Country Recording Artist, Songwriter Jimmy Jay Dies At 84


James T. Pickard, Sr., the country recording artist and songwriter known as Jimmy Jay, passed away on April 6, following a battle with cancer. He was 84.

Under the name Jimmy Jay, Pickard was a country recording artist in the 1960s. He recorded songs “You’re Still With Me,” “I Might As Well Go Home,” “Bayou Girl,” and many others. As a musician, he also toured with artists such as Conway Twitty and Eddy Raven.

As a songwriter, his songs were recorded by many country artists, including: “Neon Row” by Eddy Raven and George Straight, “Why Not Tonight” by Neal McCoy, and “You Put It There” by Conway Twitty.

Pickard is survived by wife of 54 years, Jeanie Pickard, his sister, Sandy Killam, his four children and daughter-in-law, seven grandchildren, seven great grandchildren, and many nieces and nephews. In lieu of flowers, Pickard’s family asks donations be sent to Avow Hospice Naples.

BREAKING: John Prine Succumbs To Coronavirus

John Prine

Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame member John Prine passed away on Tuesday, April 7 at age 73, at Vanderbilt University Medical Center due to complications from COVID-19, a spokesperson for the Prine family has confirmed to MusicRow.com.

Following a sudden onset of COVID-19 symptoms, he was hospitalized on Thursday, March 26. On Saturday, he was placed on a ventilator and listed in critical condition. His wife/manager, Fiona Whelan Prine, was diagnosed earlier and had quarantined herself from her husband since he was at risk. John Prine was a two-time cancer survivor and had other health issues weakening his immune system.

Prine was presented with a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award earlier this year. He wrote or co-wrote such hits as Don Williams’ “Love Is on a Roll,” Bonnie Raitt’s “Angel From Montgomery,” Lynn Anderson’s “Paradise” and George Strait’s “I Just Want to Dance with You.” But his true importance is measured by his influence on other artists and their universally held respect for him.

During a five-decade, 25-album career, the singer-songwriter amassed a devoted cult following. Two of his albums won Grammy Awards. The Americana Music Association named him an Artist of the Year in 2005 and 2017. BMI gave him its Troubadour Award in 2018. He was a pioneer in self-marketing music via his own label.

John Prine was born Oct. 10, 1946 in Maywood, Illinois, a Chicago suburb. He wrote his first songs at age 14. Prine worked as a mailman in the Windy City throughout the 1960s. In 1970, he performed at an open-mic night at the Chicago folk club The Fifth Peg.

Singer-songwriter Steve Goodman (1948-1984) saw him and became Prine’s champion. He brought Kris Kristofferson to a Prine show at The Earl of Old Town in the summer of 1971. Also in the audience were pop star Paul Anka and actress Angela Lansbury.

At The Bitter End in New York, new fan Kristofferson introduced Prine’s music to Atlantic Records executive Jerry Wexler (1917-2008). Wexler signed Prine the next day.

John Prine appeared as the troubadour’s debut LP in 1971. He would perform many of its songs for the rest of his life. They included the chilling army-veteran portrait “Sam Stone,” the wry “Illegal Smile” and the “blow up your TV” song “Spanish Pipe Dream.” Bette Midler popularized its old-folks ode “Hello in There.”

Raitt made “Angel From Montgomery” her own, although John Denver, Carly Simon, Tanya Tucker, Old Crow Medicine Show and others have recorded it.

“Paradise” was the collection’s most popular song. It has been recorded by The Everly Brothers, Jackie DeShannon, Johnny Cash, Tom T. Hall, Dwight Yoakam, John Fogerty and dozens of bluegrass bands. In 1975, Lynn Anderson made it a mid-sized country hit. The John Prine album was voted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 2015.

He followed it with 1972’s spare, folk-flavored Diamonds in the Rough. Its “Souvenirs” was sung by Goodman, The Country Gentlemen and Maggie Bell, among others. “The Late John Garfield Blues” was recorded by his benefactor Kristofferson. John Prine was nominated as 1972’s Best New Artist at the Grammy Awards.

Sweet Revenge appeared in 1973. This included such perennial Prine favorites as “Please Don’t Bury Me,” “Christmas in Prison” and “Dear Abby.” Its “Grandpa Was a Carpenter” was recorded by The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band and Lonesome Standard Time.

In 1975, David Allan Coe had a hit with “You Never Even Called Me By My Name.” Prine co-wrote it with Goodman, but refused to take any credit so that his leukemia stricken pal could earn more royalties.

Steve Cropper produced 1975’s Common Sense. Joining Prine on the record were J.D. Souther, Glenn Frey, Jackson Browne, Goodman and Raitt. He closed out his Atlantic tenure with Prime Prine, a best-of collection. That 1976 LP is now the artist’s only Gold Record.

He embarked on a rigorous touring schedule, building up a loyal fan base by staying on the road for up to nine months of the year. He also began spending time in Nashville with Jack Clement (1931-2013).

His recording contract was picked up by Asylum. He made his debut on the label with 1978’s folk-rock collection Bruised Orange. Produced by Goodman, it included “That’s the Way the World Goes ‘Round,” later cut by Miranda Lambert, Norah Jones and Green on Red.

Pink Cadillac (1979) was Prine’s Memphis rockabilly album. Storm Windows (1980) was recorded in Muscle Shoals. John Prine moved to Nashville in 1980. Fed up with major labels, he formed his own Oh Boy Records with manager Al Bunetta (1943-2015). His debut for it was a 1982 holiday single, “I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus.”

In 1983, country superstar Don Williams gave Prine his first No. 1 hit, “Love Is on a Roll.” The songwriter co-wrote it with Nashville tunesmith Roger Cook. “Jackie O” was a collaboration with John Mellencamp on the rock star’s 1983 Platinum album Uh-Huh.

Prine’s first Oh Boy LP was 1984’s Aimless Love, primarily recorded at Clement’s studio in Nashville by co-producer Jim Rooney. Its song “Unwed Fathers,” co-written with Bobby Braddock, was popularized by Tammy Wynette, Gail Davies and Johnny Cash.

Steve Goodman died in 1984, just as his “City of New Orleans” was becoming a standard. Prine sang Goodman’s songs in concert throughout the rest of his own life.

The Grammy-nominated German Afternoons (1986) repeated the Aimless Love studio recipe and included two more Prine evergreens. “Speed of the Sound of Loneliness” was sung by Nanci Griffith, Kim Carnes, Amos Lee and Gove. “I Just Want to Dance with You,” co-written with Cook, became a 1998 No. 1 hit for George Strait.

A long hiatus followed German Afternoons, interrupted only by his single “Let’s Talk Dirty in Hawaiian” (1987) and a live CD (1988).

For his return, Prine teamed up with Tom Petty’s Heartbreakers on 1991’s The Missing Years. Its cast included Bruce Springsteen, Phil Everly, David Lindley, Petty, Raitt and producer Howie Epstein (1955-2003). The album earned John Prine his first Grammy Award. Its song “All the Best” was covered by the Zac Brown Band in 2017.

Rhino Records saluted him with a 1993 boxed set titled Great Days: The John Prine Anthology. Epstein re-teamed with the songwriter for 1995’s Lost Dogs and Mixed Blessings.

In Spite of Ourselves (1999) was an acclaimed album of country classics recorded in Nashville as duets with Trisha Yearwood, Connie Smith, Melba Montgomery, Emmylou Harris, Patty Loveless and other female artists. The CD’s title tune was sung with Iris DeMent. It was included on the soundtrack of Daddy & Them (2001), a film which featured Prine on screen alongside Billy Bob Thornton.

He re-recorded many of his early favorites for Souvenirs (2000) so that Oh Boy would have its own versions. In addition to Prine and Goodman, the company also issued works by Kristofferson, Todd Snider, Donnie Fritts, Shawn Camp and more.

John Prine was inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2003. The following year, he contributed his rendition of “My Old Kentucky Home” to Beautiful Dreamer: The Songs of Stephen Foster. The collection won a folk Grammy Award.

Fair & Square (2005) earned Prine his own Grammy, his second. The CDs cast included Camp, Alison Krauss, Jerry Douglas, Mindy Smith, Pat McLaughlin and Dan Tyminski, among others.

On 2007’s Standard Songs for Average People, he sang vintage tunes with Mac Wiseman (1925-2019). Oh Boy issued a multi-artist tribute CD to Prine in 2010. The Singing Mailman Delivers (2011) contained performances taped in 1970 prior to his commercial debut.

For Better Or Worse (2016) was a sequel to In Spite of Ourselves, this time pairing Prine with Lee Ann Womack, Kathy Mattea, Miranda Lambert, Kacey Musgraves, Krauss and more.

In 2018, John Prine released his first new collection of original material in 13 years. Titled The Tree of Forgiveness, it became his highest-charting Billboard album, was nominated for three Grammys and spawned eight promotional videos.

Funeral arrangements have not yet been announced.

Industry Vet Marty Martel Passes

Industry veteran Marty Martel passed away peacefully in his sleep on Sunday, March 29.

Donald Robert “Marty” Martel was born in Ogdensburg, New York on March 9, 1939. He made his debut into the country music world back in the 1950s and enjoyed a career as a successful touring artist, a talent and booking agent, and a show promoter in Nashville with his company Midnight Special Productions.

Martel also spent many years of his life dedicated to the legends of the country industry, advocating for their place in the Hall of Fame and the recognition they deserved. Over his 40-year career as a talent manager and booking agent, he would represent some of country’s most iconic artists including managing the career of Johnny Paycheck. During the course of his career he also established a successful “Legends Fest” touring show.

Martel is survived by his children Brittney Amara Martel, Kristopher Martel, Deron Martel, Tami West, Dennis Morefield, and Shannon Martin along with his 15 grandchildren.

A memorial/celebration of life will be held at Our Lady Of The Lake Church in Hendersonville, TN as soon as the family is permitted to do so. Details will be made available publicly as soon as they are finalized. Any donations/cards/flowers may be sent to 2144 Erin Lane, Mt Juliet, TN 37122, C/O Brittney Amara.

Hit Songwriter Alex Harvey Passes


Singer, entertainer, actor and hit Nashville songwriter Alex Harvey has died at age 73.

Harvey is known for such classics as “Delta Dawn,” “Rings,” “Hell and High Water” and “Reuben James.” He was featured in such TV series as Dallas, The Dukes of Hazzard and Walker, Texas Ranger, as well as such movies as The Blue and the Gray, The Dollmaker, Parent Trap II and Country.

During a five-decade career, he recorded a dozen albums. He was a colorful showman whose nightclub appearances garnered rave reviews.

Thomas Alexander Harvey was born in Dyersburg, TN. He attended Murray State University in Kentucky, earning a master’s degree in music with a minor in drama. Following graduation, he headed to Nashville. Harvey initially supported himself by transcribing songwriters’ works into sheet-music form.

Songwriter Billy Edd Wheeler (“Jackson,” “Coward of the County”) became his mentor. Harvey also learned from Kris Kristofferson, who was one of the songwriters he transcribed.

When Kenny Rogers came to town to tape a TV show, Harvey deployed his charm and salesmanship to pitch the star “Reuben James.” Rogers and The First Edition made it into a Top 30 pop hit in 1969. Conway Twitty, Wanda Jackson and Jerry Lee Lewis were among those who later recorded Harvey’s lyric of racial harmony.

Alex Harvey earned his first country music credits for “Molly,” recorded by Jim Glaser in 1969 and for “Baby, Baby I Know You’re a Lady,” a No. 1 hit for David Houston in 1970. Dusty Springfield recorded Harvey’s “Someone Who Cares” that same year. It became the theme song for the Jason Robard‘s movie Fools.

In the wake of “Reuben James,” Kenny Rogers recorded more than a dozen Harvey songs. They included the 1970 social-commentary pop hit “Tell It All Brother” and “Hoodooin’ of Miss Fanny DeBerry,” which was included on the million-selling Gambler LP.

Rogers urged him to move to L.A. in 1970. Harvey took acting classes and began seeking TV and movie parts.

Meanwhile, the Memphis pop group Cymarron had a big hit with his “Rings” in 1971. Tompall & The Glaser Brothers covered it for the country field, hitting the Top 10. Lobo, Lonnie Mack, Reuben Howell and Twiggy also recorded “Rings.”

Harvey was signed by Capitol Records on the West Coast. Alex Harvey appeared as his debut LP in 1971. Rogers produced four of its songs, and Wheeler penned its liner notes. “Delta Dawn,” co-written with Larry Collins, was this album’s closing track.

Tanya Tucker launched her career with “Delta Dawn” in 1972. It remains her signature song. In 1973, Helen Reddy turned it into a No. 1 pop smash. It has also been recorded by Loretta Lynn, Bette Midler, Charlie McCoy, Kitty Wells, Waylon Jennings, Dottie West, Teresa Brewer, The Statler Brothers and many others.

“The song started everything off for me,” said Tanya Tucker yesterday (April 5). “I thank God for him, his song, my life, my career and my fans….My life would have been so different without the iconic ‘Delta Dawn’ and her creator Alex Harvey.”

Capitol released Souvenirs as Harvey’s second LP in 1972. It included his own versions of “Rings” and “Reuben James.” His third LP, 1973’s True Love, included “Makin’ Music for Money.” Jimmy Buffett popularized the song the following year.

Harvey next signed with Buddah Records, which released Preshus Chlld (1976) and Purple Crush (1977) as his next two albums. But his main focus during this period was on his acting career. James Garner took Harvey under his wing and featured him in the 1982 TV film The Long Summer of George Adams.

Subsequent movies cast him alongside Jane Fonda (1984’s The Dollmaker), Sharon Gless (1984’s The Sky Is No Limit), Jessica Lange (1985’s Country), Hayley Mills (1987’s The Parent Trap II), Daniel J. Travanti (1983’s Adam), Stacy Keach (1982’s The Blue and the Gray), Michael Pare (1987’s Houston Knights) and Kristofferson (1997’s Fire Down Below).

Alex Harvey moved back to Nashville in 1983. He reacquainted local audiences with his songs and showmanship. He augmented his distinctive, bluesy vocals with flamboyant costumes and handed out buttons, ribbons and printed programs at gigs.

In 1986 T. Graham Brown had a No. 1 hit with “Hell and High Water,” co-written with Harvey. Willie Nelson recorded “No Place But Texas,” the 1986 Alex Harvey song that was named the official song of the state’s sesquicentennial celebration. It also became the title tune of Harvey’s sixth album.

Tim Ryan had his chart debut in 1990 with their collaboration “Dance in Circles,” and the two became frequent songwriting partners. Billy Ray Cyrus returned Harvey to the country Top 10 via “Somebody New” in 1993, and he returned to the songwriter’s catalog for 1997’s “Bluegrass State of Mind.” Chris LeDoux sang Harvey’s “Five Dollar Fine” in 1999.

Over the years, his songs have also been recorded by Anne Murray, Andy Williams, Eydie Gorme, Merle Haggard, Ferlin Husky, Shirley Bassey, Percy Faith, George Hamilton IV, Leo Kottke, Roy Drusky, Arthur Prysock, Jim Ed Brown, Ed Bruce, Vikki Carr and Peggy Lee, among others.
Alex Harvey continued to record throughout the 1990s and 2000s. His output included Black and Red (1995), Eden (1997), Arms of an Angel (2001), Peace (2003), The Songwriter (2004), Galilee (2005) and Heart of the Art in Song (2018).

In 2015 he created a book as well as an album titled Texas 101. Harvey also hosted syndicated radio and TV series in the Lone Star State.
Alex Harvey’s death on April 4 was revealed yesterday in a Facebook post by his wife, Gineille Sabilino.

BREAKING: Joe Diffie Dies At 61 From Coronavirus Complications


Multi-million selling Grand Ole Opry star Joe Diffie passed away on Sunday, March 29, following a brief illness. Diffie, 61, announced last Friday that he had tested positive for COVID-19, the coronavirus. He has now become the first music star to die from the disease.

One of the biggest country hit makers of the 1990s, Joe Diffie had more than 20 Top 10 hits. They include such No. 1 smashes as “Home,” “Third Rock from the Sun” and “Pickup Man.” He holds four Gold Record awards and two Platinum ones for his albums.

He co-wrote nine of his hits as well as successful songs for Jo Dee Messina, Holly Dunn, Tim McGraw and Conway Twitty. During his career, he won both Grammy and CMA awards.

Known as a “singer’s singer,” he received praise from such greats as Tammy Wynette, George Jones, Gene Watson, Vern Gosdin, Liza Minelli, Garth Brooks, George Strait and Buck Owens. Diffie celebrated his 25th anniversary as an Opry star last year with a show including Vince Gill, Michael Ray and Ricky Skaggs.

Born Dec. 28, 1958 in Duncan, OK, Diffie was raised in a musical household. He was singing in gospel groups such as Higher Purpose by the time he was in high school. He spent four years as a member of the bluegrass band The Special Edition and made his recording debut by recording an album with that group in 1985.

While working at an iron foundry in Oklahoma, Diffie also ran a small recording studio. When the foundry laid him off and he went through a divorce, there was no reason not to start over in Nashville. He arrived in 1986.

Diffie took a job at the Gibson Guitar factory, then landed a staff songwriting gig on Music Row. Hank Thompson recorded his “Love on the Rocks” in 1988. Holly Dunn scored a big 1989 hit with his “There Goes My Heart Again.”

He also attracted attention for his vocals on demos for other songwriters. Diffie sang the demos of such future hits as “I’ve Cried My Last Tear for You” (Ricky Van Shelton), “Born Country” (Alabama), “You Don’t Count the Cost” (Billy Dean) and “I Cross My Heart” (George Strait). This led to a recording contract with Epic Records in 1990.

Joe Diffie’s first single was “Home,” which was notable as a debut disc that hit No. 1. In 1991-92, he scored successive hits with “If You Want Me To,” “If the Devil Danced (In Empty Pockets),” “New Way (To Light Up an Old Flame),” “Is It Cold in Here,” and “Ships That Don’t Come In.” In 1992, he earned a Grammy nomination for “Not Too Much to Ask,” his duet with Mary Chapin Carpenter. He was also nominated as the CMA Male Vocalist that year.

Diffie won a CMA Award in 1993 for “I Don’t Need Your Rockin’ Chair,” recorded with George Jones and other guest vocalists. His songwriting continued to make waves as “I’m the Only Thing (I’ll Hold Against You)” and “Memory Lane” both became 1993 singles, for Conway Twitty and Tim McGraw, respectively. Also in 1993, Joe Diffie was inducted into the Opry cast and co-hosted the International Bluegrass Music Association’s award show (a gig he repeated in 1999).

Most of his early singles were ballads, at which his powerful honky-tonk tenor excelled. Beginning in 1993, a different Joe Diffie emerged on disc. He released a string of wildly successful uptempo novelty tunes. These included such hits as “Honky Tonk Attitude” (1993), “Prop Me Up Beside the Jukebox” (1993), “John Deere Green” (1994), “Third Rock from the Sun” (1994), “Pickup Man” (1994), “I’m in Love with a Capital U” (1995), “Bigger Than the Beatles” (1996) and “C-O-U-N-T-R-Y” (1996).

Following a second divorce, he began a long relationship with Liz Allison, the widow of NASCAR star Davey Allison. Diffie had sung at Davey’s funeral after the race-car driver died in a 1993 helicopter accident. The new romance led to coverage in People magazine and several tabloids in the mid 1990s.

In 1996, Ford Trucks selected “Pickup Man” as its jingle, which Diffie re-recorded for a national ad campaign.

The following year, Diffie was presented with the Country Radio Broadcasters Humanitarian Award for his work with Tennessee Special Olympics, Teach for America, Operation Smile, Parade of Pennies, the Children’s Organ Transplant Association and other charities. He did an annual concert and golf tournament to benefit First Steps because he was the father of a child with Down Syndrome.

Also in 1997, he made his acting debut opposite Johnny Cash in the TV movie All My Friends Are Cowboys. He closed out the year as the Grand Marshall of the Nashville Christmas Parade.

He re-entered the Top 10 on the country charts with 1998’s “Texas Size Heartache.” Then he earned a Grammy Award for his participation in the 1998 Marty Stuart all-star outing “Same Old Train.”

The hits “A Night to Remember” (1999), “The Quittin’ Kind” (1999), “It’s Always Somethin’” (2000) and “In Another World” (2001) took Diffie into the new century. He was inducted into the Oklahoma Music Hall of Fame in 2002.

Diffie signed with Broken Bow and hit the charts again with “Tougher Than Nails” in 2004. The following year, he returned to No. 1 as the co-writer of Jo Dee Messina’s smash “My Give a Damn’s Busted.”

Rounder Records picked him up in 2010 to distribute his CD Homecoming: The Bluegrass Album. The record’s supporting cast included The Grascals, Shawn Camp, Rhonda Vincent, Rob Ickes, Aubrey Haynie, Alecia Nugent, Bradley Walker, Harley Allen and Charlie Cushman. Later that year, Diffie published Homecoming: The Diffie Family Cookbook.

In recent years, Joe Diffie had returned to mainstream country recording. He teamed with Aaron Tippin and Sammy Kershaw on the 2013 CD All in the Same Boat.

Younger artists have begun to acknowledge his influence. Blake Shelton sings his “If the Devil Danced (In Empty Pockets).” Diffie is prominently name-checked in such hits as Jason Aldean’s “1994” (2012) and Chris Young’s “Raised on Country” (2019).

Joe Diffie is survived by his wife Tara and by children Parker, Kara, Drew, Tyler and Kylie. Funeral arrangements have not been announced.

BREAKING: Grand Ole Opry Member Jan Howard Dies at 91

Jan Howard. Photo: Joel Dennis.

Singer-songwriter Jan Howard, known as one of “The Grand Ladies of the Grand Ole Opry,” has passed away at age 91.

During her long career, Jan Howard was a recording star, a hit writer, a member of Johnny Cash’s troupe, Patsy Cline’s demo singer, Bill Anderson’s duet partner, Harlan Howard’s wife and business co-owner, Tammy Wynette’s confidant and Wynn Stewart’s disc collaborator, as well as a matriarch of the Opry cast.

Her big solo hits included “The One You Slip Around With” (1960), “Bad Seed” (1966) and the Grammy-nominated singles “Evil On Your Mind” (1966) and “My Son” (1968). While working on the West Coast, she recorded such 1958-60 duets as “Wrong Company,” “How the Other Half Lives” and “Yankee Go Home” with Wynn Stewart.

Her hit Anderson duets in Nashville included “For Loving You” (1967), “If It’s All the Same to You” (1969), “Someday We’ll Be Together” (1970) and “Dis-Satisfied” (1971). She was also a member of Bill Anderson’s road show and TV series cast for seven seasons.

In addition, Howard logged a number of years as an “honorary” member of Mother Maybelle & The Carter Sisters. In this capacity, she can be clearly heard warbling, “Mama sang tenor” on the memorable 1969 Johnny Cash hit “Daddy Sang Bass.”

She also authored one of country music’s most compelling autobiographies, Sunshine and Shadow (1987). She said that she wrote it as therapy when she became suicidal. That is understandable: Howard had much trauma to heal via the book. Her saga included rape, spousal abuse, bigamy, poverty, war fatality, infidelity, divorce, suicide, financial ruin and mental illness.

She was born Lula Grace Johnson in 1930, the eighth of the 11 children of an impoverished farm couple during the Great Depression. Raised near West Plains, MO, she was enthralled by Grand Ole Opry radio broadcasts as a girl and fantasized about being a country singer.

Howard recalled being raped at age 8 by one of her father’s friends. She kept it a secret from her family. She dropped out of school to marry at age 16. Her husband beat her viciously and tried to kill her. She fled with their three sons and had a nervous breakdown. Following her 1953 divorce, she wed a military man who turned out to be already married. This time, she and her boys got on a bus headed for California.

On the West Coast, she met and married aspiring songwriter Harlan Howard (1927-2002) in 1957. After two miscarriages, she had a hysterectomy at age 27. During her recovery, Harlan heard her singing as she washed dishes one evening. Painfully shy, it was one of the first times she had ever sung in front of someone.

Harlan was so excited by his discovery that he taped Jan singing his song “Mommy For a Day” and sent the result to Nashville. Kitty Wells had a hit with the song in 1958. Jan was soon constantly in the studio recording demos of her husband’s tunes.

Harlan believed that his wife could record hits, herself. When she signed with Challenge Records, the label changed “Grace” to “Jan.” She recorded Harlan’s “Pick Me Up on Your Way Down” and “I Wish I Could Fall in Love Today” in 1958-59. Both later became country standards.

During these early years, she and influential West Coast honky-tonk star Wynn Stewart (1934-1985) recorded their duets. Jan scored her first solo hit with Harlan’s “The One You Slip Around With” in 1960.

The Howards moved to Nashville later that year. Despite chart success for her as a singer and for him as a writer, anxiety plagued Jan Howard. She developed phobias of heights, open spaces and the dark, as well as crippling stage fright. Harlan institutionalized her, and she went into therapy.

Because of her hit, Jan began getting calls to do guest appearances on the Opry. The show’s Jean Shepard (1933-2016), Skeeter Davis (1931-2004) and, especially, Patsy Cline (1932-1963) welcomed, comforted and befriended her. Jan sang Harlan’s song demos that became Patsy’s records, including “I Fall to Pieces,” “When I Get Through With You,” “That’s When Your Heartache Begins,” “You Took Him Off My Hands” and “He Called Me Baby.”

Patsy Cline recorded for Decca Records. The label’s Owen Bradley (1915-1998) was impressed with Jan’s demos. He signed her to a Nashville recording contract and became her producer. Bradley was an architect of a style of country recording known as The Nashville Sound.

Unlike most of her ballad-singing contemporaries, Jan’s version of The Nashville Sound featured up-tempo tunes. She brought brass and sass to the style. Despite her chronic inner doubts, insecurities and fears, she frequently expressed assertiveness, self-confidence and spunk in her recorded performances.

Harlan Howard wrote many of Jan’s singles of the 1960s, including “I Wish I Was a Single Girl Again” (1963), “What Makes a Man Wander” (1965), “Evil On Your Mind” (her biggest hit, 1966), “Time Out” (1966) and “Any Old Way You Do” (1967). But the marriage unraveled after she became aware of his infidelities. Jan said that Harlan duped her out of her half of their song publishing business before their divorce in 1967.

Now her singing became an economic necessity. Opry star Bill Anderson supplied her with the songs “Bad Seed” (1966), “Count Your Blessings Woman” (1968), “I Still Believe in Love” (1968) and “The Soul You Never Had” (1970), as well as most of their duets.

Jan was a songwriter, too. She wrote the Kitty Wells hit “It’s All Over But the Crying” (1966) and Bill Anderson’s hit “Love Is a Sometimes Thing” (1970), as well as her own singles “Marriage Has Ruined More Good Love Affairs” (1971) and “Life of a Country Girl Singer” (1981).

She and Anderson co-wrote their hit 1971 duet “Dis-Satisfied,” as well as Connie Smith’s 1970 hit “I Never Once Stopped Loving You.” Her songs “Ring the Bells for Jim” and “Christmas As I Knew It” were recorded by Johnny Cash. She wrote “Wherever You Are,” for Jean Shepard. She wrote songs recorded by Conway Twitty, The Osborne Brothers, Tammy Wynette and others.

Jan also wrote 1968’s “My Son,” a moving recitation that began as a letter to her son serving in Vietnam. Despite her reservations, Anderson insisted she record it. She wept throughout the recording session. This mother’s plea for the safe return of her boy was on the market for just two weeks when Jan’s son Jimmy was killed in the war.

During her mourning, Jan got more than 5,000 letters from soldiers and their parents, saying how much the Grammy-nominated single meant to them. She was never able to perform it live.

Les Leverett (L) and Jan Howard (R) perform at the Grand Ole Opry. Photo: Grand Ole Opry.

Four years later, her youngest son David committed suicide at age 21. A singer, dancer and actor, he had been a performer at the Opryland theme park.
June Carter (1929-2003) and Johnny Cash (1932-2003) helped the devastated Jan to cope with her losses by taking her on the road with them. She also sang backup on such Cash hits as “Ghost Riders In the Sky,” “Gone Girl” and “I Will Rock and Roll With You,” as well as “Daddy Sang Bass.”

Next, Tammy Wynette (1942-1998) hired Jan in 1980 to become a member of her ensemble as a backup singer. This troupe toured internationally, and the two women remained close thereafter.

Jan Howard’s 1987 autobiography was/is a testament to the survival of the human spirit in the face of overwhelming tragedy. She always maintained that it wasn’t a show-business book. Rather, she viewed it as the story of a woman who endured despite adversity.

In the 1990s and 2000s, Jan became ever more active in veterans’ issues. She campaigned for the establishment of the Vietnam War Memorial in Washington D.C. and has been a spokesperson for the Veteran’s Administration and for several Armed Forces charities.

During her recording career, Jan Howard placed 30 titles on the country hit parade. She issued 15 albums between 1960 and 1986. She became a Grand Ole Opry cast member in 1971. Her trumpet-like tones were a fixture on the Opry stage for more than four decades thereafter. Along with Jean Shepard, Connie Smith and Jeannie Seely, Jan Howard was dubbed one of “The Grand Ladies of the Grand Ole Opry” during her later years.

She is survived by one of her three sons, Carter A. Howard and his wife Pamela, two grandchildren, Mitsi H. Lindsay (Keith), Anita H. Simpson (Travis), and three great-grandchildren, Cole, Alli and Charlie.

BREAKING: Kenny Rogers Passes Away At 81

Kenny Rogers. Photo: John Russell/CMA

Kenny Rogers, a Country Music Hall of Fame member and legendary artist who delivered classic hits as “The Gambler,” “Lady,” “Islands In The Stream,” “Lucille,” and “She Believes In Me,” passed away on Friday, March 20. He was 81.

Rogers garnered 20 No. 1 country hits between 1977 and 1987, many of which climbed the pop charts. During his lengthy career the international star sold more than 50 million albums in the United States alone. Rogers was a five-time CMA Award-winner and entered the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2013.

Growing up in public housing in Houston, he was exposed to R&B, pop, and jazz as well as country. His first professional group was a late-1950s vocal act called the Scholars, which had local hits in Houston. “That Crazy Feeling,” a 1958 solo hit on Carlton Records, earned him an appearance on “American Bandstand.”

During the early 1960s, Rogers played bass, and occasionally sang, in a Houston jazz trio. Membership in the New Christy Minstrels folk group spurred the founding of the First Edition, in which Rogers and other former Minstrels mixed folk, rock and country sounds. The new group went to No. 5 on the pop chart in 1967 with Mickey Newbury’s psychedelic “Just Dropped In (To See What Condition My Condition Was In)” and gained several additional pop hits on Reprise Records.

After the group’s breakup in 1974, producer/executive Larry Butler signed Rogers to United Artists Records, on which he had modest hits until the stunning success of the mournfully catchy, Grammy-winning “Lucille” in 1977, which reached No. 1 on the country chart and No. 5 on the pop chart. For the next dozen years Rogers logged hit after hit, including “The Gambler” (1978-79), penned by Don Schlitz, “She Believes in Me” (1979) and “Coward of the County” (1979-80).

In 1980, on Liberty Records, Rogers’ No. 1 hit “Lady,” a romantic ballad written by pop star Lionel Richie, ruled the pop charts for six weeks. Successful duets included “Every Time Two Fools Collide” with Dottie West (1978) and the crossover smash “Don’t Fall in Love with a Dreamer” with Kim Carnes (1980). In addition to his five CMA Awards wins, Rogers piled up three Grammys as the country-pop era reached a peak, adding to his stature as one of country’s first artists to sell out arena shows.

Already a veteran TV performer, Rogers gained further exposure through acting in made-for-television movies, including a series of five treatments of “The Gambler.” His hit “Love the World Away” was a theme song in the era-defining 1980 film Urban Cowboy. The 1980s also saw hits on Liberty and RCA, including “Love Will Turn You Around” (1982), the Sheena Easton duet “We’ve Got Tonight” (1983), and the memorable Dolly Parton duet “Islands in the Stream” (1983), all country No. 1 songs that made the pop charts. Rogers appeared front and center in the megastar collaboration “We Are the World” (1985), scoring additional chart-toppers such as “Crazy,” “Real Love,” and the sensual George Martin-produced “Morning Desire.” But the solo hit “Tomb of the Unknown Love” (1986) and the Ronnie Milsap duet “Make No Mistake, She’s Mine” (1986) were Rogers’s last No. 1 country records until “Buy Me a Rose” (1999-2000), recorded with Alison Krauss and Billy Dean.

Later in life, Rogers invested in Branson, Miss., ventures, published several well-received photography books, authored two children’s books, engaged in major philanthropic endeavors, and launched a chain of restaurants. Though his chart success slipped in the late 1980s and 1990s through stints with Giant, Atlantic, Reprise and Magnatone, “Buy Me a Rose” (on Dreamcatcher) gave him a boost at the outset of the 21st century. He continued to tour and released hits collections and albums of new material, the latter including Water & Bridges (Capitol Nashville, 2006), which yielded the Top 20 hit “I Can’t Unlove You.”

Singer-Songwriter Ramsey Kearney Passes

Longtime independent country recording artist and veteran Nashville songwriter Ramsey Kearney died on Saturday (March 14) at age 86.

He is best known for collaborating with Mel Tillis in co-writing Brenda Lee’s 1961 international pop smash “Emotions.” The song has also been recorded by Juice Newton (1994), Pam Tillis (2002) and Little Rachel (2009), among others.

Kearney’s other notable copyrights include “Nine Little Teardrops” for Sue Thompson (1961), “Lonely People” for Eddy Arnold (1964) and “Big Flicking Baby” for Moe Bandy (1978).

William Ramsey Kearney was born Oct. 30, 1933 in Bolivar, Tennessee. He began his career with his own radio show on WDXI in Jackson, 1948-52. He served in the Army in 1953-55.

After stints in Memphis and Knoxville, he headed to Nashville. He first gained notoriety in Music City as a staff writer for Cedarwood Publishing.

He next signed with Acuff-Rose, which employed him as a songplugger as well as a writer. As a vocalist, Kearney recorded for the publisher’s affiliated Hickory label in the 1960s, He reportedly staged his Opry debut singing Fred Rose’s “I Never Let You Cross My Mind.”

When he signed with Tree International, Ramsey Kearney became one of the few songwriters to have been affiliated with all three of Music Row’s founding song publishers. While at Tree, he began recording for NRS Records. The label released his self-penned “Love Me Strong,” “Bud’s Wiser Now” and “Driving Me to Drinking” during the 1970s.

This marked the start of his long career as an independent country recording artist. He issued more than 20 singles on Safari Records and made the charts with “King of Oak Street” (1985) and “One Time Thing” (1988). He also recorded for Silver Dollar, Nashco, SunJay, Stomper Time and other indie labels.

His 25+ albums included I Write the Words (1981), I Dream a Rainbow (1982), My Happy Day (1983), Behind a Song (1985, marketed on TNN), Montego Bay (1987) Country Fever (1988) and Golden Dreams of Hawaii (1990), plus an Eddy Arnold tribute LP, a Christmas album, a rockabilly collection and a blues album.
Due to the outbreak of the coronavirus, services for Ramsey Kearney will not be public. To ensure the safety and health of the community, a private visitation and service will be held on Thursday, March 19 at Hendersonville Funeral Home. Burial will take place at Hendersonville Memorial Gardens.

Paul English, Drummer For Willie Nelson, Passes Away At 87

Paul English (L) pictured with Willie Nelson (R) from the 1985 album Willie Nelson – Me & Paul

Paul English, one of the most colorful characters in country music, died on Wednesday, Feb. 12, at age 87.

English was Willie Nelson’s drummer and constant companion for many years. He cut a striking “devil” figure with his goatee, black clothes and crimson-lined satin cape.

He had an equally individualistic personality. Paul English was feared as Willie’s “enforcer,” a bodyguard who packed a gun and wasn’t shy about using his fists.

The drummer was born in Vernon, Texas, in 1932. When he first met Willie in 1955, he was a former boxer involved in gangland activities and working as a pimp.

He joined Willie’s band in 1966, and the two were inseparable from then on. He later shared drumming duties in the band with his brother, Billy English. Paul English was so close to the superstar that Willie named one of his daughters “Paula” in his honor.

Willie Nelson immortalized his friend in his song “Me and Paul.” It first appeared on the 1971 LP Yesterday’s Wine. In that same year, the “Yesterday’s Wine” / “Me and Paul” single climbed to #62 on the country charts.

“Me and Paul” gained further fame when it was included on the million-selling, landmark 1976 LP Wanted: The Outlaws. Next, Willie placed it on his 1981 Greatest Hits collection. It finally achieved prominence on the country hit parade as a 1985 single that made it to #14.

Willie Nelson also wrote 1973’s “Devil in a Sleepin’ Bag” about Paul English. That song appeared on the critically acclaimed LP Shotgun Willie.

The drummer’s signature cape is now on display in the Country Music Hall of Fame’s “Outlaws & Armadillos” exhibit.

Paul English is survived by three sons, Evan, D.W. and Paul Jr. No funeral arrangements have been announced.

Songwriter David Olney Dies At 71

David Olney. Photo: John Partipilo

Nashville songwriting great David Olney died on stage at a festival in Florida on Saturday at age 71.

Regarded as one of the finest songwriters in Music City, Olney recorded more than 20 albums over a four-decade career. His songs have been sung by Emmylou Harris, Steve Earle, Joe Ely, Del McCoury, Johnny Cash, Tim O’Brien, James King, Linda Ronstadt, Slaid Cleaves, Lonnie Brooks and many others.

He was a founder of Nashville’s alternative-rock scene, as well as of the Americana genre. He was a gripping, theatrical live performer who became widely known in Europe, as well as on America’s folk circuit.

Born in Providence, Rhode Island in 1948, he began playing guitar at age 13. During his college years at the University of North Carolina, he launched his performing career in the clubs of Chapel Hill.

He formed the band Simpson and made his recording debut in 1971. His pile-driving arrangement on Leadbelly’s “Black Betty” was picked up by Ram Jam, who made it a rock hit.

Following a period working in theater in Atlanta, he moved to Nashville in 1973. In 1978-85, Dave Olney & The X-Rays became stars of the Music City nightlife scene. The band opened for Elvis Costello, appeared on Austin City Limits, recorded two LPs and served as one of the founding groups of Nashville’s alternative-rock culture.

He began recording a string of striking solo folk LPs in 1986. He also performed and recorded in The Nashville Jug Band.

No one who ever sat transfixed by one of his solo shows could deny his talent as a thespian. Olney could be scary, hilarious, tender, loving or ironic, but he was always dramatic and unforgettable.

His striking stage abilities grew from the way he inhabited the characters in his unusual songs. At various times he enacted Jesse James, John Barrymore, Omar Khayam, John Dillinger, Barabbas, a World War I prostitute, the iceberg that sank the Titanic, a caterpillar, a boxer, a millionaire, baseball players, a huckster following Jesus and any number of criminals, scoundrels and social outcasts.

Olney was one of the music world’s great individualists. In addition to playing some of America’s biggest festivals, he performed for fans in Germany, Ireland, Scandinavia, England, Austria, Belgium, Switzerland and Holland. His albums were issued on Dutch and Italian record labels.

Opera Memphis adapted some of his songs for a theatrical work titled “Light in August.” He also performed during the Nashville Shakespeare Festival. Over the years, he opened shows for Bonnie Raitt, Kris Kristofferson and Nanci Griffith and became a favorite of such fellow troubadours as Guy Clark, Richard Dobson and Townes Van Zandt.

By the 1990s, he was a cult figure who collaborated with Rodney Crowell, John Prine and The Band’s Rick Danko and Garth Hudson, among others. He earned rave reviews in The New York Times, Stereo Review, USA Today, The L.A. Times, The Miami Herald, The Philadelphia Enquirer and more.

Olney died of an apparent heart attack while on stage in Santa Rosa Beach, Florida. He is survived by wife Regine, daughter Lillian and son Redding. Funeral arrangements are not yet available.