Huntingdon Honors Carl Mann’s Legacy With New Sign

Dozens of friends and family to Huntingdon native and Rockabilly pioneer Carl Mann attended the unveiling of a new sign erected in his honor, Tuesday, October 28.

IMMEDIATE FAMILY - Children and grandchild of Carl Mann. From left, Carl’s son Richard Mann, granddaughter Remy Mann, daughter Rhonda Houghton, and step-daughter Charlotte Belew. Photos by Jesse Joseph/Carroll County Observer

At the corner of East Main and High Streets in Huntingdon, the new sign reads: “Home of Carl Mann Sun Record Artist and Rockabilly Pioneer”

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Carl Mann’s granddaughter, Remy Mann, traveled from Germany to be there, and had the honors of pulling the curtain to reveal the sign.

“My grandfather would have been so proud,” she said. “I’m truly grateful that I got to be here for this moment, and I feel incredibly blessed to be part of this loving, amazing, and wonderfully crazy family.”

UNVEILING - Remy Mann pulls back the curtain to reveal the new sign honoring her grandfather’s legacy.

Several who were in attendance spoke at the event.

Huntingdon Mayor Chad Edwards thanked everyone who showed up for being there.

“I’m glad to see the turnout,” he said. “When [Carl’s family] came to us about this, I was excited about it.”

Carl’s daughter Rhonda Houghton recalled that, although she only knew her father for a short time before he passed, every moment spent with him meant the world to her.

“Even beyond the stage, his life had rhythm and spirit, and he left a mark on everyone who met him,” she said.

Houghton added, “I hope [this sign] reminds everyone, not just of the songs that he shared with the world, but of the love and connections and memories that he leaves with his family. May the sign stand as a tribute to his music, his life, and the harmony that he brought into our hearts.”

Carl’s niece, Andrea Salazar, recounted a humorous story about her uncle prank calling her one day, pretending to be an old man.

She then expressed her gratitude to the Town of Huntingdon, as well as the Huntingdon, TN Historical Society for their efforts in shining a light on her uncle’s legacy.

Mann’s Legacy

Carl Mann’s music career began long before most teenagers even had their driver’s license.

By age eleven, he was already performing regularly on Jackson’s WDXI radio, and at twelve, he took the stage of the Junior Grand Ole Opry on WSM in Nashville.

A few years later, Carl was signed by Sam Phillips as the youngest artist on Sun Records, the same label that launched Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, and Jerry Lee Lewis.

His 1959 hit, a rock-and-roll rendition of Nat King Cole’s “Mona Lisa,” sold more than a million copies and earned him a gold record.

He toured the country and abroad, and performed with artists such as Johnny Cash, Brenda Lee, Loretta Lynn, and George Jones. Carl Mann even appeared twice on Dick Clark’s American Bandstand .

Over the decades, he continued to record and perform.

In 2006, Carl Mann was inducted into the Rockabilly Hall of Fame.

His legacy is now marked in his hometown by the sign that bears his name.

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Huntingdon Honors Carl Mann’s Legacy With New Sign

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