On October 28, 2022, Jerry Lee Lewis died aged 87. He was musician (piano), singer and songwriter, nicknamed “the Killer”, He was a pioneer of rock and roll and rockabilly music, described as “Rock and roll’s first great wild man and one of the most influential pianists of the 20th century. Lewis won four “Grammy Awards”, including a “Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award” and two “Grammy Hall of Fame Awards”. He was inducted into the “Rock and Roll Hall of Fame”, the “Rockabilly Hall of Fame”, “Memphis Music Hall of Fame” and “Country Music Hall of Fame”. In 2003, “Rolling Stone” magazine ranked his box set “All Killer, No Filler: The Anthology”, at number 242 on its list of the “500 Greatest Albums of All Time”, in 2004, the same magazine ranked him at number 24 of its list of the “100 Greatest Artists of All Time”. A movie about his life, “Great Balls of Fire”, was released in 1989, starring Dennis Quaid. As leader, Lewis released 40 studio and 8 live albums.
Tag Archives: Country Music Hall of Fame
Grady Martin
On December 3, 2001, Thomas Grady Martin died aged 72. He was musician (guitar), founder and leader of the band Grady Martin and Slew Foot Five (later Grady Martin and his Winging Strings). As a session guitarist he was member of the Nashville A-team, and in his 50-year career he recorded and performed with Elvis Presley, Buddy Holly, Roy Orbison, Loretta Lynn, Johnny Cash, Leon Russell, Patsy Cline, J. J. Cale, Woody Guthrie, Johnny Horton, Conway Twitty, Joan Baez, Kris Kristofferson, Arlo Guthrie, Brenda Lee, Don Woody, Sammi Smith, Marty Robbins, and Johnny Burnette. In March 2015, Martin was inducted in the “Country Music Hall of Fame”.
Charlie Daniels
On July 6, 2020, Charles Edward Daniels died aged 83. He was a singer, songwriter, and musician (fiddle, guitar), active since the 1950s. For his contribution to Southern rock, country, and bluegrass music, Daniels was inducted into the “Cheyenne Frontier Days Hall of Fame” in 2002, the “Grand Ole Opry” in 2008, the “Musicians Hall of Fame and Museum” in 2009, and the “Country Music Hall of Fame” in 2016.
Jerry Carrigan
On June 22, 2019, Jerry Kirby Carrigan died aged 75. He was musician (drums) and record producer. He first achieved widespread recognition as a member of the original Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section in Muscle Shoals, Alabama, and later as a session musician in Nashville, regarded as one of the creators of the Nashville sound known as “Countrypolitan”. He has recorded with Elvis Presley, Joan Baez, Johnny Cash, Charley Pride, Paul Anka, John Denver, Jerry Lee Lewis, Waylon Jennings, Bobby Bare, Ray Stevens, Kenny Rogers, Willie Nelson, Levon Helm, Dolly Parton, Leon Russell, Ronnie Hawkins, George Jones, Henry Mancini, Al Hirt, Johnny Mathis, and the Boston Pops Orchestra. In 2009 Carrigan was inducted into the “Nashville Cats”, by the “Country Music Hall of Fame”; in 2010 he was inducted into the “Alabama Music Hall of Fame”, and in 2019 Carrigan was inducted into the “Musicians Hall of Fame and Museum”.
Kenny Rogers
On March 20, 2020, Kenneth Ray Rogers aka Kenny Rogers died aged 81. He was singer, songwriter, actor, record producer and entrepreneur, member of the “Country Music Hall of Fame”. He has sold more than 100 million records worldwide, mostly in country music, and charted more than 120 hit singles, becoming one of the best-selling music artists of all time.
Donald Ray Williams
On September 8, 2017, Donald Ray Williams died aged 78. He was musician (guitar, piano), singer and songwriter, known by the nick name “Gentle Giant” of the country music. He had 17 number one country hits, and his songs has been covered by many artists including Johnny Cash, Eric Clapton, Waylon Jennings, Pete Townshend, Claude Russell Bridges, Lefty Frizzell, Josh Turner, Sonny James, Alison Krauss, Billy Dean, Charley Pride, Kenny Rogers, Lambchop, Alan Jackson, Tomeu Penya, and Bonnie “Prince” Billy. In 2010, he was inducted in the “Country Music Hall of Fame”.
Johnny Cash
On September 12, 2003, John R. “Johnny” Cash died aged 71. He was musician (guitar) singer, songwriter and actor, and author, considered one of the most influential musicians of the 20th century. With more than 90 million albums sold, he is also one of the best-selling music artists of all time. His trademark outfit earned him the nickname “The Man in Black”. Johnny Cash was inducted in the four major music halls of fame: the “Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame” (1977); the “Country Music Hall of Fame” (1980); the “Rock and Roll Hall of Fame” (1992), and the “Memphis Music Hall of Fame” (2013). In 2001, he was awarded the “National Medal of Arts”.
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