Archive for November, 2022

Diane’s Country Music Newsletter — 30 November 2022

Wednesday, November 30th, 2022

Let’s take a moment to honor the memories of Faron Young and Marty Robbins. Marty died December 8, 1982, at age 57. Faron died December 10, 1996, at age 64.

NEWS

The Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum and the University of Illinois Press have signed an agreement to co-publish and distribute books on country music and roots-based music. They will co-publish new works and reissue significant out-of-print historical works from the Country Music Foundation Press. (more…)

Diane’s Country Music Newsletter — 16 November 2022

Wednesday, November 16th, 2022

NEWS

Founding member and guitarist of the Country Music Hall of Fame group, Alabama, Jeffrey Cook died peacefully at his beach home in Destin, Florida, on November 7, at age 73. He had been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease in 2012. Born in Fort Payne, Alabama, in 1949, he began playing in bands at age 13 and working as a radio disc jockey at age 14. He graduated from Fort Payne High School and earned a college degree in Electronic Technology. He loved that radio combined two of his favorite things, music and electronics. Over 50 years ago, Jeff Cook, along with cousins Teddy Gentry and Randy Owen, left Fort Payne for Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, where they formed Alabama. (more…)

Diane’s Country Music Newsletter — 2 November 2022

Wednesday, November 2nd, 2022

IN THE SPOTLIGHT – RANDY TRAVIS

When Kayo Paver and I drove to North Texas in 2016, we included Tioga on our route and an excursion to find the Randy Travis ranch—which we did. No one answered when I punched the call button at the gate, so we headed home to South Dakota. Never could I have imagined that the next time I approached that gate, I would have the code to open it. Or that I’d ever be running along that country road. But that’s exactly what happened 6½ years later.

This visit came as a result of meeting Randy and Mary Travis at the Corn Palace in Mitchell. (more…)