Remembering Minnesota’s very own Larry Verne, who #DOTD in 2013. In 1960, Verne earned US US #OneHitWonder honors when his satirical, comedic novelty “Mr. Custer” spent 10 weeks on the US #Billboard #Top40, including one week at the #1 spot! #LarryVerne #MrCuster #OneHitWondered #MusicSky

Mr. Custer 🏋
#LarryVerne

On Oct 8, 2013: #LarryVerne, American novelty song singer (Mr. Custer), died of heart failure at 77.
#RIP 🕊️🤍✨

“Mr. Custer” by Larry Verne spent the week of October 10, 1960, at #1 on the US #Billboard #Top40… The following week, there was a new #1. #LarryVerne #MrCuster #TheDrifters #OneHitWondered #MusicSky

After his brief run, Larry Verne walked away from the music biz and spent 35 years building Hollywood film sets. From a #1 US #Billboard #Top40 hit to happily hammering on two-by-fours in Tinseltown. #LarryVerne #MrCuster #OneHitWondered

Larry Verne stayed with the historical-comedy formula for his follow-up... but “Mister Livingston” topped out at #75 on the #Hot100. Other singles like “Abdul’s Party,” “Charlie at the Bat,” “The Speck” & “The Coward That Won the West” failed to chart. #LarryVerne #OneHitWondered #MusicSky

Larry Verne’s “Mr. Custer didn’t chart in the UK… Well-known British TV comedian Charlie Drake’s cover of “Mr. Custer” sure did, though. His version spent 12 weeks on the UK chart, peaking at #12. #LarryVerne #CharlieDrake #OneHitWondered #MusicSky

"Mr. Custer" was a comical novelty march about a panicked 7th Cavalry soldier pleading with General Custer to let him stay behind during the Battle of Little Bighorn... Delivered in a ‘hillbilly’ drawl, Larry Verne’s quirky single quickly captured the public's imagination #LarryVerne #OneHitWondered

That chance meeting between a darkroom worker and three songwriters renting an office down the hall turned into a #1 record... #FredDarian #AlDeLory #JoeVanWinkle #LarryVerne #OneHitWondered

The songwriters happened to be developing a novelty song about Custer’s Last Stand… Larry Verne was tossing out lines and ideas while hanging out with them. So, when it came time to make a demo of “Mr. Custer,” Verne was invited to the session. #LarryVerne #OneHitWondered

Just down the hall from the photography studio where Larry Verne was developing photos was a tiny office where Fred Darian, Al DeLory & Joe Van Winkle were working on songs and demos… Verne got to know the three songwriters, often joining them for lunch. #LarryVerne #OneHitWondered

Larry Verne served in the Marines before moving to LA, where he bounced around, doing a lil’ stunt work in the film industry and working in a photography studio… That photo job led him straight into the record business. #LarryVerne #OneHitWondered

The week of September 5, 1960, Minnesota’s very own Larry Verne earned US #OneHitWonder honors when his satirical, comedic novelty “Mr. Custer” entered the US #Billboard #Top40 at #13. It spent 10 weeks on the chart, including one week at the top spot! #LarryVerne #OneHitWondered #MusicSky