Picture of a Man
1966 · Tee Pee 834T-4533 · USA
- Artist
- Hershel Gober
- Title
- Picture of a Man
- Release
- Picture of a Man / Here Am I
- Year
- 1966
- Label
- Tee Pee # 834T-4533
- Format
- 7" · Single
- Language
- English
- Country
- USA
- Genre
- Folk · Contemporary Folk
- Primary theme
- US 'Patriotic' / Pro-Government / Anti-Protest Songs
Annotation
Hershel Gober followed in the footsteps of Barry Sadler, producing songs while serving in the US army. They were mainly positive, patriotic tracks, but also dealing with the plight of the soldier. He did two terms in Vietnam between 1965 and 1969 - firstly as an Infantry Adviser to the South Vietnamese Army (1965-1966), and secondly as an Infantry Company Commander (1969). He received the Soldier’s Medal, Bronze Star, Purple Heart, and Parachutist Badge. He later served as US Deputy of Veteran Affairs during the Clinton Administration (1993-2000). (1) Interestingly, he actually started his career in the late 1950s as a rockabilly singer called Hershel Almond. While in Vietnam he took part in a project run by Major General Edward Lansdale of the US Army, which produced songs to win the "hearts and minds" of the Vietnamese people. (2) (3) Lansdale recorded many folk songs of Americans in Vietnam, which are stored at the American Folklife Center (Library of Congress). (4) (5) The song "Here I Am" looked at a lonely soldier away from home, missing his sweetheart. The track started with a spoken-word introduction: "a feeling that all soldiers have shared since the beginning of time is…
Annotation by Justin A. Brummer
About the artist
Born 21 December 1936, Monticello, Arkansas, USA. Recorded rockabilly in the late 1950s-early 1960s as Hershel Almond; as an Army officer in Vietnam wrote and recorded war songs including the LP Proud American, performing for President Johnson in Vietnam in 1966 as the 'Singing Soldier'. Later Deputy Secretary and twice acting Secretary of the US Department of Veterans Affairs. Died 15 October 2024 [death location not stated in verified sources]. [Source: Wikipedia; Miller Center; Encyclopedia of Arkansas]