Airdate – Sep 12, 2021
Tonight we are reflecting on the life and the music of an American bluegrass and country singer who passed away at the age of 93 in February 2019 after a career that spanned 65 years. In late 1969 he paid tribute to many of the well-established country stars via a tongue-in-cheek novelty record.
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This country singer contracted polio at the age of 6 months. Unable to work in the fields, he spent much of his childhood listening to old records – a pastime that led him to seek a career in country music.
When Lester Flatt & Earl Scruggs left Bill Monroe’s band, our featured artist became the guitarist for their new band, the Foggy Mountain Boys. Later on in his career, he would play with Bill Monroe’s Bluegrass Boys.
He was the last living co-founder of the Country Music Association (CMA) and helped form its original board in 1958. Their mandate was to save the popularity of country music from rock & roll.
He would go on to co-found the International Bluegrass Music Association in 1986. In 1993 he was inducted into that association’s Hall of Honor.
He was also inducted into the Veteran Era category of the Country Music Hall of Fame.
He debut on the country charts in 1955 with his top 10 version of the “Ballad Of Davy Crockett.”
Fourteen years later he made his 5th appearance on the country charts with an entertaining salute to the success achieved by a number of country stars … with a few sour grapes thrown in for good measure.
So let’s give a listen to the legendary Mac Wiseman as he sings about “Johnny’s Cash And Charley’s Pride,” this week’s Tom Locke Moment In Time.
For a YouTube video of this song click here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_QIJ1tFMTmA