James Monroe (1758 - 1831)

James Monroe was the fifth President of the United States (1817–1825). Monroe was the last president who was a Founding Father of the United States and the last president from the Virginia dynasty and the Republican Generation. He was of French and Scottish descent. Born in Westmoreland County, Virginia, Monroe was of the planter class […]

Roscoe Brumbaugh (1928 - 2006)

Roscoe Brumbaugh During an era of inequality, regional wrestling favorite Sputnik Monroe refused to perform unless black patrons were allowed to sit in any seat at the Ellis Auditorium. At the time, African-Americans were forced to sit in a separate section far away from the Caucasian patrons until Sputnik Monroe made a stand, refusing to […]

Jim Hager (1941 - 2008)

Jim Hager Musician, Entertainer. He, along with his twin brother Jon Hager, is best remembered as a regular cast performer on the television series “Hee Haw” that ran from 1969 until 1986, in which they were known for their rapid delivery of cornball one-liners. Born in Chicago, Illinois, he and his brother were adopted by […]

Jon Hager (1941 - 2009)

Jon Hager Sam Lovullo, who produced “Hee-Haw” and was a friend of Hager’s, said Hager was found dead in his apartment Friday morning. He was found in bed and apparently died in his sleep.Lovullo said Hager had been in poor health and was depressed since his identical twin brother, Jim Hager, died in May 2008.The […]

Teddy Wilson (1912 - 1986)

Teddy Wilson Mr. Wilson spent much of his career as a soloist or leader of his own small combos, but rose to prominence during a four-year stint with the Benny Goodman Orchestra. ”What I got out of playing with Teddy was something, in a jazz way, like what I got from playing Mozart in a […]

Billie Holiday (1915 - 1959)

Billie Holiday By early 1959 Holiday had cirrhosis of the liver. She stopped drinking on doctor’s orders, but soon relapsed. By May she had lost 20 pounds (9 kg). Friends Leonard Feather, Joe Glaser, and Allan Morrison unsuccessfully tried to get her to a hospital. On May 31, 1959, Holiday was taken to Metropolitan Hospital in […]

Francine Hurd Barker (1947 - 2005)

Francine Hurd Barker Born in Washington, DC, in 1947, Francine Hurd earned the childhood nickname “Peaches” because of her genteel manner. As a schoolgirl she sang in numerous groups before joining the Keynotes as lead vocalist. Later, she formed her own trio, the Darlettes, with Dyanne Stewart and Nancy J. Johnson. Their recording debut, 1965’s […]

Tammy Faye Baker (1942 - 2007)

Tammy Faye Baker She and Mr. Bakker, an Assemblies of God minister, worked as traveling evangelists in the early years of their marriage. He preached; she sang and played the accordion. They began their television career in the mid-1960s, joining Pat Robertson’s fledgling Christian Broadcasting Network as the original hosts of “The 700 Club.” In […]

Josephine Baker (1906 - 1975)

Josephine Baker Singer, entertainer. Easily the most successful Black woman of her time, Josephine was born Freda Carson into poverty in St. Louis, Missouri. Her ticket out was her comedic and dance abilities, which powered her rise to early American fame on Broadway. Tiring of performing in demeaning minstrel reviews, she jumped at the chance of a […]

Hoyt Axton (1938 - 1999)

Hoyt Axton His mother, Mae Boren Axton, co-wrote the classic rock ‘n’ roll song “Heartbreak Hotel“, which became the first major hit for Elvis Presley. Some of Hoyt’s own songs were also later recorded by Elvis. Axton’s father, John T. Axton, was a Naval officer stationed in Jacksonville, Florida; the family joined him there in […]

Danny Arnold (1925 - 1995)

Danny Arnold Arnold appeared in films as an actor opposite the comic duo Martin and Lewis, and also wrote the screenplay for the Martin and Lewis vehicle The Caddy (1953). In 1956, Arnold started writing for such television series as The Tennessee Ernie Ford Show and The Rosemary Clooney Show. In the 1960s, he began […]

Buddy Alda (1908 - 1960)

Buddy Alda Motion Picture Producer. Born E. Maurice Adler, he began his career writing short motion pictures for Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer movie studios. He became a producer for Columbia Studios in 1947 and after Darryl Zanuck left 20th Century Fox studios Buddy Adler took over as head of production. He then served as Production chief at Fox […]

Dean Manuel (1934 - 1964)

Dean Manuel In 1964, country star Jim Reeves died when the plane he was piloting crashed near Nashville. His pianist, Dean Manuel, also was killed. Reeves died when the small aircraft he was piloting crashed during a thunderstorm near Nashville, Tennessee. His business partner and manager Dean Manuel (who was also the pianist in Reeves’ […]

Guy Madison (1922 - 1996)

Guy Madison Mr. Madison, who changed his name from Robert Moseley when he became an actor, was born in Pumpkin Center, Calif., and reared in nearby Bakersfield. His father was a machinist on the Santa Fe Railroad. He attended Bakersfield Junior College for two years, majoring in animal husbandry, and worked briefly as a telephone […]

Cousin Jody (1919 - 1975)

Cousin Jody Cousin Jody (real name Clell Summey, Dec. 11, 1919-Aug.17. 1975) was a virtuoso on dobro & lap steel, but is better remembered for his comedy and novelty material. He was in the music scene of Knoxville, TN in the 30`s where he got aquaintted with Roy Acuff becoming his first dobro player. They […]

Maybelle Carter (1909 - 1978)

Maybelle Carter Affectionately and even reverently known as “Mother” Maybelle, Maybelle Carter was one-third of country music’s original first family, the Carters. Born Maybelle Addington in May of 1909, she was related by marriage to A.P. and Sara Carter — she married A.P.’s brother Ezra. Maybelle Carter was the group’s guitarist and also played autoharp […]

John Sullivan (1919 - 1967)

John Sullivan John “Lonzo” Sullivan, of Lonzo & Oscar, is born in Edmonton, Kentucky. Brother of Rollin “Oscar” Sullivan, he becomes the second of three people to play Lonzo in the Grand Ole Opry musical comedy duo from 1950 until his death in 1967  

Michael Landon (1936 - 1991)

Michael Landon Television actor. Born Eugene Maurice Orowitz on October 31, 1936, in Queens, New York. His father, Eli Maurice Orowitz, was an actor and movie theater manager. Mother Peggy O’Neill was an actress. The family moved to the suburb of Collingswood, New Jersey, where the young Eugene grew up. Orowitz spent most of his […]

Audie Murphy (1924 - 1971)

Audie Murphy On 28 May 1971, Murphy was killed when the private plane in which he was a passenger crashed into Brush Mountain, near Catawba, Virginia, 20 miles (32 km) west of Roanoke in conditions of rain, clouds, fog and zero visibility. The pilot and four other passengers were also killed.[180] The aircraft was a twin-engine […]

Martha Carson (1921 - 2004)

Martha Carson Things began to change after Carson met Fred Rose in Nashville. He helped convince Capitol to let her record alone, and in 1951 she made her solo-single debut with “Satisfied”, a gospel song she had written in response to audience disapproval over her divorce. The combination of Carson’s powerful alto voice and the […]

John Hartman (1937 - 2001)

John Hartman John Hartford won Grammy awards in three different decades, recorded a catalog of more than 30 albums, and wrote one of the most popular songs of all time, Gentle On My Mind.  He was a regular guest and contributor on the Glen Campbell Good Time Hour and the Smothers Brothers Show.  He added […]

Roy Orbison (1936 - 1988)

Roy Orbison American singer-songwriter, best known for his trademark sunglasses, distinctive, powerful voice, complex compositions, and dark emotional ballads. Orbison grew up in Texas and began singing in a rockabilly/country and western band in high school until he was signed by Sun Records in Memphis. His greatest success came with Monument Records between 1960 and […]

Pete Drake (1932 - 1988)

Pete Drake Roddis Franklin “Pete” Drake was a record producer, record company founder, Charlie Rich’s “Behind Closed Doors,” Bob Dylan’s “Lay Lady Lay,” and Tammy Wynette’s “Stand by Your Man.” Drake played on thirty-eight of forty-eight BMI (Broadcast Music, Incorporated) award-winning recordings in 1966 alone. He also played his steel guitar on five of Elvis […]

Jack Anglin (1916 - 1963)

Jack Anglin The youngest of 10 children, Anglin learned to play guitar as a child and at an early age was singing in a trio with his brothers, Jim and Van (aka Red). Jack wrote songs, and the three began to appear at local venues and radio as the Anglin Brothers. He relocated to Nashville […]

Vestal Goodman (1929 - 2003)

Vestal Goodman Born Vestal Freeman, she grew up in Alabama, dreaming of a career as an opera singer. All that changed when she met Howard “Happy” Goodman at a revival in Albertville, Ala. The two were married Nov. 7, 1949 and were nearly inseparable until his death in November 2002 at 81. During the 50s, […]

Ernest Stoneman (1893 - 1968)

Ernest Stoneman Ernest “Pop” Stoneman was one of the first, and most popular, early country artists. He was born in Carroll Country, Virginia and raised by his father and three cousins, who taught him traditional Blue Ridge Mountain songs. He married as a young man and, when not working various odd jobs, played music for […]

Stoney Cooper (1918 - 1977)

Stoney Cooper Dale Troy “Stoney” Cooper and his wife Wilma Lee were one of the premier husband-and-wife duos in country music. Staples of the Grand Ole Opry for 20 years, they performed together for close to four decades, and helped old-time music evolve into modern country music. They were born four years apart on opposite […]

Clyde Moody (1915 - 1989)

Clyde Moody CLYDE LEONARD MOODY, known widely in the bluegrass music world as the “Hillbilly Waltz King”, was born 19 Sep 1915 in Haywood County, NC, and died 07 Apr 1989 in Ashland, Cheatham, TN. His musical career began in the 1930’s and spanned over 50 years. He wrote music and lyrics and performed with […]

Webb Pierce (1921 - 1991)

Webb Pierce Webb Pierce was one of the most popular honky tonk vocalists of the ’50s, racking up more number one hits than similar artists like Hank Williams, Eddy Arnold, Lefty Frizzell, and Ernest Tubb. For most of the general public, Pierce — with his lavish, flamboyant Nudie suits — became the most recognizable face […]

Tom Mix (1880 - 1940)

Tom Mix On October 12,1940, cowboy-movie star Tom Mix is killed when he loses control of his speeding Cord Phaeton convertible and rolls into a dry wash (now called the Tom Mix Wash) near Florence, Arizona. He was 60 years old. Today, visitors to the site of the accident can see a 2-foot–tall iron statue […]