December 19, 1920 – January 2, 2015
James Cecil “Little Jimmy” Dickens stood just 4’11”. But the persona he left behind loomed much, much larger. Dickens was known for his outlandish, rhinestone-laden outfits and novelty hits such as “May the Bird of Paradise Fly Up Your Nose.” He was a member of both the Grand Ole Opry and the Country Music Hall of Fame. Continue reading
November 4, 1953 – April 8, 2001
Van Stephenson was a notable Nashville songwriter who wrote hits for the likes of Crystal Gayle, Dan Seals, Kenny Rogers and the band Restless Heart. But, beyond writing, he also had a career as a performer and recording artist. He had a number of solo albums in the 1980’s, but is perhaps most remembered as one third of the 1990’s country act, BlackHawk.Stephenson enjoyed success with the group for the better part of the decade. He left the group in 2000 due to being diagnosed with Melanoma. He died from the disease the next year at the age of 47.
May 15, 1918 – May 8, 2008
In the vast landscape that is American country music, few artists – if any – had the type of unbelievable success that Richard Edward “Eddy” Arnold had in the late 1940’s and 1950’s. Arnold played the radio station circuit for years before breaking into the country charts with 1945’s “Each Minute Seems a Million Years.” Over the next decade, he would chart more than 40 singles on the country charts – many of which hit and stayed at No. 1.The 1950’s brought rock and roll to the forefront and Eddy’s career waned.
July 26, 1940 – December 6, 2011
Dobie Gray was a singer/songwriter who’s career spanned a number of genres. His biggest hit was 1973’s “Drift Away” which peaked at #5 on the Billboard pop chart. Later in his career he found himself in Nashville writing successful songs for many other artists like Ray Charles and George Jones. He was also wildly popular in South Africa for some reason and successfully toured there. Which was odd, because…well, apartheid. Nevertheless, Gray continued to record modest hits on the pop and country charts well into the 1990’s. Continue reading
September 26, 1925 – December 8, 1982
Martin David Robinson (Marty Robbins) was a singer, actor and sometime NASCAR driver who found his career by way of the Navy and a small-time Phoenix television show. His major country hits “El Paso” and “A White Sport Coat and a Pink Carnation” were also successful on the pop charts. Robbins appeared in a couple of films such as Guns of a Stranger and the Clint Eastwood movie, Honkytonk Man. In his spare time, Marty liked to race cars. Like, professionally. Continue reading
February 8, 1948 – March 25, 2009
Dan Seals was a popular music and country artist who, like his big brother Jim (of Seals & Crofts fame) scored a number of hits throughout his career. His biggest crossover hit was as a member of the soft rock duo England Dan and John Ford Coley. Their “I’d Really Love To See You Tonight” reached as high as #2 on the Billboard pop chart. After England Dan (a childhood nickname given to him by Jim) and Coley parted ways, Seals embarked on a pretty successful solo country career. Continue reading
May 31, 1938 – February 19, 2003
Donald Eugene Lytle, known to the world as Johnny Paycheck, was a country singer/songwriter whose biggest hit became an anthem for disgruntled employees for generations. Paycheck recorded “Take This Job and Shove It” in 1977 and it became his only number 1 hit. Though, Johnny had a number of smaller hits throughout his career, too. He was part of the “outlaw” movement of country music in the 1970’s. But, unlike many of his other outlaw contemporaries, Johnny lived it. Continue reading
August 8, 1921 – February 24, 1991
Webb Michael Pierce was a flashy honky tonk singer and guitar player who was one of the most recognizable talents on the 1950’s. Pierce topped the country charts with hits like “In The Jailhouse Now” and “Wondering” and was a member of the fabled Grand Ole Opry. His was a persona and a life of excess. His custom-made suits, silver-dollar-lined cars and piano-shaped swimming pools were indicative of his personal tastes. Even though he had a reputation as a hard drinker, Pierce continued to work in the industry, recording duets with the likes of Willie Nelson and his daughter, Debbie, though his popularity was never as high as it was early in career. Webb Pierce died of pancreatic cancer at the age of 69. Continue reading
May 5, 1942 – April 6, 1998
Virginia “Tammy” Wynette Pugh was one of the most popular female country artists of all time. Her impact on women in the genre and her hits like the iconic “Stand By Your Man” earned her the nickname “The First Lady of Country Music.” While working as a hairdresser, Wynette signed to Epic records at the age of 24 and began churning out hit after hit. She married fellow country singer George Jones after Jones professed his love for her following an altercation between him and her second husband. The power couple would record a number of hits together, even after the marriage ended. Continue reading
March 20, 1937 – September 1, 2008
Jerry Reed was a singer, songwriter and actor. He had some hits. He was in some movies. I could write things about all of that. But, wouldn’t we all just rather watch this?
R.I.P. Snowman Continue reading
Celebrity Graveland 