In Memoriam: Country Stars We Lost in 2016

In the world of entertainment, it seems that we have lost more people in 2016 than most years. Just this week, we said goodbye to singer George Michael and actress Carrie Fisher. Country music has not been immune to this trend this past year. Several musicians have passed in 2016, ranging from Bonnie Brown of The Browns to California country pioneer Red Simpson. Recently, we added the name of longtime Hee Haw favorite Gordie Tapp to that list. While each leaves a considerable void in our industry, I wanted to take a look at five losses that made headlines in 2016, and offer some of my personal reflections on each.

Holly Dunn
The passing of Holly Dunn following a battle with ovarian cancer this fall was especially a sad moment for me. I feel she was an artist that never did quite get her due as a performer. I remember meeting Holly as a thirteen-year old fan at my first Fan Fair in 1987, and I was an instant fan. One of my Christmas presents that year was a copy of her Cornerstone album – which I would love to find on CD some day. She remained a radio favorite until a controversy ensued about a song she released called “Maybe I Mean Yes,” which some believe advocated date rape. Looking back, I wish radio would have just moved on from that song and went to the next one, but her chart career came to an abrupt halt after that. But, from 1986-1991, she released some of the best music in the format – and, “Daddy’s Hands” will remain a fan favorite as long as there’s a Father’s Day to celebrate.

Sonny James
While the name Sonny James might not be as well known among today’s artists, if you were listening to Country Radio in the 1960s, his voice was all over it. He racked up an impressive twenty-three number one records between 1957 and 1972, including a then-record sixteen in a row on the Billboard charts. James was one artist who didn’t flinch when he said the word retirement. His last charted record came in 1983, and he soon disappeared from the scene to spend time with his family. I never met Sonny, but he was one of the first Country artists I ever saw in person – dining with his wife Doris at Nashville’s Po’ Folks Restaurant in the late 1980s. They called him “The Southern Gentleman,” and from all accounts, he lived up to that description!

Jean Shepard
I’ve been blessed to do what I do for a living for 25 years now. That being said, I don’t typically get nervous that often before talking to an artist. The time I talked to Jean Shepard was not one of those times. Shepard had the reputation of being one who didn’t suffer fools lightly – meaning if an interviewer hadn’t done his or her homework, you would know it. As it turned out, my fears were rather unjustified. She couldn’t have been more gracious. It was an emotional day for the singer, as her longtime fellow Opry member George Hamilton IV had passed away the evening prior.

Merle Haggard
September 12, 2003 is a day that I won’t forget. I got to interview Merle Haggard. Though it definitely qualified as a “Pinch Me” moment for me – especially so early in my career (though I had been in radio for a decade-plus by that time), but just like with Shepard, it was quite an emotional day for Haggard. Johnny Cash, one of Merle’s heroes and mentors, had passed away earlier that day at the age of 71. The loss seemed to put Haggard in a more reflective mood than other interviewers have gotten over the years, as the singer shared a few memories of working with “The Man In Black.” After a career that was matched by just a few, Haggard took life’s final bow on the morning of his 79th birthday – definitely a showman’s exit!

Joey Martin Feek
There are days where I still don’t believe this one. I first met Joey when she was recording as a solo artist in the mid-2000s. Then, a few years later, she teamed with husband Rory Feek for a run on CMT’s Can You Duet? That exposure led America to fall in love with this couple who were so…..real. Many couples have sang about love over the years, but these two lived it. Whether it was their music, television series, restaurant, marriage, or faith – nothing was fabricated. Maybe that’s why America was so touched by her struggle with cancer and the way her husband stood by her through it all. I’ve said it before, but when you hear her sing the words “It Is Well With My Soul,” it isn’t just lyrics that have been sung out of a hymnal periodically, it’s as real and as heartfelt as it gets.