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Biography
Infobox musical artist | name = Porter Wagoner| image = Porter wagoner 1999.jpg| caption = Wagoner at the Grand Ole Opry in 1999| image_size =|| background = solo_singer| birth_name = Porter Wayne Wagoner| alias = Mr. Grand Ole Opry| birth_date = Birth date|1927|8|12| birth_place = West Plains, Missouri , United States of America|USA | death_date = death date and age|2007|10|28|1927|8|12| death_place = Nashville, Tennessee , United States of America|USA | instrument = acoustic guitar | genre = country music , gospel music|gospel | occupation = country music singer and songwriter| years_active = 1951& ndash;2007| label = RCA Victor (1951 & ndash; 1980) Shell Point (2000 & ndash; 2002) TeeVee (2003 & ndash; 2006) ANTI-|Anti (2007)| associated_acts = Norma Jean (singer)|Norma Jean Dolly Parton | Mel Tillis Marty Stuart | website = http://www.porterwagoner.com/main.html porterwagoner.com| current_members =| past_members =| notable_instruments = Porter Wayne Wagoner (August 12, 1927 & ndash; October 28, 2007) was a popular United States|American country music singer known for his flashy Nudie suit|Nudie and Manuel Cuevas|Manuel suits and blond Pompadour (hairstyle)|pompadour . In 1967, he introduced a then little known Dolly Parton on his long-running television show, and they were a well-known duet throughout the late 1960s and early 1970s. Known as Mr. Grand Ole Opry , Wagoner charted 81 singles from 1954& ndash;1983. He was elected to the Country Music Hall of Fame .
Early life and career
Wagoner was born in West Plains, Missouri , the son of Bertha May (née Bridges) and Charles E. Wagoner, a farmer. http://www.enotes.com/wagoner-porter-reference/wagoner-porter His first band, The Blue Ridge Boys, performed on radio station KWPM|KWPM-AM from a butcher shop in his native West Plains, Missouri where Wagoner cut meat. In 1951, he was hired by Si Siman as a performer on KWTO|KWTO-AM in Springfield, Missouri .citation|first=Steve|last=Eng|title=A Satisfied Mind: the Country Music Life of Porter Wagoner|publisher=Rutledge Hill Press|year=1992|isbn=1-55853-133-5 This led to a contract with RCA Victor .
With lagging sales, Wagoner and his trio played schoolhouses for the gate proceeds; but in 1953, his song "Trademark" became a hit for Carl Smith (country musician)|Carl Smith , followed by a few hits of his own on RCA. Starting in 1955, he was a featured performer on American Broadcasting Company|ABC-TV's Ozark Jubilee in Springfield, Missouri . He often appeared on the show as part of the Porter Wagoner Trio with Don Warden and Speedy Haworth . Warden, on steel guitar, became Wagoner's long-time business manager . In 1957, Wagoner and Warden moved to Nashville, Tennessee , joining the Grand Ole Opry .
Like many of his contemporaries in country music, Wagoner toured and performed outdoors for fans at American Legion houses in rural towns. Fans sat on wooden benches facing what was often a makeshift stage. Wagoner would mingle with the audience during performance breaks and usually remembered the names of the towns he visited.
Chart success
Wagoner's 81 charted records include " A Satisfied Mind " (No. 1, 1955), “ Misery Loves Company (Porter Wagoner song)|Misery Loves Company ” (No. 1, 1962), “I've Enjoyed as Much of This as I Can Stand” (No. 7, 1962& ndash;1963), “Sorrow on the Rocks” (No. 5, 1964), “ Green, Green Grass of Home ” (No. 4, 1965), “Skid Row Joe” (No. 3, 1965–1966), “The Cold Hard Facts of Life” (No. 2, 1967), and “ The Carroll County Accident ” (No. 2, 1968–1969).
Among his hit duets with Dolly Parton were a cover of Tom Paxton 's " The Last Thing on My Mind " (1967), "We'll Get Ahead Someday" (1968), "Just Someone I Used to Know" (1969), "Better Move it on Home" (1971), "The Right Combination" (1972), " Please Don't Stop Loving Me " (No. 1, 1974) and "Making Plans" (No. 2, 1980). He also won three Grammy Award s for gospel recordings.
Television series
His television syndication|syndicated television program, The Porter Wagoner Show , aired from 1960 to 1981. There were 686 30-minute episodes taped; the first 104 (1960–66) in black-and-white and the remainder (1966–81) in color. At its peak, his show was featured in over 100 markets, with an average viewership of over three million.Citation needed|date=April 2008 Reruns of the program air on the rural cable network RFD-TV and its sister channel in the UK Rural TV .
The shows usually featured opening performances by Wagoner with performances by Norma Jean, or later Parton, and comedic interludes by Rhodes. During Parton's tenure, she and Wagoner usually sang a duet (Wagoner did not perform any duets with Norma Jean).Citation needed|date=April 2008 Each episode also featured a guest who would usually perform one or two songs. A spiritual or gospel performance was almost always featured toward the end of the show; generally performed by either Wagoner or Parton, or the show's guest star, or occasionally the entire cast.
The shows had a friendly, informal feel, with Wagoner trading jokes with band members (frequently during songs) and exchanging banter with Parton and Howser. Parton wrote the song " I Will Always Love You " after Wagoner suggested she shift from story songs to focus on love songs. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/10/28/AR2007102801814.html? hpid=entnews Washington Post article
Wagoner's stage alter ego was Skid Row Joe. The cast included:
Singer Norma Jean (singer)|Norma Jean (1960& ndash;1965)
: Benny Williams on guitar : Buck Trent on banjo and guitar : George McCormick on rhythm guitar : Don Warden on steel guitar : "Little" Jack Little on drums : Mack Magaha on fiddle : Ray Downs on rhythm guitar and vocal : Michael Treadwell on bass guitar After 1974: : Fred Newell on banjo/guitar/mandolin : Dave Kirby on guitar : Stu Basor on steel guitar/dobro : Bobby Dyson on bass : Jerry Carey on drums : Mack Magaha on fiddle
Later work
Wagoner brought James Brown to the Grand Ole Opry , produced a rhythm & blues album for Joe Simon (musician)|Joe Simon , and appeared in the Clint Eastwood film Honkytonk Man .Eng, Steve. (1998). "Porter Wagoner". In The Encyclopedia of Country Music . Paul Kingsbury, Editor. New York: Oxford University Press. pp. 565-6. During the mid-1980s, Wagoner formed an all-girl group, The Right Combination, named after one of his hit records with Parton. He also hosted Opry Backstage during the 1990s on Spike (TV channel)|The Nashville Network . Though Parton's departure caused some animosity on both sides, the two reconciled in the late 1980s and appeared together a number of times in the following years; Parton inducted Wagoner into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2002.
Wagoner made a guest appearance on the Home Box Office|HBO comedy series Da Ali G Show in 2004, its second season, interviewed by Borat Sagdiyev .
On July 14, 2006, he underwent surgery for an abdomin al aneurysm .Citation needed|date=April 2008 Wagoner was honored on May 19, 2007 at the Grand Ole Opry for both his 50 years of membership and his 80th birthday. It was telecast on Great American Country|GAC's Grand Ole Opry Live that day with artists such as Parton, Stuart and Patty Loveless . Grand Ole Opry Live host Nan Kelley was part of the birthday celebration as well.
On June 5, 2007, Wagoner released his final album called Wagonmaster . The album was produced by Marty Stuart for the Anti- label. The album received the best reviews of Wagoner's career and briefly charted on the country charts. He also toured during the summer of 2007 to promote the album. One of these was to open for the rock group The White Stripes at a sold-out concert at Madison Square Garden in New York City, New York|New York City .
Family
Wagoner was married twice, to Velma Johnson for less than a year in 1943; and then to Ruth Olive Williams from 1946 to 1986, though they separated 20 years before the divorce. He was survived by his three children, Richard, Denise and Debra. http://www.lastingtribute.co.uk/famousperson/wagoner/2662940
Death
Until his illness and death, Wagoner appeared regularly on the Grand Ole Opry and toured actively. He died from lung cancer http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2007/10/21/arts/NA-A-E-CEL-US-Wagoner.php Country music singer Porter Wagoner diagnosed with lung cancer - International Herald Tribune in Nashville on October 28, 2007. http://www.cmt.com/news/articles/1572922/20071028/wagoner_porter.jhtml "Country Music Hall of Fame Member Porter Wagoner Dies" from CMT.com, October 28, 2007. Wagoner's funeral was held November 1, 2007 at the Grand Ole Opry House. He is buried at Woodlawn Memorial Park Cemetery in Nashville.
Dolly Parton performed a concert at her Tennessee theme park , Dollywood , in his memory after his death.
Porter Wagoner Boulevard in his native West Plains, Missouri is named in his honor.
Discography
main|Porter Wagoner discography
Awards
Notes
2002
1998
1971
1970
1970
1969
1969
1968
1968
1967
1966
References
reflist
External links
http://www.porterwagoner.com/ Wagoner albums and photos
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/10/30/arts/music/30wagoner.html? ex=1351483200& en=22dfaaad3b537c03& ei=5124& partner=permalink& exprod=permalink Porter Wagoner obituary in The New York Times
Persondata|NAME = Porter Wagoner | |ALTERNATIVE NAMES = Mr. Grand Ole Opry | |SHORT DESCRIPTION = Country Music Artist | |DATE OF BIRTH = August 12, 1927 | |PLACE OF BIRTH = West Plains, Missouri , United States of America | |DATE OF DEATH = October 28, 2007| |PLACE OF DEATH = Nashville, Tennessee , United States of America | DEFAULTSORT:Wagoner, Porter Category:1927 births Category:2007 deaths Category:American country singers Category:American country singer-songwriters Category:American male singers Category:Cancer deaths in Tennessee Category:Country Music Hall of Fame inductees Category:Country music television series Category:Deaths from lung cancer Category:Grammy Award winners Category:Grand Ole Opry members Category:Musicians from Missouri Category:People from Howell County, Missouri Category:RCA Records Nashville artists
