The Tally Sheet For Who Is Gone--Sad List

[Phil Grocholl]

This is a very sad thing to talk about, but, we need to recognize the fact that we are loosing Country Stars at a very fast rate these days. Some of our favorite artists have now gone on to the other side, and I miss having them around. While they may not have had much new stuff coming out in their later careers, it is still sad to see them go. Just look at the list of folks that have gone on before us.

Patsy Cline
Jim Reeves
Hank Williams Sr.
Johnny Cash
Waylon Jennings
Cowboy Copas
Red Sovine
Don Gibson
Minnie Pearl
Dottie West
Tammy Wynette
Conway Twitty
Elvis Presely
Ray Charles
Sammi Smith
Tex Ritter
Ernest Tubb
Floyd Cramer
Lefty Frizzell
John Denver
Bob Wills
Gene Autry
Roy Rogers
Burl Ives
Farron Young
Gary Stewart
Sheb Wooley
Ira Louvin

And they are just the ones that I KNOW about, and can think of right off the top of my head. I know that there are others that may be deceased, but I can't say for sure. The sad thing about this, is it reads like a who's who list in Country Music.

The reason for this post, is to stop and think about the fact that we are loosing the legends, the ones who made country music, what country music is today. Someday, there will be others, many of whom are still creating great music yet today. People like Lorreta Lynn, Dolly Parton, George Jones, and many, many others. Please remember that if it weren't for these folks, we may not have country music today.

If you know of others that have gone on, please post them here.
Who would you be most saddened to see gone? Mine, I would say is Miss Dolly Parton, or Lorretta Lynn.

[CTGuy]

You forgot Keith Whitley. What a voice!

[Phil Grocholl]

Yes, I did forget about him, you are correct.

And I am not sure about

Hank Snow
Hank Thompson.

I also forgot Johnny Paycheck.

[boneyardfanxm]

Freddie Fender

[boneyardfanxm]

Boxcar Willie

[tallone]

Mel street johnny horton conway twitty

[CTGuy]

Dick Curless ("A Tombstone Every Mile")

I think about lists like this every time I hear George Jones' "Who's Gonna Fill Their Shoes" and realize how many of the people he sings about have died since he recorded the song. Cash, Waylon, Conway ... all gone. For a while, in the '80s, it looked like the music was in good hands with people like Randy Travis, Clint Black, Keith Whitley, Lorrie Morgan and Emmylou Harris. Whitley died, Morgan and Black's music became less and less traditional, and Travis turned first into a paid political shill for the first President Bush (the awful "Point of Light") and later into more of a Christian singer than a country artist. Only Emmylou still carries the torch, and even she has branched off into rock-oriented projects.

So who among our current crop of stars -- most of whom seem to be disposable pretty faces rather than singers whose popularity can span decades -- can possible fill the Possum's shoes?

[Phil Grocholl]

Brad Paisely stands a good chance. Dolly and Loretta are still recording. Perhaps Daryle Singletary may have a hand in it. Heather Myles is a very good candidate. Other than that, the choosings are slim pickens if you ask me.

[Phil Grocholl]

I don't know if Freddie Fender is deceased or not. I know he isn't in the best of health, but I had not heard that he passed away though.

[meb369]

Came up with some more -

Bill Monroe
Ray Acuff
Patsy Montana
Carter Stanley
Lester Flatt
June Carter Cash
Charlie Waller

Country music is definitely an acquired taste for me, but I thoroughly enjoyed last year's visit to the Hall of Fame in Nashville.

[kcope]

Marty Robbins
Tennessee Ernie Ford

[ferris209]

Hank Snow is gone, Hank Thompson is still alive and well, even still does shows. He's one of very, very few artists to record in the 40's all the way 'til now. THAT'S SIX DECADES PEOPLE, George is tailing him by recording in five decades!

[MistyMounds]

[theaprilfool]

I wonder who's next!!

[fire1091]

Grand Pa Jones
String Bean
Buck Owens
Ralph Stanely
Country/Bluegrass will never be the same