Huntingdon Council Approves Signage Honoring Carl Mann

HUNTINGDON (July 22) — During their regular monthly meeting Tuesday, the Huntingdon Town Council approved the installation of signage honoring Rockabilly Hall of Fame member Carl Mann.
Born in Huntingdon, Mann was a child musical prodigy who began recording at age 15. He signed with Sun Records and, at 16, reached #25 on the Billboard Hot 100 with his cover of "Mona Lisa".
He performed and recorded for over six decades until his death in 2020 at age 78. Mann was inducted into the Rockabilly Hall of Fame in 2006.
Mann's niece, Andrea Salazar, addressed the council on behalf of Carl's family to request the signage and offer to cover the costs. Also present were Salazar's sister, Sabrina Bailey, and Mann's son, Richard Mann.
Salazar said, "Carl Mann was a rockabilly pioneer and spent a lifetime performing for fans all over the United States and Europe. He was the last and youngest artist signed with Sun Record label. He was a guest performer on the Dick Clark show multiple times. Carl spent time touring with Johnny Cash, George Jones, Carl Perkins, Brenda Lee and was personal friends with Loretta Lynn and with Patsy Cline. He had many musical accomplishments, and he is a gold record recipient.
"He was somewhat disappointed that the town of Huntingdon never seemed to recognize him for all that he did. He would be a little hurt when he would go to McLemoresville and see the welcome sign with Dixie [Carter]'s name on it, or he would go to Parsons and see the highway named after Little David Wilkins, or he would go to Jackson and see 'Home of Carl Perkins'. And there was never a sign in honor of him here in his own hometown.
"On behalf of his sister and the whole Mann family, we would love to see his legacy live on. Therefore, we would like a sign to be put up at the entrance of town to recognize him. We feel as if it's 50 years overdue."
Mayor Chad Edwards referred to discussions he had previously had with the family and suggested Highway 70 coming into town from Leach as a good place for the signage as much of the Mann family lived in that area.
The mayor offered that the council could consider the proposal and revisit it, but councilmember Chad Barnhart countered that it could be a brief discussion right away. Councilmember Daniel Eubanks doubled down on that sentiment and made a motion to approve the signage. Kelly Eubanks seconded, and the motion was approved unanimously.
The family will come up with a design for the sign, which will come before the board for final approval, according to Mayor Edwards.