Born in Arkansas, Helen Hagstrom moved to California with her parents while she was a baby. She attended dancing school in San Francisco and then joined Dude Martin on KYA who gave her the stage name of Carolina Cotton.

From 1944 on, Carolina Cotton was Hollywood's major cowgirl yodeler in Western movies. Although she did not record often, she appeared in a number of movies. She first appeard in the Republic Film "Sing, Neighbor, Sing" starring Roy Acuff and Lulu Belle and Scotty, which was released in July of that year.

From 1945 on she was with Columbia Pictures; she appeared in two movies with Charles Starrett and four with Ken Curtis. In 1949-1950 she appeared in both of Eddy Arnold's films, "Feudin' Rhythm" and "Hoedown." She was in two Gene Autry movies in 1952, "Apache Country" and "Blue Canadian Rockies" and in "The Rough Tough West" starring Charles Starrett in 1952.

Cotton's recordings included "Three Miles South of Cash in Arkansas" for King in 1946 and then some recordings for Crystal and Mastertone. In 1950 she joined MGM and released four songs backed by Bob Wills and His Texas Playboys in 1951; she also made a number of USO tours, including six trips to Korea.

In the mid-1950s, she married; after a divorce she went to college and from 1969-1974 taught in U.S. Government schools in Central America. In 1974 she moved to Bakerfield, California where she taught elementary school.

Awards:

• 2001 Hall of Fame Inductees