Lifenotes: Billy Deaton [updated 11/3]
Updated: Arrangements for Billy Deaton. Visitation will be Thursday, November 5 from 4-7 PM at Woodlawn Funeral Home. The funeral will be Friday, November 6 at 11:30 AM, also at Woodlawn Funeral Home.
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Longtime Music Row talent agent Billy Deaton died Saturday evening, Oct. 31. He was 74 and had battled a lengthy illness.
Deaton came to Nashville in 1969 to handle Faron Young’s booking and management. He established The Deaton Agency and throughout his 30 years in business, worked in various capacities with Willie Nelson, Merle Haggard, Mel Tillis, Bill Anderson, and Tom T. Hall.
He had a hand in writing and publishing the country hits, “Louisiana Man,” and “Wine Me Up!”
Deaton was an active member of the Nashville Association of Talent Directors. He was a former officer of the organization and received numerous awards from NATD. The Mississippi native and Air Force veteran was known around Nashville as “The Deacon.”
Visitation is planned for Thurs., Nov. 5, with funeral services to be held on Fri., Nov. 6. Details are incomplete at this time.
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Billy was a one-of-a-kind. Remembering pitching him songs for Faron Young with my dad. Rest in peace.
Billy was my cousin and he did a lot of great things for a lot of people. May he rest in peace.
Billy was a great person I was proud to have known him.
I work at the nursing home where Billie lived the last few years of his life. As the activity director you can only imagine the wonderful things I learned from this amazing man! A heart the size of Nashville, he never met a stranger and always made you feel like you were special! He blessed me with his friendship and he always had time to share his love for country music with me. I will miss my very special friend and I’m sure Heaven is welcoming him with open arms!
Thanks Billie for all you’ve done! I love you!
I worked with Mr.D for the past five years and am grateful for the chance to have known this wonderful man. He always offered the best Nashville entertainment advice, and encouraged me often to listen to different artists. His smile and laugh will be greatly missed here at Bethany!
Billy was my first cousin. We shared lots of good times. He will surely be missed by our family.
Billy was my first cousin. We shared lots of good times. He will surely be missed by our family.
Billy Deaton was a damn fine Man. Had a grand heart. The Deacon had a way of being a pain in the ass at times but his intentions were always good.
I once visited the place in Mississippi Billy was born in at Billy’s invite. The town had some sort of celebration for him, home town boy did good thing. I have never seen a poorer place. From that worn out dirt and cottonfields Billy made his way into the U.S. Air Force and on to Country Music. He met Jim Reeves while he was booking shows for the base he was stationed on in Texas. Jim Reeves liked him and was very instrumental in getting Billy started. After his discharge from the Service Jim Reeves cut a couple of records on Billy. Also loaned him some money for equipment and transportation so the “Deacon” could get his show on the road.
Billy finally realized his talent might be in some area other than Singing. He started the booking agency and did OK. Made a lot of friends and helped plenty of the “Old Time” acts.
Billy delighted in photos. If you ever wanted to get Billy up against a wall just pull out a camera. He had a great collection of photos with the people he worked with over the years.
I always thought his biggest challenge in life was trying to manage and make sense of Faron Young. Faron could try a mans nerve. He could make Jello get out of a bowl and take a walk. Billy hung in there and did his best with a problem entertainer.
The Deacon had a great line of promotional jargon. I listened to his pitch a number of times. My favorite was the line of reason he used when trying to get an act to add a date to the tour. There would be some strange burg, “Old Middesap”, “Doodlesville” or Cyanide Springs, in the middle of nothing but the Deacon would have some venue on the line. Might be a Gymnasium, old folks home or a pool hall but he had them dealing. His famous, ” YOU MIGHT AS WELL STOP AND PLAY THE DATE, YOU ARE GOING RIGHT THROUGH THE MIDDLE OF TOWN.” was sure to be spoken.
Billy Deaton, “The Deacon” of Nashville booking agents. His word was good and he was good Soul. What more can you ask of a Man.
I was stationed with Billy at Lackland AFB Texas in the late fifties and he brought a lot of good country music to the base when country music was country.