Country singer Slim Whitman dies aged 90

Slim Whitman who has died aged 90 (AP)

Country singer Slim Whitman has died at the age of 90 in Florida.

His son-in-law, Roy Beagle, confirmed Whitman died today of heart failure.

Whitman's career began in the late 1940s, and his tenor falsetto and ebony moustache and sideburns became global trademarks. They were also an inspiration for countless jokes thanks to the ubiquitous 1980s and 1990s TV commercials that pitched his records.

He was a serious musical influence on early rock. Over here, he was known as a pioneer of country music. Whitman also encouraged a teen Elvis Presley when the young singer made his professional debut.

AP