🎶 Lee Hazlewood: The Guy Behind the Boots Made for Walkin’... Plus a Little Love for Old Dogs 🐾

📸 Lee Hazlewood and Nancy Sinatra during an appearance on The Hollywood Palace, April 6, 1968. Photo courtesy of ABC Television | Public Domain

Lee Hazlewood was born July 9, 1929, in the small town of Mannford, Oklahoma.

A poet. A songwriter. A producer. Part cowboy. Part comedian. Part musical mad scientist.

And definitely a little unconventional.

Our kind of guy. 

Hazlewood spent his early years moving around Oklahoma, Arkansas, Kansas and Louisiana before eventually finding his way into radio and music production. He became known for songs and productions that didn't fit neatly into one little musical box. There was country in there. Pop. Western drama. Humor. Romance. Psychedelia. Twang. Go-go boots. And sometimes a little beautiful musical weirdness.

✦ The Guy Behind the Boots

Lee Hazlewood wrote one of those songs that just about everybody knows within the first few seconds: “These Boots Are Made for Walkin’.”

Nancy Sinatra made it famous in 1966, but the song never really stopped walking.

Over the years, artists from completely different corners of music have taken a turn with it, including The Supremes, Ella Fitzgerald, Loretta Lynn, Megadeth, Billy Ray Cyrus, Jessica Simpson and even actor Crispin Glover.

Think about that musical journey for a second.

Ella Fitzgerald to Megadeth.

That alone says something about Lee Hazlewood's songwriting. He could write a song strong enough to leave its original decade and somehow make sense in jazz, country, pop, Motown and heavy metal.

✦ Twang, Go-Go Boots & Musically Unconventional

Before Lee Hazlewood and Nancy Sinatra became one of music’s most unusual partnerships, Hazlewood was already helping to create another important sound.

He worked closely with guitarist Duane Eddy, helping to develop and produce the deep, echoing, twangy guitar sound that became Eddy’s signature. Songs like “Rebel-Rouser” helped bring that unmistakable twang into early rock and roll, followed by songs like “(Dance with the) Guitar Man.”

Hazlewood also wrote “The Rebel Kind” for Dino, Desi & Billy, a band with a pretty great backstory. Dino was Dean Martin’s son, Desi Arnaz Jr. was the son of Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz, and Billy Hinsche was their friend. The three had known one another since elementary school before forming a band and making music together.

And then there’s “Summer Wine,” sung by Nancy Sinatra and Lee Hazlewood. The song is one thing, but the music video playing in our heads is another.

It’s country. It’s pop. It’s romantic?

We have decided that “Summer Wine” needs a brand-new music video. A funny one. We’re thinking Melissa McCarthy and Zach Galifianakis should star. Maybe improv style?

Someone please make this happen!

✦ He Was Behind More Music Than Many People Realize

Lee Hazlewood wasn't just the guy behind Nancy Sinatra's boots. His musical fingerprints are scattered all over the place.

He wrote “Houston,” which became a hit for Dean Martin.

He wrote “This Town,” recorded by Frank Sinatra.

He wrote “She Comes Running,” which was later recorded by Waylon Jennings, with Hazlewood also working as producer on Waylon's Singer of Sad Songs album.

He made an entire album with Ann-Margret—yes, that Ann-Margret, the singer, dancer and actress.

And Dusty Springfield, the unmistakable voice behind “Son of a Preacher Man,” sang Hazlewood's “Sweet Ride” for the 1968 movie The Sweet Ride.

Hazlewood's career crossed through rock and roll, country, pop, film music and some beautifully odd spaces in between. He is best remembered for Nancy Sinatra and Duane Eddy, but his larger body of work shows a songwriter and producer who was unusually comfortable moving between musical worlds.

✦ A Creative Soul Who Liked to Collaborate

There is something we really like about Lee Hazlewood here at Old Dogs Rock. He never seemed interested in staying in one musical lane. He wrote songs for other people, produced other artists, sang duets and collaborated with everyone from guitar players and country singers to movie stars and some of the biggest names in music.

Lee Hazlewood died in 2007 after a battle with cancer, so he isn't here for us to wish him a happy birthday today. But we're celebrating him anyway—his songs, his humor, his creativity, his willingness to collaborate and all his songs.

Happy 97th Birthday, Mr. Lee Hazlewood. 🎂🎶

Thank you for the twang.

Thank you for the songs.

Thank you for the summer wine.

And, of course...

Thank you for the boots! 

🐾 And Because We Are Old Dogs Rock...

We celebrate music here. All of it.

But there is another reason for our name.

Our little dog Rocky is part of the Rock in Old Dogs Rock—right alongside the music.

Rocky was an old dog, and he passed away after living with Canine Cognitive Dysfunction, or CCD, sometimes called canine dementia.

That's why this page and our website are dedicated to old dogs like Rocky and to all the music we love.

CCD can be confusing for dogs and heartbreaking to watch. Some dogs begin wandering or pacing at night, sleeping more during the day, becoming disoriented in familiar places, staring into space or getting stuck in corners, having accidents in the house, becoming more anxious, or seeming uncertain around familiar people and surroundings. Because other medical conditions can cause similar changes, a veterinarian should evaluate a dog showing these signs

There are things that may help a dog with CCD live more comfortably: patience first, a predictable daily routine, familiar surroundings, gentle activity and enrichment, and sometimes night-lights to help with disorientation. Veterinary treatment can also include medication and nutritional approaches, so speak with your veterinarian about what may be right for your dog.

A calm home, a familiar voice, a soft place to sleep, gentle love and maybe some soothing music playing nearby can also bring comfort and reassurance.

Old dogs may move a little slower. They may sometimes forget where they are. But they still deserve to feel safe, comfortable and deeply loved.

So today, listen to some good music.

And love on your dog.

Old Dogs Rock. 🐾🎸🖤