Title: Monday trivia
Description: 55 years ago today . . .
JohnCBoy - January 1, 2008 10:19 AM (GMT)
A famous country music singer died on this date in 1953. Who was he and what famous gospel quartet sang at his funeral?
For extra credit:
What songs did they sing?
© CMG SGMRadio.com 2008
stevenson - January 1, 2008 02:19 PM (GMT)
Hank Williams died 55 years ago on Jan. 1st, 1953. Ernest Tubb sang "Beyond the Sunset", The Southwind Singers ( but nobody remembers what they sang), Red Foley sang "Peace in the Valley" and the Statesmen Quartet sang "Precious Memories".
JohnCBoy - January 1, 2008 02:51 PM (GMT)
Exactly right, stevenson! Happy new year.
RichL - January 1, 2008 02:58 PM (GMT)
Happy New Year to all you SGM lovers and to those that enjoy the history and trivia questions.
Rich Long
Norm - January 1, 2008 05:31 PM (GMT)
In Knoxville, up the street from where the Grand Ole Gospel Reunion has been held the past two years, is an office building that was once the toniest hotel in Knoxville, the Andrew Johnson.
We'll never know for certain but some country music historians and a plaque in front of the hotel say it is very likely that Hank died there on the night of Dec. 31, 1952. He arrived at the hotel at 7 pm and was carried out to a car at 10:45 pm to continue the trip north to Ohio for a Jan. 1 concert. A policeman who stopped the car an hour later (before midnight) believes Hank was dead in the back seat although he allowed the driver to continue.
He was officially declared dead in Oak Hill, Wet Virginia on Jan. 1, 1953 at the age of 29.
Colin Escott in his biography of Hank (the best one in my view) says that at the funeral the Southwind Singers, a black group, sang "My Record Will Be There." Excott quotes Jake Hess as saying that Roy Acuff wanted the Statesmen to sing Hank's song "I Saw the Light" but the Statesmen didn't know it. Jake added: " Acuff cussed us out but couldn't do much because Hank's mother had invited us."
stevenson - January 1, 2008 06:34 PM (GMT)
Thanks for the info on the Southwing Singers, Norm. Everybody I asked didn't seem to know for sure.
It was a shame that a man with such talent would die at such a young age. I guess we all should be a little more thankful this New Year that the good Lord has chosen to keep us here a little longer to enjoy our friends and family.
God Bless and Happy New Year everyone!
James Moore - January 2, 2008 02:00 AM (GMT)
| QUOTE (stevenson @ Jan 1 2008, 08:19 AM) |
| Hank Williams died 55 years ago on Jan. 1st, 1953. Ernest Tubb sang "Beyond the Sunset", The Southwind Singers ( but nobody remembers what they sang), Red Foley sang "Peace in the Valley" and the Statesmen Quartet sang "Precious Memories". |
Roy Acuff led some singers in "I Saw The Light".
stevenson - January 2, 2008 02:47 AM (GMT)
I heard Roy wanted the Statesmen to sing "I Saw the Light", but they didn't know it, which made Acuff mad.