Dates of Note in Country Music, March 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[s] enshrined.  CM=Country Music; BG=Bluegrass; NS=Nashville Songwriter SG=Southern Gospel; StG=Steel Guitar; RR=country act also in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame)


March 1:

Janis Oliver of Sweethearts of the Rodeo born in Manhattan Beach, California, 1954 (now 61)
Sara Hickman born in Jacksonville, North Carolina, 1963 (now 52)
Clinton Gregory born in Martinsville, Virginia, 1966 (now 49)
Cliffie Stone (CM 89) born in Stockton, California, 1917 (died 1998)
Pearl Butler died in Nashville, Tennessee (unknown cause), 1988 (was 61)
RCA Victor debuted a new record format -- the 45 RPM, 1949
Johnny Cash and June Carter Smith Nix married in Franklin, Kentucky, 1968
California governor Ronald Reagan issued a full pardon to Merle Haggard, 1972


March 2:

Larry Stewart born in Paducah, Kentucky, 1959 (now 55)
Doc Watson (BG 00) born in Deep Gap, North Carolina, 1923 (died 2012)
Dottie Rambo (NS 07, SG 97) born in Madisonville, Kentucky, 1934 (died 2008)
Lonnie Glosson died in Searcy, Arkansas (natural causes), 2001 (was 93)

March 3:

John Carter Cash born in Madison, Tennessee, 1970 (now 45)

Jimmy Heap born in Taylor, Texas, 1922 (died 1977)
Kyle Bailes died (unknown cause), 1996 (was 80)
Harlan Howard (CM 97, NS 73) died in Nashville, Tennessee (heart attack), 2002 (was 74)
Ernie Ashworth died in Hartsville, Tennessee (heart attack), 2009 (was 80)
Benefit concert for the family of DJ "Cactus" Jack Call held in Kansas City, Missouri, 1963. Among those performing: Roy Acuff, Patsy Cline, Hawkshaw Hawkins, Cowboy Copas, Wilma Lee & Stoney Cooper, George Jones, and Billy Walker.

March 4:

Betty Jack Davis born in Corbin, Kentucky, 1932 (died 1953)
John Duffey (BG 96, BG 14) born in Washington, DC, 1934 (died 1996)
Scotty Stoneman died in Nashville, Tennessee (overdose of prescription medication), 1973 (was 40)
Minnie Pearl (CM 75) died in Nashville, Tennessee (complications from stroke), 1996 (was 83)
Eddie Dean died in Los Angeles, California (emphysema), 1999 (was 91)

March 5:

Raymond Fairchild born in Cherokee, North Carolina, 1939 (now 76)
Jimmy Bryant born in Moultrie, Georgia, 1925 (died 1980)
Patsy Cline (CM 73) died near Camden, Tennessee (plane crash), 1963 (was 30)
Cowboy Copas died near Camden, Tennessee (plane crash), 1963 (was 59)

Hawkshaw Hawkins died near Camden, Tennessee (plane crash), 1963 (was 41)

Randy Hughes died near Camden, Tennessee (plane crash), 1963 (was 34). Hughes was Patsy Cline's manager and Cowboy Copas' son-in-law as well as the pilot of the ill-fated plane.

Syd Nathan (BG 06, RR 97) died in Miami, Florida (heart disease/pneumonia), 1968 (was 63). The Cincinnati record store owner founded King Records in 1943, making it the first all-country music record label in history.
Anna Carter Davis (SG 05), original member of the Chuck Wagon Gang and widow of Jimmie Davis, died in Fort Worth, Texas (complications following a fall), 2004 (was 87)
Elvis Presley honorably discharged from the Army, 1960

March 6:

Red Simpson born in Higley, Arizona, 1934 (now 81)
Skip Ewing born in Red Lands, California, 1964 (now 51)

Cliff Carlisle born in Mount Eden, Kentucky, 1904 (died 1983)
Bob Wills (CM 68, NS 70, RR 99) born in Turkey, Texas, 1905 (died 1975)
Jean Chapel of the Coon Creek Girls born in Neon, Kentucky, 1925 (died 1995)
Don Stover (BG 02) born in Ameagle, West Virginia, 1928 (died 1996)
Doug Dillard (BG 09) of the Dillards born in East St. Louis, Missouri, 1937 (died 2012)
Elmer "Buddy" Charleton (StG 93) born in New Market, Virginia, 1938 (died 2011)

George Jones critically injured in single-vehicle accident, 1999
The siege of the Alamo ended, 1836. Davy Crockett, subject of legendary song, was among those who died during the battle. Johnny Cash would memorialize the fight in his song "Remember the Alamo."

March 7:

Townes Van Zandt born in Fort Worth Texas, 1944 (died 1997)
Jack Anglin died in Nashville, Tennessee (car wreck), 1963 (was 46). Anglin was on his way to Patsy Cline's memorial service at the time of his accident.
Pee Wee King (CM 74, NS 70) died in Louisville, Kentucky (heart attack), 2000 (was 86)
Charlie Lamb died in Nashville, Tennessee (pneumonia), 2012 (was 90)
Claude King died in Shreveport, Louisiana (natural causes), 2013 (was 90)

March 8:

Randy Meisner of Poco and the Eagles born in Scotts Bluff, Nebraska, 1946 (now 69)
Jimmy Dormire of Confederate Railroad born in Ann Arbor, Michigan, 1960 (now 55)
Johnny Dollar born in Kilgore, Texas, 1933 (died 1986)
Jimmy Stoneman of the Stoneman Family born in Washington, DC, 1937 (died 2002)
Stuart Hamblen (NS 70) died in Santa Monica, California (brain tumor), 1989 (was 80)
Hank Locklin died in Brewton, Alabama (natural causes), 2009 (was 90)

March 9:

Mickey Gilley born in Natchez, Mississippi, 1936 (now 79)
Jimmy Fadden of the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band born in Long Beach, California, 1948 (now 67)
Jerry Byrd (StG 78) born in Lima, Ohio, 1920 (died 2005)
Ralph Sloan of the Ralph Sloan Dancers born in Wilson County, Tennessee, 1925 (died 1980)
Glen Sherley born in Oklahoma, 1936 (died 1978)
George Burns died in Beverly Hills, California (cardiac arrest), 1996 (was 100). The legendary comedian and actor had a country hit with "I Wish I Was Eighteen Again."
Chris LeDoux died in Casper, Wyoming (bile duct cancer), 2005 (was 56)
Final Saturday night Grand Ole Opry at the Ryman before the opening of the new Opry House, 1974

March 10:

Ralph Emery (CM 07) born in McEwen, Tennessee, 1933 (now 82)
Norman Blake born in Chattanooga, Tennessee, 1938 (now 77)

Johnnie Allan born in Rayne, Louisiana, 1938 (now 77)

Daryl Singletary born in Wigham, Georgia, 1971 (now 44)
Kenneth "Jethro" Burns (CM 01) born in Conasauga, Tennessee, 1920 (died 1989)
Soul singer James Brown guested on the Grand Ole Opry at the request of Porter Wagoner, 1979

March 11:

Jimmy Fortune (CM 08) born in Williamsburg, Virginia, 1955 (now 60)
W. Lee "Pappy" O'Daniel of the Light Crust Doughboys born in Malta, Ohio, 1890 (died 1969)
Jim Boyd of the Cowboy Ramblers died (unknown cause), 1993 (was 78)

March 12:

Marshall Wilborn of the Johnson Mountain Boys and the Lynn Morris Band born in Austin, Texas, 1952 (now 63)
James Taylor born in Belmont, Massachusetts, 1948 (now 67). The legendary pop/folk superstar wrote "Bartender's Blues" and sang with George Jones on Jones' recording of the tune.
Lew DeWitt (CM 08) born in Roanoke, Virginia, 1938 (died 1990)  
Ralph Sloan died in Nashville, Tennessee (unknown illness), 1980 (was 55)

March 13:

Jan Howard born in West Plains, Missouri, 1930 (now 85)
Liz Anderson born in Roseau, Minnesota, 1930 (died 2011) 
Benny Martin (BG 05) died in Nashville, Tennessee (nerve disorder/illness), 2001 (was 72)
Jack Greene died in Nashville, Tennessee (Alzheimer's disease), 2013 (was 83)
Ezra Carter married Maybelle Addington, 1926

March 14:

Michael Martin Murphy born in Oak Cliff, Texas, 1945 (now 70)
Doc Pomus died in New York, New York (lung cancer), 1991 (was 65)
Dale Potter died in Puxaco, Missouri (cancer), 1996 (was 66)
Tommy Collins (NS 99) died in Ashland City, Tennessee (emphysema), 2000 (was 69)
Bill Bolick of the Blue Sky Boys died in Hickory, North Carolina (natural causes), 2008 (was 90)

March 15:

D.J. Fontana born in Shreveport, Louisiana, 1931 (now 84)
Wayland Holyfield (NS 92) born in Malletttown, Arkansas, 1942 (now 73)
Gunilla Hutton of Hee Haw born in Goteborg, Sweden, 1946 (now 69)
Ry Cooder born in Los Angeles, California, 1947 (now 68)

Carl Smith (CM 03) born in Maynardville, Tennessee, 1927 (died 2010)

The final performance of the Friday Night Opry at the Ryman, 1974. The final song was the Opry cast singing "Will the Circle Be Unbroken."

Spider Man

Category:  Obituary

They called him "Spider."  And for over 60 years his guitar rang true in Nashville.

James "Spider" Wilson died today (2/26) of cancer in Nashville.

He came to prominence in 1947 when he worked with Little Jimmy Dickens (whom we lost eight weeks ago).  In 1953 Wilson became a member of the Grand Ole Opry staff band and remained there until 2006, when he quit over what he called "humiliating treatment" by the Opry management concerning the Opry staff band not being used on the televised portion of the Grand Ole Opry.  

In addition to working with Dickens and on the Opry, Wilson was a prolific session guitarist.  His beautiful guitar work can be heard on songs such as "The End of the World," the legendary Skeeter Davis hit, Bill Anderson & Jan Howard's cover of "Someday We'll Be Together," Faron Young's version of "Sweet Dreams (Of You)" "Stateside" by Mel Tillis, and Ray Price's "My Shoes Keep Walking Back to You."   

Wilson was one of the true unsung heroes of Nashville session work and Opry live performances, and his talent will be sorely missed.

James "Spider" Wilson was 79.

Dates of Note in Country Music, February 16-28

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 performer also inducted in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame)

February 16:

Jo-Walker Meador (CM 95) born in Orlinda, Tennessee, 1924 (now 91)

Ronnie Milsap (CM 14) born in Robbinsville, North Carolina, 1944 (now 71)

Jimmy Wakely born in Mineola, Arkansas, 1914 (died 1982)

Smiley Burnette (NS 71) died in Encino, California (leukemia), 1967 (was 55)

February 17:

Johnny Bush born in Houston, Texas, 1935 (now 80)

Buck Trent born in Spartanburg, South Carolina, 1938 (now 77)

Jon Randall born in Dallas, Texas, 1969 (now 46)

Bryan White born in Shellman, Georgia, 1974 (now 41)

Billy Byrd born in Nashville, Tennessee, 1920 (died 2001)

Gene Pitney born in Hartford, Connecticut, 1940 (died 2006). The Rock and Roll Hall of Famer recorded two albums of duets with George Jones.

Uncle Jimmy Thompson died in Laguardo, Tennessee (natural causes), 1931 (was 82)

Eck Robertson died in Borger, Texas (natural causes), 1975 (was 87)

Gus Hardin died near Claremore, Oklahoma (car wreck), 1996 (was 50)

February 18:

Juice Newton born in Lakehurst Naval Station, New Jersey, 1952 (now 63)

Dudley Connell born in Scheer, West Virginia, 1956 (now 59)

Julius Frank "Pee Wee" King (ne Kuczynski) (CM 74, NS 70) born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, 1914 (died 2000)

Tootsie Bess, owner of Tootsie's Orchid Lounge, died in Nashville, Tennessee (cancer), 1978 (was 61)

Johnny Paycheck died in Nashville, Tennessee (emphysema), 2003 (was 64)

February 19:

Lorianne Crook born in Wichita, Kansas, 1957 (now 58)

Cedric Rainwater (real name: Howard Watts) (BG 07) born in Monticello, Florida, 1913 (died 1970)
Lowell Blanchard died in Knoxville, Tennessee (heart attack), 1968 (was 57)

Grandpa Jones (CM 78) died in Nashville, Tennessee (stroke), 1998 (was 84)

Porter Wagoner and Dolly Parton officially break up their act, 1974

February 20:

Kathie Baillie of Baillie & the Boys born in Morristown, New Jersey, 1951 (now 64)

Claire Lynch born in Albany, New York, 1954 (now 61)

February 21:

Mary-Chapin Carpenter born in Princeton, New Jersey, 1958 (now 57)

Don Reno (BG 92) born in Spartanburg, South Carolina, 1926 (died 1984)
Carl T. Sprague died in Bryan, Texas (unknown cause), 1979 (was 83)
Ray Whitley (NS 81) died in California (unknown cause), 1979 (was 77)

February 22:

Del Wood born in Nashville, Tennessee, 1920 (died 1989)
George Younce of the Cathedrals (SG 98) born in Patterson, North Carolina, 1930 (died 2005)

Johnny Cash asked June Carter to marry him onstage during a concert in London, Ontario, 1968

February 23:

Rusty Young of Poco born in Long Beach, California, 1946 (now 69)
Buck Griffin born in Corsicana, Texas, 1923 (died 2009)
Penny DeHaven died in Atlanta, Georgia (cancer), 2014 (was 65)

Minnie Pearl married Henry Cannon, 1947

February 24:

Little Roy Lewis of the Lewis Family (BG 06) born in Lincoln County, Georgia, 1942 (now 73)

Don Law (CM 01) born in London, England, 1902 (died 1982)

Webb Pierce (CM 01) died in Nashville, Tennessee (cancer), 1991 (was 69)

Goldie Hill Smith died in Nashville, Tennessee (cancer), 2005 (was 72)

Dinah Shore died in Beverly Hills, California (ovarian cancer), 1994 (was 77). The legendary pop singer and TV hostess was part of the family of live performers on WSM radio.

February 25:

Dr. Ralph Stanley (BG 92) born in Stratton, Virginia, 1927 (now 88)

Faron Young (CM 00) born in Shreveport, Louisiana, 1932 (died 1996)

February 26:

Jan Crutchfield born in Paducah, Kentucky, 1936 (now 79)

Billy Jack Wills born in Hall County, Texas, 1926 (died 1991)

Johnny Cash (CM 80, NS 77, RR 92) born in Kingsland, Arkansas, 1932 (died 2003)
Tim Wilson died in Commerce, Georgia (heart failure), 2014 (was 52)

February 27:

Chuck Glaser of the Glaser Brothers born in Spalding, Nebraska, 1936 (now 79)
Joe Carson died in Wichita Falls, Texas (car wreck), 1964 (was 27)

Walter Bailes died in Sevierville, Tennessee (various health problems), 2000 (was 80)

February 28:

Jim Denny (CM 66) born in Silver Point, Tennessee, 1911 (died 1963)

Audrey Williams born in Banks, Alabama, 1923 (died 1975)
Don Helms born in New Brockton, Alabama, 1927 (died 2008)
Joe South (NS 79) born in Atlanta, Georgia, 1940 (died 2012)
Fiddlin' Arthur Smith died (unknown causes), 1971 (was 72)

Leap day, February 29:

Dinah Shore born in Winchester, Tennessee, 1916 (died 1994)
Vaughn Horton (NS 71) died in New Port Ritchey, Florida (heart attack), 1988 (was 76)

Sick Call: Midnite Jamboree

Category:  News

I've thought that there was trouble at the long-running Midnite Jamboree, the free show held at the Ernest Tubb Record Shop on Saturday night following the Grand Ole Opry, for some time.  The show, which began in 1947, has undergone a number of changes in recent years.  Those changes include an unsuccessful attempt to tape the shows at 10 PM then play them back at midnight the following week and, most recently, weeks of archived shows instead of live broadcasts.

A post on the website of country singer Gary Hayes gives some indication as to just how severe the problem is.  Glenn Tubb, the nephew of Ernest Tubb, confirms that the Midnite Jamboree is in serious financial trouble.  Hayes reports that it costs approximately $2,500 per broadcast, which is money that the store on Music Valley Drive (where the show is broadcast from) is simply not recovering in sales.  Glenn Tubb states (per Hayes' quote), "The record shops can no longer support the MJ because people have quit buying records, thanks to the free downloads on the internet."  

The post goes on to say that a "Midnite Jamboree Association" is being formed.  Members will make an annual contribution in order to keep the radio show going.

I hate to say this, but I don't think this will help.  In the first place, most of the people who go to Nashville as a "country music tourist" no longer care for the history or traditions of country music.  This is why the Opry is in bad shape, and that problem is trickling down to the Midnite Jamboree.  Secondly, there are few artists who want to support the Midnite Jamboree.  When Charlie Louvin appeared on the show in 1993 he stated that the main artists did the show gratis.  I don't know if that's true anymore or not, but if it is, what artist is going to sacrifice a paying gig on Saturday night at one of the countless clubs in Nashville (or Branson, or Austin, or Pigeon Forge, or country music cruises or festivals) to do a free show?  Alan Jackson did a show downtown at the original store (more precisely, out in the middle of Broadway because of the huge crowd), but that was ages ago.  The superstars don't care, and the Opry stars don't care.  How can they attract an audience when the singers don't even show an interest?

There are other issues, too:  as the blog said, people can obtain music in other places far less expensively than the full list prices at the Ernest Tubb Record Shop.  Using a popular example, the new Garth Brooks CD is less than $12 at Amazon while nearly $13 at the Ernest Tubb Record Shop.  Digital download sights offer an even bigger discount.  Similarly, the wide array of country music at the stores holds little interest to modern country fans.

The February 14 show, featuring Glenn Douglas Tubb, is scheduled to be the last live Midnite Jamboree until after Memorial Day, well into the "tourist season."  Archived shows will run on Saturday night.

I hope the Midnite Jamboree can continue.  In order for this to happen, however, the stars and the fans have to band together and support the legendary program.

Louvin Brothers Receive Lifetime Achievement Grammy

Category:  News

Throughout their career the Louvin Brothers always seemed to be a day late.  People heard them on the radio and began covering their songs, to the point where Charlie Louvin told biographer Charles K. Wolfe people thought it was the Louvins doing the cover.  Their career took off right at the wrong time, too, just as Elvis and rock and roll changed the musical landscape.  None of that, however, undermined the influence the two men from the Sand Mountain region of Alabama had on country music -- or all music for that matter, given that rock acts such as Mark Knopfler and the Byrds have covered their songs.

This weekend, that influence was recognized and awarded when the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences presented the Louvin Brothers a posthumous Lifetime Achievement Award as part of the 57th annual Grammy Awards celebration.

Ira's daughters, Kathy and Denise, and Charlie's son Charlie "Sonny," accepted the Lifetime Achievement Award at the ceremonies on Saturday night (2/7).

Other Lifetime Achievement Grammys for 2015 went to the Bee Gees, Pierre Boulez, Buddy Guy, former Beatle George Harrison, Flaco Jimenez, and Wayne Shorter.