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Delbert Barker was an American country singer born on December 3, 1932, in Frenchburg, Kentucky. He passed away on March 5, 2024, in Franklin, Tennessee. Barker moved to Middletown, Ohio, in 1943, where he began participating in amateur contests. By 1951, he was appearing on WCPO-TV's noontime show alongside the Davis Sisters. His television exposure led to a recording contract with Carl Burkhardt, where he produced cover records under various names for labels such as Rite Records, Kentucky, Gateway, Big 4, and Big 6. He became known as the "King of the Covers" due to his prolific output, covering hits from artists like Carl Smith, Hank Williams, Johnny Cash, and Elvis Presley, which garnered interest from collectors overseas. In 1954, Barker recorded for Garnett Folk Records in New York City and later signed with King Records in Cincinnati in 1956, releasing four mainstream country records, one of which became popular among rockabilly collectors. After working with Shorty and Smokey Warren in New Jersey in 1958, he returned to Middletown in 1959 and left the music business in 1960 to pursue a career in law enforcement, eventually rising to the rank of lieutenant in charge of detectives. Despite his law enforcement career, he continued to play music in his spare time, notably writing the song "You Almost Slipped My Mind," which

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