Oak Ridge Boy Joe Bonsall Passes At Age 76 [Full Obituary]

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Joe Bonsall. Photo: Jon Mir

Joe Bonsall, the high-energy tenor singer of The Oak Ridge Boys, died yesterday (July 9).

As a member of the group, he is a member of both the Country Music Hall of Fame and the Gospel Music Hall of Fame. Bonsall was a key vocalist on such Oak Ridge Boys hits as “Elvira,” “Bobbie Sue” and “American Made.”

Bonsall was raised on the rough streets of North Philadelphia. He entered a talent contest as a singer at age four and appeared on local television. But he joined a street gang at age 12 and turned his back on music and religion. After a severe beating at age 14, he turned his life around. He was fascinated by vocal harmonies, particularly by those in gospel quartets.

The Oak Ridge Boys. Photo: Alan Messer

He joined a local group called The Faith Four Quartet. Singing in New Jersey, he heard a truly professional ensemble named The Eastman Quartet. It featured bass singer Richard Sterban, who became a friend. After Sterban joined The Keystone Quartet, the group invited Joe Bonsall to join when he was 19.

The Keystones admired and imitated The Oak Ridge Boys, a quartet founded in 1943. William Lee Golden and Duane Allen had already become members of the Oaks by that time. The veteran group was known for modernizing the gospel sound. Steban joined The Oak Ridge Boys in 1972. Bonsall completed the Oaks’ modern lineup in 1973.

He moved to Nashville to join the rest of the group. The Oaks signed with Columbia Records and became even bigger gospel stars. But they were also known as “gospel rebels” for including secular songs in their repertoire and playing Las Vegas. They also jettisoned the matching-suits, gospel-quartet uniforms and grew their hair long. In addition, Bonsall and the Oaks began drifting into country music.

In 1974, they started singing with Johnny Cash. A year later, they issued “Rhythm Guitar” (“Nobody wants to play rhythm guitar behind Jesus”) and won a gospel Grammy Award for their version of Johnny Russell’s country hit “The Baptism of Jesse Taylor.” The Oaks became one of the first American acts to tour the Soviet Union when they travelled there with Roy Clark in 1976.

They repeated their Grammy-winning feat in 1977 and 1978 with “Where the Soul Never Dies” and “Just a Little Taik With Jesus.” Paul Simon featured the group singing harmonies on his 1977 pop hit “Slip Slidin’ Away.”

By then, The Oak Ridge Boys had stopped taking gospel bookings. The group signed with ABC/Dot Records and issued “Y’all Come Back Saloon” in the summer of 1977. It inaugurated a string of 34 top 10 country hits of 1977-1991, including 17 No. 1 smashes.

On stage, Joe Bonsall became the group’s “spark plug,” energetically bouncing along and cheer-leading its performances. Duane Allen usually sang lead, but Bonsall’s high vocals were often just as ear catching. William Lee Golden handled the tricky baritone harmonies and provided a striking visual presence with his “mountain man”/“Biblical-prophet” look. Richard Sterban dressed in dapper designer suits and captivated crowds with his ultra-low bass-vocal dips.

The Oak Ridge Boys. Photo: Brandon Wood

The Oak Ridge Boys were the first country act to incorporate lighting effects and innovative staging into its concerts. Their 1979 trek with Kenny Rogers and Dottie Wast is considered to be country’s first arena tour. The Oaks were named both the CMA and ACM Vocal Group of the Year in 1978.

The four moved to MCA Records just in time for 1980’s chart-topping “Leaving Louisiana in the Broad Daylight.” The following year, The Oak Ridge Boys became top 10 pop stars with the Platinum-selling “Elvira.” It was named the CMA and ACM Single of the Year and won a Grammy Award.

Among the additional No. 1 country hits that followed were “Fancy Free” (1981), “Bobbie Sue” (1982), “I Guess It Never Hurts to Hurt Sometimes” (1984), “Touch a Hand, Make a Friend” (1985) and the Grammy nominated “Gonna Take a Lot of River” (1988).

“American Made” (1983) became a commercial jingle for Miller Beer. “When You Get to the Heart” 1986) was a collaboration with Barbara Mandrell. On “Broken Trust” (1980), the Oaks memorably harmonized behind Brenda Lee. The group’s rendition of “(You’re My) Soul and Inspiration” (1990) was included on the movie soundtrack of My Heroes Have Always Been Cowboys.

Joe Bonsall. Photo: Jarret Gaza

Shooter Jennings promoted the group and arranged for the quartet to record The Boys Are Back as a comeback album in 2009. It contained their version of The White Stripes rock favorite “Seven Nation Army.” In 2013, The Oak Ridge Boys celebrated the 40th anniversary of their modern lineup with a special tour, a commemorative CD, an Oaks-themed cruise and a TV special.

In addition to his contributions to The Oak Ridge Boys, Bonsall became a prolific author. He wrote 11 books including his upcoming memoir I See Myself, which is scheduled for publication in November.

The Oak Ridge Boys were inducted into the cast of the Grand Ole Opry in 2011. In 2000, the group was elected to the Gospel Music Hall of Fame. The Country Music Hall of Fame followed suit in 2015.

Joe Bonsall announced in January that he was retiring from touring with the group. This was because he was suffering from the neuromuscular affliction Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS). Bonsall passed away at age 76 due to complications from the disease.

He is survived by his wife, Mary Ann, daughters Jennifer and Sabrina, granddaughter Breanne, grandson Luke, two great grandsons, Chance and Grey, and a sister, Nancy. At Bonsall’s request, there will be no funeral. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to The ALS Association or to the Vanderbilt Medical Center ALS and Neuroscience Research Center.

Song Poet Mark Germino Passes

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Mark Germino

Critically acclaimed Nashville folk-pop artist Mark Germino passed away Wednesday (July 3) at age 73.

During his career, Germino issued six albums and became a popular Nashville nightclub performer. Although he never wrote a hit single, his tunes were recorded by such Hall of Fame artists as Loretta Lynn, Johnny Cash, Vince Gill and Emmylou Harris. In 1986, he became the first Nashville artist to have an album issued on compact disc, as well as on vinyl and cassette.

Mark Germino was a native of North Carolina who served in the Navy during the Vietnam War. While in the service, he was inspired to write poetry after hearing Johnny Cash on the radio. Writing became his therapy as he healed emotionally from his war experiences.

When he approached publishers, he was told that his poems read like song lyrics. Friends in his home state agreed and urged him to move to Nashville.

He arrived in Music City in 1974 and took up the guitar. He worked as a truck driver and courier while trying to make inroads on Music Row. He began performing in clubs in 1976 and quickly attracted the attention of his songwriting peers. Paul Craft issued Germino’s “Lean on Jesus (Before He Leans on You)” as s single in 1977. John Scott Sherrill took Germino to his publisher, Combine Music, in 1981.

Two years later, Loretta Lynn cracked the country top 40 with Germino’s “Breakin’ It.” In 1986, Kathy Mattea and Johnny Cash both recorded the songwriter’s “God Ain’t No Stained Glass Window.” Steve Earle performed Germino’s songs “Hardware” and “Rock & Roll at the USO” in his live shows.

Germino overcame initial onstage shyness to become a charming live performer, himself. His dry, drawling, conversational vocal style and lightly humorous, rumpled, offbeat personality delighted fans at his club appearances.

Talent scout Mary Martin caught one of Germino’s performances at The Bluebird Cafe. She convinced RCA’s New York office to sign him as a pop artist. The label sent him to London to record with Paul Samwell-Smith, noted for his work with such artists as Cat Stevens, Carly Simon, Jethro Tull and Paul Simon. This resulted in his debut album, 1986’s London Moon and Barnyard Remedies, which Germino described as “folk ’n’ roll.”

Critics praised him in the pages of Rolling Stone, Penthouse, Billboard and other publications. At the time, the compact disc was new technology, so Germino’s album also achieved some notoriety because of its release on CD. Although the album did well in Europe, it sold poorly in the U.S.

Germino tried again with 1987’s Caught In the Act of Being Ourselves, but RCA only issued it overseas. Stateside, Joe Sun, Sylvia, Bobby Bare, Claire Lynch, Vern Gosdin, John Anderson, The Seldom Scene, Mel McDaniel and a number of independent-label artists recorded his songs.

In 1991, Germino teamed up with the Nashville rock band The Sluggers for an album titled Radartown. It contained “Rex Bob Lowenstein,” which became one of his most popular songs at shows. It told the story of a radio DJ who is fired for playing music he loves, rather than what he is told to play. Burrito Deluxe recorded the song in 2004.

Germino returned to the studio to create 1995’s Rank and File, a folk music outing. It contained his second version of “Rex Bob Lowenstein.” He then put music aside to write three novels.

In the meantime, Confederate Railroad recorded his “Bill’s Laudromat, Bar and Grill,” and it became a single in 1995. Kenny Chesney issued Germino’s “I Will Stand” as a single in 1998. Vince Gill recorded their co-written “Ace Up Your Pretty Sleeve” in 2006. Emmylou Harris recorded “Broken Man’s Lament” in 2008. Kevin Welch, Buddy Mondlock, Barbara Mandrell, Mindy McCready and others included Germino songs on their albums.

The songwriter returned with an album titled Atomic Candlestick in 2006, this time billed as Mark Germino & The Grenade Angels. After another period of recording silence, he issued Midnight Carnival in 2021.

The singer-songwriter’s death was announced online by music journalist Brian Mansfield, as well as on Wikipedia. Funeral arrangements are unknown at press time.

Mary Martin, Veteran Artist Manager & A&R Executive, Passes

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Mary Martin. Photo: Kay Williams, courtesy of the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum

Music industry veteran Mary Martin has passed away on Thursday night (July 4) at Alive Hospice. The news was posted on social media and shared by The Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum.

“Time and again, Mary Martin spotted great talents and elevated their careers,” said Kyle Young, CEO of the CMHOFM. “Early on, she connected Bob Dylan to her friends the Hawks, who became the Band. She managed Leonard Cohen in his first musical outings, then guided the budding solo careers of Van Morrison, Rodney Crowell and Vince Gill. At Warner Bros., she signed future Country Music Hall of Fame member Emmylou Harris, at RCA she helped sign and develop Clint Black and Lorrie Morgan, and she encouraged a young Keith Urban to move from Australia to Nashville. Mary’s unerring feel for songs and performers was legendary, and she was a fierce ally for the artists she represented.”

Born in 1939 in Toronto, Canada, Martin began her career in New York in 1962 as executive assistant to artist manager Albert Grossman, who guided the careers of Bob Dylan, Janis Joplin, Peter, Paul & Mary and others. She went out on her own four years later, and managed the early career of Leonard Cohen and then Van Morrison.

In 1972, she joined Warner Bros. Records in New York, where she signed Emmylou Harris, Leon Redbone and The Marshall Tucker Band. Moving to Los Angeles at the end of the ’70s, she returned to artist management, working with Rodney Crowell and Vince Gill. She also gave production assistance to Crowell for artists he produced like Rosanne Cash, Sissy Spacek, Guy Clark and Albert Lee, and initiated the fan clubs and oversaw the creation of a successful merchandising venture for both artists during this time.

Martin moved to Nashville in 1985 and became Vice President of RCA Records, where she worked with Gill, Clint Black, Paul Overstreet, Aaron Tippin and Lorrie Morgan.

She became the Executive Director of ECO (Earth Communications Office) in 1991, overseeing fundraising and other activities for the nonprofit. She consulted with the A&R department of Asylum Records from ’94 – ’96 before joining Mercury Records as Vice President in 1999. Martin won a Grammy in 2002 for her work on the Hank Williams tribute album Timeless, which featured Dylan, Johnny Cash, Keith Richards, Tom Petty and others.

SOURCE inducted Martin into its Hall of Fame in 2007. She was honored at the Louise Scruggs Memorial Forum in 2009. Martin inspired generations of music industry professionals, especially women.

Memorial services have not yet been announced.

Rusty Golden, Songwriter & Son Of Oak Ridge Boys Member William Lee Golden, Passes

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Rusty Golden. Photo: Kris Rae

Rusty Golden, award-winning songwriter and musician and son of The Oak Ridge Boys member William Lee Golden, passed away on Monday (July 1) at his home in Hendersonville, Tennessee. He was 65.

Born William “Rusty” Golden on Jan. 3, 1959, in Brewton, Alabama, he is the eldest son of William Lee and Frogene Normand.

Music was ever-present in the Golden home, and young Rusty started sharing in the family passion at a young age. By the time he was 12, he was proficiently playing drums. A year later, at just 13, Rusty started playing drums for The Rambos featuring celebrated songwriter Dottie Rambo. He also showed a talent for songwriting at an early age, first putting his grandmother’s poems to music.

After attending an Elton John concert, a teenage Rusty was entranced by the piano. By age 17, he was good enough to play keys on the road with Larry Gatlin, and eventually started playing on studio sessions in Nashville. By age 20, Rusty was recording at Quadraphonic Studios for ABC Records.

He helped form The Boys Band, whose debut album for Elektra/Asylum Records included the single “Runner.” Another single, “Please Don’t Stop Me Baby,” landed on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. The group disbanded in ’84, the same year Rusty received a Gold plaque for his songwriting contributions on The Oaks’ Bobbie Sue album.

Encouraged by his success, Rusty and brother Chris Golden joined with Marc Speer to start the group Golden Speer in ’85. Although their album was never released, their label changed directions the next year, leading Rusty and Chris to record under the name The Goldens. The duo moved to Capitol/SBK Records and released the album Rush for Gold in 1990, containing three charting singles “Take Me Back to The Country,” “Keep The Faith” and “Long Gone.”

After undergoing a quadruple bypass, Rusty devoted his songwriting back to his gospel roots. This transition was rewarded with several No. 1 southern gospel hits and two Song of the Year awards for “What Salvation’s Done for Me” by The Booth Brothers and “I Want to Thank You” by Karen Peck & New River.

In 2020, Rusty joined brother Chris and dad William Lee to work on their family band, William Lee Golden and The Goldens. They recorded and released 34 songs from 2020 to 2021 and added brother Craig, nieces Elizabeth and Rebekah and nephew Elijah into the mix, making the group a three-generation family band.

Rusty was regarded as a charismatic entertainer in addition to an accomplished songwriter and musician. Last year he was awarded Keyboard Player of the Year by the Josie Music Awards.

Rusty Golden is preceded in death by his mother Frogene Normand, grandparents Luke and Rutha Mae Golden, and Elliot and Estelle Normand. He is survived by his father William Lee Golden (Simone), and brothers Craig Golden, Chris Golden (Marie) and Solomon Golden, along with many nieces, nephews and other extended family members.

Funeral/memorial details are pending and will be made available at williamleegoldenandthegoldens.com and their Facebook page.

Country Iconoclast Kinky Friedman Dies

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Kinky Friedman. Photo: Brian Kanof

Kinky Friedman, noted for his satirical, comedy country songs, has died at age 79.

The flamboyant entertainer sang “They Ain’t Making Jews Like Jesus Anymore,” “Get Your Biscuits in the Oven and Your Buns in the Bed,” “Homo Erectus” and similarly outrageous, humorous fare. Although never an outstanding commercial success, he was widely known and critically acclaimed.

He was born Richard Friedman in Chicago, but was raised in Texas. After serving in the Peace Corps in Borneo, he devoted himself to a music career. In 1971, he formed his band The Texas Jewboys and attempted to crack the recording industry in Los Angeles. After failing there, he relocated to Nashville and was embraced by the city’s “outlaw” country crowd.

Chuck Glaser of The Glaser Brothers produced his debut LP, Sold American. Commander Cody took it to Vanguard Records, who issued it in 1973. The following year, Friedman signed with ABC Records to release his Kinky Friedman LP. Like its predecessor, it was a critical success but a commercial failure.

Friedman toured with Bob Dylan’s Rolling Thunder Revue in 1975-76. Dubbing himself “The Kinkster,” he became a prominent fixture of the alt-country scene in Austin, Texas.

His third album was Lasso From El Paso, issued by Epic Records in 1976. Ringo Starr, Dr. John, Bob Dylan, Eric Clapton and Roger McGuinn made guest appearances. The record underscored the fact that he was adept with heartfelt, melodic songs as well as the ribald comedy that made him famous. This was also borne out via “Marilyn and Joe,” “People Who Read People Magazine” and other tunes on his 1983 collection, Under the Double Ego. It was recorded in Austin and released on the city’s independent label, Sunrise Records.

He continued to make witty, newsworthy music, notably at his weekly residency at New York Lone Star Cafe in the 1980s. But beginning in 1986, he became an author, publishing a string of 18 successful mystery novels. He also had a long-running column in Texas Monthly.

Then he turned to politics, running unsuccessfully for Justice of the Peace as a Republican in Kerr County, Texas in 1986. Undeterred, he ran as an independent for Governor of Texas in 2006, calling for the legalization of gambling, marijuana and same-sex marriage. He also ran for State Agricultural Commissioner in 2010 and 2014.

Despite or because of being politically incorrect and wildly irreverent, Friedman became regarded as a cultural treasure in the Lone Star State. He toured with Billy Joe Shaver and issued more than a dozen albums over the next 30 years.

He and Nashville singer-songwriter Kacey Jones formed the Kinkajou Records label. She produced a 1998 tribute record on Kinkajou titled Pearls In the Snow: The Songs of Kinky Friedman. It featured Dwight Yoakam, Guy Clark, Delbert McClinton, Marty Stuart, Asleep at the Wheel, Willie Nelson, Lyle Lovett, Lee Roy Parnell, Billy Swan and others singing his best-known songs.

A second tribute record appeared in 2006. Titled Why the Hell Not: The Songs of Kinky Friedman, it was recorded by Austin music stars. Charlie Robison issued a single from the collection, “Wild Man From Borneo.”

In recent years, Friedman and his sister ran an animal shelter at their family’s Texas ranch, Echo Hill. They also turned the property into a summer camp for the children of parents who died serving in the military or as first responders.

Kinky Friedman passed away on June 27 at Echo Hill, which is outside Medina, Texas. He died of Parkinson’s Disease. He is survived by his sister Marcie Friedman and his brother Roger Friedman.

A memorial service is scheduled for 2 p.m. on Thursday, July 11, 2024, at Grimes Funeral Chapels of Kerrville, Texas, which is also handling funeral arrangements (728 Jefferson Street, Kerrville, TX 78028). In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Echo Hill Gold Star Camp.

Hit Producer Joe Scaife Dies At Age 68

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Joe Scaife

Noted Nashville studio engineer and record producer Joe Scaife has passed away at age 68.

He was behind two of country music’s catchiest and biggest hits, “Achy Breaky Heart” by Billy Ray Cyrus (1992) and “Redneck Woman” by Gretchen Wilson (2004). In addition, he produced Montgomery Gentry, Ty Herndon and K.T. Oslin. Scaife was also a songwriter, a percussionist and a backing vocalist.

Joe Scaife was raised in Nashville. His father was Cecil Scaife (1927-2009), a record executive at Sun, Columbia and his own labels. He also co-founded the Gospel Music Association. Joe attended Belmont University, then embarked on a career as an audio engineer.

At age 19, he worked on the sound engineering of the Opry’s last Ryman Auditorium performance and its debut at the Opry House the following night in 1974. He learned his trade by working at his father’s recording studio on Music Row. Early audio engineering clients included Dr. Hook, The Oak Ridge Boys and Vince Gill.

During the 1980s, Joe Scaife hit his stride as a recording-studio engineer. He worked on albums by John Anderson, Tom Jones, Kathy Mattea, Reba McEntire, Alabama, Glen Campbell, Lionel Richie, Emmylou Harris and Sawyer Brown, among others.

He formed a partnership with audio engineer Jim Cotton (1947-2003). They became mainstays at the Music Mill recording studio, usually working under producer Harold Shedd. After they engineered a number of Shedd’s productions, he promoted them to “associate producer” status on ‘80s Ladies, the landmark debut album by K.T. Oslin. They eventually graduated to become full producers on Oslin’s later successes, such as “Come Next Monday,” “Mary and Willie” and “New Way Home.”

In 1992, Scaife and Cotton produced Some Gave All, the debut album by Billy Ray Cyrus. It contained “Achy Breaky Heart” which won Scaife, Cotton and Cyrus a CMA Award for Single of the Year. They also produced “Could’ve Been Me,” “She’s Not Cryin’ Anymore,” “In the Heart of a Woman” and the singer’s other early hits.

During the 1990s, Joe Scaife also continued to work as a recording-studio engineer, working on albums by superstars such as Waylon Jennings, George Jones, Anne Murray, Crystal Gayle, Sammy Kershaw, Shania Twain and Toby Keith. But as the decade progressed, he became increasingly called upon to produce.

Scaife produced several hits by Montgomery Gentry, including 1999’s “Hillbilly Shoes,” “Lonely and Gone” and “Daddy Won’t Sell the Farm,” plus 2001’s “She Couldn’t Change Me” and “Cold One Comin’ On.” Montgomery Gentry was named the CMA’s Vocal Duo of the Year in 2000. During this era, Scaife also produced records by Ty Herndon, Jeff Foxworthy and Van Zant, among others.

In 2004, he was behind the board for the breakthrough albums by newcomer Gretchen Wilson. They contained “Redneck Woman,” “Here for the Party,” “When I Think About Cheatin,’” “Homewrecker” and “All Jacked Up.” These hits earned her CMA Awards as in the Horizon (2004) and Female Vocalist (2005) categories. “Redneck Woman” also won Wilson a Grammy Award.

Joe Scaife and his wife Danielle established four song publishing companies. One of their hit songs was 2017’s “She Got the Best of Me” sung by Luke Combs. Another was the 2017 Walker Hayes top 10 success “You Broke Up With Me.”

Shortly after Joe Scaife attended Belmont University, his father and his mother, Sherytha, encouraged the establishment of the school’s music-business program. That program is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year.

The program has become The Mike Curb College of Entertainment & Music Business at Belmont. It now has a Cecil Scaife Endowed Scholarship to provide financial assistance to students there. Joe and his sisters LaRawn, LaQuita and LaQuela created the scholarship and The Cecil Scaife Visionary Award as an annual event to benefit the scholarship fund. Honorees have included Amy Grant, Wynonna, Ray Stevens and Brenda Lee.

Joe Scaife passed away on June 12. No cause of death has been announced. He is survived by his wife, Danielle Godwin Scaife; children, Jaela Scaife Harris (Prather) and Joe Tristan Payne Scaife; sister LaRawn Scaife Rhea (Richard) and many other family members and friends.

A private burial was held in Perry County on June 15, and a Celebration of Joe’s life will be held on Music Row at a later date. Those who wish to send a memorial in Joe Scaife’s honor can donate to The Cecil Scaife Music Business Endowment at Belmont University (P.O. Box 128079, Nashville, TN 37212).

SiriusXM’s Jeremy Tepper Dies At 61

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Jeremy Tepper

Jeremy Tepper, Program Director for SiriusXM Satellite Radio’s Outlaw Country and Willie’s Roadhouse, has passed away at age 61.

“Jeremy Tepper was a beloved member of SiriusXM. With an unwavering dedication to music and an innovative spirit, Jeremy profoundly influenced us all,” said SiriusXM in a recent Instagram post. “His contributions to our organization, particularly in shaping the identity of Outlaw Country and Willie’s Roadhouse, are beyond measure. Our thoughts are with his family, friends, and colleagues during this difficult time.”

 

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“We lost an amazing friend here at SiriusXM,” echoes Outlaw Country radio host Sunny Sweeney. “[Jeremy] was like my big brother, the best boss I’ve ever known and a completely irreplaceable piece of Willie’s Roadhouse and Outlaw Country. Some of you may not know him by name, but please know that Jeremy Tepper will be so greatly missed and has left a gigantic hole in our world. He was a magical human being [who] was so passionate and knew more about music than any other person I’ve ever known. He had absolutely impeccable taste and knew all the deep cuts. He was the independent artist’s knight in shining armor.”

Willie Nelson’s publicist Elaine Schock adds, “Jeremy was a good friend and we had lots of adventures working with Willie for about twenty years. This just hurts my heart. I’m sick of getting it punched with these blindsides. I will miss him terribly. I was going to see him in a few weeks. I’m so sad for his family–and for myself to be honest. Jeremy was one of the good ones.”

A visitation will take place on Monday, June 24 from 2–6 p.m. CT at Greenwich Village Funeral Home in New York City, NY.

Nashville Pop Pioneer Buzz Cason Passes

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Buzz Cason. Photo: Courtesy of the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum

Buzz Cason, a key figure in Nashville’s emergence as a music center, passed away on Sunday, June 16, at age 84.

He made his mark as a studio owner, music publisher, artist, songwriter, session vocalist, record producer and industry leader. Cason founded Nashville’s first rock & roll band, co-wrote the pop evergreen “Everlasting Love,” was a hit recording artist, founded Creative Workshop studio, sang national ad jingles and was an ombudsman for Nashville music.

Born James E. Cason, he was a Nashville native who formed The Casuals as a high-school student in 1956. This was Nashville’s first rock & roll band. The group had a regional hit in 1957 with “My Love Song for You,” then became the backup group for the first global pop star, Brenda Lee, in 1958-70. The Casuals continued to record its own singles for Monument, Mainstream, Kem, Sound Stage 7, Minaret, Scarlet and other labels in the 1960s.

In addition to recording with The Casuals, he formed a doo-wop harmony group called The Statues. The group charted with “Blue Velvet” in 1960. Cason’s solo vocal pop hit was 1960’s “Look For a Star,” released as by “Garry Miles.” The Casuals continued to tour with Lee, but Cason left the group in 1962. He briefly relocated to L.A., where he co-produced The Crickets with Leon Russell. Then he toured with the group in 1964, while producing artists for Liberty Records.

Cason returned to Nashville in 1965 and became a member of Ronny & The Daytonas. He co-wrote the group’s hit 1965 ballad “Sandy.” He then formed a duo with “Ronny,” who was Bucky Wilkin. They recorded as “Buzz & Bucky” for the Amy and Monument labels. Throughout this same period, Cason also recorded as a solo artist for Caprice, Janus, DJM, Mega, Warners and Capricorn, among others. He issued Buzz as an LP in 1977. Two years later came his Caught Up in a Dream collection. By then, he had established himself as a hit songwriter. In addition to “Sandy,” Cason was behind “Tennessee” (1962, Jan & Dean), “Soldier of Love” (1963, The Beatles), “Popsicle” (1966, Jan & Dean), “Rainbow Valley” (1968, Love Affair), “Ann Don’t Go Runnin’” (1972, Tommy Overstreet), “Love on a Mountaintop” (1973, Robert Knight) and “Another Woman” (1975, T.G. Sheppard).

Cason became a businessman, too. In 1966, he formed a song-publishing company with fellow songwriter Bobby Russell. They struck paydirt with “Honey” (Bobby Goldsboro), “The Joker Went Wild” (Bryan Hyland), “Little Green Apples” (Roger Miller, O.C. Smith), “Sure Gonna Miss Her” (Gary Lewis & The Playboys), “Bluer Than Blue” (Michael Johnson), “She Believes in Me” (Kenny Rogers) and more. He discovered Jimmy Buffett, cowrote with the future star and published his early songs. In 1984, Buffett brought his entire hit Coral Reefer catalog to Cason for publishing administration.

In 1970, Cason built Creative Workshop in Berry Hill. This established the suburb as an alternative entertainment district to Music Row. There are now more than 40 recording operations in the neighborhood. Among those who have recorded at Creative Workshop are The Faces with Rod Stewart, Olivia Newton-John, The Judds, Emmylou Harris, Merle Haggard, The Doobie Brothers, Leon Russell, Melanie and Dolly Parton.

As a studio vocalist, Cason sang ad jingles for such national brands as R.C. Cola, Schlitz, Ford, Tab, Pabst, Burger King, Mountain Dew, HBO and 7-Up. He was a backup singer on records by Elvis Presley, Tom Jones, John Denver, Kenny Rogers, Kris Kristofferson, Roy Orbison, Janie Fricke, B.W. Stevenson, Donna Fargo, Willie Nelson and Conway Twitty. He was the voice of “Alvin” on several Chipmunks records. As a producer, he worked with Freddy Weller, Dickey Lee, The Glaser Brothers, Buddy Knox and Mac Garden. Cason produced “She Shot a Hole in My Soul” for Clifford Curry in 1967. Released on Cason’s Elf label, it became a “beach music” classic in the Carolinas.

He and Gayden cowrote “Everlasting Love.” Nashville soul singer Robert Knight introduced the song in 1967 on Cason’s Rising Sons record label. It has subsequently become successful for Carl Carlton (1974), Rex Smith & Rachel Sweet (1981) and Gloria Estefan (1995). The song has now logged more than five million plays, according to BMI.Songwriting success continued with “Bar Wars” (1978, Freddy Weller), “Fantasy Island” (1979, Freddy Weller), “A Million Old Goodbyes” (1981, Mel Tillis) and “Timeless and True Love” (The McCarter Sisters, Jeannie Kendall & Alan Jackson). His songs have also been recorded by Charley Pride, Arthur Alexander, Marshall Crenshaw, U2, Pearl Jam, The Oak Ridge Boys, Jerry Lee Lewis, Jerry Reed, Dolly Parton, Rick Nelson, Bobby Vee, Gene Watson, The Fleetwoods, Freddy Cannon, Placido Domingo, The Derailers, Tommy Roe, Hanson, The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band and David Essex, among others.

Meanwhile, Cason continued to record, himself. During the 1980s, he formed the neo-rockabilly, good-time band B.C. & The Dartz. He established his I’m Into Video production company to create the group’s music videos. Cason was also a race-car driver who competed via the International Motor Sports Association. He formed a team called Music City Racing.

He remained musically active into the new millennium. Cason and Tom Douglas co-wrote “Love’s the Only House,” and it became a top-10 hit for Martina McBride in 2000. In 2004, Cason published his memoir, Living the Rock-n-Roll Dream. His solo albums during this period included Hats Off to Hank (2008), Busload of Love (2009), Surf and Turf (2012), Troubadour Heart (2014), Record Machine (2015), Passion (2017) and his collaboration with Billy Swan, Billy & Buzz Sing Buddy (2018). With his children Taylor and Parker, he issued the album Buzz Cason & Sons 2020. In 2019, The Nashville Film Festival showcased the documentary Berry Hill: From Creative Workshop and Beyond, highlighting his career.

Cason’s death was announced by The Country Music Hall of Fame yesterday (June 16). The museum had honored him in its “Poets & Prophets” series in 2014. He is survived by wife Vickie, daughters Tammy Cason, Kristy Cason and Leah Ball Steen, sons Taylor and Parker, nine grandchildren and a large extended family.

A visitation will take place on Thursday, June 20 from 1–3 p.m. CT at Williamson Memorial Funeral Home in Franklin, Tennessee. A memorial service will be held on Friday, June 21, from 1–2 p.m. CT at Forest Hills Baptist Church. Cason’s burial will be private.

Hall Of Fame Songwriter Mark James Passes

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Mark James

Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame songwriter Mark James died at age 83 on June 8.

James was behind such enduring hits as “Suspicious Minds,” “Hooked on a Feeling” and “Always On My Mind.” In addition to his many honors in Music City, he was also a multiple Grammy Award winner in L.A. and a 2014 inductee into the national Songwriters Hall of Fame in New York.

Mark James was born Francis Rodney Zambon in Houston. He learned to play the violin as a child, and switched to guitar as a teenager. His stage name came about in 1960 when local club owners had difficulty pronouncing his birth name.

In the early 1960s, he recorded a series of local singles, including “Jive Note,” “Running Back” and “She’s Gone Away.” But his musical progress was halted by military service in Vietnam. Upon his return, he relocated to Memphis at the urging of singer B.J. Thomas, who had been a childhood friend in Houston. In Memphis, James went to work with producer Chips Moman.

Produced by Moman, B.J. Thomas recorded the first of James’s successful songs, 1968’s “The Eyes of a New York Woman.” The singer followed it with two more James compositions in 1969, “Hooked on a Feeling” and “It’s Only Love.”

Mark James also continued to record, himself. Moman produced his version of “Suspicious Minds” for Scepter Records in 1968. It was not a hit, but Moman took the song to Elvis Presley. Using the same arrangement as the James version, Presley recorded “Suspicious Minds.” It became the superstar’s last No. 1 hit. He also had late-career hits with the Mark James songs “Raised on Rock” (1973) and “Moody Blue” (1976).

In 1973, Mark James issued his self-titled debut LP on Bell Records. Again, it was not a hit. But his songwriting career continued. He teamed up with Johnny Christopher and Wayne Carson to create “Always on My Mind.” Brenda Lee put it out in 1972, but it was not a notable success. Elvis Presley fared somewhat better with the song the following year, scoring a British hit with it.

Brenda Lee returned to the songwriter’s catalog and recorded “Sunday Sunrise” in 1973. It became a top 10 country hit, and Anne Murray had a hit with the song in Canada. Mac Davis scored a big 1974 pop hit with James’s “One Hell of a Woman.”

Also in 1974, the Swedish rock band Blue Swede issued a driving new version of “Hooked on a Feeling.” It became a No. 1 pop smash and an international sensation. In 1976, Waylon Jennings and Jessi Colter turned “Suspicious Minds” into a big country hit. B.J. Thomas had pop success with “Everybody Loves a Rain Song” in 1978.

John Wesley Ryles brought “Always on My Mind” back as a country hit in 1979. Then Willie Nelson picked it up in 1982. This time, the song became a titanic pop and country success, winning James a pair of Grammy Awards as Song of the Year and Country Song of the Year. It also won the CMA Award as Song of the Year. “Always on My Mind” came around again in 1988 when the British pop band The Pet Shop Boys had a dance-club smash with it in both the U.S. and England.

Dozens of artists have recorded songs from the Mark James songbook. They include Fine Young Cannibals, The Persuasions, Dwight Yoakam, Roger Whittaker, Dee Dee Warwick, Helen Reddy, Johnny Winter, Del Reeves & Billie Jo Spears, B.B. King, Eddy Arnold, Englebert Humperdinck, Cissy Houston, Floyd Cramer, Little Milton, The Stylistics, Charlie McCoy, Vicki Carr, Ray Peterson, The Partridge Family, Ronnie Milsap, Jose Feliciano, The Sweet Inspirations, Percy Sledge, Lou Rawls, The Box Tops, Millie Jackson and Al Hirt.

During the 1980s and 1990s, Mark James attended UCLA’s film scoring program and studied at the American Film Institute. He began to work composing film soundtracks, beginning with 2001’s Trade Day.

Meanwhile, his classic “Hooked on a Feeling” popped up in such films as Reservoir Dogs (1992) and Guardians of the Galaxy (2014). Mark James songs have also been used on the soundtracks of such hit movies as Kramer Vs Kramer, Honeymoon in Vegas, Breathless, Someone to Watch Over Me, Practical Magic and Frequency.

In 2000, BMI named Mark James one of its top songwriters of the 20th century. This placed his name alongside such legendary figures as Elton John and Paul McCartney.

A visitation will take place on Thursday, June 20 at the Memorial Park Funeral Home and Cemetery in Memphis, Tennessee at 1:00 to 2:00 p.m. central time. A service will follow.

In lieu of flowers, family and friends are encouraged to consider donating to the Songwriters Hall of Fame to support its essential programs and initiatives benefiting songwriters worldwide. James’ family also welcomes messages of condolence, stories and memories at forevermarkjames@gmail.com.

Songwriting Great John Schweers Passes

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John Schweers

Hit songwriter John Schweers has died at age 78.

One of the finest country writers of his generation, Schweers was responsible for such iconic songs as Charley Pride’s “Amazing Love,” Ronnie Milsap’s “Daydreams About Night Things,” Dave & Sugar’s “Golden Tears” and Trace Adkins’ “I Left Something Turned on at Home.”

The songwriter was a native of San Antonio who began playing guitar and writing songs while in high school. During his college years, he performed in a rock group that toured throughout southwest Texas. After graduation, he moved to California to hone his songwriting skills as he played in various bands.

He began to make contacts in Nashville. His first recorded song appears to have been 1970’s “Alabama Bull of the Woods” by Del Reeves. The songwriter’s first charted tune was “Poor Folks Stick Together,” recorded by Stoney Edwards in 1971. Tom T. Hall took note of John Schweers’ talents, mentored him and encouraged him to move to Music City.

Schweers arrived in 1972 at age 26 with $45 in his pocket. Soon after his arrival on Music Row, he was signed as a staff songwriter by Pi-Gem Music, co-owned by Charley Pride. During the next dozen years, Pride recorded more than 20 John Schweers songs. The company’s Tom Collins offered suggestions to help make the fledgling writer’s songs more commercial. Just as Collins and Hall had aided him, Schweers discovered a teenage Dean Dillon and brought him to his publisher.

The first No. 1 hit penned by John Schweers was Pride’s “Don’t Fight the Feelings of Love” in 1973. Pride’s follow-up single was “Amazing Love,” which also topped the country hit parade. In 1975, Nick Nixon charted with the Schweers song “She’s Just an Old Love Turned Memory.” Pride recorded it two years later and turned it into another No. 1 hit.

As Collins evolved into record production, Schweers gained the ears of Barbara Mandrell, Sylvia, Ronnie Milsap and other stars. Milsap hit No. 1 with Schweers’ “Daydreams About Night Things” in 1975. The superstar repeated the chart-topping feat with the Schweers songs “What Goes On When the Sun Goes Down” (1976) and “Let My Love Be Your Pillow” (1977). Milsap recorded 15 John Schweers compositions.

The songwriter’s other No. 1 hit during the 1970s was “Golden Tears” by Dave & Sugar in 1979. During the decade, his songs were also recorded by Eddy Arnold, Tammy Wynette, Loretta Lynn, David Wills, Johnny Russell, Mel Street, Susan Raye, Jim Ed Brown and Jeanne Pruett, among others. 16 of his songs made the country popularity charts in the ‘70s.

In 1978, the Triple I record label issued Nashville’s Master Songwriters Sing Their Hits. On it, Schweers performed his versions of “Daydreams About Night Things,” “She’s Just an Old Love Turned Memory” and “Early Fall,” all of which he wrote solo. The album featured him alongside Harlan Howard, Danny Dill and Allen Reynolds, each of whom also contributed three songs.

Success continued in the 1980s. During this decade, Schweers wrote such top 10 hits as Steve Wariner’s “Your Memory” (1981), Janie Fricke’s “Do Me With Love” (1982) and Mandrell’s “No One Mends a Broken Heart Like You” (1986). The songwriter’s 10 charing singles in the decade included recordings by R.C. Bannon, Butch.Baker, David Frizzell & Shelly West (1986’s “It’s a Be Together Night”), Louise Mandrell and Tom T. Hall. Others who recorded Schweers songs during the 1980s included The Oak Ridge Boys, Tanya Tucker, The Kendalls, Don Williams, The Osmond Brothers, Waylon Jennings, Conway Twitty, Jeannie C. Riley and Charlie Louvin.

John Schweers continued to create hits in the 1990s. Two of his biggest were “Born Country,” sung by Alabama in 1992 and “I Left Something Turned on at Home,” sung by Trace Adkins in 1997. His songs were also recorded in the ‘90s by George Jones, Mel McDaniel, Roy Clark, Daron Norwood & Travis Tritt (1993’s “Phantom of the Opry”), Larry Stewart, Neal McCoy and Johnny Rodriguez.

Since 2000, John Schweers songs have been sung by Mark Wiils, George Strait, The Mississippi Mass Choir, Marty Raybon, Con Hunley, Don Everly, Brother Slade, Buck Owens and Joe Nichols, among others. In addition, his songs from 25-50 years ago continue to receive airplay. The songwriter picked up BMI or ASCAP awards in three different decades. Few in country music have demonstrated songwriting success over such an extended period of time.

He has been a six-time nominee for the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame, but has not yet been elected. His accomplishments are all the more remarkable in that he mainly wrote his songs alone. Of his 12 top 10 hits, only three were co-written (with Byron Hill, Charles Quillen or Billy Lawson). In a songwriting community overwhelmingly comprised of co-writers, Schweers stood out.

John Schweers passed away in the early morning hours of May 28.

He will be honored on Thursday (June 6) at Brentwood Baptist Church. A Celebration of Life event will begin with visitation from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. The service will be from 3 to 3:45 p.m. Visitation will resume following the service. The family plans to have a private burial prior to Thursday’s Celebration of Life.