Saluting the Musical Veterans

Category: Tribute

Veterans Day originated as Armistice Day in 1938 to honor the "Great War" (what we now call World War I) veterans on the anniversary of the signing of the armistice ending the first world war (which occurred on November 11, 1918 at 11:00 a.m.).  In 1954 the name of the holiday was changed to "Veterans Day" to honor the veterans of both world wars as well as the Korean war and those who served in peacetime.

I annually publish this list of some of the members of the world of country and bluegrass music who served in the armed forces, and (if applicable) the war during which they served.  The list increases every year (sadly, usually by reading obituaries of singers who pass away).   It remains one of my most popular posts, for which I am very grateful.  

Here are the musicians in country, bluegrass, and country-rock that served in the military:

Army:

Jules Verne Allen (World War I)
Jack Anglin (World War II)
Bob Atcher (World War II)
Bobby Bare
Dr. Humphrey Bate (Spanish-American War)
Byron Berline
Pat Brady (World War II)
Rod Brasfield (World War II)
Jim Ed Brown
Tom Brumley
Horace "Aytchie" Burns (World War II) 
Kenneth "Jethro" Burns (World War II)
Tommy Cash
Harold "Curly" Chalker
Hank Cochran
Earl Thomas Conley
Sonny Curtis
Tommy Duncan (World War II)
Jim Eanes (World War II)
Bob Ferguson (also served in the Marines)
John Fogerty
David Frizzell
Johnny Gimble
Jack Greene
Tom T. Hall
Bill Harrell 
Esco Hankins (World War II)
Harold "Hawkshaw" Hawkins (World War II)
Red Hayes (World War II)
Henry "Homer" Haynes (World War II)
Fairley Holden (World War II)
Doyle Holly
Harlan Howard
Stonewall Jackson (primarily served in the Navy; briefly in Army but discharged after it was discovered he lied about his age)
Sonny James (Korea)
Louis "Grandpa" Jones (World War II)
Doug Kershaw
Rusty Kershaw
Bradley Kincaid (World War I)
Kris Kristofferson 
John Lair
Darrell ("Pee Wee") Lambert (World War II)
Charlie Louvin (Korea; was in the Army Air Corps during WW II)
Ira Louvin (World War II)
Joe Maphis (World War II)
Darrell McCall
Del McCoury
Skeets McDonald
Jesse McReynolds (Korea)
Jim McReynolds (Korea)
Homer "Slim" Miller (World War I)
Roger Miller (Korea)
Hubert "Buster" Moore
George Morgan
"Colonel" Tom Parker
Les Paul (World War II)
Lloyd Perryman (World War II)
Webb Pierce
Elvis Presley
Charley Pride
John Prine
Boots Randolph
Jerry Reed
Don Reno (World War II)
J.P. "The Big Bopper" Richardson
John Shuffler (Korea)
Shel Silverstein
Arthur "Red" Smiley (World War II)
Cal Smith
James "Hal" Smith (World War II)
Carl Sprague
Ralph Stanley (World War II)
Jack Stapp (World War II)
John Starling
Henry "Redd" Stewart (World War II)
George Strait
Nat Stuckey (Korea)
Robert "Tut" Taylor (World War II) (also served in the Navy)
Floyd Tillman
Conway Twitty
T. Texas Tyler (David Myrick) (World War II)
Leroy Van Dyke
Charlie Walker (World War II)
Roland White
Doyle Wilburn (Korea)
Teddy Wilburn (Korea)
Don Williams
Bob Wills (World War II)
Faron Young

Navy:

Hoyt Axton
Kenny Baker (World War II)
Archie Campbell (World War II)
Jerry Clower
Cy Coben (World War II)
Larry Cordle
Alton Delmore (World War II)
Roy Drusky
Bill Emerson
Leon Everette
Werly Fairburn (World War II)
Benjamin "Whitey" Ford (Duke of Paducah) (World War I)
Howdy Forrester (World War II)
Claude Gray (Korea)
Buddy Harman
Ferlin Husky (Merchant Marines) (World War II)
Harold "Shot" Jackson
Stonewall Jackson (also briefly served in the Army but was discharged after it was discovered he lied about his age to enlist)
Mitch Jayne (World War II)
Claude King (World War II)
Doyle Lawson
Johnny Lee (Vietnam)
Leon McAuliffe (World War II)
Ronnie McDowell
Bill Nettles (World War I)
Dale Noe (World War II)
Johnny Paycheck (Donald Lytle)
Don Pierce (World War II)
Ray Pillow
Claude "Curly" Putman
Marvin Rainwater (World War II)
Leon Rausch (World War II)
Red Rector (briefly joined the Navy in 1942, when he was 13, but was discharged once it was discovered he had lied about his age)
Marty Robbins (World War II)
Billy Joe Shaver
Red Simpson (Korea)
Arthur "Guitar Boogie" Smith (World War II)
Carl Smith
Carl Story (World War II)
Robert "Tut" Taylor (World War II) (also served in the Army)
Hank Thompson (World War II)
Billy Edd Wheeler
Ray Whitley
Slim Whitman (World War II)
Ray Winkler (World War II)

Air Force/Army Air Corps:

Randy Atcher (World War II)
Gene Autry (World War II)
Rod Brasfield (World War II)
Henry Cannon (Mr. Minnie Pearl) (World War II)
Johnny Cash
Jerry Chesnut (Korea)
Jimmy Dean
Tennessee Ernie Ford (World War II)
Kendall Hayes
Tommy Jackson (World War II)
Red Lane
Jimmie Logsdon (World War II)
Charlie Louvin (World War II, was in the Army in Korea)
O.B. McClinton
Willie Nelson
Mike Nesmith
Mickey Newberry
Del Reeves
Charlie Rich
Carter Stanley (World War II)
Mel Tillis

Marines:

Red Allen
Wendy Bagwell (World War II)
Jack Clement
Bill Clifton
Tommy Collins (Leonard Sipes)
Don Everly
Phil Everly
Freddy Fender (Baldemar Huerta)
Bob Ferguson (Korea) (also served in the Army)
Josh Garcin
Wayne Hancock
Freddie Hart (World War II)
Jamey Johnson
George Jones
Ned Miller (World War II)
Bobby Osborne (Korea)
Ray Price (World War II)
Merle Travis (World War II)
Charles Whitstein
Robert Whitstein (Vietnam)


Thank you for your music; more importantly, thank you for your service to our country.

Dates of Note in Country Music, November 1-15

Category: News

(Hall of Fame members in bold on birth/death date, followed by hall[s] of fame in which they are enshrined and the year enshrined.  CM=Country Music; BG=Bluegrass; DJ=Country Disc Jockey; NS=Nashville Songwriter; SG=Southern Gospel; StG=Steel Guitar; WS=Western Swing; GLA=Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award; RR=country performer also in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame)

November 1:

Bill Anderson (CM 01, NS 75) born in Columbia, South Carolina, 1937 (now 79)
Keith Stegall born in Wichita Falls, Texas, 1954 (now 62)
Lyle Lovett born in Klein, Texas, 1957 (now 59)
Lew Childre born in Opp, Alabama, 1901 (died 1961)
Buddy Killen died in Nashville, Tennessee (cancer), 2006 (was 73)
Jack Reno died in Florence, Kentucky (brain cancer), 2008 (was 72)
Jan Crutchfield died in Nashville, Tennessee (unknown cause), 2012 (was 74)

November 2:

John David Souther born in Detroit, Michigan, 1945 (now 71)
Earl Yager of the Johnson Mountain Boys born in Gordonsville, Virginia, 1953 (now 63)
k.d. lang born in Consort, Alberta, 1961 (now 55)
Charlie Walker born in Copeville, Texas, 1926 (died 2008)
Elaine Tubb, former wife of Ernest Tubb and subject of the song "Blue-Eyed Elaine," died in Nashville, Tennessee, 2001 (was 85)
Tommy Overstreet died in Hillsboro, Oregon (heart disease/lung disease), 2015 (was 78)

November 3:

Ray Edenton born in Mineral, Virginia, 1926 (now 90)
Fabor Robison born in Beebe, Arkansas, 1911 (died 1986)
Leon Huff born in Whitesboro, Texas, 1912 (died 1952)
John Maddox of the Maddox Brothers & Rose born in Boaz, Alabama, 1915 (died 1968)
The first inductees into the Country Music Hall of Fame -- Jimmie Rodgers, Fred Rose, and Hank Williams -- announced, 1961
Merle Haggard paroled from San Quentin prison, 1960

November 4:

Kim Forrester born in Oglethorpe, Georgia, 1960 (now 56)
Will Rogers born near Oologah, Oklahoma, 1879 (died 1935)
Audrey Williams died in Nashville, Tennessee (illness), 1975 (was 52)
Dale Noe died in Phoenix, Arizona (unknown cause), 2004 (was 76)

November 5:

Lowell Blanchard born in Palmer, Illinois, 1910 (died 1968). Blanchard was the program director at WNOX in the 1930's and began the Midday Merry-Go-Round.
Roy Rogers (ne Leonard Slye) (CM 80 and 88) born in Cincinnati, Ohio, 1911 (died 1998)
Roy Horton (CM 82) born in Broad Top, Pennsylvania, 1914 (died 2003)
Billy Sherrill (CM 10, NS 84) born in Phil Campbell, Alabama, 1936 (died 2015)
Gram Parsons born in Winter Haven, Florida, 1946 (died 1973)
Johnny Horton died in Milano, Texas (car wreck), 1960 (was 35)
Jimmie Davis (CM 72, NS 71) died in Baton Rouge, Louisiana (natural causes), 2000 (was 101)
Dorothy Southworth Ritter died in Woodland Hills, California (natural causes), 2003 (was 88)
Author/biographer Patsi Bale-Cox died in Nashville, Tennessee (emphysema), 2011 (was 66)
Roy Acuff Jr. died in Nashville, Tennessee (unknown cause), 2015 (was 72)
My favorite country music fan, my dad, born in Louisville, Kentucky, 1930 (now 86)

November 6:

Stonewall Jackson born in Emerson, North Carolina, 1932 (now 84)
Guy Clark (NS 04) born in Monahan, Texas, 1941 (died 2016)
Doug Sahm born in San Antonio, Texas, 1941 (died 1999)
Glenn Frey of the Eagles born in Detroit, Michigan, 1948 (died 2016)
Hank Thompson (CM 89, NS 97) died in Fort Worth, Texas (lung cancer), 2007 (was 82)
Elvis Presley became a member of Louisiana Hayride, 1954

November 7:

Robin Lee born in Nashville, Tennessee, 1953 (now 63)
Red Ingle born in Toledo, Ohio, 1906 (died 1965)
Archie Campbell born in Bull's Gap, Tennessee, 1914 (died 1987)
Howard "Happy" Goodman (SG 98) born in northeast Alabama, 1921 (died 2002)
A.P. Carter (CM 70, NS 70) died in Kingsport, Tennessee (heart ailment), 1960 (was 68)
Gene Wooten died in Nashville, Tennessee (cancer), 2001 (was 49)
Red Foley's daughter, Shirley, married Pat Boone, 1953
Marty Robbins participated in his final NASCAR race, 1982

November 8:

Patti Page (Clara Fowler) born in Claremore, Oklahoma, 1927 (died 2013)
Scotty Wiseman (NS 71) born in Ingalls, North Carolina, 1909 (died 1981)
Ivory Joe Hunter died in Memphis, Tennessee (lung cancer), 1974 (was 60). A number of the R&B singer/songwriter's songs were turned into country hits by Sonny James, including "Since I Met You, Baby" and "Empty Arms."
Bobby Caldwell (StG 10) died in St. Louis, Missouri (cancer), 2009 (was 68)
Charlie Dick died in Nashville, Tennessee (natural causes), 2015 (was 81)

November 9:

George D. Hay (CM 66) born in Attica, Indiana, 1895 (died 1968)
Curly Fox born in Graysville, Tennessee, 1910 (died 1995)
James "Spider" Rich, co-writer of "Yakety Sax," died (unknown cause), 2003 (was 80)

November 10:

Donna Fargo (Yvonne Vaughn) born in Mount Airy, North Carolina, 1940 (now 76)
Pat Severs of Pirates of the Mississippi born in Elmira, New York, 1952 (now 64)
Paul Cohen (CM 76) born in Chicago, Illinois, 1908 (died 1970)
Buford Abner of the Swanee River Boys (SG 02) born in Lineville, Alabama, 1917 (died 2011)
Onie Wheeler born in Senath, Missouri, 1921 (died 1984)
Dave "Stringbean" Akeman died in Ridgetop, Tennessee (murdered), 1973 (was 58)
Arnim "Curly" Fox died in Graysville, Tennessee (natural causes), 1995 (was 85)
The Edmund Fitzgerald sank in Lake Superior, killing all 29 aboard, 1975. The shipwreck inspired Gordon Lightfoot's 1976 pop/country/folk hit "The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald."

November 11:

Narvel Felts born near Keiser, Arkansas, 1938 (now 78)
Hank "Sugarfoot" Garland born in Cow Pens, South Carolina, 1930 (died 2004)
Don Stover (BG 02) died in Brandywine, Maryland (cancer), 1996 (was 68)
Wade Ray died in Sparta, Illinois (illness), 1998 (was 85)
Mary Reeves Davis, widow of Jim Reeves and manager of Jim Reeves Enterprises and the Jim Reeves Museum, died in Nashville, Tennessee (Alzheimer's disease), 1999 (was 70)

November 12:

Barbara Fairchild born in Lafe, Arkansas, 1950 (now 66)
Jerry Kilgore born in Tillamook, Oregon, 1964 (now 52)
Jo Stafford born in Coalinga, California, 1917 (died 2008). The pop singer was the girl singer on Red Ingle & Natural Seven's hit "Tem-Tay-Shun."
John Lair, Renfro Valley Barn Dance founder, died in Mount Vernon, Kentucky (natural causes), 1985 (was 91)
Homer and Jethro's legendary live album At the Country Club recorded in Nashville, 1959
Groundbreaking ceremonies held for construction of the Grand Ole Opry House (current home of the Opry), 1971
The IRS confiscated Willie Nelson's belongings as payment for his tax bill, 1990

November 13:

Ray Wylie Hubbard born in Soper, Oklahoma, 1946 (now 70)
Jack Guthrie born in Olive, Oklahoma, 1915 (died 1948)
Buddy Killen born in Florence, South Carolina, 1932 (died 2006)
Jerry Lee Lewis Jr. died near Hernando, Mississippi (car wreck), 1973 (was 20)
Steve Nelson (NS 73) died (unknown cause), 1981 (was 73)
Alvin "Junior" Samples died in Cumming, Georgia (heart attack), 1983 (was 57)

November 14:

Gretchen Peters (NS 14) born in Bronxville, New York, 1957 (now 59)
Ken Carson born in Coalgate, Oklahoma, 1914 (died 1994)
Noel Boggs (StG 81) born in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, 1917 (died 1974)
Robert Whitstein died in Colfax, Louisiana (heart attack), 2001 (was 57)

November 15:

William Fries (C.W. McCall) born in Audubon, Iowa, 1928 (now 88)
Jack Ingram born in Houston, Texas, 1970 (now 46)
Albert E. Brumley (NS 70, SG 97) died in Powell, Missouri (unknown cause), 1977 (was 72)
Speedy West (StG 81) died in Broken Arrow, Oklahoma (unknown cause), 2003 (was 79)

'Neath the Shade of The Old Oak Tree

Category: News/Obituary

And yet again we mourn as another legend passes.

Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame member Curly Putman died Sunday (10/30) in Lebanon, Tennessee (a suburb of Nashville) after a lengthy illness.

Claude Putman Jr. was born in Alabama and served aboard the aircraft carrier USS Valley Forge in the Navy.  Nicknamed "Junior" and later "Curly," Putman moved to Nashville in 1964 and was discovered by Roger Miller.  Miller introduced him to Tree Publishing executive Buddy Killen, who signed Putman as a song plugger and a songwriter.

And oh, did he write songs.  In 1966 his mournful ballad "Green, Green Grass of Home" was a huge hit in country for Porter Wagoner and in pop for Tom Jones.  The brilliant story song was about a man celebrating his lovely hometown and his girlfriend only to awaken and discover that he was dreaming because he is a condemned man, getting ready to die at daybreak.  At the conclusion of the song the man promises, "They'll all come to see me 'neath the shade of the old oak tree as they lay me 'neath the green, green grass of home."

If that wasn't powerful enough a song to unleash on country music, Putman also co-wrote (with Bobby Braddock) what many consider THE definitive sad song in country music:  "He Stopped Loving Her Today."  Braddock, the subject of a "Poets and Prophets" interview at the Country Music Hall of Fame in the mid-2000s, detailed how Putman helped on another classic song, "D-I-V-O-R-C-E," saying that Putman told Braddock no one was interested in a song that sad with such an upbeat tempo and suggested that Braddock slow the song down.  In return for the advice, Braddock listed Putman as co-writer.

Putman was great at story songs, many with a sad twist (such as Tanya Tucker's "Blood Red and Going Down," about a girl who is dragged along by her father on a vengeful hunt for the cheating wife, and the David Houston/Tammy Wynette duet "My Elusive Dreams," about a man who keeps the family moving and endures the death of their child).  He also gave us songs such as Dolly Parton's breakout hit "Dumb Blonde" and T.G. Sheppard's "War Is Hell (On the Homefront, Too)."

Curly Putman also bears the distinction of being one of the very few, if not the only, country music songwriter to be the subject of a rock song.  In 1974 Paul and Linda McCartney and their children visited Nashville for a recording session and stayed at Putman's farm.  In celebration of his time there, McCartney named "Junior's Farm" after Putman.  (That recording session in Nashville also yielded a minor country hit for McCartney, "Sally G.")

Putman was inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1976.  Sadly, his deserved Country Music Hall of Fame induction, when it comes, will have to be posthumous.

Farewell to Curly Putman, who was 85.

Dates of Note in Country Music, October 16-31

Category: News

(Hall of Fame members in bold on birth/death date, followed by hall[s] of fame in which they are enshrined and the year enshrined.  CM=Country Music; BG=Bluegrass; DJ=Country Disc Jockey; NS=Nashville Songwriter; SG=Southern Gospel; StG=Steel Guitar; WS=Western Swing; GLA=Grammy Lifetime Achievement recipient; RR=also inducted in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame)

October 16:

Jim Ed Norman born in Ft. Myers, Florida, 1948 (now 68)
Stoney Cooper born in Harman, West Virginia, 1918 (died 1977)
Doyle Wilburn died in Nashville, Tennessee (cancer), 1982 (was 52)
Don Reno (BG 92) died in Charlottesville, Virginia (post-operative complications), 1984 (was 58)
Danny Dill (NS 75) died in Nashville, Tennessee (unknown cause), 2008 (was 84)
Naomi Judd retired from touring because of health issues, 1990
Ralph Stanley Museum opened, 2004

October 17:

Earl Thomas Conley born in Portsmouth, Ohio, 1941 (now 75)
Alan Jackson (NS 11) born in Newman, Georgia, 1958 (now 58)
Tennessee Ernie Ford (CM 90) died in Reston, Virginia (liver disease), 1991 (was 72)
Jay Livingston died in Los Angeles, California (pneumonia), 2001 (was 86). Among the songwriter's many credits were "Bonanza!," which Johnny Cash recorded, and "The Hanging Tree," which Marty Robbins recorded.
Bashful Brother Oswald (Beecher Ray Kirby) died in Nashville, Tennessee (cancer), 2002 (was 90)

October 18:

Chuck Berry (NS 82, RR 86; GLA 84) born in San Jose, California, 1926 (now 90)
Keith Knudsen of Southern Pacific born in Ames, Iowa, 1952 (now 64)
Harty Taylor of Karl & Harty died (stroke), 1963 (was 58)
Don Hecht died in Miami, Florida (heart attack), 2002 (was 72)
Paul Craft (NS 14) died in Nashville, Tennessee (illness), 2014 (was 76)
Hank Williams married Billie Jean Jones in Minden, Louisiana, 1952. After Williams' death, she would marry Johnny Horton.

October 19:

Ebo Walker (ne Harry Shelor) of Bluegrass Alliance and New Grass Revival born in Louisville, Kentucky, 1941 (now 75)
Jeannie C. Riley born in Anson, Texas, 1945 (now 71)
Charlie Chase born in Rogersville, Tennessee, 1952 (now 64)
Arthur E. "Uncle Art" Satherley (CM 71) born in Bristol, England, 1889 (died 1986)
Don Parmley of the Bluegrass Cardinals born in Oliver Springs, Tennessee, 1933 (died 2016)
Grant Turner (CM 81) died in Nashville, Tennessee (heart failure), 1991 (was 79)
The first CMA Awards were held in Nashville, 1967. The awards show was not televised.

October 20:

Wanda Jackson born in Maud, Oklahoma, 1937 (now 79)
Stuart Hamblin (NS 70) born in Kellyville, Texas, 1908 (died 1989)
Louis "Grandpa" Jones (CM 78) born in Niagara, Kentucky, 1913 (died 1998)
Merle Travis (CM 77, NS 70) died in Tahlequah, Oklahoma (heart attack), 1983 (was 65)
Leon Ashley died in Hendersonville, Tennessee (illness), 2013 (was 77)
Rounder Records founded by Ken Irwin, Bill Nowlin, and Marian Leighton, 1970. Mr. Nowlin says this "birth" of Rounder is based on the date of their first invoice.

October 21:

Steve Cropper (NS 10) born in Willow Springs, Missouri, 1941 (now 75)
Owen Bradley (CM 74) born in Westmoreland, Tennessee, 1915 (died 1998)
Bill Black died in Memphis, Tennessee (brain tumor), 1965 (was 39)
Mel Street born in Grundy, Virginia, 1933 (died 1978)
Mel Street died in Hendersonville, Tennessee (suicide), 1978 (45th birthday)
Sonny Burns died in Nacogdoches, Texas (unknown cause), 1992 (was 62)
Leona Johnson Atkins, member of WLW's Johnson Twins and widow of Chet Atkins, died in Nashville, Tennessee (illness), 2009 (was 85)

October 22:

Shelby Lynn born in Quantico, Virginia, 1968 (now 48)
Curly Chalker (StG 85) born in Enterprise, Alabama, 1931 (died 1998)
Leon Chappelear died in Gladewater, Texas (suicide), 1962 (was 53)
Dorothy Shay, the "Park Avenue Hillbillie," died in Santa Monica, California (heart attack), 1978 (was 57)

October 23:

Dwight Yoakam born in Pikeville, Kentucky, 1956 (now 60)
Junior Bryant of Ricochet born in Pecos, Texas, 1968 (now 48)
Eric Gibson of the Gibson brothers born in Clinton, New York, 1970 (now 46)
Mother Maybelle Carter (CM 70, BG 01) died in Nashville, Tennessee (respiratory arrest), 1978 (was 69)
Merle Watson died in Caldwell County, North Carolina (tractor accident), 1985 (was 36). His father Doc's long-lasting tribute to his late son is the annual bluegrass and roots music event known as "MerleFest."
Rusty Kershaw died in New Orleans, Louisiana (heart attack), 2001 (was 63)
Jeanne Black died in Orem, Utah (Alzheimer's disease), 2014 (was 77)

October 24:

Sanger D. Shafer (NS 89) born in Whitney, Texas, 1934 (now 82)
John Bettis (NS 11) born in Long Beach, California, 1946 (now 70)
Mark Gray of Exile born in Vicksburg, Mississippi, 1952 (now 64)
Jiles Perry "The Big Bopper" Richardson born in Sabine Pass, Texas, 1930 (died 1959). Among his songwriter credits are "White Lightnin'" by friend George Jones and Hank Snow's "Beggar to a King."
Kirk McGee died in Nashville, Tennessee (natural causes), 1983 (was 83)
Gene Sullivan (NS 71) died in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma (unknown cause), 1984 (was 70)
Rosey Nix Adams, daughter of June Carter Cash, died in Montgomery County, Tennessee (carbon monoxide poisoning), 2003 (was 45)

October 25:

Mark Miller of Sawyer Brown born in Dayton, Ohio, 1958 (now 58)
Cousin Minnie Pearl (Sarah Ophelia Colley Canon) (CM 75) born in Grinders Switch (actually, Centerville), Tennessee, 1912 (died 1996)
Jeanne Black born in Pomona, California, 1937 (died 2014)
Johnnie Lee Willis died (heart ailment), 1984 (was 72)
Roger Miller (CM 95, NS 73) died in Los Angeles, California (throat cancer), 1992 (was 56)
Earl "Joaquin" Murphey (StG 80) died in Los Angeles, California (cancer), 1999 (was 75)
Johnny Cash's last concert performance, Flint Michigan, 1997

October 26:

Neal Matthews Jr. (CM 01) born in Nashville, Tennessee, 1929 (died 2000)
Hoyt Axton died in Victor, Montana (heart attack), 1999 (was 62)
Statler Brothers' final concert in their hometown of Salem, Virginia, 2002

October 27:

Dallas Frazier (NS 76) born in Spiro, Oklahoma, 1939 (now 77)
Lee Greenwood born in Southgate, California, 1942 (now 74)
Snuffy Jenkins born in Harris, North Carolina, 1908 (died 1990)
Floyd Cramer (CM 03) born in Campti, Louisiana, 1933 (died 1997)
Ruby Wright born in Nashville, Tennessee, 1939 (died 2009)
Allan "Rocky" Lane died in Woodland Hills, California (cancer), 1973 (was 72). He is mentioned in the Statler Brothers' "Whatever Happened to Randolph Scott."
Hoyt Hawkins (CM 01) died in Nashville, Tennessee (heart attack), 1982 (was 55)
Grand Ole Opry moved to the Hillsboro Theater, 1934
The Anaheim Angels won game seven of the World Series and their first (and to date, only) World Series title, 2002.  The Angels were owned by Gene Autry until his death, and the team dedicated the championship to his memory.

October 28:

Mitchell Torok born in Houston, Texas, 1929 (now 87)
Charlie Daniels (CM 16) born in Wilmington, North Carolina, 1936 (now 80).  Daniels is one of the "class of 2016" inductees into the Country Music Hall of Fame.
Brad Paisley born in Glen Dale, West Virginia, 1972 (now 44)
Bill Bolick of the Blue Sky Boys born in Hickory, North Carolina, 1917 (died 2008)
Jimmy Skinner died in Nashville, Tennessee (heart attack), 1979 (was 70)
Mel Foree died (cancer), 1990 (age unknown)
Marijohn Wilkin (NS 75) died in Nashville, Tennessee (heart disease), 2006 (was 86)
Porter Wagoner (CM 02) died in Nashville, Tennessee (lung cancer), 2007 (was 80)

October 29:

Sonny Osborne (BG 94) born in Hyden, Kentucky, 1937 (now 79)
Charlie Monk born in Noma, Florida, 1938 (now 78)
Albert E. Brumley (NS 70) born in Spiro, Oklahoma, 1905 (died 1977)
Ramblin' Jimmie Dolan born in Gardena, California, 1916 (died 1994)
Fred Maddox died in Fresno, California (heart disease), 1992 (was 73)

October 30:

Timothy B. Schmit of Poco and the Eagles born in Sacramento, California, 1947 (now 69)
T. Graham Brown born in Atlanta, Georgia, 1954 (now 62)
Patsy Montana (nee Ruby Rose Blevins) (CM 96) born in Hope, Arkansas, 1908 (died 1996)
Billy Bowman (Steel Guitar 89) born in Johnson City, Tennessee, 1928 (died 1989)
Clifton Clowers born in Wolverton Mountain, Conway County, Arkansas, 1891 (died 1994)
Ron Davies died in Nashville, Tennessee (heart attack), 2003 (was 57)
Kitty Wells and Johnnie Wright wed, 1937 

October 31:

Anita Kerr born in Memphis, Tennessee, 1927 (now 89)
Richard "Kinky" Friedman born in Chicago, Illinois, 1944 (now 72)
Dale Evans born in Uvalde, Texas, 1912 (died 2001)
Tom Morrell (Steel Guitar 01) born in Dallas, Texas, 1938 (died 2007)
Carl Belew (NS 76) died in Salina, Oklahoma (cancer), 1990 (was 59)
Bob Atcher died in Prospect, Kentucky (unknown causes), 1993 (was 79)

Dates of Note in Country Music, October 1-15

Category: News

(Hall of Fame members in bold on birth/death date, followed by hall[s] of fame in which they are enshrined and the year enshrined.  CM=Country Music; BG=Bluegrass; DJ=Country Disc Jockey; NS=Nashville Songwriter; SG=Southern Gospel; StG=Steel Guitar; WS=Western Swing; GLA=Grammy Lifetime Achievement award; RR=country performer also in Rock & Roll Hall of Fame)

October 1:

Kelly Willis born in Lawton, Oklahoma, 1968 (now 48)
Skeets McDonald born in Greenway, Arkansas, 1915 (died 1968)
Bonnie Owens (WS 87) born in Blanchard, Oklahoma, 1932 (died 2006)

October 2:

Leon Rausch (WS 87) born in Billings, Missouri, 1927 (now 89)
Jo-El Sonnier born in Rayne, Louisiana, 1946 (now 70)
Tammy Sullivan born in Wagarville, Alabama, 1964 (now 52)
Gillian Welch born in Manhattan, New York, 1967 (now 49)
Chris LeDoux born in Biloxi, Mississippi, 1948 (died 2005)
Chubby Wise (BG 98) born in Lake City, Florida, 1915 (died 1996)
Gene Autry (CM 69, WS 89, GLA 89) died in Studio City, California (lymphoma), 1998 (was 91). The "Singing Cowboy" also owned the California/Anaheim Angels, who dedicated their 2002 World Series victory to his memory.
Elvis Presley played the Grand Ole Opry, 1954. Opry manager Jim Denny critiqued his performance by telling him that he was going nowhere and to "go back to driving trucks."

October 3:

Joe Allison (NS 78; DJ 76) born in McKinney, Texas, 1924 (died 2002)
Woody Guthrie (NS 77) died in Queens, New York (Huntington's disease), 1967 (was 55)
Del Wood died in Nashville, Tennessee (stroke), 1989 (was 69)

October 4:

Leroy Van Dyke born in Spring Fork, Missouri, 1929 (now 87)
Lloyd Green (StG 88) born in Leaf, Mississippi, 1937 (now 79)
Larry Collins of the Collins Kids born in Tulsa, Oklahoma, 1944 (now 72)
Greg Hubbard of Sawyer Brown born in Orlando, Florida, 1960 (now 56)
Jerry Rivers died in Nashville, Tennessee (cancer), 1996 (was 69)
A.L. "Doodle" Owens (NS 99) died in Nashville, Tennessee (heart attack), 1999 (was 69)
Tammy Wynette's kidnapped ordeal began, 1978

October 5:

Radio station WSM born in Nashville at 650 on the AM dial, 1925 (now 91)
Margie Singleton born in Coushatta, Louisiana, 1935 (now 81)
Johnny Duncan born in Dublin, Texas, 1938 (died 2006)
Johnny Vincent, founder of the Sally Mountain Bluegrass Festival and father of Darrin and Rhonda Vincent, died in Queen City, Missouri (long illness), 2014 (was 73)

October 6:

Tim Rushlow of Little Texas born in Arlington, Texas, 1966 (now 50)
Kendall Hayes born in Perryville, Kentucky, 1935 (died 1995)
Ted Daffan (NS 70, WS 94) died in Houston, Texas (cancer), 1996 (was 84)
Billy Joe Royal died in Morehead City, North Carolina (unknown cause), 2015 (was 73)

October 7:

Jim Halsey born in Independence, Kansas, 1930 (now 86)
Kieran Kane born in Queens, New York, 1949 (now 67)
Dale Watson born in Birmingham, Alabama, 1962 (now 54)
Uncle Dave Macon (CM 66) born in Warren County, Tennessee, 1870 (died 1952)
Gordon Terry born in Decatur, Alabama, 1931 (died 2006)
Hugh Cherry born in Louisville, Kentucky, 1922 (died 1998)
Buddy Lee born in Brooklyn, New York, 1932 (died 1998)
Johnny Darrell died in Kennesaw, Georgia (diabetes complications), 1997 (was 57)
Jimmie Logsdon died in Louisville, Kentucky (unknown cause), 2001 (was 79)
Shelby Singleton died in Nashville, Tennessee (brain cancer), 2009 (was 77)
Jimmie Rodgers' first recording, "The Soldier's Sweetheart" / "Sleep Baby Sleep," released, 1927

October 8:

Susan Raye Wiggins born in Eugene, Oregon, 1944 (now 72)
Lynn Morris born in Lamesa, Texas, 1948 (now 68)
Jackie Frantz of Dave & Sugar born in Sidney, Ohio, 1950 (now 66)
Pete Drake (StG 87) born in Atlanta, Georgia, 1932 (died 1988)

October 9:

Curtis McPeake born in Scotts Hill, Tennessee, 1927 (now 89)
Goebel Reeves born in Sherman, Texas, 1899 (died 1969)
The Renfro Valley Barn Dance debuted on WLW, 1937

October 10:

John Prine (NS 03) born in Maywood, Illinois, 1946 (now 70)
Tony Arata (NS 12) born in Savannah, Georgia, 1957 (now 59)
Tanya Tucker born in Seminole, Texas, 1958 (now 58)
Don Pierce, founder of Starday Records, born in Ballard, Washington, 1915 (died 2005)
Cal Smith died in Branson, Missouri (unknown cause), 2013 (was 81)

October 11:

Gene Watson born in Palestine, Texas, 1943 (now 73)
Paulette Carlson of Highway 101 born in Northfield, Minnesota, 1952 (now 64)
Leigh Gibson of the Gibson Brothers born in Clinton, New York, 1971 (now 45)
Dottie West born in McMinnville, Tennessee, 1932 (died 1991)
Rex Griffin (NS 70) died in New Orleans, Louisiana (tuberculosis), 1958 (was 46)
Jack Rhodes (NS 72) died in Mineola, Texas (heart attack), 1968 (was 61)
Tex Williams (WS 85) died in Newhall, California (pancreatic cancer), 1985 (was 68)
T. Tommy Cutrer (DJ 80) died in Nashville, Tennessee (heart attack), 1998 (was 74)

October 12:

Shane McAnally born in Mineral Wells, Texas, 1974 (now 42)
John Denver died in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of Pacific Grove, California (plane crash), 1997 (was 53)

October 13:

Anita Kerr born in Memphis, Tennessee, 1927 (now 89)
Lacy J. Dalton born in Bloomsburg, Pennsylvania, 1946 (now 70)
John Wiggins born in Nashville, Tennessee, 1962 (now 54)
Rhett Akins born in Valdosta, Georgia, 1969 (now 47)
Hoarce Lee Logan died in Victoria, Texas (respiratory disease), 2002. The founder of the Louisiana Hayride also coined one of the most oft-repeated phrases in American popular culture: trying to calm down an audience after one Louisiana Hayride performer wowed the crowd, Logan announced, "Elvis has left the building."
Acuff-Rose Publishing Company founded, 1942
While presenting the CMA "Entertainer of the Year" award Charlie Rich set fire to the envelope after announcing that John Denver had won the award, 1975

October 14:

Melba Montgomery born in Iron City, Tennessee, 1938 (now 78)
Kenny Roberts born in Lenoir City, Tennessee, 1926 (died 2012)
Bing Crosby died in Madrid, Spain (heart attack), 1977. The legendary pop crooner has the distinction of being the first artist to have a #1 single on Billboard magazine's Country and Western charts, with his rendition of Al Dexter's "Pistol Packin' Mama," January 8, 1944.
Little Jimmy Sizemore died in Appleton, Wisconsin (natural causes), 2014 (was 87)

October 15:

Dean Miller born in Los Angeles, California, 1965 (now 51)

A Tear Dropped By This Morning

Category: News/Obituary

Country music legend Jean Shepard has died.

The matriarch of the "Grand Ladies of the Grand Ole Opry" passed away this morning (9/25), two days after entering hospice care for Parkinson's disease complications.

Born Ollie Imogene Shepard in 1933, Jean Shepard made her mark with the song "A Dear John Letter," the 1953 #1 smash that was the first hit for both her and her duet partner, Ferlin Husky.  After the follow-up, "Forgive Me, John," they went on separate music paths that took both to the Hall of Fame.  

Shepard was a trailblazing woman singer in country music.  Following in the (high) heels of Kitty Wells, she had several hits in the 1950s such as "A Satisfied Mind" (the same song that Porter Wagoner recorded) and "Beautiful Lies."

Her career waned after her marriage to Harold "Hawkshaw" Hawkins in 1960, as she concentrated on raising a family.  On March 5, 1963, Shepard, eight months pregnant with her son Harold Franklin Hawkins Jr., had (as she later wrote and recounted) "the most horrible feeling" hit her about the same time that the plane with her husband aboard crashed in Camden, killing him, Cowboy Copas, Patsy Cline, and Randy Hughes.  

After the tragedy Shepard nearly abandoned the music business completely, but she came back in 1964 with the Betty Amos composition "Second Fiddle (To an Old Guitar)."

More hits followed, including a number of Bill Anderson songs (from her album Poor Sweet Baby [And Ten More Bill Anderson Songs]), including the hits "Slippin' Away" and "At the Time."  

In 2011 she was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame.  Last year she celebrated her 60th anniversary as a member of the Grand Ole Opry.  Parkinson's forced her into retirement last November, just after her birthday.

In 1992 I got to interview her for an article I wrote on Bill Anderson.  She nearly dragged me into her dressing room and plopped me down on the sofa, then enthusiastically said, "Now, honey, what do you want to know about Bill Anderson?  I could talk about him all day!"

Her wonderful song, "A Tear Dropped By," certainly is fitting on this sad day:

A tear dropped by this morning

I found it in my eye

Funny it should be there

I hadn't planned to cry.

Jean Shepard was 82.

Break My Mind

Category: News/Obituary

In a year where we already lost a songwriter's songwriter (in Guy Clark), we now must mourn the death of the legendary John D. Loudermilk.

Loudermilk died yesterday (9/21) of bone cancer in Nashville.

Loudermilk was born and raised in Durham, North Carolina.  His grandfather worked on construction of the chapel at Duke University.  His great-great grandparents, Homer and Matilda Loudermilk, were part of the infamous "Trail of Tears," the forced march of Cherokee Indians from their North Carolina home to Oklahoma in 1838.  His cousins were Ira and Charlie Louvin.

As part of the "folk revival" in the 1950s, Loudermilk wrote and recorded songs that ranged from silly ("Road Hog," a parody of "Ground Hog" that featured a "county sheriff in my unmarked car" pulling over speeders) to sublime (what may be his best-known song, "Indian Reservation [Lament of the Cherokee Reservation Indian]," which he wrote after some Eastern Band Cherokee rescued him from his broken-down vehicle on a snowy night in Cherokee and requested that he write a song about them).  

Folk singers (the Nashville Teens - "Tobacco Road") country stars (Stonewall Jackson - "Waterloo"), crossover hits (George Hamilton IV -- "A Rose and a Baby Ruth" and "Break My Mind"), early rock and roll (Sue Thompson - "Norman" and "James [Hold the Ladder Steady]"), and even later rock acts (Paul Revere and the Raiders took "Indian Reservation" to #1 in 1971) did John D. Loudermilk songs.  His song "Blue Train (of the Heartbreak Line)" won the International Bluegrass Music Association "Song of the Year" in 2003 on the strength of the hit version by Doyle Lawson and Quicksilver. 

Additionally, he had charted songs on both the pop and country charts himself.  His biggest pop hit of his own music was "Language of Love," which hit #32 on the charts in 1961.  In country, he had two top 40 hits, "Bad News" (later covered by Johnny Cash) and "That Ain't All."

Loudermilk was inducted into the Nashville Songwriters' Hall of Fame in 1976.

Farewell to the brilliant John D. Loudermilk, who was 82.

Dates of Note in Country Music, September 16-30

Category: News

(Hall of Fame members in bold on birth/death date, followed by hall[s] of fame in which they are enshrined and the year enshrined.  CM=Country Music; BG=Bluegrass; NS=Nashville Songwriter; SG=Southern Gospel; StG=Steel Guitar; GLA=Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award recipient; RR=country performer also in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame)

September 16:

David Bellamy of the Bellamy Brothers born in Darby, Florida, 1950 (now 66)

Bobby Randall of Sawyer Brown born in Midland, Michigan, 1952 (now 64)
Terry McBride of McBride & the Ride born in Austin, Texas, 1958 (now 58)

Ralph Mooney (StG 83) born in Duncan, Oklahoma, 1928 (died 2011)

Sheb Wooley died in Nashville, Tennessee (leukemia), 2003 (was 82)

September 17:

Hank Williams (CM 61, NS 70, RR 87; GLA 87) born in Mount Olive, Alabama, 1923 (died 1953)

Jimmie Crawford (StG00) born in Obetz, Ohio, 1935 (died 2005)

John Ritter, son of Tex Ritter, born in Burbank, California, 1948 (died 2003)

Steve Sanders (William Lee Golden's one-time replacement in the Oak Ridge Boys) born in Richland, Georgia, 1952 (died 1998)

Bill Black born in Memphis, Tennessee, 1926 (died 1965)

RCA's 33 1/3 RPM "long-playing" (LP) record first appeared, 1931

September 18:

Carl Jackson born in Louisville, Mississippi, 1953 (now 63)

Lydia Rogers of the Secret Sisters born in Muscle Shoals, Alabama, 1988 (now 28)

Ervin T. Rouse born in Craven County, North Carolina, 1917 (died 1981)
Priscilla Mitchell born in Marietta, Georgia, 1941 (died 2014)

Michael "Bea" Lilly (BG 02) died in Plymouth, Massachusetts (Alzheimer's disease), 2005 (was 83)

September 19:

Trisha Yearwood born in Monticello, Georgia, 1964 (now 52)

Clyde Moody born in Cherokee, North Carolina, 1915 (died 1989)
Danny Dill (NS 75) born in Carroll County, Tennessee, 1924 (died 2008)

Carlton Haney (BG 98) born in Rockingham County, North Carolina, 1928 (died 2011)

Clyde "Sonny" Burns born in Lufkin, Texas, 1930 (died 1992)

Red Foley (CM 67) died in Fort Wayne, Indiana (heart attack), 1968 (was 58)

Gram Parsons died in Joshua Tree, California (drug overdose), 1973 (was 26)

Skeeter Davis died in Nashville, Tennessee (cancer), 2004 (was 72)

Slim Dusty (ne David Kirkpatrick, the "Australian King of Country Music") died in St. Ives, New South Wales (cancer), 2003 (was 76)
Carl Smith married singer Goldie Hill, 1957

September 20:

Bob Miller (NS 70) born in Memphis, Tennessee, 1895 (died 1955)

Pearl Butler born in Nashville, Tennessee, 1927 (died 1988)

Karl Farr (CM 80) died in West Springfield, Massachusetts (heart attack), 1961 (was 52)
Jim Croce died in Natchitoches, Louisiana (plane crash), 1973 (was 30). The folk singer/songwriter's pop hit "I'll Have to Say I Love You in a Song" made the country charts a year after his death.

Steve Goodman died in Seattle, Washington (liver and kidney failure/leukemia), 1984 (was 36)
Hank Williams re-joined the Louisiana Hayride after being fired from the Grand Ole Opry, 1952

September 21:

Dickey Lee (NS 95) born in Memphis, Tennessee, 1936 (now 80)

Don Felder, former guitarist/steel guitarist for the Eagles, born in Gainesville, Florida, 1947 (now 69)
Kenny Starr born in Topeka, Kansas, 1952 (now 64)

Daryl Mosley of New Tradition born in Waverly, Tennessee, 1964 (now 52)

Ronna Reeves born in Big Spring, Texas, 1966 (now 50)

Ted Daffan (NS 70) born in Beauregard Parish, Louisiana, 1912 (died 1996)

Walter Brennan died in Oxnard, California (emphysema), 1974 (was 80). Among the actor's charted hits were "Old Rivers" and a version of Bill Anderson's "Mama Sang a Song."

September 22:

June Forester of the Forester Sisters born in Lookout Mountain, Georgia, 1952 (now 64)
Debby Boone born in Hackensack, New Jersey, 1956 (now 60). The "You Light Up My Life" singer is Red Foley's granddaughter.
James Roy "Pop" Lewis Sr. of the Lewis Family (BG 06) born in Pickens, South Carolina, 1905 (died 2004)

September 23:

Pat Alger (NS 10) born in Long Island City, New York, 1947 (now 69)

Don Herron Jr. of BR5-49 born in Steubenville, Ohio, 1962 (now 54)
Roy Drusky died in Nashville, Tennessee (emphysema), 2004 (was 74)

Bradley Kincaid (NS 71) died in Springfield, Ohio (natural causes), 1989 (was 94)

O.B. McClinton died in Nashville, Tennessee (abdominal cancer), 1987 (was 45)

Jimmy Wakely (NS 71) died in Mission Hills, California (emphysema), 1982 (was 68)
Roy Horton (CM 82) died in Nashville, Tennessee (diabetes/congestive heart failure), 2003 (was 88)
First recording session for Bob Wills and His Texas Playboys, 1935

September 24:

Rosalie Allen died in Palmdale, California (congestive heart failure), 2003 (was 79)
Priscilla Mitchell died in Nashville, Tennessee (illness), 2014 (was 73)
Jim Denny fired as Opry manager, 1956

September 25:

Ian Tyson born in Victoria, British Columbia, 1933 (now 83)

Larry Sparks (BG 15) born in Lebanon, Ohio, 1947 (now 69)

Shel Silverstein (NS 02) born in Chicago, Illinois, 1930 (died 1999)

Royce Kendall born in St. Louis, Missouri, 1934 (died 1998)
Little Jimmy Dickens became a member of the Grand Ole Opry, 1948

September 26:

David Frizzell born in El Dorado, Arkansas, 1941 (now 75)

Carlene Carter born in Madison, Tennessee, 1955 (now 61)

Doug Supernaw born in Bryan, Texas, 1960 (now 56)

Marty Robbins (CM 82, NS 75) born in Glendale, Arizona, 1925 (died 1982)
Lynn Anderson born in Grand Forks, North Dakota, 1947 (died 2015)
The Beverly Hillbillies debuted on CBS, 1962. The program featured appearances by Roy Clark as Cousin Roy and Flatt and Scruggs as friends of the Clampetts, and the show was frequently sponsored by Kellogg's Corn Flakes with ads featuring Homer and Jethro.

September 27:

Beasley Smith (NS 83) born in McEwen, Tennessee, 1902 (died 1968)

Uncle Josh Graves (BG 97) born in Tellico Plains, Tennessee, 1928 (died 2006)

Charlie Monroe died in Reidsville, North Carolina (cancer), 1975 (was 72)

Johnnie Wright died in Madison, Tennessee (natural causes), 2011 (was 97)

Johnny Mathis died in Cornersville, Tennessee (pneumonia), 2011 (was 80)

September 28:

Ronnie Reno born in Buffalo, South Carolina, 1947 (now 69)

Laurie Lewis born in Long Beach, California, 1950 (now 66)

Mandy Barnett born in Crossville, Tennessee, 1975 (now 41)

Joseph Falcon born in Rayne, Louisiana, 1900 (died 1965). Falcon is credited with the first Cajun recording, "Allons a Lafayette," in 1928.

Jim Boyd (of Bill Boyd and the Cowboy Ramblers) born in Fannin County, Texas, 1914 (died 1993)

Jerry Clower born in Liberty, Mississippi, 1926 (died 1998)

Tommy Collins (ne Leonard Sipes) (NS 99) born in Bethany, Oklahoma, 1930 (died 2000)

Johnny Mathis born in Maud, Texas, 1930 (died 2011). Because of the rise of a pop singer by the same name in the mid 1950's, Mathis became known as "Country Johnny Mathis."

Glenn Sutton (NS 99) born in Hodge, Louisiana, 1937 (died 2007)

Johnny Horton married Billie Jean Williams (widow of Hank Williams), 1953

September 29:

Jerry Lee Lewis (RR 86) born in Ferriday, Louisiana, 1935 (now 81)

Gene Autry (CM 69, NS 70) born in Tioga Springs, Texas, 1907 (died 1998)

Bill Boyd born in Fannin County, Texas, 1910 (died 1977)

Tillman Franks born in Stamps, Arkansas, 1920 (died 2006)

Wesley Tuttle died in San Fernando, California (natural causes), 2003 (was 85)

Mickey Newbury (NS 80) died in Springfield, Oregon (emphysema), 2002 (was 62)

September 30:

Richard Bowden born in Linden, Texas, 1945 (now 71)

Johnny Burns born in Knoxville, Tennessee, 1948 (now 68).  The son of Jethro Burns is a singer/songwriter/guitarist on his own, and worked for many years with country-folk icon John Prine.

Deborah Allen born in Memphis, Tennessee, 1953 (now 63)

Marty Stuart born in Philadelphia, Mississippi, 1958 (now 58)

Mary Ford died in Arcadia, California (diabetes complications), 1977 (was 53)

Uncle Josh Graves (BG 97) died in Nashville, Tennessee (lengthy illness), 2006 (was 81)

Ruby Wright died in Nashville, Tennessee (heart disease), 2009 (was 69)

Billboard magazine changed the name of the "Hillbilly and Western" chart to the "Folk Country and Western" chart, 1950. Ernest Tubb is considered by many to be one of the people responsible for this, as he claimed that "hillbilly" was a derogatory term.