Lee Hazlewood was a singer, songwriter, and producer who wrote numerous hit songs for notable artists such as Nancy Sinatra, Dean Martin, and Frank Sinatra. Born to an oilman, Hazlewood was drafted during the Korean War and began his career as a country DJ in Phoenix in 1953. He started experimenting with session guitarist Al Casey, incorporating echo effects into country songs. His first success came with the song "The Fool," written and produced under the name of his first wife, Naomi Ford (actually Naomi Shackleford). The composition, recorded by Sanford Clark with backing by Al Casey, became a top 10 hit in the USA in 1956.
Hazlewood's innovative electronic techniques influenced another prominent producer, Phil Spector. In 1957, he co-founded Jamie Records in Philadelphia with Lester Sill and Dick Clark, leveraging Clark's TV show to promote the hits of guitarist Duane Eddy. Between 1961 and 1962, Hazlewood founded the Gregmark Company with Lester Sill and had hits with the Paris Sisters, a trio from San Francisco.
When the British Invasion overwhelmed the US music scene, Hazlewood threatened to quit the industry. Instead, he produced hits for film-star offspring Dino, Desi, and Billy on the Frank Sinatra-label Reprise in 1965. He reached the pinnacle in 1966 with his composition "These Boots Are Made for Walkin'," a number one hit for Frank Sinatra's daughter Nancy Sinatra. Hazlewood collaborated with her on several hits, including "Jackson," "Summerwine," and "Lady Bird."
In the 1970s, Hazlewood relocated to Sweden, where he produced records and worked on television projects with Swedish director Torbjörn Axelmann. The duo created a television show and won the "Golden Rose of Montreux" award for the best television program. In 1993, the British pop group Tindersticks released a 7-inch single "A Marriage Made in Heaven" based on Hazlewood's composition "Sand," which was considered a tribute to the artist. His portrait adorned the single's cover.
After a 13-year hiatus, Hazlewood contributed to the Finnish album "Gypsies and Indians" alongside Finnish singer Anna Hanski in 1993. He embarked on a tour with Nancy Sinatra in the US, Canada, and Scandinavia in 1995. In 1999, Hazlewood released his first solo album in 20 years, "Farmisht, Flatulence, Origami, ARF!!! and Me...," a collaboration with Al Casey.
