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Obituaries

 
Doris Day
Born Doris Mary Kappelhoff, died on 13th May, 2019 at the age of 97. Doris was an American actress, singer, and animal welfare activist. She began her career as a big band singer in 1939, achieving commercial success in 1945 with two No. 1 Hits, "Sentimental Journey" and "My Dreams Are Getting Better All the Time" with Les Brown & His Band of Renown. She left the band to embark on a solo career and recorded more than 650 songs from 1947 to 1967.
Doris Day became one of the biggest film stars in the early 1960s, and as of 2012 was one of eight performers to have been the top box-office earner in the United States four times. In 2004, she was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom; this was followed in 2011 by the Los Angeles Film Critics Association's Career Achievement Award.

Doris Day's Son, Mr Tambourine Man Dies
Hit producer Terry Melcher has died aged 62.  The son of Doris Day, he co-wrote "Kokomo" with the Beach Boys and produced "Mr Tambourine Man" (#1 on the charts June 1965) and "Turn, Turn,Turn" (#26 Nov 65) for the Byrds.  Melcher died on Friday 19 November 2004 at his home in Beverly Hills, California after a long battle with skin cancer.  He also produced the Doris Day Show for his mother and wrote some of her songs.

Sanger D. 'Whitey' Shafer, Nashville songwriting legend and Nashville session guitarist Reggie Young. Whitey Shafer passed away on 
12th January, 2019. He was 84. He was responsible for some of the most significant country songs of the last forty years, including I Just Started Hatin’ Cheatin’ Songs Today (Moe Bandy), Does Fort Worth Ever Cross Your Mind (George Strait), All My Ex’s Live in Texas (George Strait), I Never Go Around Mirrors (Lefty Frizzell, Keith Whitley), That’s the Way Love Goes (Johnny Rodriguez), and I Wonder Do You Think of Me (Keith Whitley), among many others, Sanger D. 'Whitey' Shafer was born on 24th October, 1934 into a musical family just outside Whitney, Texas. His mother and father sang in the Stamps Blue Jackets, a satellite quartet from the Stamps School of Music in Dallas. 

Reggie Young, Nashville session guitarist , reputedly responsible for playing on more recording sessions than any other studio musician, passed away at his home in Leipers Fork, Middle Tennessee on 17th January, 2019. 
He was 82. An unassuming musician, he had that rare ability to come up with distinctive riffs almost at a drop of a hat to enhance such classic hits as Dobie Gray's Drift Away, Elvis Presley's Suspicious Minds, Willie Nelson's Always On My Mind, Dusty Springfield's Son Of A Preacher Man and hundreds more. He was the lead guitarist in the American Sound Studio house band, The Memphis Boys before moving to Nashville to become one Music City's leading session musicians.

Tommy Allsup (musician/record producer) died January 11th 2017 aged 85.  He was on tour with Buddy Holly on the Winter Dance Party tour 2nd February 1959.  After the show at the Surf Ballroom, Clear Lake, Idaho, Tommy was to have been with Holly on that last plane ride. Waylon Jennings (playing bass) gave up his seat to "Big Bopper" J.P Richardson who was suffering with flu. Tommy lost his seat on a coin toss with Richie Valens.  Valens, Big Bopper and Buddy Holly were killed when that plane crash later that night. Tommy and Leon Rausch (singer with Bob Wills & His Texas Playboys in the 60's) purchased the rights to the name Bob Wills Texas Playboys and the band continues to perform to this day on the Western Swing scene.

 Holly Dunn died 15th Nov 2016 in Albuquerque at the age of 59 after suffering with ovarian cancer.

 Kay Starr died 3rd Nov 2016 at the age of 94. Primarily a pop singer, she had a top 10 country hit in 1949 with "Bonaparte's Retreat" and recorded several country duets with Tennessee Ernie Ford.

 Leon Russell musician, producer, singer and songwriter  died 13th Nov 2016 at the age of 74. He had several minor country hits under the name Hank Wilson and also recorded the 1979 number one duet with Willie Nelson, "Heartbreak Hotel".

 Mentor Williams singer/songwriter died 18th Nov 2016 - Albuquerque N.M. aged 70. He wrote country hits for Alabama, Eddy Raven, Randy Travis and George Jones as well as Dobie Gray's 1973 hit "Drift Away".

Claude "Curley" Putman Jr widely regarded as the greatest country song ever written, passed away aged 85 on 30th October, 2016 at his home in Lebanon, Tennessee, following a lengthy illness.

Bonnie Brown, the youngest member of 1950s and 60s trio The Browns, has died on 16th July 2016, fifteen days before her 78th birthday.

Merle Haggard has died after a series of recent health struggles. The legendary singer passed away on April 6, 2016, which was also his 79th birthday.
Haggard cancelled tour dates in December of 2015 after he checked into a hospital and learned he had double pneumonia. In an interview later with Willie’s Roadhouse on Sirius XM, he said he was “nearly dead” when he was hospitalized for two weeks. He cancelled shows scheduled for Jan. 30 and 31 after his double pneumonia returned.

Kenny Johnson
Founder member of Liverpool country band "The Hillsiders" in the 1960s and BBC Radio Merseyside country music presenter of 39 years, Kenny Johnson died in Spain on Tuesday 13th October 2015, aged 75. He had just made his first appearance back on stage in 2 years when he was taken ill and rushed to hospital.

Jim Ed Brown announced in September 2014 that he had been diagnosed with lung cancer and had temporarily retired from hosting his radio programs to undergo treatment. By early 2015 he was in remission and returned to hosting his radio programs. However, on June 3, 2015, he stated that the cancer had returned. Brown died a week later on June 11, 2015 at the age of 81

George Hamilton IV
Known worldwide as the “International ambassador of Country Music” – was much more than an Ambassador. George was one of the best friends that country music ever had.
 He died on Wednesday, September 17 2014, in Saint Thomas Midtown Hospital, Nashville, aged 77, with his family by his side, following a severe heart attack four days earlier.

George Jones
Country Music Hall of Famer, Grand Ole Opry member, and Kennedy Center Honoree George Glenn Jones died Friday, April 26, 2013 at Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville, Tennessee. He was hospitalized April 18 with fever and irregular blood pressure
Johnny Cuvirllo
"The Texas Drummer Boy" Johnny Cuviello died 5th Sept at the grand age of 97.  Johnny played with Bob Wills and The Texas Playboys in the 1940's.

Joseph Alfred Souter
Better-known as singer/songwriter Joe South died following a heart attack at the age of 72 in his hometown of Atlanta, Georgia, on September 5th. He was two time Grammy Award winner, a member of the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame and the Georgia Hall of Fame.
 
ANDY GRIFFITH
US television actor and singer Andy Griffith passed away on July 3rd at his home in Dare County, North Carolina. He was 86.
Known for his leading roles in The Andy Griffith Show (1960-1968) and Matlock (1986-1995), he became a symbol of small town America as Sheriff Andy Taylor. Also a talented vocalist and musician, he recorded several country and gospel albums throughout his lengthy career.
 
Queen Of Country Music
Kitty Wells, legendary "Queen of Country Music", passed away (July 17th 2012), at the age of 92.  Born Ellen Muriel Deason Wright, Wells passed away peacefully with family by her side at her home following complications from a stroke.
Kitty Wells started her career with her late husband Johnnie Wright in 1937.

Doc Watson
The Grammy-award winning musician whose lightning-fast style of flat-picking influenced guitarists around the world, died Tuesday May 29th (2012) in Winston-Salem, where he was hospitalized recently after falling at his home in Deep Gap, in the Blue Ridge Mountains. He had been in critical condition for several days.

Doug Dillard
Banjo player Doug Dillard, an influential bluegrass musician who played with many rock outfits and with his family band the Dillards, died on May 16th in Nashville after a long illness. He was 75.

Andy Griffith
Actor Andy Griffith, who played folksy Sheriff Andy Taylor in the fictional town of Mayberry in “The Andy Griffith Show,” which ran from 1960 to 1968. died Tuesday at the age of 86. Griffith was also a singer and musician,

BILLY STRANGE
Billy Strange, songwriter for Elvis and Sinatra, died at 81 on February 22nd.
He was raised in Long Beach, California, and he was performing on local radio with his father and mother as a young boy. He began playing guitar at age 14, and touring with other musicians at 16.
He settled into a musical life, performing early on with Spade Cooley, Roy Rogers, Count Basie, Speedy West & Jimmy Bryant and others.

ROY BAHAM
Award-winning country songwriter Roy Baham died on February 21st, aged 74.

Baham won his BMI Award for “Charlie’s Shoes,” recorded by Billy Walker. The song became Walker’s biggest hit when it rose to No. 1 on the country charts in 1962.

Earl Scruggs
Bluegrass legend Earl Scruggs died March 28th (2012) in a Nashville area hospital at age 88.

Levon Helm
whose gruff vocals and razor-sharp drumming underpinned the seminal late 1960s rock group The Band, died 19 April 2012, his recording studio said. He was 71.
British guitar icon dies
  Bert Weedon, the English guitarist credited with inspiring millions to pick up and get to grips with the instrument using his Play in a Day books, has died at the age of 91 after a long illness.
  A roll-call of musical greats including Eric Clapton, Paul McCartney and Brian May of Queen learned how to pluck at the strings of their guitars using his books, which sold in their millions. Bert and Wally Whyton were presenters of a British TV show in the 1960 performing songs that inspired my own interest in country music.
 

Legendary Entertainment Icon Dies
Dick Clark died 18th April 2012. The famed TV producer was 82. Paul Shefrin, a rep for the entertainment legend, told ABC News his client suffered a "massive heart attack."

Charlie Collins
Long-time guitarist in Roy Acuff's Smoky Mountain Boys, died on January 12th, 2012 aged 78, at his Nashville-area home after suffering a stroke a few days earlier.

A multi-instrumentalist, he was also a noted fiddler and mandolinist who was a staple of the Grand Ole Opry for 45 years.
 
Larry Butler
The only person in Nashville history to win an all-Genre producer of the year Grammy, died of natural causes on January 20th 2012 at his home in Pensacola, Florida. He was 69.
 
Joe Gracey,
Husband of Kimmie Rhodes, died on November 17th, aged 61.

Billie Jo Spears
A consistent female country hit-maker in the 1970s, has died in Texas at age 74. Billie Jo died of cancer on December 14 (2011)

Dan “Bee” Spears
The long-time bass player for Willie Nelson, died on Dec. 8 due to accidental exposure after a fall outside his Nashville home. He was 62.

Paul Yandell,
Nashville guitarist who served as Chet Atkins’ right-hand man for 25 years, performed with Jerry Reed and the Louvin Brothers and played on records by Dolly Parton, Perry Como, the Everly Brothers and many more, died Monday November 21st at his home in Hendersonville. He was 76.

Liz Anderson,
Influential songwriter, recording artist, the mother of country singer Lynn Anderson and a founding board member of the Nashville Songwriters Association International, died on October. 31st  at St. Thomas Hospital in Nashville, of complications from heart and lung disease. She was 81.

Jon Derek
Tributes came in after the death of Jon Derek of Country Fever who died on Thursday October 14th 2011.
  Jon Derek's Country Fever became the number one British band in the 1970s, touring with Charley Pride, Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis and forming a great friendship with Slim Whitman. He played the Albert Hall twice, and made five appearances at the London Palladium. He was a regular featured band at the famed Wembley Festivals. This lead to appearances at festivals all over the
UK.

TAZ DIGREGORIO
Joel ‘Taz’ DiGregorio, long-time keyboard player and vocalist for The Charlie Daniels Band, died on October 13th (2011) as a result of injuries he sustained in a single car accident in Cheatham County, TN, while driving to meet the band’s tour bus. The accident occurred on I-40 West of Nashville.  The band was scheduled to depart for Cumming, Georgia, for a concert appearance at the Cumming Country Fair and Festival on Oct. 13th.
Taz had been with the Charlie Daniels Band for over 40 years and was a co-writer on many CDB songs, including "The Devil Went Down To Georgia."
 
PEE WEE ROGERS
Yet another of country music’s unsung heroes, steel guitarist, George “Pee Wee” Rogers, has died at the age of 76. He was diagnosed with cancer several months ago, and passed away on October 11th. 
Pee Wee played steel guitar for Little Jimmy Dickens for 29 years and also worked with Porter Wagoner, David Houston and Jack Greene.
 
Johnnie Wright
Who made significant contributions as a solo artist, a member of the duo Johnnie & Jack (with Jack Anglin) and as the lifelong partner to Queen of Country Music Kitty Wells, died on September 27th (2011) at his home in Madison, Tennessee. He was 97.
 
DON WAYNE
Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame member Don Wayne has died at the age of 78. May 30th 1933 - September 12th 2011
In 1953, Wayne had his first major-label song writing success when George Morgan recorded his “Lonesome Waltz” for Columbia. He signed with Tree Publishing in 1963 and the following year, Lefty Frizzell took his “Saginaw, Michigan” to the top of the country charts. Wayne went through a somewhat fallow spell as a songwriter, then bounced back with “Country Bumpkin” in 1974, as recorded by Cal Smith.
Faron Young had a 1965 hit with Wayne’s “Walk Tall” which had similar success in the UK when it was recorded by Val Doonican.

Wade Mainer
 America’s oldest country star, died aged 104 on Monday, September 12, at his home in Flint Township, Michigan. As a member of Mainer’s Mountaineers, in 1935, he recorded “Maple on the Hill” which became one of the biggest country hits of the Great Depression.
In 1941 Wade Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt at the White House in 1941 and, in 1943, Alan Lomax recorded him for BBC radio alongside Woody Guthrie, Burl Ives, The Coon Creek Girls and others.
Wade Mainer made his debut on the Grand Ole Opry in 1995 and, in 1997, he and his wife Julia were featured guests at the Smithsonian Folklife Festival in Washington, D.C. President Reagan conferred a National Heritage Fellowship on him on that occasion.
 
MARSHALL GRANT
(May 5, 1928 - August 7, 2011) an original member of Johnny Cash’s Tennessee Two band and the "boom" in Cash’s famed “boom- chicka-boom” sound, died on August 7th in in Jonesboro, Arkansas.
 
Billy Grammer
 The country singer Billy Grammer died on August 10th 2011, 18 days short of his 86th birthday in his home town’s Benton Hospital, where he was being treated for a long-term illness exacerbated by a heart attach he had suffered this past January.

Wilma Lee Cooper
Grand Ole Opry member Wilma Lee Cooper passed away on Sept.13 (2011) at her home in Sweetwater, Tenn. from natural causes. She had been a member of the Opry since 1957 and was 90 years old. 

GEORGE HAXELL
The founding father of British country magazines, passed away on 28th July. He was in his early eighties. He may be an unfamiliar name to many of today's collectors, but it was back in the mid-1950s that George had the idea of contacting other collectors (who were then few and far between) with a view to swap tracks and discuss the music they all had in common. The first magazine that George published was entitled "The Hillbilly Folk Record Collectors Club", co-editing it with fellow collector George Tye, and with Burl Ives as President.

Kenny Baker,
Possibly the best-known member of Bill Monroe’s Blue Grass Boys and one of bluegrass music’s respected fiddle players, died Friday, July 8, in Nashville. The 85-year-old musician had suffered a stroke earlier in the week.

Clarence Clemons,
The burly saxophone player who played a crucial role in shaping Bruce Springsteen's early sound, has died, six days after suffering a stroke at his Florida home. He was 69.

Ferlin Husky
 NASHVILLE, Tennessee (Reuters) - Country music great Ferlin Husky, a pioneer in both the hard-twang Bakersfield and lushly produced Nashville sounds died on Thursday 17th March 2011at age 85. He had a history of heart problems and most recently had been hospitalized for congestive heart failure.
  His list of hit songs included  his biggest hit “GONE" "WINGS OF A DOVE" "I FEEL BETTER ALL OVER” and so many more.

Margaret Whiting
Popular 40s and 50s vocalist, Margaret Whiting, who was made an honorary member of the Grand Ole Opry in 1949, died on January 19th at age 86.

Her father, Richard Whiting, was the celebrated Hollywood songwriter responsible for “On the Good Ship Lollypop”, “Ain’t We Got Fun”, “Breezin’ Along with the Breeze”, “Hooray for Hollywood”, “She’s Funny That Way”, “Sleepytime Gal” and countless other popular standards.
 During her days with Capitol Records Margaret was teamed up with singing cowboy Jimmy Wakely in a series of highly successful country duets, beginning with “Slipping Around” which resulted in her becoming the first woman to have a No. 1 hit on the then newly-established country-music charts.
 The pair went on to record other hits such as “Wedding Bells”, “I’ll Never Slip Around Again”, “Broken-Down Merry-Go-Round”, “Let’s Go to Church Next Sunday Morning” and “When You and I Were Young Maggie Blues”.

Charlie Louvin 
Charlie Louvin, a member of one of the pre-eminent brother acts in country music (Louvin Brothers) the popular duo who modernized the close-harmony singing of Depression-era acts and an inspiration to several generations of rock musicians, died Wednesday at his home in Wartrace, Tenn., from complications with pancreatic cancer. He was 83.

Clyde Brewer
Clyde Brewer passed away at 1:30 a.m on the morning of January 8, 2011. He had been poorly for some time. His condition deteriorated quickly with pneumonia and complicated by his lung cancer. He was a gem of a man and a legendary musician. He was surrounded by his loving family.

Dugg Collins
Collins, 66, was on the air from 1999 to 2008 for AM 1070, taking over the morning show after "Ol' Mike" Oatman retired. Collins got his start in radio at KCTX in Childress Texas in 1959, and he worked at radio stations in Texas and Oklahoma. He also began a recording career in 1969 as a country music performer, and he worked with every major act in country music.
  Collins won a number of awards and honors, including the Country Music Association's DJ of the Year Award in 1979, and he was inducted into the Country Music DJ Hall of Fame in 1996. Collins moved back to Amarillo to be with family in 2009. He passed away one year to the day after his wife, Joyce, died following a long battle with cancer.

Zachary Sterban
Fifteen year old Zachary, the grandson of Oak Ridge Boys bass singer Richard Sterban  died from injuries sustained in a car crash after the first full day of school. Zachary died one week after the car he was riding in hit another vehicle. A front-seat passenger, 17 year old Damon Dunn Jr.,  died at the scene. Zachary’s brother Matthew Sterban, 17, was driving the car and was also injured.  State troopers reported that none of the boys were wearing seat belts.

Hank Cochran
Legendary songwriter Hank Cochran passed away 15th July (2010) surrounded by family and friends at his Hendersonville, Tennessee home from a long illness. His death was announced by his publicist, Martha Moore, who said he had been suffering from pancreatic cancer.
  Hank was inducted in to the Nashville Songwriters Association International Hall of Fame by unanimous vote in 1974, and was honored by B.M.I. in June 2009 for his six-decade long career of hits, that includes country classics: "I Fall To Pieces," "Make The World Go Away," "Ocean Front Property," "The Chair" and "Don't You Ever Get Tired Of Hurting Me." 
  Hank is survived by his wife Suzi, daughter Booth Calder and three sons- Garland Perry Cochran Jr., James Lee Cochran and Daniel Cochran.

  Jimmy Dean died suddenly at his home on the James River in Varina, Virginia., on June 13. He was 81.
  The Texas-born singer founded the most successful sausage-making business in the USA, but, even before the launch of that enterprise, he was already a national celebrity after hosting daily shows for national TV networks during the late '50s and early '60s.
  He had recording success with hits like “Bumming Around”, “P.T. 109”, “Dear Ivan”, “Little Black Book” and “IOU”, but he‘ll be best remember for the self-penned “Big Bad John” which climbed to the top of the US pop and country charts in 1961.

Carl Smith one of the genre's most successful singers and entertainers during the 1950's, died 16th Jan 2010 at his home in Franklin, Tenn Aged 82. Born March 15th 1927, he was married to June Carter from 1952 until 1957 and country singer Goldie Hill from September 1957 until her death in February 2005.

tNick Strutt
The UK country, folk and bluegrass communities were saddened to hear of the death, on September 29th, ages 62, of Nick Strutt, possibly best-remembered in the late sixties as the musical partner of Roger Knowles. They featured regularly on various radio broadcasts, including the BBC’s “Country Meets Folk“, where they sometimes played with Brian Golbey and Pete Stanley as a four-piece unit. Strutt and Knowles played as support for Hank Snow and Willie Nelson on UK appearances, before their influences saw them turn more to seminal country rock.

Ruby Wright
Ruby Wright, daughter of Johnny Wright and Queen of Country, Music Kitty Wells, died in September, aged 69. She had been battling heart problems.

Mike Seager
Folklorist And Roots Music preservationist, Mike Seeger, died peacefully at his home in Virginia on the evening of August 7th, aged 75. He was recently diagnosed with an aggressive form of cancer, but decided to forego further treatment and entered hospice care.

Les Paul
New York, NY...August 13, 2009...Les Paul, acclaimed guitar player, entertainer and inventor, passed away today from complications of severe pneumonia at White Plains Hospital in White Plains, New York, surrounded by family and loved ones. He had been receiving the best available treatment through this final battle and in keeping with his persona, he showed incredible strength, tenacity and courage. The family would like to express their heartfelt thanks for the thoughts and prayers from his dear friends and fans. Les Paul was 94.

Murray Kash
Very sad to hear the news of the death of Murray Kash, one of the stalwarts of the British country music scene although he was in fact born in Toronto, Canada. He moved to the UK in 1955. The actor, broadcaster and festival compare packed so much into his 85 years. He was one of the pioneering broadcasters of country music in the UK and also worked behind the scenes at the annual Wembley Festivals from 1969 through to 1979.

WILLIE’S MANAGER DIES
Randall "Poodie" Locke, Willie Nelson's long-time road manager, died on May 6th 2009 following a heart attack. He was 56 and had worked with Willie since 1974 He was described by Nelson biographer, Joe Nick Patoski, as "the heart and soul of the road crew."

Vern Gosdin
The "Voice of Country Music" Vern Gosdin passed away 29 April (2009) in Nashville. Tennessee.  He had suffered a stroke a few weeks before.

DAN SEALS HAS DIED
Dan Seals died yesterday (25th March) following a battle with cancer. The singer shot to fame as one half of the duo England Dan and John Ford Coley. They had several hits including "I'd Really Love To See You Tonight" which was their biggest success in the UK, but it was as a solo artist that he stormed to the top of the country music charts with songs like "Bop", "Addicted", "Everything That Glitters" and "You Still Move Me" for EMI Capitol/Liberty.  He was one of the gentle giants of country music. Very soft spoken and very willing to give people the time of day, and his short tour of the UK to support the "Rage On" album will be fondly remembered. He was the younger brother of Jim Seals (of Seals & Crofts fame). One of his biggest successes was his duet single with Marie Osmond, "Meet Me In Montana". In the last year he was going through radiation treatments for lymphoma in Nashville and Houston.

Sidney Chaplin
Sidney Chaplin, second son of actor Charlie Chaplin died on 5th March at the age of 82..

Ernie Ashworth Passed
Ernie had been suffering ill-health for some time and had bypass surgery in Jan this year. I spoke with him on the phone at the beginning of February when he told me that he was recovering slowly and taking short walk from him home in Hartsville, Tennessee. Sadly Ernie passed away on Monday 2 March 2009. He was 80 years of age.

Hank Locklin
 Hank Locklin has passed away at the age of 91. The Florida-born singer's biggest hits were "Please Help Me I'm Falling" (a number one for 14 weeks on the Billboard country chart) and "Send Me The Pillow That You Dream On", the latter coming from his pen. He was one of those singers whose style was associated with The Nashville Sound. He recorded his high profile songs in the 50s, 60s and 70s on RCA Records.

Jerry Reed Died
Jerry Red of Smokey and The Bandits fame, passed away on Monday 1st September (2008) due to complications from emphysema at 71years of age. Next to Chet Atkins he may have been the greatest guitarist in Guitar City.

Don Helms
The last surviving member of Hank Williams' Original Drifting Cowboys, Don Helms, died 11th August (2008) at the age of 81 from pneumonia two weeks after he was in hospital for a triple heart bypass operation. He was married for 62 years to wife Hazel.

Jordanaires
Hugh Jarrett, a member of Elvis Presley's  backup group, The Jordanaires,  passed away Saturday June 1 (2008), at the age of 78, of complications from a car accident he was in back in March. Jarrett sang bass with the Jordanaires from 1954 until 1958, and is featured on a number of Presley hits including "Hound Dog," "Don't Be Cruel," "Love Me Tender," "All Shook Up," "Jailhouse Rock," and "I Want You, I Need You, I Love You."

Eddie Arnold Died
Country Music today lost one of the industry's giants.  Eddy Arnold, a member of the Country Music Hall of Fame, died around 4:40 a.m. 5th May 2008 at NHC Place in Cool Springs at the age of 89.  He has been suffering with cancer and was known as the affable Tennessee Plowboy who brought elegance, sophistication and millions of fans to country music. Eddie Arnold sold more than 85 million records and had 37 hits in the pop charts as well as a bunch of country songs which became classics.

Eddy Arnold's wife dies in  hospital
 Sally Gayhart Arnold, the woman who gave meaning to husband Eddy Arnold's love songs, died Tuesday 18 March in a Williamson County hospital. She was 87.
  For more than 66 years, the couple had one of the greatest romances in the history of country music. The news of Mrs. Arnold's death came late Tuesday afternoon as her country music legend husband, now 89, remained in a Davidson County hospital after undergoing hip replacement surgery last week.
 Married on Nov. 28, 1941, the couple's relationship to friends and family epitomised commitment, devotion and teamwork.

Guitarist Barry "Byrd" Burton Dead At 61
Guitarist Barry "Byrd" Burton of the Amazing Rhythm Aces died Monday March 10 at a Nashville hospital after a long battle with leukaemia. He was 61. He toured with Dolly Parton, Brooks and Dunn and Dan Fogelberg.

Bobby Lord
 Seventy four year old  Bobby Lord died  February 16th in Stuart, Florida after a lengthy illness.  Lord was a member of the Ozark Jubilee before joining the Grand Ole Opry in 1960 and remained a regular until 1975. During the late 1980s, he hosted the Celebrity Outdoors series on TNN: The Nashville Network. Lord recorded for the Columbia, Hickory and Decca Records.

Western Swing Ace Passed

Frankie McWhorter passed away this morning in his sleep (2 Feb 2008).  He was 76.  Frankie retired a couple months ago from regular appearances with Don and Angie House's Thomas Country Opry up in OK. 

 

Jim Nesbitt has passed away

Comedian & Songwriter Jim Nesbitt has passed away.  He was the writer of "Running Bear" recorded by Sonny James.  He also was noted for opening shows for Sonny James, Marty Robbins & Dottie West.
He had several recordings on the Chart Record Label.

 

John Hughey,
Steel guitar player for Conway Twitty and Vince Gill died November 18th in Nashville at the age of 73.  Hughey toured and recorded with Twitty for many years, and worked with Loretta Lynn for nearly two years before joining  Vince Gill's band, where he remained for 12 seasons. He was inducted into the Steel Guitar Hall of Fame in 1996.  Hughey's work was also featured in movies, television series and specials, commercials and music videos.

 

Bettye Ashworth
After a long fight with lung cancer, Bettye wife of Grand Ole Opry Star Ernie Ashworth's passed away saturday morning 3 Nov

Robert Goulet.
Robert Goulet remembered for his magnificent voice and his role in Camelot, died 1st Nov awaiting a lung transplant.

Porter Wagoner died
Porter Wagoner, an Opry member since 1957 and Country Music Hall of Famer died at age 80 (28th Oct 2007), as dignitaries and stars gathered at the Country Music Hall of Fame to induct its three newest members. Mr. Wagoner was admitted to the hospital on Monday, 15th Oct. and had been under doctors’ care since then. Porter. Wagoner was released to hospice care on Friday, days after the announcement of a lung cancer diagnosis.

Lee Hazlewood died
Lee Hazlewood, best known for writing and producing "These Boots Are Made for Walkin'" for Nancy Sinatra, has died. He was 78. 
Barton Lee Hazlewood died at his home in Henderson of kidney cancer on Saturday evening. Hazlewood was most famous for his work with the daughter of Frank Sinatra, including writing and producing hits including "Sugartown". He also produced "Something Stupid," a duet Nancy recorded withher father in 1967.

Boots Randolph
 Saxophone player Boots Randolph passed away after suffering a subdural hematoma . The man who appeared on the 1963 hit "Yaketty Sax" (The Benny Hill theme) is 80 years old. If any country act wanted sax on their music Boots was the man they called. His playing has been heard on hundreds of hits and even Elvis Presley had him on his records. He was a regular performer in Nashville up until the 1990s. He has just had his latest CD released, a 14-track jazz instrumental album.

Glenn Sutton
One of the country musics' most prolific songwriters, Glenn Sutton has died of a heart attack on 17th April 2007. Glenn was married to Lynn Anderson and Produced "Rose Garden" and wrote many, many super hit songs. Joe South Wrote "Rose Garden".

Frankie Laine Died Age 93
The wonderful Frankie Laine has died at the age of 93. Frankie was best
known for hits like "Rawhide" and "I Believe" and although he crossed over to the mainstream he was played a lot on country radio with many cowboy songs to his credit, including "Cool Water" and "Don't Fence Me In".

Tom Morrell 
Tommy Morrell passed away on 30th January 2007 of emphysema at home in East Dallas. He was 68. .  For over 50 years this touring sideman and session player delivered western swing, jazz and country with artful skill on motion picture sound tracks and on the recordings of innumerable artists, including Bob Wills' Texas Playboys.  Later as a bandleader, he arranged and produced dozens of albums. During the 1990s he proved to be a major force in the resurgence of non-pedal steel through touring, arranging and recording besides his brands of Morrell and the Morrell-shields steels. He was one of the founders and designers of MSA pedal guitars.

"Sneaky" Pete Kleinow
 Legendary pedal steel guitarist, "Sneaky" Pete Kleinow, passed away on Saturday, 6th January, according to Paige Cofrin, President of Luna Chica Records, and Brenda Cline, of NashRock Entertainment, Kleinow's former record label head, and manager, respectively. Kleinow's death was apparently due to complications from Alzheimer's. He was diagnosed with the disease in 2006, and had been living in a convalescent home in Petaluma, California, for the past few months.

Doyle Holly 
 Died January 13th after along battle with cancer. He was a member of Buck Owens’ Buckaroos from 1963-1970. He also placed seven songs on the country charts from 1972 -1974.

Del Reeves
Veteran country music entertainer Del Reeves, best known for his edgy, Bakersfield-fuelled hits Looking at the World Through A Windshield, The Girl on the Billboard and Goodtime Charlie’s passed away on 1st January in his Centerville, Tennessee home after lengthy battles with emphysema and other ailment

Dennis Linde
  Dennis Linde (pronounced LIN-dee) Nashville Songwriters Hall of Famer and former BMI Songwriter of the Year died aged 63 on 
22nd Dec 2006 of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis at Vanderbilt University Medical Center. A brilliant songwriter with a quick wit and fast mind who artfully blended quirky, original lyrics with up-tempo melodies. 
   He emerged on the songwriting scene in 1970 after Roger Miller released his song, "Tom Green County Fair," and Roy Drusky cut "Long Long Texas Road." Two years later, Presley recorded "Burning Love." "He was the quintessential mystery man of Nashville because he didn't go to all the functions," said Scott Siman, an artist manager who had known Mr. Linde since the 1970s. "It wasn't like he was seen up and down Music Row. He had his own way of writing and conducting himself. If you ever saw Dennis Linde it was amazing, because you didn't get that opportunity very often."

Buddy Killen
Music publisher, songwriter, record producer and musician "Buddy" Killen became one of the most influential figures in the Nashville entertainment business, died at the age of 73. He was recently
diagnosed with liver and pancreatic cancer.  

Freddy Fender
Country music icon Freddy Fender died at the age of 69 on 15th October after a long fight with cancer.
 The funeral takes place at San Benito City Cemetery on 18th Oct.

Josh Graves
Dobro player Josh Graves died 30th September at age 81.

Don Walser
 Texas country singer Don Walser died on September 20th 2006, following a long illness from.  He was 72 and retired from the music business in 2003 after being diagnosed with neuropathy, a disease of the nervous system in 2001.

Johnny Duncan
 Country music singer Johnny Duncan, known for songs like "She Can Put Her Shoes Under My Bed Anytime" and "It Couldn't Have Been Any Better," has died. He was 67.
Duncan died 14th Aug of a heart attack at a Fort Worth hospital.

Billy Walker and wife killed 
 Veteran Grand Ole Opry star Billy Walker, whose hits included "Charlie's Shoes" and "Cross the Brazos at Waco," died in a car wreck on Sunday 21st May. He was 77. Walker was killed along with his wife Bettie, 61 and two of his band members Charles Lilly Jr. and Daniel Patton Sr. when a van they were riding in ran off Interstate 65 south of Montgomery, Alabama and overturned. Walker's grandson, Joshua Brooks, 21 was critically injured in the accident. The group was on their way back to the Nashville area after performing at a show near Gulf Shores.

Bonnie Owens Died 76-year-old singer/songwriter Bonnie Owens passed away on 24th April from complications of Alzheimers. Her first marriage was to Buck Owens when he was an orange picker and part-time entertainer.
    Reports from Bakersfield say that her Alzheimers was advanced to the point that she wasn't aware of Buck Owens' death. A spokesman said she will be cremated and her ashes laid next to Buck Owens in the family mausoleum.

Buck Owens Passes
Legendary country singer Buck Owens passed away on 25th March . He was 76. One of the main proponents of the Bakersfield Sound, in the early 1960s he spearheaded a new honky-tonk country styling that utilised a heavy backbeat with electric lead guitar, pedal steel, drums and bass and occasional use of fiddle. His impact was so great that he crossed over to the pop charts and was a huge influence on the Beatles (who covered his Act Naturally hit), Gram Parsons, the Byrds, Emmylou Harris and numerous others. Among his many hits are such classics as Together Again, I’ve Got A Tiger By the Tail, Love’s Gonna Live Here, My Heart Skips A Beat, and Streets of Bakersfield the latter a duet hit with Dwight Yoakam.

Cindy Walker the legendary Central Texas country music songwriter whose work is featured on a CD released this week by Willie Nelson, has died at the age of 87. The prolific songwriter died Thursday night 23rd March  at Parkview Regional Hospital in Mexia.
   During her sixty-plus years as a songwriter, Cindy wrote such classics as In the Misty Moonlight, Distant Drums, Dream Baby, Cherokee Maiden, When My Blue Moon Turns To Gold Again, Blue Canadian Rockies, China Doll, You Don’t Know Me, Warm, Red Wine and dozens more.

Terry Hadfield, lead singer and frontman for many years with the British country band Stroller died on Sunday 29th Jan 2006.  "Terry's Last Gig" was well attended and took place at Uppermill church (near Oldham) on Monday 20th Feb. Several musicians paid tribute to Terry in song, giving him a truly fitting send-off.  Terry may be gone, but he will not be forgotten!!!

Louise Scruggs, 78, wife and manager of banjo legend Earl Scruggs;  February 2nd in Nashville from respiratory disease.

Wilson Pickett, 64, member of The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame; January 19th near Reston, VA from a heart attack..

Janette Carter, the last surviving child of members of the original Carter Family, died 22 January 2006 at Holston Valley Medical Center in Kingsport, Tennessee.  She was 82 and had several chronic illnesses, including Parkinson's disease. Ms. Carter's parents, A.P. and Sara Carter, joined with Maybelle Carter to comprise what is now known as "The First Family of Country Music."

Wife Of Carl Perkins Has Died
 Friends are remembering Val Perkins as the woman the late singer-songwriter Carl Perkins couldn’t live without. She died at the age of 74. Perkins sister, Martha Bain, says Val’s death was a shock. Bain says she’s the one who got the couple together in high school, double dating with George Bain, who was to become her husband. Carl Perkins died in 1998. The Rock and Roll Hall of Famer is best known for his 1950’s hit Blue Suede Shoes. He also wrote the Johnny Cash-June Carter smash, Jackson.

Mike Storey
The British Country Music Association (BCMA) is saddened to announce the death of one of its founding members, Mike Storey. He died in his sleep, November 26, and had been diagnosed with Motor Neurone Disease earlier in the year.
  In the early 1970s Mike Storey launched the Mike & Margaret Storey Entertainment Agency with his first wife Margaret (who died in 1999).
  A one time librarian at BBC Radio Leeds, Storey co-presented, with Goff Greenwood, a weekly country music programme on the station as well as running the highly successful Wakefield Country Music Club during the 1970s.
  Mike Storey, who was 68 years old years, is survived by his second wife Jean, and children Catherine and James.

Long John Baldry, 64, bluesman; July 21st in Vancouver, British Columbia from complications of a chest infection.

Roy Drusky Passes Away

Country singer and songwriter Roy Drusky, who had several hits in the 1960s, penned hits for others, appeared at the Wembley Country Music Festival and toured the UK successfully in the 1970s and 1980s, died on Thursday after a lengthy illness. He was 74. A member of the Grand Ole Opry for 45 years, he was a crooner with a smooth, mellow baritone. Amongst his best-known hits are Another, Anymore, Three Hearts in A Tangle, Second Hand Rose, If the Whole World Stopped Lovin’ (covered in the UK by Val Doonican), the novelty song Peel Me a Nanner and his only No. 1 Yes Mr. Peters, a duet with Priscilla Mitchell (Mrs Jerry Reed) in 1965. He was also one of the first to record a Kris Kristofferson song, with an impeccable rendition of Jody & The Kid in 1967, plus later hits Such A Fool, Long, Long Texas Road, All My Heard Times and a great country version of Elton John’s Dixie Lily.

Hal Rugg, Country Music Hall of Fame Steel Guitarist  passed away 10 August 2005 following a long illness of cancer.
  "Hal was one of the greatest steel guitar players of all time, but most of all, he was a true gentlemen, a great person, and a friend to all," said friend and country music promoter Marty Martel. "I knew Hal for many years. He played on several of my recording sessions. His fellow steel guitar friends are in a state of sorrow and shock, although most of us knew that Hal would be taken soon. He will be brought back to Nashville to be buried."

 

Dolly Parton Receives Willie Nelson Award

Dolly Parton was awarded the Willie Nelson Lifetime Achievement Award at the 2016 CMA Awards. The Award was established in 2012 and recognizes “an iconic artist who has attained the highest degree of recognition in country music [and] who has achieved both national and international prominence and stature through concert performances, humanitarian efforts, philanthropy, record sales and public representation at the highest level.”

Loretta Lynn Honoured

The Tennessee Arts Commission has honoured Loretta Lynn with the 2015 Governor's Arts Award - which recognizes individuals and organizations who had contributed to the cultural life of Tennessee.

HANK COCHRAN TRIBUTE ALBUM
 

Jamey Johnson's new album, Livin’ For A Song: A Tribute to Hank Cochran, is due out on October 16.  The collection, a tribute to the work of the late, great songwriter of standards including “I Fall To Pieces”, “She’s Got You”, “The Chair” and more, was produced by Buddy Cannon and will be available initially as vinyl on Sept. 25. Guests on the project include Willie Nelson, Merle Haggard, Kris Kristofferson, George Strait,  Emmylou Harris, Alison Krauss, Leon Russell, Elvis Costello, Ray Price, Ronnie Dunn, Vince Gill, Bobby Bare, Lee Ann Womack and more.

LORETTA LYNN CELEBRATES

The Grand Ole Opry will honour one its most famous members, Loretta Lynn, with a September 25 show celebrating her 50th Opry Anniversary. Among the artists scheduled to participate in the celebration are Lynn, her sister Crystal Gayle, plus friends Miranda Lambert, Lee Ann Womack, Trace Adkins, and Pistol Annies, who will be making their Opry debut.

Loretta Lynn joined the Opry family on September 25, 1962. Among the hundreds of accolades she has received in the years since are three Grammy® Awards, eight Country Music Association Awards including the first female artist to win the coveted Entertainer of the Year (1972),  induction into the Country Music and Songwriters Halls of Fame, and the Grammy® Lifetime Achievement Award (2010).
 

HANK WILLIAMS - THE LOST CONCERTS

Just when you thought that every performance Hank Williams ever made was available, comes the news that two of his concerts performed in the months before his death and will be released for the first time as “Hank Williams: The Lost Concerts Limited Collector’s Edition” on October 2nd.
The collection includes 19 tracks as well as Hank’s revealing conversations with the audience, introducing songs and telling anecdotes about his life. As a bonus feature, a radio interview Williams did in 1951 has been added to the CD, one of very few in existence.

PATSY CLINE EXHIBIT OPENS AT HALL OF FAME

The Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum opened it‘s latest exhibit “Patsy Cline: Crazy for Loving You” on August 24th for a 10-month run in the museum’s East Gallery, offering career-spanning audio and video which allows Cline to largely tell her story in her own words. The centrepiece is a film created by museum staff that includes performance footage, audio clips and new interviews with Country Music Hall of Fame members Harold Bradley, Brenda Lee, Willie Nelson and the Jordanaires’ Ray Walker, each of whom knew and worked with Cline.

LES PAUL AUCTION RAISES NEARLY $5 MILLION
 

The recent auction, mentioned last time, of instruments and artifacts owned by Les Paul fetched nearly $5 million benefiting the charity which honours and shares the life, spirit and legacy of Les Paul by supporting music education, engineering and innovation, as well as, medical research.

FRANCES PRESTON

Frances Preston, one of the most successful executives in the history of the American music industry, died Wednesday June 12th at the age of 83.

She was a former president and chief executive of the music rights management company BMI, and a member of the Country Music Hall of Fame,
Kris Kristofferson called her "the songwriter's guardian angel".

LORETTA INTRODUCES HER BROADWAY SELF!
 

During a recent appearance on the Grand Ole Opry, Loretta Lynn revealed plans for a Broadway musical adaptation of her life story, Coal Miner’s Daughter, and brought out the production’s future star - actress and musician Zooey Deschanel - to sing its title song with her onstage.

TIME JUMPERS JUMP SHIP
 

For the past 13 years, a must-see show in Nashville has been the Monday night appearance by the Time Jumpers at the Station Inn, but, beginning June 11, the legendary Nashville band moves to the “3rd & Lindsley” nightclub near downtown Nashville.
The band is making the change primarily to accommodate audiences that have been growing since it was nominated for two Grammy awards in 2008.  Fans are now routinely turned away for lack of seating.

TNN RETURNS


TNN will resume operations as a country music and lifestyle network in the USA in late summer 2012.
Programming will combine digitally restored classic content pulled from the vaults in Nashville with contemporary shows. The line-up will include Memories of the Grand Ole Opry, Crook & Chase, Celebrity Kitchen, The Country Vibe, Music City Tonight and Larry’s Country Diner.
TNN, originally launched in 1983 as a cable network featuring country music programming, was sold in 2000 and subsequently changed its name and programming to target a different demographic

CMA ANNOUNCES NEW HALL OF FAME MEMBERS
 

The Country Music Association has announced  that Garth Brooks, Hargus "Pig" Robbins, and Connie Smith will become the newest members of the  Country Music Hall of Fame.

Caithness Country Music Festival

A reminder that this year’s Caithness Country Music Festival, held at the Indoor
Riding Centre in Falkirk, Caithness Scotland, runs from April 6th to 8th and features, among others, Moe Bandy, Johnny Rodriguez, Joey & Rory, Jerry Kilgore, C’est La Vie, Lisa McHugh, Manson Grant & The Dynamos, The Jacks, Nashville Union and The Chicken Pickers.
Check out the festival website www.nncmc.co.uk or contact Christine Gray on 01847 892410 teengray@hotmail.com

NEW STAGE FOR THE RYMAN

Nashville’s most famous stage - on which performed the likes of Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, Patsy Cline and Louis Armstrong - is to be replaced with a new one which will “improve its durability and triple its load-bearing capacity, with an aim to ensure the building’s future as a concert venue“.
The new stage won’t be entirely new as wood from the old stage will be incorporated into an 18-inch-deep strip that will run lengthwise along the edge of the new stage. Nevertheless, I can’t help feeling that the Ryman’s owners are tampering yet again with country music’s heritage. I know the Ryman isn’t the original home of the Grand Ole Opry, but it is the best-known and most loved as well as being on the US Register of Historic Places.

WILLIE’S DEAL WITH SONY

Sony Music’s catalogue division, Legacy Recordings, has signed a new record deal with Willie Nelson. Under the agreement, the label plans to release five brand new Willie Nelson albums with the first due out in Spring 2012.

The Wembley Country Music Festival returns

The International Festival of Country Music will return to London’s Wembley Arena on Sunday, February 26th, 2012.  The stellar line-up features country, roots and bluegrass music.

Reba McEntire will headline the all day festival and she’ll be joined by Ricky Skaggs, Lonestar, George Hamilton IV, Little Big Town, Narvel Felts, Jo-El Sonnier, George Ducas, Will Banister, Raymond Froggatt and John McNicholl.

Little Jimmy Dickens 90 Years Young

Saturday Dec 18th the Grand Ole Opry celebrated the 90th birthday of its greatest treasure, 62-year Opry veteran Little Jimmy Dickens. First he celebrated with a party at Rippy’s BBQ downtown Nashville, then with a performance at The Grand Ole Opry at the Ryman. Good friend Brad Paisley joined in the festivities leading the audience in singing “Happy Birthday” as Opry members Jeannie Seely, Bill Anderson and Jim Ed Brown rolled out Dickens’ birthday cake and a Martin guitar.

Billy Joe Shaver

Seventy one year old Billy Joe Shaver has cancelled appearances for the month of August to recover from operations on his arm and his heart. He recently had surgery to repair a couple of tears to his bicep ligament, and last month he underwent a procedure in which doctors inserted a stent to improve the blood flow to his heart.

Elvis At The C M Hall Of Fame

"Loving You: Collecting Elvis Presley" will open at the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum in Nashville, Tennessee  on August 6th, and remain through the end of January. An Elvis Christmas ornament and porcelain music box are among the featured items, along with a bottle of "Always Elvis" wine and an Armand LaMontagne bronze bust of the pop culture icon. Presley's own Munsingwear bathrobe and his Lord Nelson wristwatch are also part of the exhibit.

CMA Award For British Broadcaster
Brian Clough

  British country music radio presenter, Brian Clough, was recently surprised to receive the CMA International Broadcaster Award which was presented to him by Bobbi Boyce, CMA International Consultant, during a lunch in Durham.
  Afterwards, Brian said “I’m still trying to come to terms with the honour given to me by the Country Music Association and ponder as to why I should be rewarded with such an accolade for something that has been a great enjoyment to do for the best part of my life.”
  For 30 years, he has presented and produced country music radio programmes at the Independent Metro and Great North Radio Group, Harmony Radio, Century Radio, DLR, NLR, and Smooth Radio. He has written a country music column for The Northern Echo, The CMA International Broadcaster Award recognizes outstanding achievement by radio broadcasters outside the United States who have made important contributions toward the development of Country Music in their country.

TOOTSIE’S ANNIVERSARY

There's a wealth of country music history within the walls of Tootsies Orchid Lounge, in downtown Nashville, helped in no small way by the fact that its back door opened up to the Ryman Auditorium‘s back door, allowing Opry stars to pop into Tootsie’s between shows.
Tootsies celebrates its 50th anniversary this autumn with a big show on November 7th at the Ryman, headed up by a one-time frequenter of the famous bar, Kris Kristofferson plus Terri Clark and other names yet to be announced.

REBA
RETURNS TO BROADWAY?

Reba McEntire reportedly attended a reading of "The Unsinkable Molly Brown" in New York recently with the possibility of her starring in the lead role next season. Nine years ago Reba made her Broadway debut in the revival of "Annie Get Your Gun."

Trace Adkins'
tour bus involved in fatal crash

   Two men were killed Feb.13 in Caddo Parrish, LA, when their pickup truck reportedly crossed the center line and crashed head-on into Trace Adkins’ tour bus. The driver, 21-year-old Justin Maxley, and his boss, Jeffery Ferguson, both died upon impact, according to local news reports.
   Five members of Adkins' band were taken by ambulance to a nearby hospital for treatment of minor injuries and observation. Adkins was not on the bus at the time of the accident.
   "This is a real tragedy," Adkins said in a statement. "Two people have been killed and I don't even know their names. So out of respect for their families, I prefer not to comment too much at this time."
   Country music bad boy is set to continue the Louisiana leg of his tour

Nashville Country Hall of Fame
to double in size


The Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum wants to double its size, Mayor Karl Dean announced recently during a speech to the Rotary Club of Nashville.
The hall moved downtown from Music Row in 2001 so it could have more space and attract more visitors. The current 140,000-square-foot building cost about $37 million to build. It attracts nearly 500,000 visitors a year.

CARTER FAMILY MEMORABILIA PUZZLE

 

Heirs to the "first family of country music" are raising questions about several items in a collection of Carter Family memorabilia acquired this summer by Virginia Tech, but university officials are refusing to say who sold them the articles which include such personal items as Maybelle Carter's hunting and fishing license and her Holiday Inn "Inner Circle" card.
There are also items from singer Johnny Cash who married Maybelle's daughter, but the exhibition will concentrate on the Carter Family themselves.
Virginia Tech said that it had acquired the material over the past few months, but turned down repeated requests to identify the seller, citing a standing university policy.
Lorrie Carter Bennett - granddaughter of Maybelle and niece of June - told The Washington Times that she did not know who sold the materials and said the family was eager to know whether some of the more personal pieces were acquired appropriately, adding that she was unsure that they were obtained in legitimate ways and that “they belong in our family museum.”
She and other members of her family are worried that some of the items may have come to the university through a third party who didn't have permission to sell them.
The Carter-Cash materials were apparently purchased, for an undisclosed sum, from a memorabilia dealer in Tennessee

LOUISIANA
MUSIC HALL OF FAME

 

The former Elvis Presley guitarist James Burton and the late Johnny Horton were inducted into the Louisiana Music Hall of Fame as part of the recent James Burton International Guitar Festival. Other inductees included the "Louisiana Hayride" show and Stan "The Record Man" Lewis, a local record retailer who was also active as a music producer, songwriter and label owner. Both Burton and Horton, whose hits include "The Battle of New Orleans," "Sink the Bismark," and "North to Alaska," had been performers on the "Louisiana Hayride" during its 12-year run, from 1948 to 1960.

First For Guitar Hall Of Fame

Barbara Mandrell has become the first woman to be inducted into the Steel Guitar Hall of Fame. The multi-talented lady has been out of the public eye for a number of years but we all remember with fondness her TV shows in the 70s and 80s which were spectacular to say the least.

Crystal Gayle joins the Walk Of Fame

Crystal Gayle will join her sister Loretta Lynn on the famous Walk (Oct 2009). Her star, which will be located on the walk near Lynn's, will be revealed in a ceremony on Vine Street near Sunset Boulevard on October 2nd. Tanya Tucker is scheduled to be on hand to help Gayle celebrate the special moment, and serve as the guest speaker at the event. Gayle is the two-thousand-390th star to be added to the Walk.

Brooks and Dunn call it a day.

Kix Brooks and Ronnie Dunn will part company after 18 years. An album of Greatest Hits will come out with a tour to support it, so plenty of money-earning potential there, and then, no doubt, the two will then plan the reunion tour amid a blaze of press activity further down the line following their solo projects which are probably well mapped out! Watch this space!

Lifetime Achievement

The Americana Music Association named Jim Rooney as its Lifetime Achievement for Producer/Engineer award winner. He’ll receive the award at the 8th Annual Americana Honours & Awards ceremony on Thursday September 17th at the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville.

Garth rumoured to be planning live shows

Although his spokespeople are adamantly denying it, rumours are swirling in Music City about a new series of live shows by Garth Brooks. The rumour mill started when Garth was seen dining in Las Vegas with Steve Wynn, the mega-successful hotel baron who owns such Strip resorts as the Bellagio, Wynn, Encore and more. The speculation is that Garth would have a continuing series of shows in one of the Wynn properties similar to Celine Dion's run at Caesar's Palace. Elton John also had a concert series at Caesar's. If Garth goes ahead with a Vegas deal, it would appear to violate his pledge to stay "retired" until his girls graduate from school. However, the superstar has engaged in a substantial amount of activity during his "retirement" already and there's no doubt fans would be delighted to have him back as a live attraction sooner rather than later.

Ray Price Hospitalised

  Country legend Ray Price was recently hospitalized for surgery. During the last 3 months Ray was losing weight and doctors thought he was suffering from exhaustion. On Monday, June 22, 2009, Ray was admitted to the hospital for routine medical tests. The results of a colonoscopy revealed a large number of polyps in Pre cancerous stage - requiring immediate surgical removal.
  Surgery was completed on Tuesday, June 23rd and doctors state the operation was a complete success.
 Today, Ray's wife Janie who has been by his side throughout the process,
reports that Ray is making a slow, steady recovery with family and friends around him.
  Ray is alert and wishes to thank everyone across the country who have held
him and Janie up in their prayers and to let you all know he will be back on the road in a few weeks. Thank you for all of the love, prayers and consideration.

Ph.D FOR DOLLY

On May 8th, Ms. Parton acquired the right to be addressed as Dr. Parton, after receiving an honorary doctorate of humane and musical letters from the University of Tennessee in Knoxville, where an audience of new graduates from the College of Arts and Sciences gave Dolly, who was dressed in a form-fitting academic gown, a standing ovation.

BRITISH COUNTRY MUSIC AWARDS

The British Country Music Awards Ceremony to be held at Fort San Antone has changed dates to 18th, 19th & 20th September 2009. Tim McKay Band, Katie Rhodes and Railroad Hobos have so far been confirmed with more to follow. The venue is situated at Great Birchwood, Lytham Road, Warton, Preston PR4 1TE (Tel: 01772 633162
Email: information@fort-san-antone.com

HOW WEIRD CAN YOU GET?

Remember J.P. "Big Bopper" Richardson, who died along with Buddy Holly and Richie Valens on February 1959 in a fateful plane crash? Well, It appears his coffin was exhumed last year so it could be moved to a more visible location with a statue and historical marker.  With the family's blessing, the disinterment also offered forensic experts an opportunity to examine the singer's remains.  So Jay Richardson (Big Bopper’s son) apparently plans to sell the empty coffin on eBay to raise money "for a musical show about his father and to keep the Bopper's memory alive."

HALL OF FAME FUNDRAISING CAMPAIGN

The Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum has started a  fundraising campaign to defray costs to retain ownership of historic musical instruments once owned by the late Bill Monroe, Maybelle Carter and Johnny Cash. The museum recently reached a $750,000 settlement with the estate of the Robert W. McLean, a Tennessee-based businessman and philanthropist who committed suicide in 2007 after entering into involuntary bankruptcy. McLean, who operated a business that handled investments for individuals, was later accused of running a scheme that defrauded investors of more than $67 million. With McLean's philanthropic support, the not-for-profit Hall Of Fame museum entered into agreements to buy two of popular music's most significant instruments -- Bill Monroe's Gibson F-5 Loar mandolin and Maybelle Carter's Gibson L-5 guitar. McLean also donated two Martin guitars that been owned by Cash. Since McLean's death, the museum has continued to honour the purchase agreements he had pledged to fund. Contributions may be made by phoning (615) 416-2050.

George Jones Gets His Guitar Back

On Saturday June 14th, George Jones and his 1957 Martin 000-18 acoustic guitar were reunited after 46 years of separation. 
   In 1962, Jones and the guitar parted ways… but not on mutual terms.  The guitar was stolen, by two boys looking to sell it for "beer money," from Jones while he performed a series of shows at Panther Hall in Ft. Worth, Texas.  A short time after stealing the guitar from Jones, the two youngsters sold it to a man by the name of Larry Berry.  The guitar, equipped with a strap that includes Jones’ name bordered with streaks of “White Lightning,” was sold to Berry for ten dollars.  Now, almost 50 years later, the guitar will be returned to its rightful owner.
   Berry returned the guitar to George Jones during his concert at Diamond Jacks Casino in Bossier City, Louisiana on June 14th… but with one condition… in exchange for the guitar, Berry wanted his ten dollars back.

Dolly Parton

Dolly Parton is strongly considering a lawsuit against American comedian and DJ Howard Stern, the infamous "shock jock", after his production team had used her speaking voice and manipulated it to give an impression that she was saying very offensive things. Dolly has been reported as saying that she has never been so shocked in her life and felt totally humiliated by the whole sorry episode.

Sam Bush:
Now A Commonwealth-Certified Founder of Newgrass

The state of Kentucky has honoured Sam Bush for his contributions to New Grass music. He was honoured with a resolution earlier this week in the Kentucky Senate. Bush performed two songs on the senate floor in Frankfort. He was recognised for his contributions as an in-demand studio musician, and for being an integral member of the influential bands Bluegrass Alliance and New Grass Revival

Carrie Underwood joins
the Grand Ole Opry

Carrie Underwood will become the newest member of the Grand Ole Opry after she was invited Saturday to join the long-running country music show.
Randy Travis extended the invitation as Underwood finished "I Told You So," a Travis song that Underwood recorded on her latest album.
Her official induction will be May 10.
The former "American Idol" winner sold 7 million copies of her debut album SOME HEARTS and shot to super-stardom almost overnight with hits including "Before He Cheats" and "Jesus, Take the Wheel."
Her follow-up album, CARNIVAL RIDE came out last fall and has produced two No. 1s: "So Small" and her current single "All-American Girl."
Underwood said backstage that the invitation was a complete surprise. "I felt like I just won something amazing all over again," she said. "The Opry has meant so much to me growing up, seeing people perform and wanting to do that."

Britain's Southern Country Magazine editor died

It is with great sadness that we announce the death after a long fight with cancer of Sue McCarthy, the editor of Britain's "Southern Country" magazine which she has run for around 30 years. That in itself is a remarkable achievement for a lady who has done so much for country music. Her recent induction into the British Country Music Hall Of Fame will serve as a lasting reminder of someone who devoted so much to the British Country Music scene.

Stephen Stills


Singer-songwriter Stephen Stills (Crosby, Stills & Nash) has been diagnosed with prostate cancer, according to bandmate Graham Nash.  Nash told TV talk show host Larry King in a telephone interview last month that Stills underwent an operation on Jan. 3rd, which also happens to be his 63rd birthday.  The news came a day after Dan Fogelberg's death, three years after Dan was diagnosed with advanced prostate cancer.  Upon learning that he had the disease, Fogelberg urged men over 50 to get tested.  Nash said an early diagnosis of the disease had potentially saved Still's life. 

 

Earl Scruggs Award

Earl Scruggs will receive a GRAMMY Lifetime Achievement Award,  for his part as an influential creator who has crafted or contributed to some of the most distinctive recordings in music history. Earl is recognized as a musician who revolutionized and popularized the banjo, developing what is known as the “Scruggs Style Picking.”

Hall Of Fame Inductees

Vince Gill, Mel Tillis and Ralph Emery will be officially inducted during a ceremony at the Hall of Fame and Museum in Nashville in October. Vince Gill is an 18-time Grammy-winner and has sold more than 22-million albums. 

Elvis’ Palm Springs Home

Reno Fontana recently purchased Presley’s Palm Springs home and wants to turn it  into  a tourist attraction. The Spanish-style white stucco home has five bedrooms and seven bathrooms.  Elvis and Priscilla Presley bought the home in April 1970. The family, including daughter Lisa Marie, lived there part-time.After his death, Presley's lawyer took control of the estate.  Fontana, a lifelong Elvis fan, plans to decorate it in elaborate Elvis style and build a chapel, banquet hall and recording studio to attract weddings and recording  business

Jimmie Rogers Commemorative Marker

 

The Mississippi Blues Commission will unveil a market  for Jimmie Rodgers -- the "father of country music," on May 3rd in Meridian, Mississippi,  in conjunction with the 54th annual Jimmie Rodgers Festival. The marker will be located at Singing Brakeman Park. It will pay tribute to Rodgers and the influence the blues had on his music.

Wynonna Sues For Divorce

The husband of Wynonna Judd, Dan Roach, has been arrested on three counts of aggravated sexual assault on a minor aged under 13. Wynonna has filed for
divorce. The couple married in 2003 - Roach was her personal security chief
for 12 years.

Chris LeDoux Sculpture

D. Michael Thomas has created a lifesize plus sculpture of Chris LeDoux for The Chris LeDoux Memorial Park in Kaycee, WY. The bronze is titled “Good Ride Cowboy.”

 

New Ride At Dollywood

 

Dollywood in Pigeon Forge, TN, has a new ride, "Mystery Mine,”  an 18-million dollar steel roller coaster, the first ride of its kind in the U.S, with several high-speed twists and scary encounters including a fall from a collapsed trestle and a plunge into an abandoned tunnel.

 

Sugar Hill Records Closes Durham Head Office


Sugar Hill Records, a premier roots-music record label that has put out albums for the likes of Dolly Parton, Nickel Creek and Sam Bush, announced Monday that it will move its headquarters from Durham, N.C. to Nashville. But depending on who you talk to, the move is being portrayed either as a cold-hearted corporate downsizing or a nod to Nashville's central position in the growing Americana music genre. Staff at the Durham office were unaware until they arrived at work on Monday and were told that as of that moment the office was closed/ Some were offered positions in Nashville, others lost their jobs


Bob Wills Honoured

Bob Wills will be honored posthumously with the Recording Academy 's lifetime achievement award at a ceremony during Grammy Week activities in Los Angeles , California .

National Medal Of Art For 
Ralph Stanley

Ralph Stanley received the National Medal of Arts from President George W. Bush and first lady Laura Bush. The medal is sponsored by the National Endowment for the Arts and is the nation's highest honor for artistic excellence.

Vintage folk concerts revived 

Previously unreleased vintage performances by Bill Monroe, Mississippi John Hurt, Maybelle Carter, Dock Boggs, Doc Watson and the Stanley Brothers will be available for the first time on the three-CD set Friends of Old Time Music, due September 26 via Smithsonian Folkways Recordings.

Songwriters Hall Of Fame

Jimmy Buffett is among five nominees being considered for induction into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame in the songwriter-artist category. Additionally, 10 composers have been nominated for two slots in the Hall of Fame's songwriter category for 2006. Joining Buffett in the songwriter-artist category are Arthur Alexander, J.J. Cale, John Hiatt and Tony Joe White. Alexander, who died in 1993, was a country-soul music pioneer whose songs were recorded by the Beatles, the Rolling Stones and Elvis Presley. Nominees in the songwriter category include Pat Alger ("The Thunder Rolls"), Larry Henley ("The Wind Beneath My Wings"), Mark James ("Suspicious Minds"), Mac McAnally ("Old Flame"), Bob Morrison ("You Decorated My Life"), Gary Nicholson ("One More Last Chance"), Hugh Prestwood ("The Song Remembers When"), Thom Schuyler ("16th Avenue"), John Scott Sherrill ("Nothin' but the Wheel") and Jim Weatherly ("Midnight Train to Georgia").

Bluegrass Legend Honoured

Legendary bluegrass singer Doyle Lawson has been named as one of 11 recipients of the National Heritage Fellowships, America’s highest honour in the folk and traditional arts from the National Endowment for the Arts. He’ll travel to Washington D.C. with his group in September, where they’ll attend a banquet at the Library of Congress and an awards presentation on Capitol Hill plus a concert on September 15.
Lawson will receive an award of $20,000, but he deems that a "secondary award" to the recognition for the honour. "I was just speechless when they told me about this award," Lawson said. "All my life I’ve been in love with music, but it was always something that I did because I truly loved singing and playing.  

Brenda Lee Awarded

Brenda Lee will receive the Jo Walker-Meador Lifetime Achievement award from the SOURCE Foundation on September 21st. The organization recognizes women who were the gatekeepers for the legendary founding fathers of Nashville's Music Row as well as its first female executives.

Willie Nelson Purchases Childhood Church

According to AOL.com, Willie Nelson has bought the Methodist church he attended and refined his musical chops in during his childhood in Abbott, Texas. The veteran musician performed with his sister Bobbie Nelson and Leon Russell, working through hymns such as "Will the Circle be Unbroken" and "I'll Fly Away" as part of a service celebrating his purchase and preservation of the church.
"Sister Bobbie and I have been going to this church since we were born," Willie told the Associated Press. "We sang, and my sister played piano here. My grandmother brought us, and we came every Sunday, every Monday and Wednesday."
Services have been celebrated at the church south of Dallas for more than a hundred years, and Willie was prompted to make the purchase after a shrinking congregation caused the church to close its doors in May.

Bluegrass Legend Receives National Honours

Legendary bluegrass singer Doyle Lawson has been named as one of 11 recipients of the National Heritage Fellowships, America’s highest honour in the folk and traditional arts from the National Endowment for the Arts. He’ll travel to Washington D.C. with his group in September, where they’ll attend a banquet at the Library of Congress and an awards presentation on Capitol Hill plus a concert on September 15.
Lawson will receive an award of $20,000, but he deems that a "secondary award" to the recognition for the honour. "I was just speechless when they told me about this award," Lawson said. "All my life I’ve been in love with music, but it was always something that I did because I truly loved singing and playing.

Buddy Holly

  The diamond-and-white gold Omega
wristwatch that Buddy Holly was wearing at the time of his death, is among the items being put up for auction by his widow, Maria Elena Holly. 
 The auction, set for Heritage Auction Galleries and Auctioneers in Dallas on April 14-15, will also include unreleased music recordings, Buddy’s passport and other personal items.

Merle Haggard

Merle Haggard will receive the 2006 GRAMMY Lifetime Achievement Award for lifelong artistic contributions to the recording medium, at a ceremony during GRAMMY Week on Tuesday, February 7th, as well as during the annual GRAMMY Awards on February 8th

Willie Nelson

Willie Nelson was recently inducted into the Hillsboro , Texas Area Chamber of Commerce Hall of Fame.  Willie was honored for his help in the rebuilding of the Hill County Courthouse, which was damaged by a fire in 1993 and for his ongoing efforts in helping farmers nationwide through Farm Aid.  

Conway Twitty

A business associate of Conway Twitty is being sued by Twitty’s heirs over the domain name conwaytwitty.com. The family's business partnership, known as Conway Twitty United (CTU), had allowed Royce Inman (of Arkansas Trading Co.) to sell Twitty souvenirs on the Internet under a 1997 agreement. Inman later bought the domain name without CTU's consent and has refused to give it to the family. Twitty died in 1993.

Chesney and Zellweger Marriage Annulled

Kenny Chesney’s four-month marriage to Renée Zellweger was officially annulled December 20 in a Los Angeles court.

Mansfield shot in his car in east Nashville

 

Eric Scott Mansfield a thirty-three year old Warner Bros. creative executive, who was gunned down Friday November 11 while parking his car in east Nashville, had "a gift of humour," his friends said. Mansfield was looking for a place to park his car about 6:35 p.m. when he was shot in the chest by an unknown gunman near the Greenwood Avenue house where he lived. The fatal shot came through an open car door and may have been the result of an attempted robbery, police said. Mansfield is survived by his parents, Charles and Phyllis Krigbaum Mansfield; partner, David Mark Miller II; and his two children.

 

Minnie Pearl Statue

 

Minnie Pearl statue unveiling part of 'Opry' celebration
Minnie Pearl is coming to the Grand Ole Opry once again, but in a larger-than-life format.
A new statue of the Opry humorist, fresh from a foundry in Cody, Wyoming, will be unveiled as part of the country music radio show's 80th birthday.
But in a reversal of the path the late Country Music Hall of Fame member took in 1939 on her journey from Sarah Ophelia Colley of Hickman County to Minnie Pearl, the first lady of homespun humour, this bronze representation will not be staying long at the Opry.
Minnie's image is going home for good to Hickman County, where in Centerville, the county seat, a limestone pedestal of honour has been prepared on the east side of the county courthouse. She's expected to be permanently in place by Oct. 25, which would have been her 93rd birthday.

Mindy Taken To Nashville Hospital

Mindy McCready was transported to a Nashville hospital 23 Sept 2005 after two calls to 911.  Paramedics responded to McCready’s home after a 2:13 AM call regarding a possible overdose, but found nothing wrong.  After a second call at 4:04 AM, Mindy was taken to the hospital.  According to a police report, she had consumed approximately thirty anti-depressant pills after getting into an argument with her boyfriend over the phone.  Last week McCready was released on bond pending trial on a probation charge.  She told the court that pregnancy is the reason she broke probation on a drug conviction and went to Florida to visit family

 

 

Mindy McCready Arrest Warrant


An arrest warrant issued on for Mindy McCready says the country singer has violated her probation on a drug charge. A judge signed off on the warrant Monday because McCready left Tennessee without getting permission from her probation officer and didn't report to the officer during July, according to Williamson County Sheriff's officials

 

Country Singer Join NASCAR

Vince Gill, Trisha Yearwood, Trace Adkins, Diamond Rio, Jo Dee Messina, Kenny Rogers, and Chely Wright  will join NASCAR® drivers Kyle Petty, Richard Petty, Tony Stewart, Michael Waltrip, and Sterling Marlin, January 13th and 14th  in Nashville, Tennessee to raise funds  for The Victory Junction Gang Camp and The Country Music Hall of Fame® and Museum charities.

 

Spade Cooley Movie Coming

Actor Dennis Quaid has written a film about the late western swing legend Spade Cooley that he plans to direct and star in, alongside actress Katie Holmes.

James Burton Guitar Fest

The James Burton International Guitar Festival is scheduled for August 19th thru 21st in Shreveport, La. and will feature Brad Paisley, Steve Wariner, Johnny Hiland, Doyle Dykes and Alabama 's Jeff Cook. At age of 15, James Burton played lead guitar on Dale Hawkins' classic recording of "Suzie Q" in 1957. He later moved to Los Angeles and became a session and road musician, working with names like Ricky Nelson, Elvis Presley, Emmylou Harris, Merle Haggard, and Frank Sinatra. The festival benefits the James Burton Foundation, which provides instruments and scholarships to children and young adults.

Alabama Inducted 
Into Hall of Fame

The group Alabama was among 17 acts inducted recently into the Vocal Group Hall of Fame in Wildwood, New Jersey .  Others inducted were the Doobie Brothers, the Beatles, the Everly Brothers, the O'Jays, Ronettes, and The Jordanaires.

Johnny Cash Sun recordings

Seven albums released by Johnny Cash on Memphis' storied Sun Records label will be packaged together in a limited edition box set due May 24 from Varese Sarabande's Varese Vintage label, distributed through Universal. "The Original Sun Albums -- The Complete Collection" will comprise "Johnny Cash With His Red Hot and Blue Guitar" (1957), "Johnny Cash Sings the Songs That Made Him Famous" (1958), "Greatest!" (1959), "Johnny Cash Sings Hank Williams ... and Other Favorite Tunes" (1960), "Now Here's Johnny Cash" (1961), "All Aboard the Blue Train With Johnny Cash" (1962) and "The Original Sun Sound of Johnny Cash" (1964).

 

Willie Opens Theater

 

Willie Nelson is opening his own concert theater, Willie's Place, September at Carl's Corner Truck Stop, located south of Dallas .  Carl's Corner is the flagship filling station for BioWillie, his own blend of biodiesel fuel made from vegetable oils.  The 850-seat concert hall is described as a full-service, year-round live music venue.  Willie will appear at the theater September 26-27.  

 

Chris Loses Battle With Cancer

 

Country singer and former rodeo star Chris LeDoux died March 9, in Casper, Wyoming following a lengthy battle with liver ailments. He was admitted to Wyoming Medical Center in Casper on the Monday after experiencing complications from cancer.

  Chris LeDoux will be inducted into the ProRodeo Hall of Fame in Colorado Springs, Colorado on July 16. LeDoux was the 1976 world bareback riding champion and will be inducted in two categories – bareback and notables. The notable category recognizes his contributions to the sport through his music. Chris is one of six cowboys named to the ProRodeo Hall of Fame this year.

 

Kathy Kay Passed Away

 

Kathy Kay died on 9 March in a nursing home in Largs on the west coast of Scotland. British radio listeners from the 1950's will fondly remember Kathy as a singer with the Billy Cotton Band show, broadcast on Sunday afternoons.

  Kathy was 86 and had been suffering from Alzheimer's for the past 15 years

 

Joe Carter Died

 

Joe Carter, a member of the famous Carter Family, died of cancer March 2 at his home. He was 78.
  Carter was a cornerstone of the preservation of old-time mountain music and helped build the Carter Family Fold in Hiltons, Va., which presented shows of country and bluegrass music every weekend.

  Joe Carter, who performed at the Carter Family Fold, was the last direct connection to anyone who was at that original session, said his friend Tim White.

  Joe Carter is survived by three daughters and seven grandchildren.

 

Johnny Cash's First Wife Died

It is with deep sadness that we bear the news of the passing of Johnny Cash's first wife and Rosanne's mom, Vivian Liberto Cash Distin on May 24, 2005.

 

June Carter Died At 73

Singer, songwriter, actress, author and the daughter, wife, mother and stepmother of some of the brightest stars in the country music firmament - June Carter Cash died Thursday (May 15) at 5:04 p.m. at Baptist Hospital in Nashville of complications from heart surgery. She was 73

Blue Barron, 91, big-band orchestra leader; July 16th in Baltimore.

Big Al Downing, 65, member of the Rockabilly Hall of Fame; July 4th in Massachusetts from complications of leukemia.

 

Elvis Experience

Hundreds of Elvis artefacts from Graceland will become part of a permanent exhibit inside the Westgate Resort and Casino in Las Vegas. "Graceland  Presents Elvis: The Exhibition - The Show ---The Experience" will cover Elvis' entire life plus live entertainment and the new Elvis Presley Wedding Chapel.

UNCLE PEN’S CABIN TO BE REBUILT
 

James Monroe is rebuilding a log cabin where his father, bluegrass legend Bill Monroe, once lived.
The two-room cabin originally belonged to his great uncle, James Pendleton Vandiver, and was made famous in a song by his father called "Uncle Pen." Bill Monroe lived in the cabin with his uncle after the death of his parents. In 1973, Bill dedicated a monument to Vandiver in the Rosine Cemetery that still attracts visitors from around the world.

BMI TO HONOUR TOM T. HALL
 

BMI (Broadcast Music Inc,) will celebrate the songwriting career of Tom T. Hall by naming him a BMI Icon at the company’s 60th annual Country Awards. The private ceremony will be held on Tuesday, October 30 at BMI’s Music Row offices in Nashville.
The BMI Icon award is given to songwriters who have had a “unique and indelible influence on generations of music makers.” An all-star musical tribute will pay homage to Hall, who joins a list of past honorees that includes Billy Sherrill, John Fogerty, Kris Kristofferson, Willie Nelson, Isaac Hayes, Merle Haggard, Brian Wilson, Dolly Parton, Loretta Lynn, the Bee Gees, Bobby Braddock, Ray Davies, James Brown and more.

Songwriter’s Hall Of Fame

Larry Gatlin – along with Kix Brooks, Ronnie Dunn and Mary Chapin Carpenter, have been nominated for the “2012 Nashville Songwriter’s Hall Of Fame” in the “Songwriter/Artist” category. Winner will be announced at the Hall of Fame Dinner and Induction Ceremony October 7th.

National Recording Registry

Patsy Montana’s signature song, “I Want To  Be A Cowboy’s Sweetheart” is going into the National Recording Registry of the Library of Congress, along with Dolly Parton’s “Coat of Many Colours”.

Each year the Library of Congress selects 25 recordings that are “historically”, “culturally”, or “aesthetically significant” and are at least 10 years old to be added to the National Recording Registry which now contains 350 such recordings.

ROSANNE CASH SINGS TO SELL U.S. TO THE U.K!


Rosanne Cash is playing a prominent part in United States' first-ever tourism marketing campaign.
The daughter of country music legend Johnny Cash has written and recorded a new song entitled "Land of Dreams" for the campaign, which plays a major part in the new commercial being regularly featured on TV in the UK.
It's apparently the first time that the U.S. has marketed itself as a tourist destination to people living in other countries.
You can see the full version of the song here:

HANK COCHRAN DOCUMENTARY
 

Hank Cochran: Livin’ For A Song, a bio-documentary of one of Nashville’s most successful songwriters, had its world premiere in April (2012) at the Regal Green Cinemas as part of the Nashville Film Festival.
Among those appearing in the film as commentators and/or performers are Willie Nelson, Bobby Bare, Elvis Costello, Ray Price, Merle Haggard, Brad Paisley, Jamey Johnson (who has recorded an album of duet versions of Cochran’s songs), Lee Ann Womack, Ronnie Milsap, Jeannie Seely, Mark Chesnutt, Mandy Barnett and Mike Henderson.

CAROL LEE COOPER RETIRES FROM OPRY
 

Carol Lee Cooper ended a 40-year career as a background singer on Nashville’s Grand Ole Opry on March 24th.
She first appeared on the Opry stage with her parents, long-time Grand Ole Opry members Wilma Lee and Stoney Cooper, ‘way back in 1956. She formed and has led the Carol Lee Singers, named by Opry patriarch Roy Acuff, on Opry background vocals since 1972. The Carol Lee Singers’ other members, Norah Lee Allen, Rod Fletcher and Dennis McCall, will continue at the Opry as “The Opry Singers.”

CASH MUSEUM FOR DOWNTOWN NASHVILLE
 

A long-time friend of Johnny Cash plans to open a downtown Nashville museum dedicated to the iconic Man in Black. The museum, planned for a former warehouse on Third Avenue South, will feature parts of Cash’s former home in Hendersonville. It also will include memorabilia from the personal collection of William “Bill” W. Miller Jr., a California businessman who was friends with Cash for more than 25 years.
The original sign for House of Cash, a small attraction that the Cash family operated in Nashville until 1999, will be on display in the new museum which has the backing of the Cash family.

Merle Haggard Back on The Road

Merle Haggard is returning to the road after bout of double pneumonia that has recently kept him in a Macon, Georgia, where doctors found the 74-year-old had several other ailments, including stomach ulcers, polyps in his colon and diverticulitis of the esophagus.

KENNY ROGERS SUES CAPITOL RECORDS

Singer Kenny Rogers has filed a federal lawsuit against Capitol Records in Nashville, claiming the label deliberately misled him and other artists about payments owed to them for online music sales.
He’s alleging breach of contract for underpayments on digital song royalties stretching back more than 30 years. In addition to those unspecified royalties, Rogers’ suit also alleges he was underpaid in excess of $400,000 by Capitol Records due to a variety of accounting errors.
This is the latest in a growing number of lawsuits brought by artistes against their record labels over how they have shared royalties in sales of music online.

THE LADIES OF COUNTRY

Another tour under the title “Ladies Of Country” takes place in May, originally set to star the late Billie Jo Spears, but now featuring Jeannie C. Riley, Sandy Kelly and Sarah Jory.

WATER AND SNOW PARK FOR NASHVILLE
 

Gaylord Entertainment and Dolly Parton’s Dollywood Company are entering a 50/50 joint venture to develop a 114-acre family entertainment zone adjacent to the Gaylord Opryland Resort & Convention Centre, site of the Opryland Theme Park which Gaylord razed to the group to make room for a shopping mall. The new project is set to open in the summer of 2014 and will include 35-acres set aside for future expansion. The park will provide a mix of high energy water activities for the summer season and designated snow activities for winter play. Once open, first year attendance is projected at 500,000, a large portion of which will come from out of state, bringing in substantial tourism revenue to Tennessee and Nashville. Dollywood expects to employ 450 full- and part-time employees.

Bobby Bare and
Eurovision Song Contest.

It’s reported that Bobby Bare, could very well end up representing Norway this year in a long-running Eurovision Song Contest.
Bobby, who still regularly performs in Norway, has written and recorded a duet with Norwegian singer Petter Oien, and that song, “Things Change,” is now among three in contention to represent Norway at the 2012 Eurovision Song Contest.

Roger Miller's Songs

The 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals has ruled that  Sony/ATV Music Publishing owns the renewal copyrights to the Roger Miller songs  published in 1964. Federal courts have already ruled that Sony owns the rights to Miller’s songs published from 1958 to 1963.The decision struck down a lower court’s ruling in widow Mary Miller’s favor. Roger Miller  left a will that stated that his widow was entitled to the rights to his work. But before he died he had assigned copyrights to his music to Sony.

BAKERSFIELD SOUND FOR
HALL OF FAME
 

The Country Music Hall of Fame’s major new exhibition, “The Bakersfield Sound: Buck Owens, Merle Haggard, and California Country“, opens March 24, 2012, for a near two-year run. Narrated by Dwight Yoakam, the exhibit will explore the roots, its heyday and impact of the Bakersfield Sound, closely identified with the careers of both Buck Owens and Merle Haggard.
The story also includes Bill Woods, widely regarded as “The Father of the Bakersfield Sound,” and the city’s other musical architects: “Cousin” Herb Henson, Billy Mize, Fuzzy Owen, Bonnie Owens, Red Simpson, Lewis Talley and others.

GIBSON GUITAR RAID


Gibson guitar plants in Nashville and Memphis were raided recently by federal agents. Law enforcement is not giving any details in the case, but The Tennessean reports that U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents were executing search warrants at the offices.
The searches could be related to past investigations about using endangered wood in Gibson’s instrument manufacturing. In November 2009, Gibson was charged with illegal importation of Madagascar wood.

Country Music Hall of Fame
 New Inductees

1st March 2011, at a press conference at the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum in downtown Nashville, Kix Brooks announced that Jean Shepard along with Reba McEntire, and super songwriter, Bobby Braddock will be inducted into the Country Hall Of Fame later this year.
  McEntire will be inducted in the Modern Era Artist category, while Shepard will be inducted in the Veterans Era Artist category. Braddock is the first inductee in the new Songwriter category, which is awarded every third year in a rotation with the Recording and/or Touring Musician and Non-Performer categories.

George Strait and Reba McEntire

George Strait has scored his 82nd career ACM nomination, being recognized in the Top Male Vocalist of the Year category for the 18th time. Strait has won the Top Male Vocalist trophies six times, and has a total of 19 ACM wins. He and Reba McEntire will perform Saturday night at the MGM Garden Arena in Las Vegas, the site of the 46th Annual ACM Awards on April 3rd.

Reba McEntire
Starts and Ends 2010 at #1

Reba McEntire’s 35th chart-topping career single,” “Turn on the Radio,” is country music’s final No. 1 hit of 2010 granting the superstar her 59th top 10.
  “Turn on the Radio” tops the Billboard Country Singles chart and the USA Today/Country Aircheck (powered by Mediabase) chart. McEntire also began 2010 at the front of the country-radio pack, as her “Consider Me Gone” was the year’s first country chart-topper.

Reba is among  the artists joining ACM Lifting Lives to bring awareness to different charitable organizations. At last April's Academy of Country Music Awards, ACM Lifting Lives turned the artist gift lounge into a place where the stars could give back to their favorite charity instead of receiving gifts themselves. Performers also filmed a video about their chosen charities in the lounge. Reba is supporting Oasis Center. Clips can be viewed and donations can be made to the charities via ACMLiftingLives.org.  ACM Lifting Lives is the philanthropic arm of the Academy of Country Music.

Ralph Emery

Ralph has been chosen for induction into National Radio Hall of Fame Class of 2010. Induction is scheduled for Saturday November 6, 2010  from The Mayne Stage in Chicago.

THOSE NASHVILLE FLOODS

  The recent disastrous floods in Nashville and the surrounding area received hardly any coverage in the British media, but those with access to the Internet have been able to witness the incredible scenes of destruction and hardship.
  Millions of dollars damage was caused to the Opry House, the Opryland Hotel, the Country Music Hall Of Fame and countless other Nashville landmarks in addition to the homes and businesses of ordinary Nashville residents.
View on U-Tube

HALL OF FAME INDUCTEES

Ferlin Husky and Billy Sherrill, two men who brought change and innovation to Nashville-based music, entered the Country Music Hall of Fame during a recent Medallion Ceremony at the Country Music Hall of Fame.
  Husky, 84, is a groundbreaking artist whose smash hit “Gone” was at the forefront of the elegant “Nashville Sound.” Sherrill, 73, was a songwriter, executive and producer who built on that sound, producing landmark recordings like the 1980 George Jones hit “He Stopped Loving Her Today” and had a hand in penning dozens of high-charting country songs.
  Husky and Sherrill are two of four Hall inductees for 2010. On Sept. 24th, Don Williams and the late Jimmy Dean will be formally inducted into the Hall Of Famein a ceremony which will probably take place at the Hall’s water-damaged Ford Theatre.

CHRIS Le DOUX STATUE

 A larger than life size bronze statue celebrating the life and legacy of the late American music and rodeo legend Chris LeDoux, titled "Good Ride Cowboy," by sculptor D. Michael Thomas, was unveiled on June 19th during the dedication of Chris LeDoux Park in Kaycee, Wyoming.
  The statue, which sits atop a guitar shaped base, is of LeDoux riding the horse Stormy Weather, which earned the former rodeo cowboy a world championship.

DON WILLIAMS COMEBACK?

It seems that Don Williams is set to make a comeback, despite having announced his retirement a few years back. At the moment he‘s only playing dates in the USA, but there‘s apparently a strong possibility of him returning to the UK in 2011.

Garth Returns

So Garth Brooks is coming out of retirement - 10 years after his announcement - which is a pretty substantial amount of "time out" as far as "retirements" go. But if you want to see him you'll have to get glammed up because he will be appearing exclusively in Vegas at the Wynn Encore Resort Hotel. It is reported that he has a five year contract with the hotel but it turns out he can tear up the contract any time he wishes as he has a get-out clause in his favour. The one man show starts on December 11th 2009 with tickets a cool $125 US Dollars.

RYMAN HONOURS JOHNNY & JUNE


The “Mother Church of Country Music”, the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville has put together an exhibit to honour the life and work of Johnny Cash and June Carter.
Brenda Colladay, the curator at the Grand Ole Opry Museum, was instrumental in putting together the exhibit, which includes an autoharp played by June, outfits and footage from ABC’s Johnny Cash Show (which was taped at the Ryman), handwritten lyrics of “What Is Truth?” with two verses of “extra” lyrics that Cash did not record, the gold record from Cash’s Live at Folsom Prison album, footage from Grand Ole Opry appearances and other items of interest.

BILL MONROE’S DAMAGED MANDOLIN HEADPLATE TO BE SOLD


A small piece of blackish pear wood with a big gouge, eight neatly drilled tuner holes and a missing curl comes up for auction on December 3rd at Christie's in New York.
The story goes that Bill Monroe took a pocket-knife and gouged the pearl inlay "Gibson" from the overlay on the headstock of his Gibson F5 Master Model mandolin, in a fit of pique against the Gibson repair shop at the factory in Kalamazoo, which had not provided the repair work on the mandolin that the Father of Bluegrass felt he deserved. Bill is reported as saying “ they done me wrong, so the name come off.”

Special Recognition from the
Academy of Country Music

Dolly Parton, Randy Travis, and Merle Haggard received special recognition from the Academy of Country Music (Sept 2009). They were saluted at the second annual ACM Honors ceremony at Nashville's Schermerhorn Symphony Center Tonight. . Parton accepted the Jim Reeves International Award for her efforts in promoting country music outside the U.S. Travis is joining Kenny Rogers, Hank Williams Jr., and the late Jerry Reed in receiving the Cliffie Stone Pioneer Award, which recognizes innovators in country music. Haggard and the late Harlan Howard have earned the Poet's Award, which acknowledges songwriters for their lengthy and influential career.

Unhappy Jackson Fans


Many Alan Jackson fans were, to say the least, very unhappy that the concert scheduled for August 13th in Aarhus, Norway was switched to a venue in Skien. This meant that many who had bought tickets for the event had the choice of travelling many miles (apparently a seven hour journey!), cancelling hotels and re-booking new rooms, or getting a refund!
The promoters, Globe Concerts, have come under fire for switching the event for the sole reason that they can sell more tickets at the other venue. The decision has outraged many Alan Jackson fans and, while the promoter has been criticised, many fans are disgusted that Jackson has presumably given his blessing to the move.

“Pure Country” on Broadway

Lorrie Morgan has been cast in the Broadway-bound production of the hit movie “Pure Country” alongside fellow country singer Joe Nichols. The show is expected to open on Broadway in early 2010 with taking on the role of ‘Rusty’ [‘Dusty’ in the movie], which was played in the film by George Strait. Morgan plays Lula, Rusty’s ruthless manager, the role created on film by Lesley Anne Warren.

“9 TO 5” Closes on Broadway


The stage version of “9 to 5: The Musical”, with a score written by Dolly Parton, will close on Broadway on Sept. 6 due to disappointing ticket sales.

George Strait goes platinum - again

  The King of Country Music's Grammy-winning Troubadour has just been certified Platinum by the RIAA commemorating 1 million in sales. George Strait now has 33 different platinum or multi-platinum albums resulting in the most RIAA platinum certifications in country music and third in all genres, behind The Beatles and Elvis Presley.
  More good news for Strait came this morning when Soundscan reported a more than 300% increase in sales for three of his albums - Troubadour, 22 More Hits, as well as his 50#1's 2-Cd set. The significant sales increase is due largely in part to the George Strait: ACM Artist of the Decade All Star Concert where the superstars of country music paid tribute to the King of Country Music. The special aired last week and led CBS to the nightly win in viewers. Strait was named the ACM Artist of the Decade for the 2000s, joining only four other artists who have received this distinction: Marty Robbins for the 1960s, Loretta Lynn for the 1970s, Alabama for the 1980s and Garth Brooks for the 1990s.
   In addition, Strait's new single, "Living for the Night," is the most added song this week on both R&R/Billboard and Mediabase/Country Aircheck charts, garnering 63 first-week adds. "Living for the Night" is Strait's debut single from his forthcoming album, Twang, to be released early fall.

Tootsies could be sued

Nashville institution Tootsie's. the honky tonk where stars have been discovered and tourists flock every night, is under a black cloud that could threaten its future. A tourist from Alabama is suing the nightclub for $2 million, claiming he was severely beaten by two of the club's security men.  The tourist claims he was assaulted after asking for a free glass of water at closing time on May 2nd. He claims two bouncers threw him out the front door of the club, then chased him up the street where he was beaten unconscious. The man was taken to a local hospital, where he received 100 stitches to his head. He claims to still suffer from severe headaches.

MONTGOMERY GENTRY INDUCTED INTO THE GRAND OLE OPRY

Columbia Nashville duo Montgomery Gentry became the newest member of the Grand Ole Opry on June 23, inducted by Opry members Little Jimmy Dickens and Marty Stuart before an Opry House audience including family, friends, and fans.

CMA INTERNATIONAL ACHIEVEMENT AWARDS

Kix Brooks and Ronnie Dunn, of Brooks & Dunn, and Dierks Bentley, have each been presented with the CMA International Artist Achievement Award for their contributions to Country Music overseas. They received the awards on May 6th backstage at the Acer Arena Sydney, during the final stop of their recent Australian tour.

Barbara Mandrell and Roy Clark, along with Charlie McCoy, have been officially inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame.
 

“OPRY IS SAFE” - ACCORDING TO GAYLORD

The Grand Ole Opry apparently remains a key investment for its owners, Gaylord Entertainment. After a recent shareholders meeting, Robert Rowling, a billionaire Texas oilman and hotel owner whose company owns 14.9 percent of Gaylord's stock, said that he is "huge country music fan" and doesn't intend to tamper with the Opry and added "The new board members intend to be great stewards of that asset," that asset being Gaylord's world famous entertainment attraction, which has been a Nashville staple since it began in 1925 as a live weekly music performance on WSM-AM radio, now also owned by Gaylord.
All this was apparently in response to a question from Stacy Harris, on long-time critic of the way country music was being treated in Nashville, a thorn in the side of the CMA , and a regular contributor to the UK magazine “Country Music People”. She wanted to know the level of Gaylord’s support for the Opry.

Jimmy Dean's House Burns

Jimmy Dean has lost his Varnia, Virginia home to an accidental fire which reportedly started in the basement.  Dean and his wife, Donna, were at home at the time of the fire and were able to escape the burning structure without injury

Proper Records Deal

Run River Records has signed a distribution deal with Proper Music. The first album to be part of the deal is Charlie Allen's "That Was Then, This Is Now" which will be released officially in the UK on 20th April 2009.

BUDDY MILLER

Singer-songwriter Buddy Miller is recuperating after undergoing triple-bypass heart surgery. The 56-year-old musician was hospitalized  after experiencing chest pains while on the road with Emmylou Harris, Patty Griffin and Shawn Colvin on the 3 Girls and Their Buddy tour. Miller, who is also a successful guitarist and producer, appeared with Robert Plant and Alison Krauss at the Grammy Awards in Los Angeles on February 8th after touring as a member of the duo's band in 2008.

NEW CMA AWARD CATEGORIES

Nashville’s Country Music Association recently announced category and voting procedural changes for the Country Music Hall of Fame, effective from 2010 when the categories will be renamed and defined as follows:
Veterans Era - This category will be for professionals that have been in the industry longer than 25 years.
Modern Era - This category will be for professionals that have been in the industry at least 20 years, but no more than 25 years.
Rotating Categories - The third slot will continue to be a rotating category, with each group in the spotlight every third year. The Recording and/or Touring Musician and Non Performer slots will remain, joined by a new Songwriter category.

NEW HALL OF FAMERS
The Country Music Association recently announced that Roy Clark, Barbara Mandrell and Charlie McCoy will become the newest members of the Country Music Hall of Fame.
 

Kennedy Center Honors For George Jones

Country music icon George Jones has been chosen to receive the 2008 Kennedy Center Honors. Jones, who has been called, the "greatest living country singer," earned his reputation by diving so deeply into a song's lyrics that listeners couldn't help but feel an emotional connection to the song and the singer.
  Since 1978, the Kennedy Center Honors have redefined America's perception of its artistic legacy and reinvented the way this nation rewards artists. The Honors have been compared to a knighthood in Britain, or the French Legion of Honor.

"Stringbean" Killer Up For Parole

One of the two men convicted of killing Grand Ole Opry and Hee Haw performer Dave "Stringbean" Akeman and his wife Estelle nearly 35 years ago is up for parole again, and there's a chance he'll be released. John Brown is serving 198 years for the 1973 slayings. His accomplice and brother, Marvin Douglas Brown, died in prison in 2003. Two members of the parole board have voted to let John A. Brown go free. A total of four parole board members must vote yes in order for Brown to get out of prison. This is his third time he's appealed to the parole board for release. Brown and his brother went to Akeman's house in Goodlettsville, Tennessee to get money, because they'd heard that the country performer kept a substantial amount of funds in his home. Stringbean and his wife, who had been at the Opry, came home to find the two men breaking into their house. The brothers shot the singer as he approached them, and killed Estelle while she was running away.

Hank Cochran undergoes cancer surgery

Nashville, TN (July 18, 2008) -- Songwriting legend Hank Cochran is recovering at a Nashville hospital following surgery performed to remove cancerous tumors from his pancreas and lymph node. "I feel so blessed," says Hank.  "The diagnosis was made very early, and the doctors expect me to make a full recovery." 
  Cochran, a "go-to" man for performers like George Strait, Brad Paisley, Ray Price, Mark Chesnutt, and a favorite writer of the late Eddy Arnold and Patsy Cline, is the writer of timeless classics like "I Fall To Pieces," "Make The World Go Away," "Ocean Front Property" and "The Chair."  He is expected to remain in the hospital for several weeks.

Homes For Sale

The home where Johnny Cash's parents used to live is for sale on eBay. The current owner is asking about 1.4 million dollars for the four bedroom, three bath home in Hendersonville, Tennessee, a suburb of Nashville. Included in the sale are some Cash memorabilia: Cash's Guitar, a one of a kind Gold Record of "I Walk the Line," a life-size Bronze Bust of Cash, a gold locket that opens to reveal pictures of Cash and wife June Carter Cash, a gift from Johnny to his mother. Each of the items comes with a notarized certificate of authenticity by Johnny Cash's brother Tommy Cash. Cash's parents' home sits across the street from the site of the mansion where Johnny and June Carter Cash lived. Their mansion burned down in 2007.

Psychic Uri Geller lost a federal lawsuit over Elvis Presley's first house in Memphis. Geller and two partners claimed the former owners breached an eBay contract to sell the home. Geller's group had the top bid at just over $905,000. But when his group changed the real estate contract to give the owners 60 days to move, the owners took a better deal from Nashville record producer Mike Curb. He bought the house for a million dollars. A federal judge says the eBay auction wasn't binding. Curb plans to let Rhodes College use the building for a music institute. Presley bought the four-bedroom house in 1956 with his early song royalties. He lived there with his parents and grandmother for 13 months before throngs of fans forced them to move to more secluded Graceland in 1957..

Cowboy Keeper Award

Michael Martin Murphey was recently awarded the “Cowboy Keeper Award” by the National Day of the Cowboy organization. The award is given to individuals or organizations that make a substantial contribution to the preservation of Western heritage.

Dan Seals

Dan Seals is completing radiation treatments for lymphoma, following four months at the Anderson Cancer Center in Houston. Seals won two CMA Awards in 1986.  He is also one half of England Dan and John Ford Coley

Shania Twain

Shania Twain's marriage to Robert "Mutt" Lange has ended after 14 years. The 17 year age gap between the singer and her producer husband always raised more than a few passing comments in the press but in a statement Mutt said that the split was "an unfortunate thing - we literally just grew apart". Commenting on tabloid reports about an alleged affair between himself and the couple's secretary Marie-Anne Thiebaud, he said in People magazine: "It's absolutely not the reason for the separation. I'm not in a romantic relationship," he said. Shania and Mutt have a six year old son called Eja.

Riders in the Sky Cowboy Spirit Award

Every year the National Festival of the West presents the "Cowboy Spirit Award" to recognise those men and women who have set the example of Western heroes with the integrity, strength of spirit, and moral character depicted by the American Cowboy. From its inception in 1992 when Dale Evans, "Queen of the West," and Patsy Montana, "America's No. 1 Cowboy Sweetheart," received their bronzes, this star-studded presentation ceremony was destined to become the high point of the National Festival of the West. Since that time, thousands of visitors have witnessed and become an integral part of the presentation ceremony. "America’s Favourite Cowboys" Riders In The Sky, and legendary actor John Wayne, were the recipients for 2008.

Walk The Great Wall Of China

Olivia Newton-John will walk along the Great Wall of China starting on April 7 to raise money for a cancer charity. The walk is expected to take 21 days and be completed in Beijing. Newton-John lived through breast cancer in the 1990s. She is donating her proceeds to a cancer research facility in Melbourne, Australia, her hometown. Newton-John scored seven Top 10 country hits in the 1970s and was named the CMA female vocalist of the year in 1974.

Royalties Ruling on Downloads

 

A federal judge in New York has ruled that songwriters and music publishers are  not entitled to receive performance royalties on paid digital downloads. The ruling came as part of an ongoing copyright royalty rate dispute between the American Society of Composers, Author s and Publishers (ASCAP), a music licensing organization, and a group of three online media services, AOL, Yahoo and RealNetworks.

 

Country Music Honours

 

Kris Kristofferson  is  this year's recipient of its Johnny Cash Visionary Award. The award  will be presented by Cash's daughter, Rosanne, at the 2007 CMT Music Awards in Nashville

 

Hank Williams, Jr. was honored as “Tennessean of the Year” at the Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame annual banquet at the Nashville Convention Center in February.

 

Doctor Loretta Lynn

 

Loretta Lynn is slated to receive an honorary doctorate of music from Berklee College of Music during her March 17 performance at the Grand Ole Opry.
The honor from the Boston college puts the 71-year-old Lynn into a select group of recording artists that includes Duke Ellington, Tony Bennett, Aretha Franklin, Quincy Jones, B.B. King, Bonnie Raitt, Earl Scruggs, Sting and Sarah Vaughan.

 

Stonewall Jackson Sues Grand Ole Opry

 

Seventy four year old Stonewall Jackson has filed a $10 million lawsuit against The Grand Ole Opry, charging age discrimination, breach of contract and retaliation. According to Stonewall, his appearances on the show have declined since 1998 and that he lost his health insurance coverage through the Opry, and suffered humiliation and embarrassment. He said the hardships also led to heart problems.

 

Patsy Cline Museum

As of July 11 2005 a building has been secured for the Patsy Cline Museum in the Old Town historic district of Winchester, Virginia . The Museum is currently under design and was scheduled to open in March of 2006. The opening date has been delayed with Sept 2007 being mentioned.  Celebrating Patsy Cline Inc  abandoned the plans for a small start up and grow as funds came in.  They have grander plans. Which may require as much as $500,000 to be raised before work on the exhibits can begin.. An historical marker in front of her home unveiled on September 3. 

Wilkinsons recovering after car crash

Two members of Canadian family group the Wilkinsons are recovering after being injured in a car crash on August 5.
  Amanda Wilkinson and father Steve have been resting at home in Centre Hastings, Ontario after the accident, which occurred after Steve swerved to avoid an oncoming car attempting to pass on Highway 7 near Sharbot Lake, also in Ontario.
  Steve’s son Tyler, was travelling in a separate car.

Johnny Rodriguez continues to improve 

Johnny Rodriguez was life-flighted to a hospital in Ft. Worth, Texas on Monday August 7, following a bad fall from a horse. He was in critical condition in intensive care and on a respirator, is now conscious but will have a long rehab process. Doctors have determined there is no spinal or brain damage from the fall, however Rodriguez does have a broken jaw, broken cheekbone and numerous lacerations on his face.
  His immediate dates have been cancelled. He was staying near Ft. Worth and had been breaking horses on the side of his entertaining.

Nashville Walk Of Fame

A press conference was held August 10th in downtown Nashville , Tennessee , announcing the creation of the Music City Walk of Fame. Similar to the Hollywood Walk of Fame, the new attraction will feature permanent sidewalk medallions with the name of each honoree. The inductions will be open to all singers, musicians, songwriters, producers and music industry executives of all genres who have played a significant role in making Nashville an international music center. The first medallions will be placed in the park across the street from the Country Music Hall of Fame. Nominations for the brushed steel and terrazzo medallions began Thursday. A sponsorship fee of $7,500 is required to pay for creation, installation and ongoing maintenance of each plaque. The project is being produced by Gibson Guitar, the city of Nashville and Metro Parks.

Robert Reynolds buys hunk of Elvis history for $2,500

Nashville musician Robert Reynolds is all shook up about Elvis Presley's favourite roller coaster. Reynolds now owns it — and he has no idea what do to with it.  "I think I'm in over my head for sure," Reynolds, of The Mavericks, said the day after he and business partner Stephen Shutts bought the famous 90-year-old Zippin Pippin wooden coaster an at auction at theme park Libertyland, which closed last year.

Graceland Forever

Elvis may have left it, but this building will be sticking around for a long time. The U.S. Department of Interior officially designated Graceland, the beloved Memphis mansion where the King of Rock 'n' Roll died in 1977, a national historic landmark

Recovering Crow Ready to Hit Road

After undergoing successful cancer surgery, all Sheryl Crow wants to do is hit the road. The 44-year-old singer-songwriter was forced to scrap a spring tour after she was diagnosed with breast cancer last month. She has announced to make up most of those North American dates in support of her most recent Grammy-nominated album, Wildflower, beginning June 12 at the Murat Theater in Indianapolis and wrapping July 8 with a stop at Boston's Fenway Park opening for the Dave Matthews Band.

Hank Jr's Girls Badly Hurt In Smash

Two daughters of country music singer Hank Williams Jr. were badly hurt in a traffic accident on Wednesday in Mississippi. Holly and Hillary Williams - both in their 20s, were injured in the crash en route to the funeral of their maternal grandfather in Louisiana.  Hillary was the worst hurt and her
condition is described as critical.

Emmylou Harris

Emmylou Harris has been named the 2006 recipient of the Dale Franklin Leadership Award from Leadership Music, a nonprofit organization that promotes communication among professionals working within the Nashville music industry. She will be honored September 19th during a tribute banquet at the new Schermerhorn Symphony Center in downtown Nashville. . 

Hank Williams

Another ruling has been handed down in a decade long fight over recordings made by Hank Williams for WSM Radio and Mothers' Best Flour in the early 1950s. 
  The children of Hank Williams - Hank Jr. and Jett - own the recorded performances, according to the unanimous affirmation of a lower court ruling by the Court of Appeals for Middle Division of Tennessee on January 20th.  Polygram Records had fought for rights to the recordings based on its ownership of Hank's original recording contract with MGM Records. 
  The courts have so far ruled that Polygram owns only those recordings made originally for retail sale.
  You missed your chance to buy Hank Williams Jr.'s car.   The 1964 Pontiac convertible brought a $ 214,500 winning bid at the classic car auction in the Phoenix area last week.  The car is blinged-blinged up with 547 silver dollars, 18 pistols, 17 sterling silver horse heads, 12 silver horseshoes, real leather (the thick stuff) interior and other modest embellishments. 
       Hey, add a thumping sound system and you could really impress the chicks.

Barry Gibb Purchases Johnny Cash  Home

Barry Gibb of the Bee Gees has purchased Johnny and June Carter Cash's former home in Hendersonville, Tennessee. The 13,880-square-foot home was officially purchased by Balinda LLC, a Florida company wholly owned by Gibb and his wife, Linda. The couple plan to restore the home to its original condition and use it as retreat for songwriting. The house on Old Hickory Lake served as the Cash home for 35 years. The property, which includes a 4.6-acre lakefront lot, was placed on the market in June 2005 with an asking price of $2.9 million, but reportedly sold for $2.3 million. When it was listed, it was advertised to be sold "as is," with seven pieces of antique furniture, including the couple's bed. Built in 1968, the house includes seven bedrooms, five full baths and an outdoor swimming pool.

Bill Monroe's Son opens new Bluegrass venue

 

 (October 10, 2005)

 Bluegrass musician James Monroe, a veteran entertainer based in Nashville, plans to open a 700-seat music hall and RV campground in Franklin, Kentucky. It is scheduled to be in working operation by April of 2006. The site is two miles north of the Tennessee state line, about a 40-minute drive from Nashville.

 

Bill Monroe's Museum Mandolin

Bill Monroe’s famed Gibson F- 5 mandolin is now part of the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum's permanent collection!! The donation by Bob McLean was announced at a press conference earlier this week. this morning. 

Hall Of Fame Photo Exhibit

Twelve images from photographer Stephanie P. Ledgin's book, From Every Stage: Images of America's Roots Music, will go on display September 9 at the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum in Nashville .  Published recently by the University Press of Mississippi, the book contains 200 photographs providing a behind-the-scenes look at performers, including Roy Acuff, Roy Clark, Jimmy Martin, Doc Watson, and John Hartford.  There is no admission charge to view the exhibit, which closes November 30.

 

 

Museum For Hank

In Oak Hill, West Virginia, locals hope to turn an old Pure Oil service station into a museum to honor Hank Williams (that's Hank, Sr.).   Williams was on his way to a show in Ohio when his driver found him dead after pulling into the service station's parking lot on New Year's Day in 1953.   The city of Oak Hill plans to hold a lease on the proposed museum property until it can be turned over to a foundation.

Ray Charles Dies

 

Ray Charles is being remembered for his musical talents and his friendship in the wake of his death June 10 at the age of 73.  The singer died of acute liver disease at his Beverly Hills home at 11:35 a.m., surrounded by family and friends. Blind by age 7 and an orphan at 15, the gifted pianist and saxophonist spent his life shattering any notion of musical categories and defying easy definition.  Statements issued by the likes of Stevie Wonder, Willie Nelson and James Brown recall a consummate musician and, as described by Aretha Franklin, a "fabulous man."

 

 

Jimmy Martin Passes

Jimmy Martin, the brash fireball whose electrifying stage presence and soaring vocals made him one of bluegrass music's most consequential and colourful artists, died on the morning of May 14, at a Nashville hospice from complications of bladder cancer. He was 77. Known as ''The King of Bluegrass'' and ''Mr. Good'n Country,'' Martin became known as a master of American roots music. In 1949, Mr. Martin successfully a