Chips Moman, a songwriter and producer who made his mark in country music after a significant career in R&B, died Monday (June 13) in LaGrange, Georgia, after a long illness. He was 79.

Moman was born with the name Lincoln Wayne Moman in LaGrange, Georgia, on June 12, 1937. He received his nickname because of his skills as a poker player.

As a songwriter, his credits include 1977’s “Luckenbach, Texas (Back to the Basics of Love)” for Waylon Jennings and Willie Nelson, co-written with Buddy Emmons.

With Emmons, Moman also wrote the two-week No. 1 single, “The Wurlitzer Prize (I Don’t Want to Get Over You,” recorded by Waylon Jennings. Prior to that, Moman and co-writer Larry Butler composed a two-week No. 1 country hit for B.J. Thomas titled “(Hey Won’t You Play) Another Somebody Done Somebody Wrong Song.” The recording won a 1975 Grammy for Best Country Song.

R&B staples from his catalog include “Dark End of the Street” and “Do Right Woman, Do Right Man,” co-written with Dan Penn.

As a country producer, he won ACM Awards for Willie Nelson’s single “Always on My Mind” and corresponding album, also titled Always on My Mind. Nelson and Merle Haggard enlisted him to produce “Pancho & Lefty.” In addition, he collected a 1985 ACM Award as producer of “Highwayman,” the iconic single recorded by Johnny Cash, Jennings, Kris Kristofferson and Nelson, known collectively as the Highwaymen. Moman also produced the first two albums for the Highwaymen.

He produced a collaborative 1986 album titled Class of ’55: Memphis Rock & Roll Homecoming that brought together Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis, Roy Orbison and Carl Perkins. Interviews from that session won a 1986 Grammy for Best Spoken Word or Non-Musical Recording.

Elvis Presley fans know Moman as the producer of standards like “In the Ghetto,” “Suspicious Minds” and “Kentucky Rain.” Presley recorded those songs at American Sound Studio for the 1969 album, From Elvis in Memphis.

Moman had strong ties to Memphis by working at Stax Records and producing the label’s first hit single—Carla Thomas’ 1960 release, “Gee Whiz.” Within a few years, after leaving Stax, he opened American Sound Studio in Memphis, where Dusty Springfield recorded her enduring 1969 album, Dusty in Memphis. Moman was also an accomplished guitarist who played numerous sessions in Memphis and Muscle Shoals, Alabama.

Only making occasional appearances in the last few decades, Moman had lived in LaGrange since 1994. In 2012 he gave a public interview at the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum.

Phoebe Binkley, who coached dozens of Nashville superstars and thousands of unknowns for more than 40 years, passed away on May 11 at age 78.

She was officially a vocal coach, but her many clients thought of her as a career counselor, a life advisor, a guidance guru, a confidante and much more. Among her high-profile students were Kathy Mattea, Ronnie Milsap, Hilary Williams, Ronnie Dunn, Ranger Doug Green, Barbara Cloyd and Crystal Gayle.

Binkley also coached Reese Witherspoon in her Oscar-winning performance singing the songs of June Carter in the Johnny Cash bio movie Walk the Line.

The coach was born Phoebe Knox in Memphis in 1937. Her career began as a radio singer-pianist. One early gig was on the Nashville show “Youth on Parade” alongside Pat Boone. She graduated from Vanderbilt University.

She sang as a soprano for several seasons with the St. Louis Municipal Opera, then went to Manhattan to study and perform.

Returning to Music City, she was recruited by Theatre Nashville to sing the lead in its production of La Boheme. The opera’s musical director was Bob Binkley (1934-2012), whom she married in 1960.

She first entered the country music world as a songwriter. Superstar Marty Robbins (1925-1982) recorded a dozen compositions by Bob & Phoebe Binkley in the 1960s and 1970s. Phoebe assumed leadership of Bob’s vocal-coaching business in 1971, when he became more involved in conducting, arranging and music education. She was noted for treating aspiring amateurs with the same care and attention she provided to Nashville’s biggest stars.

She became so well known in her field that she was chosen to appear on TV’s To Tell the Truth (“Will the real Phoebe Binkley please stand up!?”). She also continued to compose. She and her sister-in-law Ella Prince Knox created the musical Belle! Another notable relative was her father, Jack Knox (1910-1985), who was an editorial cartoonist for The Nashville Banner for many years.

Phoebe Knox Binkley died from complications of Post-Poliomyletis Syndrome. She is survived by son Ed Binkley and daughter Carolyn Knox Binkley. Carolyn, a former Belmont University instructor, will continue the family’s Nashville business, “Voice By Binkley.” Other survivors include Phoebe’s brothers Joseph and Britt Knox, her grandchildren, her nieces and her nephews.

A celebration of her life will be held at Vine Street Christian Church on Friday, June 3 at 8 p.m. Everyone is invited to sing in the choir. Come dressed as Binkley would have you, in a way that makes you feel best about yourself.

Memorial contributions may be made in Phoebe Binkley’s name to BrightStone, P.O. Box 682966, Franklin, TN 37068 or to the W.O. Smith Community Music School, P.O. Box 121348, Nashville, TN 37212.

James King, a Grammy-nominated bluegrass artist signed to Rounder Records, died Thursday afternoon (May 19), according to a spokesperson from the label. He was 57 years old.

Affectionately known as “The Bluegrass Storyteller,” King was well-known in the bluegrass community for starting to cry (along with the audience) when he sang sad songs. His 2013 album, Three Chords and the Truth, was nominated for a Grammy for best bluegrass album. The project gave a bluegrass arrangement to weepers like “Chiseled in Stone” and “He Stopped Loving Her Today.”

King was also a recovering alcoholic who suffered complications from a prolonged battle with cirrhosis of the liver. He died peacefully, surrounded by family and close friends, including his longtime girlfriend, Becky Rhodes; his brothers Andy and Jason, and sister-in-law Leticia; his aunts Debbie Moxley and Nadine Isley; and friends Junior and Susan Sisk, Dudley and Sally Connell, Harry and Louise Rhodes, and Charlie Snelling.

Born in Martinsville, Virginia on September 9, 1958, and raised in Carroll County, King grew up immersed in bluegrass. Both his father and his uncle were professional bluegrass musicians, and during his formative years, King was surrounded by music.

Following a stint in the Marine Corps, King decided to follow family tradition, and launched his musical career. He was signed to Rounder Records in 1992, where he released a series of critically acclaimed and award-winning albums, including his last recording for the label, Three Chords and the Truth.

Among his many achievements, King was a 12-time Bluegrass Music Award Winner, and in 1997, the International Bluegrass Music Association (IBMA) voted the James King Band the Emerging Artist of the Year.

In 2014, King was inducted into the Virginia Country Music Hall of Fame. Alison Krauss sent along the following remarks, which were read at the ceremony: “Nine years ago, my father and I heard a man singing in a jam session between two campers in Maryland when it was pitch black outside. Our jaws hung open, and then we had to search the festival site to retrieve the top of my head. The voice we heard was magnificent. It was so powerful, emotive, haunting, and one of a kind. It was you, singing ‘Cry, Cry, Darlin.’ We had the opportunity to speak with you, and found your spirit and generosity shared the same qualities. I’m so happy you are receiving this award. How proud the state of Virginia must be to be able to claim you as their own, and to give this award to someone whose voice has taken so many of us back to another time when life had such a beautiful, simple dream attached to it. Congratulations James King. FANTASTIC!!!”

Rounder Records co-founder Ken Irwin signed King in 1992, and produced a number of his recordings for the label. Irwin reflects, “James had an uncanny ability to wring the emotion out of every song he sang, and he was one of the most intuitive singers in all of bluegrass. He sang from and to the heart, and had the rare gift of being able to make audiences feel, no matter what it was he was singing about. He was a born storyteller, and loved to tell stories before, during, and after songs.” He continues, “His love of singing and entertaining came through in everything he did, and those qualities made him one of the most popular and beloved artists on the bluegrass circuit. James’ big voice was only matched by his outsize personality. He was my friend, and I will miss him.”

King was predeceased by his daughter Shelby Ann, who died in 2012. Funeral arrangements will be announced shortly.

Emilio Navaira, a Tejano superstar who crossed over into country music in the 1990s, died Monday, May 16. He was 53.

Emilio was born in San Antonio, Texas, on Aug. 23, 1962. His singles for Capitol Nashville included “It’s Not the End of the World,” which reached No. 27 on the country singles chart in 1995.

Although he charted five more singles for the label, none of them entered the Top 40. However he maintained a major presence in Tejano music for the remainder of his career.

Lamentamos el fallecimiento del cantante Emilio Navaira Q.E.P.D. (1962 – 2016) pic.twitter.com/djZXoalM0l

— Emilio Navaira (@EmilioNavaira) May 17, 2016

 

Navaira’s son, Diego Navaira, is a member of the Warner Music Nashville group The Last Bandoleros.

Neil Portnow, President/CEO of The Recording Academy, stated, “Possessing one of the greatest voices in the history of Tejano music, Emilio Navaira was an icon in the genre. Both a Grammy and a Latin Grammy Award winner, he showcased his strong Texas roots in everything he did. From his relentless touring schedule to his impressive lyrics and signature sound, Emilio was beloved by many, and helped to shape an entire genre of music. Our creative community has lost a uniquely gifted talent, and our deepest condolences go out to his family, friends, and all those who had the privilege and honor of working with him. He will be missed.”

Guy Clark, a Grammy-winning recording artist, songwriter’s songwriter and mentor to a generation of Nashville artists, died on Tuesday (May 17). He was 74.

A 2004 inductee into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame, Guy Clark’s standards include “Desperados Waiting for a Train,” “Heartbroke,” “Texas 1947,” “She’s Crazy for Leavin,’” “L.A. Freeway,” “Oklahoma Borderline” and “Baby I’m Yours.”

In 2005, the Americana Music Association presented him with its Lifetime Achievement Award for Songwriting. A star-studded tribute album titled This One’s for Him won the AMA’s Album of the Year honor in 2011. He earned a 2014 Grammy Award for Best Folk Album with his collection My Favorite Picture of You.

Guy Clark was born in 1941 in the West Texas town of Monahans and raised near the state’s Gulf Coast. He began his performing career on the Houston folk scene of the 1960s, singing traditional material alongside K.T. Oslin, Jerry Jeff Walker and Townes Van Zandt. Throughout his life, he identified himself as a folk singer.

By 1967, he was composing original material. He headed for San Francisco to sing in clubs and work as a guitar restorer. Back in Houston, he worked as the art director for a TV station. Next came a stint in L.A., again working as both a musician and a guitar maker.

His publishing company had an office in Nashville. Encouraged by that, he moved to Music City in 1971. Guy married painter Susanna Talley Wallis in 1972.

Inspired by her husband and his friends, Susanna Clark (1939-2012) began writing songs, too. In fact, she broke through before Guy with “I’ll Be Your San Antone Rose” (Dottsy, 1975), “Easy From Now On” (Emmylou Harris, 1978; Carlene Cater, 1990; Miranda Lambert, 2007) and “Come From the Heart” (Kathy Mattea, 1989).

The paintings on the jackets of such albums as Willie Nelson’s Stardust, Harris’s Quarter Moon in a Ten Cent Town, Nanci Griffith’s Dust Bowl Symphony and her husband’s Old No. 1 are Susanna’s.

She was also a great host. The Clarks’ Nashville home became a headquarters for other left-of-center tunesmiths. This scene was captured in the documentary film Heartworn Highways. Shot in 1975, it was released to acclaim in 1981.

Guy Clark was at the vanguard of such artists moving to Nashville. In his wake, Rodney Crowell, Steve Earle, David Olney, Richard Dobson, Dave Loggins, David Allan Coe, Mickey Newbury, Emmylou Harris, Townes Van Zandt, Lyle Lovett, Billy Joe Shaver, Nanci Griffith and many more made the pilgrimage to Music City. Clark released his debut LP, Old No. 1, on RCA in 1975.

It included “L.A. Freeway,” which was popularized by Jerry Jeff Walker, Spanky & Our Gang and others. The album’s “Texas 1947” became a hit single for Johnny Cash, and its “Desperados Waiting for a Train” was covered by many, including Rita Coolidge, Tom Rush and the country supergroup The Highwaymen. Cash later covered “Let Him Roll,” yet another classic song from this extraordinary debut disc.

Clark’s sophomore LP was 1976’s Texas Cookin.’ It included such fan favorites as “Broken Hearted People,” “The Last Gunfighter Ballad” and the title tune. Cash covered “The Last Gunfighter Ballad” in 1977.

Guy Clark’s tall, rangy good looks and tough/tender onstage manner added to the appeal of his striking songs. Boozy charm, a deadpan sense of humor and plain old charisma made him widely popular on the country/folk touring circuit.

He moved to Warner Bros. Records and issued the LP Guy Clark in 1978. It included the first version of “Fools For Each Other.” That song became a yet another hit for the widely respected tunesmith. Lynn Anderson and Ed Bruce sang a duet version of the song in 1986.

Clark issued The South Coast of Texas in 1981. This was his biggest breakthrough yet. Produced by Crowell, the collection included “New Cut Road,” which became a hit for Bobby Bare. Ricky Skaggs went to the top of the charts with “Heartbroke.” Clark had a minor hit with the LP’s “The Partner Nobody Chose.” Crowell later hit No. 1 with this album’s “She’s Crazy for Leavin.’”

Like his wife, Guy Clark was an accomplished visual artist. He was also a carpenter who could build anything with wood. In his youth, he had built boats in Texas. As an adult, he became a master craftsman of guitars.

This was reflected on his 1982 LP Better Days. John Conlee scored a major hit with its “The Carpenter.” Asleep at the Wheel issued “Blowin’ Like a Bandit” as a single. Clark got radio airplay with “Homegrown Tomatoes.” But his highest regarded song on the collection was his salute to fatherhood, “The Randall Knife.”

In 1986, Vince Gill had a hit with “Oklahoma Borderline,” which he co-wrote with Clark and Crowell. Two years later, Steve Wariner scored with “Baby I’m Yours.” Pirates of the Mississippi had a single with Clark’s “Too Much” in 1992.

Among the many who have recorded his songs are Harris, Earle, Dobson, Lovett, Griffith, Don Williams, George Strait, Lacy J. Dalton, Mark Chesnutt, The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, The Everly Brothers, John Denver, Billy Dean, Hal Ketchum, Charley Pride, T. Graham Brown, Tammy Wynette, Patty Loveless, Crystal Gayle, Alan Jackson and Waylon Jennings.

Guy Clark was a meticulous song craftsman, choosing his phrases carefully. He seldom settled for the easy couple – instead he’d labor for weeks to paint the precise word portrait of a time, person or place.

This is why his albums appeared with less frequency in his later career. He issued the Grammy-nominated Old Friends in 1988. Boats to Build followed in 1992. Dublin Blues was a highlight in 1995. Then came Keepers in 1997, Cold Dog Soup in 1999 and The Dark in 2002.

Clark was honored with a residency at the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2006. At the time, Brad Paisley was singing Clark’s “Out in the Parking Lot” and Jimmy Buffett was performing “Boats to Build.”

Also by that time, Guy Clark was thought of as a songwriting mentor. The universally respected troubadour was considered to be a master wordsmith among his songwriting peers. The rich detail and expressive imagery of his creations were models for a generation of country/folk/Americana creators.

Guy Clark’s most recent CDs have been on Dualtone Records. They include Workbench Songs (2006), Some Days the Song Writes You (2009) and Songs and Stories (2011).

The title tune of Kenny Chesney’s 2010 album Hemingway’s Whiskey was co-written by Clark, as was the title tune of Ashley Monroe’s Like a Rose debut collection in 2012.

In late 2011, an all-star collection saluted his artistic prowess. The double-CD This One’s for Him tribute album featured Willie Nelson, Rosanne Cash, Kevin Welch, Suzy Bogguss, Emmylou Harris, John Prine, Radney Foster, Kris Kristofferson, Vince Gill and others singing his works.

The tribute album was organized by Tamara Saviano, who had become his publicist. She has also been working on a biography of the song poet for the past few years. It is due this fall.

Guy Clark’s next solo CD appeared two years later. His 2013 album was titled My Favorite Picture of You. It came out following the 2012 death of his wife, Susanna Clark, and won its creator a Grammy Award.

Since then, he had been in increasingly frail health. He went into nursing-home care in the spring of 2016. Guy Clark is survived by his son, guitarist Travis Clark and daughter-in-law Krista McMurtry Clark; grandchildren Dylan and Ellie Clark; sisters Caroline Clark Dugan and Jan Clark; manager and friend Keith Case; caretaker and sweetheart Joy Brogdon; nieces, nephews and many, many dear friends, colleagues and fans.