 | Bar hotel | Al Dexter ; Troopers | String band, with male vocal solo | leader, vocalist, instrumentalist, electric mandolin, songwriter | |
| Columbia | DAL792 | 10-in. | 6/13/1939 | Sunshine | Al Dexter ; Troopers | String band, with male vocal solo | instrumentalist, electric mandolin, songwriter, leader | |
| Columbia | DAL1044 | 10-in. | 4/23/1940 | There's no use in loving you | Al Dexter ; Troopers | String band, with male vocal solo | leader, vocalist, instrumentalist, electric mandolin, composer, lyricist |
Citation
Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Dexter, Al," accessed December 26, 2025, http://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/106833.
Dexter, Al. (2025). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved December 26, 2025, from http://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/106833.
"Dexter, Al." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2025. Web. 26 December 2025.
DAHR Persistent Identifier
Linked Open Data Sources
LCNAR: Dexter, Al - https://id.loc.gov/authorities/names/n93030653
Wikidata: Al Dexter - https://www.wikidata.org/entity/Q1423868
VIAF: https://viaf.org/viaf/49412976
MusicBrainz: Al Dexter - https://musicbrainz.org/artist/5b6d8437-b0d8-453f-a841-90562a69532d
Fast: https://id.worldcat.org/fast/319669 - https://id.worldcat.org/fast/319669
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