Country Music Hall of Fame legend Tom T. Hall died on Friday, August 20th. He was 85. Hall was nicknamed “The Storyteller” by Tex Ritter, another country great, for his songwriting style. His hits included “Harper Valley P.T.A.” which became a major crossover smash for Jeanie C. Riley in 1968, “That’s How I Got To Memphis,”, Homecoming,” and “(Old Dogs, Children, and) Watermelon Wine,” “A Week in a Country Jail,” “I Love,” “Country Is”, “I Care,” and many more. His songs have been recorded by the likes of Johnny Cash, Alan Jackson, Waylon Jennings, George Jones, and Loretta Lynn. Hall was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2008 and was a Grand Ole Opry member since 1971. Rolling Stone included the Olive Hill, Kentucky native on their ‘100 Greatest Songwriters’ list.
Tennessee Governor Bill Lee has officially declared August 18, 2021 as ‘Charlie Daniels Day‘ across the Volunteer State. The proclamation comes as friends, family and fans gear up to celebrate the late musical icon at the 2021 Volunteer Jam: A Musical Salute to Charlie Daniels. The star-studded live concert event is set to take place on August 18 at 7 p.m. at Nashville‘s Bridgestone Arena.
GRAMMY, CMA, and Dove award-winning pop, country, and gospel singer B.J. Thomas revealed today that his doctors have diagnosed him as having stage four lung cancer. Thomas is receiving treatment in a local health care facility in Texas, and is hopeful for a complete recovery.
Multi-award-winning bluegrass artist Rhonda Vincent was formally inducted as a member of the Grand Ole Opry Saturday by Opry member Dierks Bentley. The invitation was delivered in February of 2020 by Opry member Jeannie Seely with an original induction date scheduled for March 24, 2020, prior to the pandemic.
Ed Bruce, singer/songwriter, died Friday, January 8, 2021, in Clarksville, Tennessee, of natural causes at age 81.
To the delight of country music fans around the world, T.G. Sheppard will reissue nine of his legendary albums next year through his newly signed deal with Time Life. For the first time ever, these classic albums will be available on all digital platforms and include several of his #1 hits and many all-time fan favorites. With a career spanning nearly five decades and a total of 21 #1 hits, T.G. Sheppard shows no signs of slowing down. In addition to his new partnership with Time Life, Sheppard recently released the popular new Christmas single, “Christmas In Mexico,” with Kelly Lang.
