The Last Page

The Last Page

 
Tompall Glaser a
country music singer, publisher, and studio owner migrated from
Spaulding, Nebraska, to Nashville, Tennessee, along with his two
brothers to find fame and fortune in country music, and they did. 
Tompall was best known perhaps for his association with the outlaw
movement against record labels.   He passed away August 13th, he was 79
years old.  He had been undergoing a long illness.  Tompall (actually
his name was Thomas Paul) began performing with his brothers, Jim and
Chuck, as the Glaser Brothers in the 1950’s and eventually moved to
Nashville after meeting Marty Robbins, who tapped them to sing backup. 
Famed producer Jack Clement claimed to be their ‘discoverer.’  Glaser
and his brothers immediately chafed under the label system in place in
the 60’s and 70’s, just like their contemporaries Willie Nelson, Waylon
Jennings, and Kris Kristofferson.  Though he would never achieve the
success of those friends, he was nonetheless a key player in the
rebellion they started against Music Row in the 70’s that would come to
be known as the outlaw movement.  He circumvented the label system by
opening with his brothers their own music publishing company and
recording studio, soon to become known as ‘Hillbilly Central.”  The
rebellious spirit that helped begin the Outlaw movement at Glaser’s
Hillbilly Central may have made relationships difficult.  Glaser would
break away from his brothers in 1973 and later fell out with Waylon
Jennings.  Glaser appeared on “Wanted! The Outlaws,” a 1976 compilation
that included Nelson and Jennings. The album, which included his version
of Shel Silverstein’s “Put Another Log on the Fire,” became country
music’s first platinum selling album and served as a Rosetta Stone for
those looking for something raw and original out of the genre.  Glaser
also was known as a co-writer on the standard “The Streets of
Baltimore,” which Bobby Bare took to No. 1, and famously feuded with The
Byrds and Gram Parsons during their one performance on the Grand Ole
Opry.
 
Cowboy Jack Clement a
virtual jack of all trades in country music, passed away August 8 after
a lengthy illness.  He was to be officially inducted into the Country
Music Hall of Fame later this year.  He was a record producer, a
songwriter, a performing and recording artist, a studio engineer, a
dance instructor, and always a first-rate raconteur.  He produced
records for an amazing number of super stars including Johnny Cash
(Clement produced Cash’s Ring of Fire), Waylon Jennings, Eddy Arnold,
Jerry Lee Lewis, Roy Orbinson, Charlie Rich, Charley Pride, John
Hartford, Mac Wiseman, Doc Watson, Emmylou Harris, Bobby Bare, and
Tompall & The Glaser Brothers.  He moved around the music business
from Memphis to Beaumont, from Washington DC to Nashville.  He was a
mover and shaker in country music, and his awards and honors are
manifold.
 
Jody Payne
better known as Willie Nelson’s guitar player for over 30 years, passed
away August 10.  Payne’s wife says he woke up at their home in
Stapleton, Alabama feeling ill, so she called an amubulance.  He died or
cardiac problems at age 77.

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