Country music industry mourned with great sorrow upon learning of the death of mother/daughter duo The Judds at age 79.
C.W. McCall was perhaps best known for writing the classic country trucker song “Convoy,” yet his influence extends much further; he had an impactful influence on folk, country and western music alike.
Brad Martin
Brad Martin, best known for his hit song “Before I Knew Better,” has passed away at 48 years old. A country music singer/songwriter signed to Epic Records during the early 2000s as well as part of an established duo called Curb Records, Martin was originally from Ohio where he learned guitar early in life after taking inspiration from Merle Haggard and Conway Twitty’s classic country songs. Later moving to Nashville Tennessee to pursue his dreams as performer/writer until artist manager Joe Carter noticed him performing locally at nightclubs before eventually getting signed by one record label.
After enjoying some solo hits with Epic Records, Martin joined John Ramey to form Martin Ramey duo, which released one album before signing to Curb Records in 2008. Martin was an extremely beloved performer who touched many fans.
Martin was known not only for his music industry work, but was also an entrepreneur and businessman. He founded RBM Venture Company and served on corporate boards of numerous companies like Saks Dillards Ruby Tuesday Caesars Entertainment and Lululemon Athletica. Additionally he created The Brad Martin Family Foundation to support organizations providing healthcare for working poor, addiction recovery programs and education; and chaired First Horizon National Corporation Executive and Risk Committees.
Bruce Birch
Eddy Arnold had a significant influence on country music with his deep, soulful voice and emotive ballads, leaving an indelible mark upon it. Hailing from Henderson, Tennessee originally, Arnold first started singing with various groups before going solo as a solo artist achieving immense success with songs such as “Sweet Dreams” and “I Want to Love You All My Life”. These timeless classics remain beloved today.
Bruce Birch of Gainesville, Georgia attended the University of Georgia and graduated with a business degree. Following that he moved to Nashville where he began writing songs for other artists as well as operating two publishing companies. A longstanding member of the Society of Biblical Literature he has published several books authored with Walter Brueggemann and Terence Fretheim; co-authored these works together for maximum impact!
Kitty Wells was an early pioneer of women in country music and broke barriers within the male-dominated industry. Known for her velvety voice and expressive singing style, she tragically died in a plane crash at only 30. At that time she was considered one of the biggest female stars at that time. Hank Thompson, one of Gene Autry’s disciples and author of “The Wild Side of Life”, launched a wave of hard-edged honky-tonk music – inspiration for Wells’ answer song: “It Wasn’t God Who Made Honky Tonk Angels.” His silky baritone voice became iconic over time – something very few can say about country music today!
Jane Dowden Grams
Jane Dowden Grams was a loving wife, mother, grandmother and great-grandmother who enjoyed spending time with her family. After working over 50 years for Irwin Union Bank in Franklin and Greenwood, Indiana where she retired after over 50 years she joined Southland Community Church of Greenwood where she regularly worshiped as well as traveling – especially Hilton Head SC Fort Lauderdale Pigeon Forge holidays and was an avid Christmas music enthusiast who will be greatly missed by all who knew her. Predeceased by husband Mickey Miller brother Jim Miller brother Jim Miller along with parents George and Martha Miller she is survived by daughters as well as grand- and great-grandchildren from her daughters surviving the family.
Guitarist and songwriter Hal Bynum had an illustrious career as a Nashville session musician, playing sessions for Jerry Reed, Tanya Tucker and Charley Pride among many other artists. A native of Kentucky himself, Bynum wrote songs recorded by Lee Greenwood, Brenda Lee and Chris LeDoux as well.
Ray Edenton was an esteemed bassist and vocalist who featured prominently on several country-themed television programs such as Hee Haw and Ralph Emery’s Nashville Now as well as playing with Grand Ole Opry staff band members. Edenton holds the distinction of becoming one of the first multi-instrumentalists ever to incorporate banjo into a country song when playing it alongside harmonica for Marty Robbins’ “Fool Hearted Memory.”
Art Rosenbaum was an esteemed folklorist from the South who earned a Grammy award for his 2008 album of traditional American music. Influencing Miranda Lambert and Corb Lund’s careers.
Jim Miller
Country music is an exceptional form of tribal expression, encouraging listeners to work together as part of an informal community and support one another. Artists such as Barbara Mandrell pay particular attention to radio playlists and Billboard charts in their pursuit of audience approval – however this has never undermined its strong sense of identity in this genre.
James Brown Miller was born in Van Buren, Arkansas on October 25, 1861 and moved to Texas at an early age. Working as a cowboy for Emmanuel “Mannen” Clements he later married Sallie Clements – Mannen’s daughter by marriage.
Miller was known as an unforgiving murderer with a reputation for killing numerous individuals in a variety of ways, such as gunfights or outlaw activities and assignations. Additionally, he worked as a professional assassin killing people for a fee.
In November 1886, he shot and killed Sheriff George A. “Bud” Frazer of Pecos, Texas before being apprehended and executed on December 28, 1908 in Ada, Oklahoma by a posse.
Miller was the only individual lynched twice during the American Civil War, as well as being one of the most brutal killers ever seen in Old West history. Ada citizens knew they had executed an unpredictable psychopath; their participation or subsequent arrival at the barn did not fool them; they saw through Miller’s attractive mask and unassuming demeanor; they knew this man was hiding a dangerous psychopath who preyed upon their town’s citizens and brought destruction upon themselves all too easily.
Jake Flint
Tanya Tucker won over audiences throughout the Sixties with her deep, seductive voice and captivating storytelling talent, drawing them in with country hits such as “What a Man My Man Is.” For this talent alone she earned herself induction into the Country Music Hall of Fame.
Guy Clark of Texas was widely revered as one of country music’s finest lyricists. His powerful lyrics, full of nostalgia, metaphor and emotion made him one of Nashville’s most loved artists. Born in Monahans and known for his folk-country style and lasting contributions to its development.
Willie Nelson has long been one of the pioneers of country rock. His distinctive vocal style and songwriting ability has cemented him a place in country music history while drawing in new listeners.
Hank Thompson was an early practitioner of hard-edged honky tonk music. His mournful 1952 single, “The Wild Side of Life”, inspired Kitty Wells’ response song which revolutionized how women were represented in country music. Thompson’s distinctive vocal style and Western Swing instrumentation would eventually influence later artists such as Waylon Jennings.
Peter Cooper
Country music has given us many iconic singers. Some are known for their powerful voices while others are remembered for their catchy tunes. Here are a few of our most adored country stars who have left us.
Patsy Cline, known for her distinctive voice and emotional vocal range, became an icon of country music during her long and successful career. Her legacy lives on and her fame continues to inspire female performers today.
Jamey Johnson proved with her 2008 album In Color that there is still a market for artists who can mix classic country with contemporary influences and provide listeners with albums format albums like Sturgill Simpson. Johnson has shown the world how vital albums formats remain today – leading other independent country success stories to emerge such as himself.
Guy Clark has become one of the country music scene’s premier songwriters with his unique combination of tradition and storytelling. His powerful mixtures of nostalgia, metaphor and emotion have solidified him as one of Nashville’s go-to writers while helping to push country music mainstream by not being restricted by one genre or subgenre. A true craftsman himself, Guy has won more Grammys than any male country artist before performing live not for money but simply out of passion for his art form at Nashville clubs.