Country music superstar Eddy Arnold dies at 89

Post new topic   Reply to topic

View previous topic View next topic Go down

Country music superstar Eddy Arnold dies at 89

Post by Outspoken on Thu May 08, 2008 7:06 pm

Country music superstar Eddy Arnold dies at 89
By JOHN GEROME
Associated Press Writer

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Eddy Arnold, whose mellow baritone on songs like "Make the World Go Away" made him one of the most successful country singers in history, died Thursday morning, days short of his 90th birthday.

Arnold died at a care facility near Nashville, said Don Cusic, a professor at Belmont University and author of the biography "Eddy Arnold: I'll Hold You in My Heart." His wife of 66 years, Sally, had died in March, and in the same month, Arnold fell outside his home, injuring his hip.

Arnold's vocals on songs like the 1965 "Make the World Go Away," a top 10 pop hit as well as a No. 1 country hit, made him one of the most successful country singers in history.

Folksy yet sophisticated, he became a pioneer of "The Nashville Sound," also called "countrypolitan," a mixture of country and pop styles. His crossover success paved the way for later singers such as Kenny Rogers.

"I sing a little country, I sing a little pop and I sing a little folk, and it all goes together," he said in 1970.

He was elected to the Country Music Hall of Fame in 1966. The following year he was the first person to receive the entertainer of the year award from the Country Music Association.

The reference book "Top Country Singles 1944-1993,'" by Joel Whitburn, ranked Arnold the No. 1 country singer in terms of overall success on the Billboard country charts.

Nicknamed "The Tennessee Plowboy," Arnold first gained notice with appearances on the Grand Ole Opry in the early 1940s. He debuted on the charts in 1945 with "Each Minute Seems a Million Years," and began his string of 28 No. 1 country hits with "What Is Life Without Love" in early 1947. His success helped make Nashville an important recording industry hub, according to Sony BMG Nashville, parent of his longtime label, RCA.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/obit_arnold;_ylt=Akc0xPjQmdN1EqHusubWAkCs0NUE

"Music is a moral law. It gives soul to the universe, wings to the mind, flight to the imagination, and charm and gaiety to life and to everything."

Plato (427-347 BC)

Outspoken
Admin
Admin

Gender:Male
Posts : 16820
Joined : 23 Oct 2007
Location : Home

Back to top Go down

View previous topic View next topic Back to top


Post new topic   Reply to topic
Permissions of this forum:
You cannot reply to topics in this forum