The Final Bows of 2021

Category: Tribute 

Here are the people from the world of country music who sang their final songs in 2021. 

Tim Akers (August 30, leukemia, age 59): prolific keyboardist who toured with a number of acts including Vince Gill.  He was also the band leader for Prime Time Country on the old Nashville Network.

Richie Albright (February 9, unknown cause, age 81): the longtime drummer for Waylon Jennings.  He also toured with Waylon’s son Shooter.

Betty Amos (September 30, unknown cause, age 87): a member of the Carlisles in the 50s, she could be heard on “Too Old to Cut the Mustard” and “Iz Zat You, Myrtle?”  She also wrote Jean Shepard’s hit “Second Fiddle (to an Old Guitar).”

Razzy Bailey (August 4, unknown cause, age 82): country singer (“After the Great Depression,” “She Left Love All Over Me”) and songwriter (Dickey Lee’s hit “9,999,999 Tears”).

George Beasley (June 2, unknown cause, age 89): Country Radio Broadcaster Hall of Fame member who started with one radio station in 1961 and built it into the Beasley Media Group with 62 stations.

Stan Beaver (January 2, illness, age 71): Rockabilly Hall of Fame inductee with the hit “I Got a Rocket in My Pocket” who later went on to be a sound engineer at Tom T. Hall’s studio.

Pam Belford (April 22, unknown cause, age 70): songwriter who penned George Strait’s hits “If I Know Me” and Holding My Own.” 

Byron Berline (July 10, stroke, age 77): three-time world champion on the fiddle, his talents were primarily used in bluegrass but also expanded to session work for the likes of the Rolling Stones, Elton John, and Bob Dylan.  Berline died five days after his 77th birthday.

Charlie Black (April 23, unknown cause, age 71): Nashville Songwriters Hall of Famer who wrote hits for many including Reba (“You Lie”), Anne Murray (“A Little Good News”), and Tommy Overstreet (“Send Me No Roses”).

Dewayne Blackwell (May 23, unknown cause, age 84): Nashville Songwriters Hall of Famer who wrote a number of hits but will always be remembered for Garth Brooks’ megahit “Friends in Low Places.”

Connie Bradley (March 24, unknown cause, age 74): the wife of Hall of Famer Jerry Bradley was an executive at ASCAP in Nashville for over 30 years.

Berk Bryant (December 24, 2020, vascular dementia, age 90): country and bluegrass disc jockey and festival MC whose career spanned over 70 years, including 30 years as the host of "Sunday Bluegrass" in Kentucky and MC of the Charlotte Bluegrass Festival in Michigan.

Ed Bruce (January 8, natural causes, age 81): singer and songwriter who had his own string of hits ("You're the Best Break This Old Heart Ever Had") as well as writing hits for others ("See the Big Man Cry" by Charlie Louvin, "The Man That Turned My Mama On" by Tanya Tucker).

Patsy Bruce (May 16, unknown cause, age 82): Ed Bruce's ex-wife also wrote songs, including co-writing (with Ed) the Waylon Jennings classic "Mamas Don't Let Your Babies Grow Up to Be Cowboys.”

Sudie Callaway (November 10, unknown cause, age 87): prolific Nashville session vocalist who also played bass on the road and on the Opry with numerous acts, and appeared in movies including Smokey and the Bandit.

Sanford Clark (July 4, COVID-19, age 85): country/rockabilly singer best known for his 1956 hit "The Fool.”

Commander Cody (ne George Frayne IV) (September 26, cancer, age 77): leader of the 70s country/rock band Commander Cody and His Lost Planet Airmen, who had minor hits with covers of “Smoke Smoke Smoke That Cigarette” and “Hot Rod Lincoln.”

Ron Cornelius (August 18, stroke, age 76): a session guitarist who began as a teenager playing with Chubby Checker and went on to do session work for Flatt & Scruggs, Marty Robbins, and Bob Dylan’s Nashville recordings.

Paul Cotton (August 1, unknown cause, age 78): longtime mainstay of the legendary country-rock band Poco.  Poco co-founder Rusty Young also died this year.

McDonald Craig (September 26, natural causes, age 90): 1978 Jimmie Rodgers Days talent contest winner who entertained audiences with his yodeling and traditional country music.

J.D. Crowe (December 24, illness, age 84): banjo player who began with Jimmy Martin and continued through his own influential band New South, a band whose members included Ricky Skaggs, Jerry Douglas, Tony Rice, and Keith Whitley.

Dr. Wayne Daniel (February 16, unknown cause, age 92): a math professor with a deep love of country music, as evident by his award-winning book Pickin’ on Peachtree.  Also a frequent contributor to numerous country publications such as JEMF Quarterly and Journal of Country Music.

Linda Gayle Denny (September 2, long illness, age 77): the daughter of Hall of Fame member Jim Denny owned the booking agency Country Music Spectacular.

Nancy Dunne (August 5, unknown cause, age 90): longtime office manager for Danny Davis and the Nashville Brass.

Tommy Edwards (May 22, pancreatic cancer, age 75): bluegrass performer and teacher who had his own band, the Bluegrass Experience, in the early 70s. 

Bill Emerson (August 21, pneumonia, age 83): co-founder and original banjo player for the legendary Bluegrass Hall of Fame group the Country Gentlemen.

Don Everly (August 21, heart attack, age 84): half of the legendary Everly Brothers, who made country harmony a hit in pop and early rock music.

Margaret Everly (December 6, natural causes, age 102): the mother of Phil and Don Everly was a performer with husband Ike.  She was also responsible for taking the brothers to Nashville to launch their legendary career.

Ben Ewing (June 27, long illness, age 67): the general manager of the independent label Plowboy Records, whose roster included Bobby Bare and Chuck Mead.

Tony Farr (January 6, COVID-19, age 84): steel guitarist who worked on the Big D Jamboree in Dallas and later as the steel player for the likes of Jerry Wallace, Jeannie C. Riley, and Tommy Overstreet.

Neil Flanz (December 2, complications from abdominal surgery, age 83): steel guitarist whose biggest claim to fame, after all his session work, was as a member of Gram Parsons and Emmylou Harris’ backing band the Fallen Angels.

Randy “Baja” Fletcher (August 27, injuries from a fall, age 73): lighting and tour manager who won the first “Touring Lifetime Achievement” award by the CMA in 2017.  He fell from the stage during a Keith Urban concert in Ohio.

Aaron “Frosty” Foster (February 10, suspected allergic reaction, age 28): guitarist in the bluegrass bands the Amanda Cook Band and Boone & Foster.

Robert W. Fulks Jr. (June 27, unknown cause, age 78): regional musician and the father of alt-country singer/songwriter Robbie Fulks.

Dennis Glaser (January 21, unknown cause, age 92): cousin of Tompall and the Glaser Brothers who worked for them during their career.

June Glaser (October 11, unknown cause, age 82): the widow of Tompall Glaser also worked as a bookkeeper for the National Life and Accident Insurance Company during their ownership of the Opry and WSM.

Renee Grant-Williams (November 12, Parkinson’s disease, age 78): renown vocal coach who worked with artists such as Faith Hill, Garth Brooks, and Linda Ronstadt.

Earl "J.T." Gray (March 20, long illness, age 75): a bluegrass musician who worked with Jimmy Martin and had his own band, but earned his way into the Bluegrass Hall of Fame beginning in 1975 with his purchase of the legendary Nashville bluegrass venue the Station Inn.

Nanci Griffith (August 13, cancer, age 69): Grammy-award winning singer and songwriter noted for her deep story songs such as “Love at the Five and Dime.”

Tom T. Hall (August 20, unknown cause, age 85): the multiple hall-of-fame "Storyteller" who wove intricate details into his songs about everyday life, making the most "boring" story fascinating.

Roger Hawkins (May 20, COPD, age 75): Musicians Hall of Fame drummer for “the Swampers,” the legendary house band at the Muscle Shoals recording studio in Alabama.  He played on thousands of sessions for country, pop, blues, and rock acts.

Kerry Hay (October 13, unknown cause, age 89): owner of Hay Holler Records, a Virginia-based label with releases by acts such as the Goins Brothers, the Gibson Brothers, Big Country Bluegrass, and the Sand Mountain Boys.

John Hickman (May 11, long illness, age 78): banjo player who worked for a number of decades with Byron Berline.  Berline also passed away this year.

Ronnie Hobbs (June 15, unknown cause, age 67): one of the co-founders of the Nashville Palace and the Music Valley entertainment district.

Lamarse “Cotton” Ivy (May 25, long illness, age 91): Tennessee state legislator who moonlighted as a country comedian.  He made numerous appearances on Hee Haw.  

Stonewall Jackson (December 4, vascular dementia, age 89): legendary country performer who began with a dream in the mid-50s and rose to superstardom with hits like “Don’t Be Angry,” “BJ the DJ,” and the crossover hit “Waterloo.”

Wilbur “Anthony” Joyner (July 13, long illness, age 54): bass player and teacher who worked on tour with the likes of Lee Greenwood and Faith Hill.

Martin Kahan (July 18, cancer, age 74): video producer who won numerous CMA awards for videos for acts such as Ricky Skaggs, John Michael Montgomery, and Alan Jackson.

Ginny Kalmbach (December 30, 2020, unknown cause, age 85): the owner of the legendary Ginny's Little Longhorn Saloon in Austin, Texas.  They were both immortalized in the Dale Watson song "Honkiest Tonkiest Beer Joint.”

Craig Karp (August 15, unknown cause, age 76): songwriter with a list of hits including Tanya Tucker’s #1 hit “If It Don’t Come Easy” and Marie Osmond’s “There’s No Stopping Your Heart.”

Gene Kennedy (April 1, COVID-19, age 87): R.O.P.E. founder and president of Door Knob Records, Nashville’s longest surviving all-country music indie label.

Ken Kragen (December 14, natural causes, age 85): manager for a variety of acts including country’s Kenny Rogers, pop’s Lionel Richie, and folk’s Harry Chapin.  He organized the USA for Africa “We Are the World” single, which featured appearances by Willie Nelson and Rogers.

Phil Leadbetter (October 14, COVID-19, age 59): bluegrass Dobro player who won the IBMA award for best dobro player, and countless fans and friends in his 40-year career.

Lisa Lee (August 21, brain cancer, age 52): senior vice president of the Academy of Country Music.

Tom LeGarde (July 30, natural causes, age 90): the surviving half of Australia’s identical country duo the LeGarde Twins.

Hugh X. Lewis (December 30, 2020, unknown cause, age 90): singer/songwriter who had a few minor charted hits and wrote the classic Stonewall Jackson hit "B.J. the D.J.”

Jim Lightman (October 3, unknown cause, age 57): Grammy-nominated recording engineer who worked with acts such as Hank III and Confederate Railroad.

Don Maddox (September 12, Alzheimer’s disease, age 95): the last surviving member of the 40s/50s groundbreaking “most colorful hillbilly band” the Maddox Brothers and Rose.

Kenny Malone (August 26, COVID-19, age 83): one of the most prolific drummers in Nashville history.  He began in the U.S. Navy band and from there, worked with the likes of Kenny Rogers, Dolly Parton, Waylon Jennings, and countless others in country, pop, and rock.

Rose Lee Maphis (October 26, natural causes, age 98): widow of Joe Maphis, and his singing and songwriting (“Dim Lights, Thick Smoke [And Loud, Loud Music]”) partner throughout his career.  She spent her later years as a host and tour guide at the Country Music Hall of Fame. 

Randy Lee Martin (May 12, COVID-19, age 72): album art designer whose work included albums by Merle Haggard, Shenandoah, and the Charlie Daniels Band.

Larry McMurtry (March 25, heart failure, age 84): award-winning author (Terms of Endearment, Lonesome Dove) and screenwriter (Brokeback Mountain) who was the father of Americana artist James McMurtry. 

Curtis McPeake (February 20, natural causes, age 93): banjo player who was a member of Danny Davis and the Nashville Brass, as well as a widely-loved bluegrass musician.

Joyce Milsap (September 6, leukemia, age 81): wife of Hall of Famer Ronnie Milsap since 1965 and his “unofficial” manager.  Their son, Todd, passed away in 2019.

Bob Mitchell (January 26, COVID-19, age 83): host of the syndicated Best of Bluegrass program and a journalist for Bluegrass Now. 

Bob Moore (September 22, long illness, age 88): Musicians Hall of Fame bass player and "A Team" member who played with just about everyone, and even had his own pop hit with "Mexico" in 1961.

Jason Moore (November 21, heart attack, age 47): bass player in the IBMA award-winning band Sideline.

Stan Moress (September 6, Parkinson’s disease, age 83): manager for generations of country acts, from Roger Miller and Tammy Wynette to Clint Black and Mindy McCreedy.

Misty Morgan (January 1, cancer, age 75): half of the husband-and-wife duo Jack Blanchard & Misty Morgan, who had the #1 hit "Tennessee Bird Walk" in 1970.

Norma Morris (August 20, Alzheimer’s disease, age 82): publicist who worked with a variety of acts, from folk’s Jesse Winchester to bluegrass’s Jim & Jesse to country’s Vince Gill.

Michael Nesmith (December 10, heart failure, age 78): the former Monkee was also a songwriter (Linda Ronstadt/Stone Poneys’ breakout hit “Different Drum”), producer, video innovator, and had his own success in country music  with “Joanne” and “Some of Shelly’s Blues.”

Spencer Nitchie (August 6, short illness, age 57): publisher of the Banjo Newsletter.  

Jamie O'Hara (January 7, cancer, age 70): award-winning songwriter ("Grandpa [Tell Me 'Bout the Good Old Days]") and half of the duo the O'Kanes.

Roland “Sonny” Osborne (October 24, complications of a stroke, age 83): banjo-playing half of the Bluegrass Hall of Fame duo the Osborne Brothers.

Peter Ostroushko (February 24, heart/respiratory ailments, age 67): fiddler who was featured on A Prairie Home Companion and served as a backing musician for the likes of Chet Atkins, Robin & Linda Williams, and Norman Blake.

Bill Owens (April 7, unknown cause, age 85): Dolly Parton's uncle who helped her career get off the ground.  He also co-wrote the Bill Phillips hit "Put It Off Until Tomorrow" with Parton.

Joe Palmaccio (October 16, injuries in a motorcycle accident, age 56): Grammy-winning mastering engineer whose works included his award-winning work on The Complete Hank Williams box set.

Randy Parton (January 21, cancer, age 67):  the younger brother of Dolly Parton was a singer and songwriter as well.  He was one of two members of Parton’s family to pass in 2021, the other being Dolly’s uncle Bill Owens.

Dennis Payne (April 8, complications of spinal surgery, age 71): musician who played with the likes of Little Jimmy Dickens and songwriter whose credits include "Highway Patrol,” a hit for Red Simpson (1966) and Junior Brown (1989).  His uncle was songwriting legend Leon Payne.

Jim Peva (May 5, unknown cause, age 92): longtime photographer, videographer, and historian for Bill Monroe’s Bean Blossom bluegrass festival in Indiana.

Charles “Buster” Phillips (May 26, unknown cause, age 74): session drummer whose work included albums by Ronnie Mislap, Tanya Tucker, Eddie Rabbitt, and Levon Helm.

Ron “Snake” Reynolds (October 5, unknown cause, age 76): legendary studio engineer who worked with people as diverse as Elton John, Elvis Costello, and Merle Haggard.

John Riggs (September 17, unknown cause, age 80): songwriter (Mel Street’s “Forbidden Angel”) and WSM employee who helped Ralph Emery during his long tenure on the WSM overnight show.

Lou Robin (May 18, unknown cause, age 90): longtime manager of the legendary Johnny Cash.

Bill Runkle (January 7, COVID 19, 82nd birthday): beloved bluegrass radio host in Pennsylvania and former banjo player with Del McCoury’s Dixie Pals.

Gary Scruggs (December 1, unknown cause, age 72): Grammy-winning progressive bluegrass bass player and the oldest son of Earl Scruggs.

Ken Seaman (September 23, aneurysm, age 79): banjo player and co-founder of the Bluegrass Patriots and founder of the Midwinter Bluegrass Festival in Colorado.

Wayne Spears (August 21, drowned, age 70): the longtime foreman at Loretta Lynn's Hurricane Mills ranch.  He was one of over 20 victims of a flood that hit Waverly, Tennessee. 

Brian Tankersley (February 5, illness, age 64): engineer and producer who worked in gospel (Amy Grant, Michael W. Smith) and country (Sawyer Brown, Vern Gosdin).

B.J. Thomas (May 29, lung cancer, age 78): singer and songwriter whose hits included "New Looks From an Old Lover," "Whatever Happened to Old Fashioned Love," and his crossover hit "(Hey Won't You Play) Another Somebody Done Somebody Wrong Song."

Sue Thompson (September 26, natural causes, age 96): country and pop crossover artist whose career was highlighted by a string of John D. Loudermilk-penned tunes such as "Norman" and "James (Hold the Ladder Steady)."

Kim Tribble (August 25, Lewy Body dementia, age 69): songwriter for David Lee Murphy who also wrote hits such as “Guys Do It All the Time” by Mindy McCreedy and “Addicted to a Dollar” by Doug Stone.

Glenn Douglas Tubb (May 22, unknown cause, age 85): the nephew of Ernest Tubb and man who continued the “Midnight Jamboree” tradition was also a songwriter, best-known for Henson Cargill’s hit “Skip a Rope.”

Don Tucker (January 12, dementia, age 76): longtime manager for his sister, Tanya Tucker.

Ronnie Tutt (October 16, natural causes, age 83): drummer for Elvis’ TCB band from 1969 until Elvis’ death.

Chris Wall (July 30, cancer, age unknown): Texas-based singer, songwriter, and poet.

Terri Lynn Watson Wear (February 2, unknown cause, age 58): the daughter of country great Gene Watson.

Jim Weatherly (February 3, natural causes, age 77): Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame member whose songwriting success ("The Best Thing That Ever Happened to Me") extended far beyond country music, thanks to Gladys Knight & the Pips' cover of "Midnight Train to Georgia."  

George Wein (September 13, natural causes, age 95): the founder of the Newport Folk Festival, which allowed bluegrass and country acts to get exposure to a wider audience in the 60s and 70s.

Tommy West (May 2, Parkinson’s disease, age 78): the producer of acts such as Jim Croce, Gail Davies, and Ed Bruce.

James White (January 23, congestive heart failure, age 81): owner of Austin's legendary Broken Spoke venue.

Larry Willoughby (January 14, COVID-14, age 70): former member of Guy Clark’s band who graduated to songwriting (“Operator Operator” for Eddie Raven) and the vice president of A&R at Capitol Records.  His cousin is singer/songwriter Rodney Crowell.

Melyear “Woody” Woodell (December 2, cancer, age 91): steel guitarist who worked on the Opry and toured with countless stars.

Rusty Young (April 14, heart attack, age 75): Steel Guitar Hall of Fame member who co-founded the country-rock band Poco and served as its only original member for 53 years.  Longtime Poco member Paul Cotton also died this year.

Jim Zerface (October 23, Alzheimer’s disease, age 81): songwriter with a list of credits that include “You’d Make an Angel Want to Cheat” by the Kendalls and “(You Lift Me) Up to Heaven” by Reba McEntire.

Phil Zimmerman (April 16, cancer, age 77): photographer who is credited with photographing the first bluegrass festival.  His book Bluegrass Time shared his photos of the iconic names in bluegrass.

I also want to extend personal sympathies to Bus of Real Country DJ Janice Brooks (2021 Western Music Association nominee for DJ of the year), who lost her mother and brother this year.

Farewell, and thank you for the music.

Dates of Note in Country Music, January 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; WS=Western Swing; GLA=Grammy Lifetime Achievement recipient; RR=also in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame)

January 1:

Frank Kettering of the Hoosier Hot Shots born in Monmouth, Illinois, 1909 (died 1973)
Hank Williams (CM 61, NS 70, RR 87, GLA 87) died in the back seat of a car between Knoxville, Tennessee and Oak Hill, West Virginia (cardiac arrest), 1953 (was 29)
Aubrey "Moon" Mullican (NS 76) died in Beaumont, Texas (heart attack), 1967 (was 57)
Floyd "Salty" Holmes of the Prairie Ramblers died (unknown cause), 1970 (was 60)
Townes Van Zandt (NS 16) died in Mount Juliet, Tennessee (heart attack), 1997 (was 52)
Del Reeves died in Nashville, Tennessee (emphysema), 2007 (was 73)
Patti Page (Clara Fowler) died in Encinitas, California (long illness), 2013 (was 85)

Misty Morgan died in Leesburg, Florida (cancer), 2021 (was 75)
Cousin Jody (ne James Summey) quit Roy Acuff's Smoky Mountain Boys (along with two other members), 1939.  Acuff replaced Cousin Jody with Beecher Ray Kirby, who was later nicknamed "Bashful Brother Oswald."
Johnny Cash played at San Quentin prison, 1959. Among the prisoners in attendance was Merle Haggard.
The first episode of The Porter Wagoner Show aired in syndication, 1961

January 2:

Dick Feller born in Bronaugh, Missouri, 1943 (now 79)
Harold Bradley (CM 06) born in Nashville, Tennessee, 1926 (died 2019)
Roger Miller (CM 95, NS 73) born in Fort Worth, Texas, 1936 (died 1992)
Red Smiley (BG 92) died in Richmond, Virginia (complications from diabetes), 1972 (was 47)
Tex Ritter (CM 64, NS 71) died in Nashville, Tennessee (heart attack), 1974 (was 68)
Wayne Walker (NS 75) died in Nashville, Tennessee (cancer), 1979 (was 53)
Little Jimmy Dickens (CM 83) died in Nashville, Tennessee (heart failure/stroke), 2015 (was 94)

January 3:

Nikki Nelson of Highway 101 born in San Diego, California, 1969 (now 53)
Leon McAuliffe (StG 78) born in Houston, Texas, 1917 (died 1988)
Elwood Goins (BG 09) born in Bramwell, WV, 1936 (died 2007)
Felton Jarvis died in Nashville, Tennessee (stroke), 1981 (was 46)
Doye O'Dell died in Northridge, California (complications of a stroke), 2001 (was 88)
Quanah Talmadge Tubb (better known as Billy Talmadge Tubb) died in El Paso, Texas (unknown causes), 2007 (was 81)
Phil Everly (CM 01, RR 86) died in Burbank, California (COPD), 2014 (was 74)
Sam Lovullo died in Encino, California (natural causes), 2017 (was 88)
Steve Ripley of the Tractors died in Pawnee, Oklahoma (cancer), 2019 (was 69)
Grandpa Jones suffered stroke after performing on the Grand Ole Opry, 1998
Sam Phillips opened Sun Recording Studio, 1950

January 4:

Mike Henderson born in Independence, Missouri, 1955 (now 67)
Kathy Forester of the Forester Sisters born in Fort Oglethorpe, Georgia, 1955 (now 67)
Patty Loveless born in Pikeville, Kentucky, 1957 (now 65)
Deana Carter born in Nashville, Tennessee, 1966 (now 56)
Lorene Mann born in Huntland, Tennessee, 1937 (died 2013)
Clayton McMichen died in Battletown, Kentucky (unknown causes), 1970 (was 69)
Jake Hess (SG 97) died in Opelika, Alabama (complications of heart attack), 2004 (was 76)
First barn dance program in America airs on WBAP, Fort Worth, Texas, 1923

January 5:

Iris DeMent born in Paragould, Arkansas, 1961 (now 61)
Big Bill Lister born in Kenedy, Texas, 1923 (died 2009)

Sam Phillips (Sun Records owner) (CM 01, RR 86) born in Florence, Alabama, 1923 (died 2003)
Steve Ripley of the Tractors born in Boise, Idaho, 1950 (died 2019)
Tug McGraw, former baseball pitcher and father of Tim McGraw, died in his son's home in Nashville, Tennessee (brain cancer), 2004 (was 59)

January 6:

Joey Miskulin ("Joey the Cow Polka King") of Riders in the Sky born in Chicago, Illinois, 1949 (now 73)
Jett Williams born in Montgomery, Alabama, 1953 (now 69)
Harry "Hap" Peebles born in Anthony, Kansas, 1913 (died 1993)
Earl Scruggs (CM 85, BG 91, NS 07; GLA 08) born in Flint Hill, North Carolina, 1924 (died 2012)
Autry Inman born in Florence, Alabama, 1929 (died 1988)

Bobby Lord born in Sanford, Florida, 1934 (died 2008)

Chubby Wise (BG 98) died in Bowie, Maryland (heart attack), 1996 (was 80)
Bobby Austin died in Camas, Washington (illness), 2002 (was 68)
Sneaky Pete Kleinkow died in Petaluma, California (complications of Alzheimer's disease), 2007 (was 72)
Ken Nelson (CM 01) died in Somis, California (natural causes), 2008 (was 96)

January 7:

Leona Williams born in Vienna, Missouri, 1943 (now 79)
Marshall Chapman born in Spartanburg, South Carolina, 1949 (now 73)
David Lee Murphy born in Herrin, Illinois, 1959 (now 63)
Bunny Biggs (Jamup of Jamup and Honey) born, 1897 (died 1948)
Jack Greene born in Maryville, Tennessee, 1930 (died 2013)
Owen Bradley (CM 74) died in Nashville, Tennessee (heart ailment/complications of flu), 1998 (was 82)

Jamie O'Hara died in Nashville, Tennessee (cancer), 2021 (was 70)

January 8:

Christy Lane born in Peoria, Illinois, 1940 (now 82)
Holly Tashian born in New York, New York, 1946 (now 76)

Hoke Rice of the Rice Brothers born in Gainesville, Georgia, 1909 (died 1974)
Luther Perkins born in Memphis, Tennessee, 1928 (died 1968)
Elvis Presley (CM 98, RR 86; GLA 71) born in Tupelo, Mississippi, 1935 (died 1977)
Randall Hylton born in Willis, Virginia, 1946 (died 2001)
Sara Carter (CM 70, BG 01; GLA 05) died in Lodi, California (lengthy illness), 1979 (was 79)
Maxwell Emmett "Pat" Buttram, died in Los Angeles, California (kidney failure), 1994 (was 78)
Red Simpson died in Bakersfield, California (heart attack), 2016 (was 81)

Ed Bruce died in Clarksville, Tennessee (natural causes), 2021 (was 81)
The U.S. Postal Service issues a 29c postage stamp featuring Elvis Presley, 1993. The stamp is the Postal Service's best-selling commemorative stamp of all-time, with sales of over 517,000,000.
Billboard magazine publishes first "Hillbilly Records" chart, 1944. The first #1 song was "Pistol Packin' Mama" -- the Bing Crosby & Andrews Sisters' version. Al Dexter's original would be the second #1 song in Billboard chart history.

January 9:

Henry Slaughter (SG 06) born in Roxboro, North Carolina, 1927 (now 95)
Crystal Gayle born in Paintsville, Kentucky, 1951 (now 71)
Jimmy Day (StG 82) born in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, 1934 (died 1999)
Big Al Downing born in Lenapah, Oklahoma, 1940 (died 2005)
Jimmy Boyd ("I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus") born in McComb, Mississippi, 1940 (died 2009)

Roy Head born in Three Rivers, Texas, 1943 (died 2020)

Richard Nixon born in Yorba Linda, California, 1913 (died 1994). Nixon was the first sitting U.S. president to attend the Grand Ole Opry (1974).
Jon Hager of the Hager Twins died in Nashville, Tennessee (illness), 2009 (was 67)

January 10:

Curly Ray Cline (BG 09) born in Braisden, West Virginia, 1923 (died 1997)
Zeb Turner died (cancer), 1978 (was 62)
Loretta Webb married Oliver "Mooney" Lynn, 1948

January 11:

Naomi Judd born in Ashland, Kentucky, 1946 (now 76)
Robert Earl Keen born in Houston, Texas, 1956 (now 66)
Kelly Hogan born in Atlanta, Georgia, 1965 (now 57)
Tommy Duncan (WS 86) born in Hillsboro, Texas, 1911 (died 1967)
Goldie Hill Smith born in Kanes County, Texas, 1933 (died 2005)
Max D. Barnes (NS 92) died in Nashville, Tennesee (pneumonia), 2004 (was 67)
Jimmy Griffin of the Remingtons died in Franklin, Tennessee (cancer), 2005 (was 61)
Margaret Whiting died in Englewood, New Jersey (natural causes), 2011 (was 86)
Tommy Allsup died in Springfield, Missouri (complications from hernia surgery), 2017 (was 85)
Tom Perryman (DJ 88) died in Tyler, Texas (long illness), 2018 (was 90)
Shirley Foley Boone died in Beverly Hills, California (vasculitis), 2019 (was 84).  Pat Boone's wife was also the daughter of Red Foley and mother of Debby Boone.
Stonewall Jackson filed $10 million age discrimination lawsuit against the Grand Ole Opry, 2007

January 12:

William Lee Golden of the Oak Ridge Boys (CM 15) born in Brewton, Alabama, 1939 (now 83)
Ricky Van Shelton born in Danville, Virginia, 1952 (now 70)
LaWanda Lindsey born in Tampa, Florida, 1953 (now 69)
Claudia Church Crowell born in Lenoir, North Carolina, 1962 (now 60)
Tex Ritter (CM 64, NS 71) born in Panola County, Texas, 1905 (died 1974)
Jack Rhodes (NS 72) born in Gedden, Texas, 1907 (died 1968)
Ray Price (CM 96) born in Perryville, Texas, 1926 (died 2013)
Paul Warren (BG 13) died in Nashville, Tennessee (illness), 1978 (was 59)
Charlie Collins died in Nashville, Tennessee (stroke), 2012 (was 78)
Bonnie Guitar died in Soap Lake, Washington (congestive heart failure), 2019 (was 95)
Sanger D. "Whitey" Shafer (NS 89) died in Nashville, Tennessee (cancer), 2019 (was 84)
The film O Brother, Where Art Thou opened nationwide, 2001. The soundtrack won three Grammy awards: Album of the Year, Best Country Collaboration with Vocals (Dan Tyminski, "Man of Constant Sorrow"), and Best Male Country Vocal Performance (Dr. Ralph Stanley, "O Death"). It also sold over eight million copies and sparked a brief resurgence in the popularity of bluegrass and traditional country music.

January 13:

Trace Adkins born in Springhill, Louisiana, 1962 (now 60)
Ezra Cline (BG 09) born in Gilbert Creek, VA, 1907 (died 1984)
Jenny Lou Carson (NS 71) born in Decatur, Illinois, 1915 (died 1978)
Stephen Foster (NS 10) died in New York New York (complications of fever and blood loss from cut), 1864 (was 37)
Doyle Holly died in Nashville, Tennessee (prostate cancer), 2007 (was 70)

January 14:

Joseph Henry "T-Bone" Burnett born in St. Louis Missouri, 1948 (now 74).  An Americana music performer and producer (of albums by Los Lobos and the BoDeans), he was the producer of the award-winning soundtrack to O Brother, Where Art Thou.
Billie Jo Spears born in Beaumont, Texas, 1937 (died 2011) 

Wade Jackson died (complications of a stroke), 2020 (was 90)

Dallas Frazier (NS 76) died in Nashville, Tennessee (complications of a stroke), 2022 (was 82)

January 15:

David Lynn Jones born in Bexar, Arkansas, 1950 (now 72)
Kurt Howell of Southern Pacific born in Winter Haven, Florida, 1958 (now 64)
Billy Walker born in Ralls, Texas, 1929 (died 2006)
Peter Kuykendall (BG 96) born in Wasington, DC, 1938 (died 2017)
Ron Davies born in Shreveport, Louisiana, 1946 (died 2003)

Jack Guthrie died in Livermore, California (tuberculosis), 1948 (was 32)

Vic Willis died in Hohenwald, Tennessee (car wreck), 1995 (was 72) 

Ralph Emery (CM 07, DJ 89) died in Nashville, Tennessee (illness), 2022 (was 88)

Dates of Note in Country Music, December 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 in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame)

December 16:

Jeff Carson born in Tulsa, Oklahoma, 1964 (now 57)
Shelby Singleton born in Waskom, Texas, 1931 (died 2009)
Jim Glaser of the Glaser Brothers born in Spalding, Nebraska, 1937 (died 2019)
Jenny Lou Carson (NS 71) died in Torrance, California (unknown causes), 1978 (was 63)
Martha Carson died in Nashville, Tennessee (natural causes), 2004 (was 83)
Gary Stewart died in Fort Pierce, Florida (suicide [gunshot]), 2003 (was 58)
Dan Fogelberg died in Deer Island, Maine (cancer), 2007 (was 56)
Ray Price (CM 96) died in Mount Pleasant, Texas (pancreatic cancer), 2013 (was 87)

December 17:

Frankie Miller born in Victoria, Texas, 1931 (now 90)
Sharon White Skaggs born in Wichita Falls, Texas, 1953 (now 68) 
Tracy Byrd born in Vidor, Texas, 1966 (now 55)
Karl Davis born in Mount Vernon, Kentucky, 1905 (died 1979)
Spade Cooley born in Grand, Oklahoma, 1910 (died 1969)
Nat Stuckey born in Cass County, Texas, 1933 (died 1988)
Roy Huskey Jr. born in Nashville, Tennessee, 1956 (died 1997)
Rex Allen Sr. died in Tuscon, Arizona (accidentally run over by car), 1999 (was 77)
Lance LeRoy (BG 00) died in Nashville, Tennessee (unknown cause), 2015 (was 84)
Commercial plane carrying Doug Stone crash-lands in Chicago, 1999. Stone was uninjured.

December 18:

Cledus T. Judd (ne James Poole) born in Crowe Springs, Georgia, 1964 (now 57)
Wilf Carter (Montana Slim) (NS 71) born in Port Hilford, Nova Scotia, 1904 (died 1996)
Gordie Tapp died in Burlington, Ontario (pneumonia), 2016 (was 94)
The Louvin Brothers' first recording session (they recorded "Alabama") at Castle Studios, Nashville, 1947

December 19:

John McEuen of the Nitty Gritty Dirt Bang born in Long Beach, California, 1945 (now 76)
Janie Fricke born in South Whitney, Indiana, 1947 (now 74)
Jumpin' Bill Carlisle (CM 02) born in Wakefield, Kentucky, 1908 (died 2003)
Little Jimmy Dickens (CM 83) born in Bolt, West Virginia, 1920 (died 2015)
Marion Worth died in Madison, Tennessee (emphysema), 1999 (was 69)
Hank Williams' last show, given at the Skyline Club, Austin, Texas, 1952
Johnny Paycheck shot a man outside a bar in Greenfield, Ohio, 1985

December 20:

Skeeter Willis of the Willis Brothers born in Colton, Oklahoma, 1917 (died 1976)
Jack Stapp (CM 89) died in Nashville, Tennessee (unknown cause), 1980 (was 68)
Don Law (CM 01) died in LaMarque, Texas (unknown cause), 1982 (was 80)
Hank Snow (CM 79, NS 78) died in Nashville, Tennessee (various illnesses), 1999 (was 85)
Chip Young died in Nashville, Tennessee (complications from heart surgery), 2014 (was 76)

December 21:

Lee Roy Parnell born in Abilene, Texas, 1956 (now 65)
Christy Forrester of the Forester Sisters born in Fort Oglethorpe, Georgia, 1962 (now 59)
Vito Pellettieri born in Nashville, Tennessee, 1889 (died 1977)
Floyd "Lightnin'" Chance born in Como, Mississippi, 1925 (died 2005)
Freddie Hart (NS 04) born in Lockapoke, Alabama, 1926 (died 2018)
Natchee the Indian (ne Lester Vernon Storer) died in Santa Clara, California (unknown cause), 1970 (was 54)
John Bailes of the Bailes brothers died (unknown cause), 1989 (was 71)
Harold Morrison died in Springfield, Missouri (illness), 1993 (was 62)

K.T. Oslin died in Nashville, Tennessee (COVID-19/Parkinson's disease), 2020 (was 78)

December 22:

Red Stegall born in Gainesville, Texas, 1938 (now 83)
Chuck Mead of BR5-49 born in Nevada, Missouri, 1960 (now 61)
Paul Martin of Exile born in Winchester, Kentucky, 1962 (now 59)
Harold "Hawkshaw" Hawkins born in Huntington, West Virginia, 1921 (died 1963)
Dave Dudley died in Danbury, Wisconsin (heart attack), 2003 (was 75)
Dennis Linde (NS 01) died in Nashville, Tennessee (lung disease), 2006 (was 63)
Jimmy Work died in Dukedom, Tennessee (natural causes), 2018 (was 94)

December 23:

Murray "Buddy" Harman born in Nashville, Tennessee, 1928 (died 2008)

December 24:

Lulu Belle Wiseman born in Boone, North Carolina, 1913 (died 1999)
Zane Beck (StG 91) born in Clarksville, Arkansas, 1927 (died 1985)
Jake Hess (SG 97) born in Limestone County, Alabama, 1927 (died 2004)
Stoney Edwards born in Seminole, Oklahoma, 1929 (died 1997)
William J. "Billy" Hill (NS 82) died in Boston, Massachusetts (heart attack), 1940 (was 41)
Charlie Moore died in Maryland (illness), 1979 (was 44)

December 25:

Jimmy Buffett (NS 06) born in Pascagoula, Mississippi, 1946 (now 75)
Barbara Mandrell (CM 09, StG 09) born in Houston, Texas, 1948 (now 73)
Steve Wariner born in Noblesville, Indiana, 1954 (now 67)
Alton Delmore (CM 01, NS 71) born in Elkmont, Alabama, 1908 (died 1964)
J.R. "Curly" Seckler (BG 04) born in China Grove, North Carolina, 1919 (died 2017)

Tony Rice (BG 13) died in Reidsville, North Carolina (unknown cause), 2020 (was 69)
Billy Nelson, Willie Nelson's son, died in Nashville, Tennessee (suicide [hanged self]), 1991 (was 33)
Johnny Cash and family robbed and held at gunpoint in their Jamaica home, 1982

December 26:

Bob Carpenter of the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 1946 (now 75)
Travis Lewis of the Lewis Family (BG 06) born in Greenwood, South Carolina, 1958 (now 63)
Audrey Wiggins born in Asheville, North Carolina, 1967 (now 54)
Beecher Ray "Pete" "Bashful Brother Oswald" Kirby born in Sevier County, Tennessee, 1911 (died 2002)
Harry Choates born in Rayne, Louisiana, 1911 (died 1951)
Ronnie Prophet born in Calument, Quebec, 1938 (died 2018)
Jimmie Osborne died in Louisville, Kentucky (suicide [gunshot]), 1957 (was 34)
Miggie Lewis of the Lewis Family (BG 06) died in Augusta, Georgia (natural causes), 2017 (was 91)

Sleepy LaBeef died in Siolam Springs, Arkansas (natural causes), 2019 (was 84)
Red Foley and wife Sally injured in a fire in their apartment in Nashhville, 1964

December 27:

Leonard T. "LT" Zinn (StG 05) born in Hanover, Pennsylvania, 1924 (now 97)

Les Taylor of Exile born in Oneida, Kentucky, 1948 (now 73)

Darrin Vincent of Dailey & Vincent born in Kirkville, Missouri, 1969 (now 52)
Scotty Moore (RR 00) born in Gadsden, Tennessee, 1931 (died 2016)
John Hughey (StG 96) born in Elaine, Arkansas, 1933 (died 2007)
Bob Luman died in Nashville, Tennessee (pneumonia), 1978 (was 41)
Hoagy Carmichael (NS 88) died in Rancho Mirage, California (heart ailment), 1981 (was 82)
Kent Robbins (NS 98) died in Clanton, Alabama (car wreck), 1997 (was 50)
Vestal Goodman (SG 02) died in Celebration, Florida (complications from the flu), 2003 (was 74)
Hank "Sugarfoot" Garland died in Orange Park, Florida (staph infection), 2004 (was 74)
J.R. "Curly" Seckler (BG 04) died in Nashville, Tennessee (natural causes), 2017 (was 98)

December 28:

Mike McGuire of Shenandoah born in Haleyville, Alabama, 1958 (now 63)
Marty Roe of Diamond Rio born in Lebanon, Ohio, 1960 (now 61)
Dorsey Burnette born in Memphis, Tennessee, 1932 (died 1979)

Joe Diffie born in Tulsa, Oklahoma, 1958 (died 2020)
Mike Auldridge (BG 14) died in Silver Spring, Maryland (cancer), 2012 (was 73)
Hank Williams Jr.'s first recording session at age 14, 1963

December 29:

Rose Lee Maphis born in Baltimore, Maryland, 1922 (died 2021)
Ed Bruce born in Keiser, Arkansas, 1939 (died 2021)

December 30:

Suzy Bogguss born in Aledo, Illinois, 1956 (now 65)
Joaquin Murphey (StG 80) born in Hollywood, California, 1923 (died 1999)
Bob Ferguson born in Willow Spring, Missouri, 1927 (died 2001)
Orville "Red" Rhodes (StG 05) born in Alton, Illinois, 1930 (died 1995)
Skeeter Davis (nee Mary Frances Penick) born in Dry Ridge, Kentucky, 1931 (died 2004)
Melvin Goins (BG 09) born in Bramwell, West Virginia, 1933 (died 2016)
John Hartford (BG 10) born in New York, New York, 1937 (died 2001)
Mike Auldridge (BG 14) born in Washington, DC, 1938 (died 2012)

Michael Nesmith born in Houston, Texas, 1942 (died 2021)
Elsie McWilliams (NS 79) died in Meridian, Mississippi (natural causes), 1985 (was 89)
Henry Strzelecki died in Nashville, Tennessee (hit by car), 2014 (was 75)


December 31:

Talmadge Lewis of the Lewis Family (BG 06) born in Lincolnton, Georgia, 1934 (now 87)
Rex Allen Sr. born in Wilcox, Arizona, 1920 (died 1999)
Dale Noe born in New Boston, Ohio, 1927 (died 2005)
John Denver born in Roswell, New Mexico, 1943 (died 1997)
Rick Nelson died in DeKalb, Texas (plane crash), 1985 (was 45)
Floyd Cramer (CM 03) died in Nashville, Tennessee (lung cancer), 1997 (was 64)
Jim McReynolds of Jim & Jesse (BG 93) died in Gallatin, Tennessee (cancer), 2002 (was 75)
Hairl Hensley (DJ 95) died in Nashville, Tennessee (illness), 2017 (was 82)

Ray Sawyer died in Daytona Beach, Florida (brief illness), 2019 (was 81)
Charlie Louvin injured in car accident near Manchester, Tennessee, 2001
The original Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum building closed, 2000

Life To Go

Category: News/Obituary

Sadly, we must say goodbye to another country music legend.  This time, it's Stonewall Jackson. 

Jackson, the longest-tenured member of the Grand Ole Opry, died at 5:35 AM Nashville time this morning (12/4) after a lengthy battle with vascular dementia.  

Born in North Carolina on November 6, 1932, Jackson arrived in Nashville with a guitar and a desire to sing his country songs for people.  His backstory included lying about his age to join the Army, then joining the Navy once he was legally old enough to enlist. 

While Jackson was a songwriter, it was his version of the George Jones-penned "Life to Go" that set his feet on the path to country music superstardom.  His career and legacy was cemented with the follow-up song: "Waterloo."

The song, written by John D. Loudermilk and Marijohn Wilkin, was a #1 country and pop hit in 1959.  The banjo didn't sound too out of place on pop radio thanks to its use in the folk revival songs of the era.

From there, the hits kept coming: "B.J. the D.J.," "I Washed My Hands in Muddy  Water," "Smoke Along the Track," "A Wound Time Can't Erase," "Leona," "Why I'm Walkin'," and "Don't Be Angry" were among Jackson's many contributions to the country music soundtrack of the 1960s.

He was made a member of the Grand Ole Opry almost before his record deal was signed in 1956, and at the time of his death was the longest-tenured member of the program.  Of course, that relationship wasn't always a smooth one, as Jackson and other older singers famously sued the Opry in the 2007 for age discrimination, charging that they were being ignored because they were older members.  (The suit was settled out of court.)

While Jackson should have been a member of the Country Music Hall of Fame, he will now sadly never see that happen.

Farewell to the legendary Stonewall Jackson, who was 89.

Dates of Note in Country Music, December 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 recipient; RR=country performer also in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame)

December 1:

Darryl Ellis born in Norfolk, Virginia, 1964 (now 57)

Silm Willet born in Dublin, Texas, 1919 (died 1966)

Jim Nesbitt born in Bishopville, South Carolina, 1931 (died 2007)

Fred Rose (CM 61, NS 70) died in Nashville, Tennessee (heart failure), 1954 (was 57)

Carter Stanley (BG 92) died in Bristol, Tennessee (cirrhosis of the liver), 1966 (was 41)

December 2:

John Wesley Ryles born in Bastrop, Louisiana, 1950 (now 71)

Herman Crook born in Scottsboro, Tennessee, 1898 (died 1988)

Marvin Hughes died in Nashville, Tennessee (unknown cause), 1986 (was 75)
Mark Gray died in Lebanon, Tennessee (unknown cause), 2016 (was 64) 

"Tennessee Waltz" recorded by Pee Wee King and Redd Stewart, 1947

December 3:

Paul Gregg of Restless Heart born in New York, New York, 1954 (now 67)

Ferlin Husky (CM 10) born in Flat River, Missouri, 1927 (died 2011)

Rabon Delmore (CM 01, NS 71) born in Dothan, Alabama, 1916 (died 1952)

Hubert Long (CM 79) born in Poteet, Texas, 1923 (died 1972)

Lew Childre died in Foley, Albama (various health issues), 1961 (was 60)

Grady Martin died (heart attack), 2001 (was 72)

Homer Bailes of the Bailes Brothers died in Ruston, Louisiana (natural causes), 2013 (was 91)

Bob Wills recorded "What Makes Bob Holler," 1973.  He suffered a stroke during the night after the recording session and never spoke or sang again.

December 4:

Chris Hillman born in Los Angeles, California, 1944 (now 77)

Rabon Delmore (CM 01, NS 71) died in Athens, Alabama (lung cancer), 1952 (was 36)

Connie B. Gay (CM 80) died in Fairfax, Virginia (cancer), 1989 (was 75)

Bob Montgomery died in Lee's Summit, Missouri (Parkinson's disease), 2014 (was 77)

Stonewall Jackson died in Nashville, Tennessee (vascular dementia), 2021 (was 89)

Eddy Arnold's first record session as a solo artist, 1944

Sun Records' "Million Dollar Quartet" of Elvis Presley, Carl Perkins, Johnny Cash, and Jerry Lee Lewis record together, 1956

Connie B. Gay elected inaugural president of the Country Music Association, 1958

December 5:

Jim Messina of Poco born in Harlingen, Texas, 1947 (now 74)

Ty England born in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, 1963 (now 58)

Ray Whitley (NS 81) born in Atlanta, Georgia, 1901 (died 1979)

Eddie Alkire (Steel Guitar 83) born in Hacker, West Virginia, 1907 (died 1981)

Michael "Bea" Lilly (BG 02) born in Clear Creek, West Virginia, 1921 (died 2005)

Don Robertson (NS 72) born in Peking, China, 1922 (died 2015)

Molly O'Day died in Huntington, West Virginia (cancer), 1987 (was 64)

Wilf Carter (Montana Slim) (NS 71) died in Scottsdale, Arizona (stomach cancer), 1996 (was 91)

The soundtrack to O Brother, Where Art Thou released, 2000

December 6:

Helen Cornelius born in Hannibal, Missouri, 1941 (now 80)

Bill Lloyd of Foster & Lloyd born in Ft. Hood, Texas, 1955 (now 66)

Hugh Farr (CM 80) born in Llano, Texas, 1903 (died 1980)

Eddie Alkire (StG 83) born in Hacker Valley, West Virginia, 1907 (died 1981)

Jim Eanes born in Mountain Valley, Virginia, 1923 (died 1995)

Huddie "Lead Belly" Leadbetter (NS 80) died in New York, New York (Lou Gehrig's Disease), 1949 (was 60)

Roy Orbison (NS 87) died in Hendersonville, Tennessee (heart attack), 1989 (was 52)

December 7:

Bobby Osborne (BG 94) born in Hyden, Kentucky, 1931 (now 90)

Gary Morris born in Fort Worth, Texas, 1948 (now 73)

Ronnie Sessions born in Henrietta, Oklahoma, 1948 (now 73)

Slim Bryant born in Atlanta, Georgia, 1908 (died 2010)

Don Maddox born in Boaz, Alabama, 1923 (died 2021)

Hugh X. Lewis born in Yeaddiss, Kentucky, 1932 (died 2020)

Darrell Glenn born in Waco, Texas, 1935 (died 1990)

Dawn Sears born in East Grand Forks, Minnesota, 1961 (died 2014)

Bill Boyd died in Dallas, Texas (unknown cause), 1977 (was 67)

December 8:

Marty Raybon born in Stanford, Florida, 1959 (now 61)

Jack Stapp (CM 89) born in Nashville, Tennessee, 1912 (died 1980)

Floyd Tillman (CM 83, NS 70) born in Ryan, Oklahoma, 1914 (died 2003)

Marty Robbins (CM 82, NS 75) died in Nashville, Tennessee (heart attack), 1982 (was 57)

Bonnie Lou (Mary Joan Kath) died in Cincinnati, Ohio (natural causes), 2015 (was 91)

December 9:

Billy Edd Wheeler (NS 00) born in Whitesville, Virginia, 1932 (now 89)

David Kersh born in Humble, Texas, 1970 (now 51)

David Houston born in Bossier City, Louisiana, 1938 (died 1993)

Tommy Jackson died in Nashville, Tennessee (unknown cause), 1979 (was 53)

December 10:

Johnny Rodriguez born in Sabinal, Texas, 1951 (now 70)

Eddie Miller (NS 75) born in Camargo, Oklahoma, 1919 (died 1977)

Roy Ayers (StG 07) born in Columbus, Mississippi, 1929 (died 2012)
Jimmy Riddle died in Nashville, Tennessee (cancer), 1982 (was 64)

John Duffey (BG 96, BG 14) died (heart attack), 1996 (was 62)

Faron Young (CM 00) died in Nashville, Tennessee (suicide [gunshot]), 1996 (was 64)
Leon Rhodes died in Nashville, Tennessee (long illness), 2017 (was 85)

Michael Nesmith died in Carmel Valley, California (heart failure), 2021 (was 78) 

Before the evening's WSM Barn Dance began, announcer George D. Hay commented, "For the past hour, you've been listening to selections taken from grand opera. Now we present Grand Ole Opry," 1927.

December 11:

Brenda Lee (CM 97, RR 02; GLA 09) born in Atlanta, Georgia, 1944 (now 77)

Charles Whitstein born in Colfax, Louisiana, 1945 (now 76)

Arthur Q. Smith (ne James Arthur Pritchett) born in Griffin, Georgia, 1909 (died 1963)

Cousin Jody (ne James Summey) born in Sevierville, Tennessee, 1914 (died 1975)

Tom Brumley (StG 92) born in Stella, Missouri, 1935 (died 2009)

Fiddlin' John Carson died in Atlanta, Georgia (natural causes), 1949 (was 81)

Dawn Sears died in Nashville, Tennessee (lung cancer), 2014 (was 53)
Jack Scott died in Warren, Michigan (congestive heart failure), 2019 (was 83)

Commercial plane with Tex Ritter aboard as a passenger hijacked to Cuba, 1968

December 12:

LaCosta Tucker born in Seminole, Texas, 1951 (now 70)

Shelton Hank Williams (Hank III) born in Houston, Texas, 1972 (now 49)

Maurice Anderson (StG 06) born in Dallas, Texas, 1934 (died 2013)

Clifton Chenier died in Lafayette, Louisiana (kidney disease related to diabetes), 1987 (was 62)

Charley Pride (CM 00, GLA 20) died in Dallas, Texas (COVID-19), 2020 (was 86)

December 13:

Buck White born in Oklahoma, 1930 (now 91)

Randy Owen of Alabama (CM 05) born in Fort Payne, Alabama, 1949 (now 72)

John Anderson (NS 14) born in Orlando, Florida, 1954 (now 67)

Wesley Tuttle born in Lamar, Colorado, 1917 (died 2003)

Wayne Walker (NS 75) born in Quapaw, Oklahoma, 1925 (died 1979)

Millie Kirkham of the Anita Kerr Singers died in Nashville, Tennessee (complications of a stroke), 2015 (was 91)

Lulu Belle and Scotty Wiseman wed, 1934

December 14:

DeFord Bailey (CM 05) born in Smith County, Tennessee, 1899 (died 1982)

Walter Haynes (StG 03) born in Kingsport, Tennessee, 1928 (died 2009)

Charlie Rich born in Forest City, Arkansas, 1932 (died 1995)

Billie Jo Spears died in Vidor, Texas (cancer), 2011 (was 73)

December 15:

Doug Phelps of Kentucky Headhunters born in Leachville, Arkansas, 1960 (now 61)

Alvin Pleasant Carter (CM 70, NS 70, BG 01; GLA 05) born in Maces Spring, Virginia, 1891 (died 1960)

Jerry Wallace born in Guilford, Missouri, 1928 (died 2008)

Ernie Ashworth born in Huntsville, Alabama, 1928 (died 2009)

Nudie Cohn (ne Nuta Kotlyarenko) born in Kiev, Ukraine, 1902 (died 1984)
William Eugene "Red" Rector born in Marshall, North Carolina, 1929 (died 1990)
Jerry Chesnut (NS 92) died in Nashville, Tennessee (natural causes), 2018 (was 87)

Hank Williams married Audrey Guy, 1944