One Final Big Ol' Aaa-Eeeee!

Category:  Obituary


Jimmy C. Newman had a long career as a country-Cajun singer.  The "C" stood for "Cajun," even though his given middle name was "Yeve."  More than perhaps anyone, with the exception of Doug Kershaw, Newman kept a bright spotlight on Cajun music.  He closed his Opry performances by saying, "A big ol' aaa-eeee! to you."

Jimmy C. Newman died June 21 after a battle with cancer.  His final appearance on the Grand Ole Opry was two weeks prior to his death.

Newman's early material was credited as "Jimmy Newman" and included country hits such as "A Fallen Star" (his biggest hit), "Cry, Cry Darling," "Alligator Man," and "Louisiana Saturday Night" (no relation to the 1980's song with the same title by Mel McDaniel).  All told, Newman had eleven top ten hits among his 33 songs to make Billboard's country charts.

A native of Louisiana, Newman took the Cajun music that was immensely popular in his home state to a new audience, performing traditional Cajun favorites such as "Allons a Lafayette" and "Jole Blon" as well as the aforementioned "Alligator Man," which Newman co-wrote.

Newman had been a member of the Louisiana Hayride when Elvis Presley was there.  His Opry membership began in 1956.  In 2004 he was inducted into the Cajun Music Hall of Fame, and in 2009 the Louisiana Music Hall of Fame enshrined him.

Jimmy C. Newman posing backstage
at the Grand Ole Opry in the mid-90's.
c.2014 K.F. Raizor

Jimmy C. Newman was 86.

Dates of Note in Country Music, June 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; DJ=Disc Jockey; NS=Nashville Songwriter; SG=Southern Gospel; STG=Steel Guitar; RR=country act inducted in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame)

June 16:

Billy "Crash" Craddock born in Greensboro, North Carolina, 1946 (now 68)
Bob Nolan  (CM 80, NS 71) died in Newport Beach, California (heart attack), 1980 (was 72)
"Orange Blossom Special" recorded by the Rouse Brothers, 1939. Ervin Rouse co-wrote the legendary fiddle tune with Chubby Wise.

June 17:

Clyde "Red" Foley (CM 67) born in Blue Lick, Kentucky, 1910 (died 1968)
Dave Akeman (Stringbean) born in Annville, Kentucky, 1916 (died 1973)
Minnie Pearl suffered a stroke that ended her career, 1991
Ground breaking ceremonies held for the new Country Music Hall of Fame, 1999. Your blogger was a member of the "All-Guitar Marching Band," fronted by Chet Atkins, that led the Hall of Fame members to the site.

June 18:

Sir Paul McCartney born in Liverpool, England, 1942 (now 72). The legendary Beatle hit the country chart in 1974 with "Sally G." He was also introduced to a Friday Night Opry audience in 1974 by Roy Acuff, where McCartney proclaimed Nashville the "music capital of the universe."
Marty Haggard born in Bakersfield, California, 1958 (now 56)
Zeke Turner born in Lynchburg, Virginia, 1923 (died 2003)
A.P. Carter married Sara Dougherty, 1915

June 19:

Glen Allred of the Florida Boys (SG 01) born in Monroe, Tennessee, 1934 (now 80)
Doug Stone born in Marietta, Georgia, 1956 (now 58)
Howard Dixon of the Dixon Brothers born in Darlington, South Carolina, 1903 (died 1951)
Lester Flatt (CM 85, BG 91, NS 07) born in Sparta, Tennessee, 1914 (died 1979)
Pat Buttram born in Addison, Alabama, 1915 (died 1994)
Bobby Helms died in Martinsville, Indiana (emphysema), 1997 (was 63)
Slim Whitman died in Orange Park, Florida (heart failure), 2013 (was 90)
Chet Flippo died in Nashville, Tennessee (illness), 2013 (was 69)

June 20:

Anne Murray (Canadian Music 93) born in Springhill, Nova Scotia, 1945 (now 69)
Evelyn Mae Cox of the Cox Family born in Springhill, Louisiana, 1959 (now 54)
Jimmie Driftwood (ne James Corbitt Morris) born in Mountain View, Arkansas, 1907 (died 1998)
T. Texas Tyler born in Mena, Arkansas, 1916 (died 1972)
Pauline "Mom" Lewis of the Lewis Family (BG 06) born in Washington, Georgia, 1920 (died 2003)
Chet Atkins (CM 73, RR 02) born in Luttrell, Tennessee, 1924 (died 2001)
Ira Louvin (CM 01, NS 79) died near Williamsburg, Missouri (car wreck), 1965 (was 41)
Benjamin "Whitey" Ford, the "Duke of Paducah" (CM 86), died in Nashville, Tennessee (cancer), 1986 (was 85)

June 21:

Eddie Adcock (BG 96) born in Scottsville, Virginia, 1938 (now 76)
Leon Everette born in Aiken, South Carolina, 1948 (now 66)
Kathy Mattea born in Cross Lanes, West Virginia, 1959 (now 55)
Porter Howell of Little Texas born in Longview, Texas, 1964 (now 50)
Charlie Lamb born in Knoxville, Tennessee, 1921 (died 2012)

June 22:

Kris Kristofferson (CM 04, NS 77) born in Brownsville, Texas, 1936 (now 78)
Peter Asher born in Williesden, Middlesex, England, 1944 (now 70). The former half of the pop duo Peter and Gordon was the producer of most of Linda Ronstadt's crossover hits.
Roy Drusky born in Atlanta, Georgia, 1930 (died 2004)

Elton Britt died in McConnellsburg, Pennsylvania (heart attack), 1972 (was 58)

June 23:

Dallas Wayne born in Springfield, Missouri, 1956 (now 58)
Zeb Turner born in Lynchburg, Virginia, 1915 (died 1978)
June Carter Cash born in Maces Springs, Virginia, 1929 (died 2003)

June 24:

Johnnie Bailes of the Bailes Brothers born in Kanawha County, West Virginia, 1918 (died 1989)
Foy Willing of Riders of the Purple Sage died in Nashville, Tennessee (heart attack), 1978 (was 63)
Songwriter Tim Krekel died in Louisville, Kentucky (stomach cancer), 2009 (was 57)

June 25:

Jenifer Strait, daughter of George Strait, died in San Marcos, Texas (car wreck), 1986 (was 13)
Boudleaux Bryant (CM 91, NS 72) died in Knoxville, Tennessee (cancer), 1987 (was 67)
Lew DeWitt retired from the Statler Brothers because of health issues, 1982
Billboard magazine renames the "Hillbilly" music chart the "Country and Western" chart, 1949

June 26:

Gretchen Wilson born in Granite City, Illinois, 1973 (now 41)
Colonel Tom Parker born in Breda, Netherlands, 1909 (died 1997). Before Elvis, Colonel Tom managed Hank Snow, Eddy Arnold, and Minnie Pearl.

Doc Williams born in Cleveland, Ohio, 1914 (died 2011)
Kenny Baker (BG 99) born in Jenkins, Kentucky, 1926 (died 2011)
Charlie Cline of the Lonesome Pine Fiddlers (BG 09) born in Gilbert Creek, Virginia, 1931 (died 2004)
Vernon Presley died in Memphis, Tennessee (heart failure), 1979 (was 63)

Elvis Presley's final concert, at the Hoosier Dome in Indianapolis, 1977

June 27:

Lorrie Morgan born in Nashville, Tennessee, 1959 (now 55)

Elton Britt born in Marshall, Arkansas, 1913 (died 1972)
Rosalie Allen born in Old Forge, Pennsylavania, 1924 (died 2003)

Little Roy Wiggins (STG 85) born in Nashville, Tennessee, 1926 (died 1999)

Joe Maphis died near Los Angeles, California (lung cancer), 1986 (was 65)
Bob Keeshan born in Lynbrook, New York, 1927 (died 2004). The Statler Brothers referenced Keeshan's best-known character in their hit "Flowers on the Wall:" "Smokin' cigarettes and watchin' Captain Kangaroo."
Susanna Clark died in Nashville, Tennessee (illness), 2012 (was 73)

June 28:

George Morgan (CM 98) born in Waverly, Tennessee, 1924 (died 1975)
Bobby Caldwell (STG 10) born in St. Louis, Missouri, 1941 (died 2009)
The WWVA Wheeling Jamboree began, 1940

June 29:

T. Tommy Cutrer (DJ 80) born in Osyka, Mississippi, 1924 (died 1998)

Frank Loesser born in New York City, 1910 (died 1969). The legendary pop songwriter was the first "victim" of a Homer & Jethro parody in 1949, "Baby, It's Cold Outside." After Homer & Jethro recorded seven more parodies of Loesser compositions for an EP (Homer & Jethro Fracture Frank Loesser), Loesser, a fan of the pair, wrote the liner notes.
Rosemary Clooney died in Beverly Hills, California (lung cancer), 2002 (was 74).  The pop singer worked on WLW with many country singers and recorded a cover of the Carl Smith hit "If Teardrops Were Pennies."

June 30:

Dwayne O'Brien of Little Texas born in Ada, Oklahoma, 1963 (now 51)
Doyle Holly born in Perkins, Oklahoma, 1936 (died 2007)
R.W. Blackwood of the Blackwood Brothers Quartet (SG 02) died in Clanton, Alabama (plane crash), 1954 (was 33)
Bill Lyles of the Blackwood Brothers Quartet (SG 02) died in Clanton, Alabama (plane crash), 1954 (was 34)
Chet Atkins (CM 73, RR 02) died in Nashville, Tennessee (brain cancer), 2001 (was 77)

"The Only Time I Wish You Weren't Gone"

CATEGORY:  Obituary

The great Weldon Myrick has died.

Myrick passed away today (6/2) at approximately 3 PM Nashville time, two days after suffering a stroke.

Weldon Myrick was born in Jayton, Texas in 1938.  He took up the steel guitar before he turned ten because his older brother, who had been playing steel, left the instrument at home when he enlisted in the Air Force.  By the time he had graduated from high school Myrick had made a trip to Nashville (with another young Texan, Waylon Jennings) and was making a name for himself in the Texas music scene, playing on local music television programs.  He also wrote songs, including "It's Not My Fault," recorded by a friend, Buddy Holly.

In the early 60's Myrick, who was by that time a policeman in Big Spring, Texas, took his steel and went to Nashville to find work as a musician.  He became one of two staff steel guitarists on the Grand Ole Opry (the other was Hal Rugg) and joined Bill Anderson's Po' Boys band.  

The work with Anderson led to one of the legendary sounds Myrick contributed to the great genre of music known as country.  Anderson had discovered Connie Smith on a tour in Ohio and managed to get her signed.  He wrote her first hit, "Once a Day," and Myrick put that signature opening steel riff on it.  His tenure in the Po' Boys Band also got Anderson a line in a song:  as Anderson told me in a 1991 interview, when he was writing the song "At the Time" (a hit for Jean Shepard), he needed a town to contrast with Paris.  Myrick suggested his old home town of Big Spring, and thus was born the line, "If you've never been to Paris, France, Big Spring, Texas will suit you fine, and that's the way it was when I loved him at the time."

Throughout the years Myrick played on countless sessions and backed legends and newcomers as the steel guitarist in the Grand Ole Opry staff band.  He eventually retired from the Opry in 1998, one year after he was inducted into the Steel Guitar Hall of Fame.

Connie Smith sings "Once a Day," backed by Weldon Myrick, 
on The Marty Stuart Show

Weldon Myrick had a marvelous style that perfectly augmented the joy or the heartache of the lyrics of the song he played on.  He was truly one of a kind.  Above all of that, he was a very gracious, kind, and humble gentleman.

Bill Anderson's song that made Connie Smith a star sums up how all country fans must feel tonight on the passing of this true legend of the steel guitar:

The only time I wish you weren't gone
Is once a day, every day, all day long

The exceptionally talented Weldon Myrick was 76.

Sick Call: Weldon Myrick

CATEGORY:  News

Steel Guitar Hall of Fame great Weldon Myrick has been hospitalized with a stroke.

Janice Brooks, owner of the great online radio station Bus of Real Country, sent a note last night:

From Pat Coyne Asking prayers for Weldon Myrick and his family. Weldon has suffered a stroke and is hospitalized....it is very serious.

Myrick, 76, has worked with countless country music greats, including Bill Anderson and Connie Smith, over the years.  (Anderson said in a 1992 interview that Myrick was responsible for the mention of "Big Spring, Texas" in the Anderson composition "At the Time":  Anderson needed a small town to contrast to Paris, and Myrick suggested Big Spring.)  Myrick co-wrote the song "Hangin' Around," which was featured on the Wilburn Brothers' album Never Alone.  He was the Grand Ole Opry's staff band steel player for over three decades.  In 1997 he was inducted into the Steel Guitar Hall of Fame.

Please keep Weldon Myrick in your thoughts and prayers.

Dates of Note in Country Music, June 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; NS=Nashville Songwriter; SG=Southern Gospel; STG=Steel Guitar; RR=country act inducted in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame)

June 1:

Pat Boone born in Jacksonville, Florida, 1934 (now 80). The legendary pop crooner married Red Foley's daughter Shirley.
Wayne Kemp (NS 99) born in Greenwood, Arkansas, 1941 (now 73)
Ronnie Dunn of Brooks & Dunn born in Coleman, Texas, 1953 (now 61)
Elsie McWilliams (NS 79) born in Harperville, Mississippi, 1896 (died 1985)
Lee Allen of the Allen Brothers born in Sewanee, Tennessee, 1906 (died 1981)
Johnny Bond (CM 99, NS 70) born in Enville, Oklahoma, 1915 (died 1978)
Dale Warren of the Sons of the Pioneers born in Rockford, Illinois, 1925 (died 2008)
Andy Griffith born in Mount Airy, North Carolina, 1926 (died 2012)
Hazel Dickens born in Mercer County, West Virginia, 1935 (died 2011)
Jimmy Murphy died (unknown cause), 1981 (was 55)

June 2:

Carl Butler born in Knoxville, Tennessee, 1927 (died 1992)
Helen Carter died in Nashville, Tennessee (gastrointestinal issues), 1998 (was 70)
Adolph Hofner died in San Antonio, Texas (illness), 2000 (was 83)

June 3:

Fred "Too Slim" LeBour of Riders in the Sky born in Grand Rapids, Michigan, 1948 (now 66)
Deke Dickerson born in St. Louis, Missouri, 1968 (now 46)
Jamie O'Neal born in Sydney, Australia, 1968 (now 46)
Curly Williams born in Cairo, Georgia, 1914 (died 1970)
Homer Louis "Boots" Randolph born in Paducah, Kentucky, 1927 (died 2007)
Wally Fowler died at Dale Hollow Lake, Tennessee (heart attack/drowned), 1994 (was 77)
Van Stoneman of the Stoneman Family died in Mufreesboro, Tennessee (Parkinson's disease), 1995 (was 54)
Graceland opens to the public, 1982
The Cincinnati radio show Midwest Hayride begins television broadcasts (on WLW-TV), 1955

June 4:

Bill Mack born in Shamrock, Texas, 1929 (now 85)
Linda Martell born in Leesville, South Carolina, 1941 (now 73). She was the first Black female artist to perform on the Grand Ole Opry.
Herby Wallace (STG 01) born in Chattanooga, Tennessee, 1947 (now 67)
Texas Ruby Owens born in Wise County, Texas, 1910 (died 1963)
Freddy Fender born in San Benito, Texas, 1937 (died 2006)
Zeke Clements (NS 71) died in Nashville, Tennessee (post-operative complications), 1994 (was 82)
John Hartford (BG 10) died in Madison, Tennessee (non-Hodgkin's lymphoma), 2001 (was 63)
Alabama's annual "June Jam" concert began in Fort Payne, Alabama, 1982

June 5:

Don Reid (CM 08) born in Staunton, Virginia, 1945 (now 69)
Gail Davies born in Broken Bow, Oklahoma, 1948 (now 66)
William "Hopalong Cassidy" Boyd born in Cambridge, Ohio, 1895 (died 1972)
Vaughn Horton (NS 71) born in Broad Top, Pennsylvania, 1911 (died 1988)
Hal "Lone" Pine born in Pea Cove, Maine, 1916 (died 1977)
John "Lonzo" Sullivan died in Nashville, Tennessee (heart attack), 1967 (was 48)
Conway Twitty (CM 99, NS 93) died in Springfield, Missouri (abdominal aneurysm), 1993 (was 59)
Ronald Reagan died in Los Angeles, California (complications of Alzheimer's disease), 2004 (was 93). While governor of California, the former president signed a full pardon for former convict Merle Haggard.
Don Bowman died in Branson, Missouri (complications of a stroke), 2013 (was 75)
Grand Ole Opry's first performance at the Ryman auditorium, 1943

June 6:

Joe Stampley born in Springhill, Louisiana, 1943 (now 71)
Gid Tanner of the Skillet Lickers born in Thomas Bridge, Georgia, 1885 (died 1960)
Asher Sizemore born in Manchester, Kentucky, 1906 (died 1973)
Charlie Cline of the Lonesome Pine Fiddlers born in Gilbert, West Virginia, 1931 (died 2004)
Claudette Orbison, wife of Roy Orbison, died in Gallatin, Tennessee (motorcycle accident), 1966 (was 24)
Grant Turner began his tenure as Grand Ole Opry announcer, 1944

June 7:

Sir Tom Jones born in Treforest, South Wales, 1940 (now 74). The legendary pop/rock singer had a hit with a cover of "Green, Green Grass of Home" in 1967 and hit the country charts with "Say You'll Stay Until Tomorrow" in 1977.
Larry Boone born in Cooper City, Florida, 1956 (now 58)
Dean Martin born in Steubenville, Ohio, 1917 (died 1995). The pop crooner recorded two albums of country music on Reprise in the early 60s and sang with Ricky Nelson in the John Wayne classic Rio Bravo in 1969.
Wynn Stewart born in Morrisville, Missouri, 1934 (died 1985)
Courtney Johnson of New Grass Revival died in Glasgow, Kentucky (lung cancer), 1996 (was 56)

June 8:

Vernon Oxford born in Rogers, Arkansas, 1941 (now 73)
Tony Rice born in Danville, Virginia, 1951 (now 63)
Adolph Hofner born in Moulton, Texas, 1916 (died 2000)
Alton Delmore (CM 01, NS 71) died in Huntsville, Alabama (alcohol-related illness), 1964 (was 55)
Roba Stanley died in Gainesville, Florida (unknown cause), 1986 (was 76). She is credited as being the first female solo artist recorded in country music history (1924).
Tommy Perkins of the Texas Playboys died in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma (car accident), 2003 (was 69)

June 9:

Herb Remington (Steel Guitar 79) born in Mishawaka, Indiana, 1926 (now 88)
Willard Cox of the Cox Family born in Cotton Valley, Louisiana, 1937 (now 77)
Jamie Dailey of Dailey & Vincent born in Corbin, Kentucky, 1975 (now 39)
Les Paul born in Waukesha, Wisconsin, 1915 (died 2009). In addition to his recordings with wife Mary Ford, Paul invented the solid-body electric guitar and multi-track recording. He also won a Grammy for his album with Chet Atkins, Chester and Lester, in 1976.

June 10:

Thom Schuyler (NS 11) born in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, 1952 (now 62)
Herman Crook of the Crook Brothers died in Nashville, Tennesee (heart attack), 1988 (was 89).  Crook was the last surviving member of the original Grand Ole Opry/WSM Barn Dance cast from 1925.
Steve Sanders, who replaced William Lee Golden in the Oak Ridge Boys for 15 years, died in Cape Coral, Florida (suicide), 1998 (was 45)
Ray Charles died in Beverly Hills, California (complications of liver disease), 2004 (was 73). Charles made the country charts in the 80s with duets with George Jones and Willie Nelson, and his ground-breaking 1962 album Modern Sounds in Country Music presented country songs to a wide audience.

June 11:

Jay McDowell of BR-549 born in Bedford, Indiana, 1969 (now 45)
Edwin Duhon of the Hackberry Ramblers born in Lafayette, Louisiana, 1910 (died 2006)
Brother Dave Gardner born in Jackson, Tennessee, 1926 (died 1983)
Jud Strunk born in Jamestown, New York, 1936 (died 1981) 
Wilma Burgess born in Orlando, Florida, 1939 (died 2003)
Henry Maddox of the Maddox Brothers & Rose died aboard a mercy flight between Ashland, Oregon and Portland, Oregon (kidney disease), 1974 (was 46)
John Wayne died in Los Angeles, California (stomach cancer), 1979 (was 72). The actor has been referenced in a number of country songs.

June 12:

Junior Brown born in Kirksville, Indiana, 1952 (now 62)
Rebecca Holden born in Austin, Texas, 1958 (now 56)
Penny Jay born in Monteagle Mountain, Tennessee, 1927 (died 2006)
Dr. Humphrey Bate of the Possum Hunters died in Castalain Springs, Tennessee (heart attack), 1936 (was 61)
J.E. Mainer died (heart attack), 1971 (was 72)
Johnny Bond (CM 99, NS 70) died in Burbank, California (complications from stroke/heart attack), 1978 (was 63)
Winnie Winston (STG 10) died in New Zealand (prostate cancer), 2005 (was 64)
Danny Davis (ne George Joseph Nowlan) died in Nashville, Tennessee (heart failure), 2008 (was 83)

June 13:

Howard Vokes born in Clearfield, Pennsylvania, 1931 (now 83)
Slim Dusty born in Kempsey, Australia, 1927 (died 2003)
Jimmy Dean (CM 10) died in Varina, Virginia (natural causes), 2010 (was 81)
Frances Preston (CM 92) died in Nashville, Tennessee (congestive heart failure), 2012 (was 83)
The Country Music Foundation Library and Media Center opened in the basement of the Country Music Hall of Fame, 1972. The CMF is now on the top floor of the new Hall of Fame building.

June 14:

Burl Ives born in Newton, Illinois, 1909 (died 1995)
Lash LaRue born in Gretna, Louisiana, 1917 (died 1996). The Western actor was the first sidekick to western singer/actor/songwriter Eddie Dean and was mentioned in the Statler Brothers' "Whatever Happened to Randolph Scott."
Ernest V. "Pop" Stoneman (CM 08) died in Nashville, Tennessee (illness), 1968 (was 75)
Tom Tall died in Los Angeles, California (unknown cause), 2013 (was 75)
Patsy Cline seriously injured in a car accident in Madison, Tennessee, 1961

June 15:

Terri Gibbs born in Miami, Florida, 1954 (now 60)
Blind Alfred Reed born in Floyd, Virginia, 1880 (died 1956)
Tex Owens (NS 71) born in Killeen, Texas, 1892 (died 1962)
Marvin Hughes born in Nashville, Tennessee, 1911 (died 1986)
Leon Payne (NS 70) born in Alba, Texas, 1917 (died 1969)
RCA engineer Bill Porter born in St. Louis, Missouri, 1931 (died 2010)
Bob White (STG 90) born in Jenny Lind, Arkansas, 1932 (died 2003)
Waylon Jennings (CM 01, NS 95) born in Littlefield, Texas, 1937 (died 2002)
Ruby Falls died in Nashville, Tennessee (cerebral hemorrhage), 1986 (was 40)
Hee Haw debuted on CBS as the summer replacement show for The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour, 1969.