Archie Campbell

Archie Campbell 

(Singer, Songwriter, Comedy, Script Writer, Sculptor, Poet, Artist)

  Date of Birth: November 7, 1914

• Place of Birth: Bulls Gap, Tennessee
• Married: Mary Lee Lewis
• Children: Stephen Archie, Phillip Edward Lee
• Date of Death: August 29, 1987

Archie Campbell, remembered by many as one of the side-splitting members of TV’s Hee Haw, was also a recording artist and script writer as well as a sculptor, poet and artist (not to mention a golfer with a two handicap).

Growing up in the foothills of the Smokies, Archie studied art at Mars Hill College in North Carolina, but soon decided he wanted to be in the entertainment business. He made his debut in 1936 on WNOX Knoxville as an announcer and also appeared on the station’s Barn Dance. He moved to WDOD Chattanooga in 1937 and stayed until 1941, when he joined the Navy.

After the war ended, Archie returned to radio at WNOX in 1949 and in 1952, he had his own TV show, Country Playhouse, on WROL-TV in Knoxville. The show lasted until 1958, when he moved to Nashville and he joined the Grand Ole Opry the following year.

Archie signed to RCA Victor in 1959 and his first single Trouble in the Amen Corner, went Top 25 on the Country chart in 1960. In 1968, Archie joined Hee Haw as performer and Chief Writer. During 1984 he hosted TNN’s chat show Yesteryear in Nashville.

Archie was an eight-year member of the Knoxville School Board and was involved in Republican politics. He remained a talented painter and a highly-rated golfer. With his deep sense of humor, he was not just a humorist, but a comedian and talented after-dinner speaker.

Recordings include:

• The Men in my Little Girl’s Life
• The Cockfight
• Tell It Like It Is
• My Special Prayer
• Rindercella
• Bull Session at Bull’s Gap (album)