Hasil Adkins, 67; Musician Popular With Rockabilly Fans

Hasil Adkins, 67, whose screaming vocals and freestyle approach to rhythm made him a cult favorite among rockabilly fans, was found dead Tuesday at his home in Charleston, W. Va. Authorities said the cause of death had not been determined but it did not appear to be suspicious.

Adkins, who said he had written more than 7,000 songs, first came to attention in the 1950s. He was an original star on Norton Records, a label built around the primal recordings he produced in his mountain home. But after some initial success, he struggled for decades to be noticed. His songs drew new interest in the early 1980s, after the punk-rock band the Cramps recorded Adkins’ “She Said.”

One of 10 children, Adkins was born to a poor family in Boone County, W. Va. He began experimenting with homemade instruments at an early age, pounding on milk pails and washtubs in between playing with kazoos and toy guitars. He also learned to play more conventional instruments, including drums, guitar and harmonica.

His “Chicken Walk” and “The Hunch” became short-lived dance crazes in the 1960s.