Country feature Porter Wagoner had his first No. 1 hit in 1955 with a song portending his own death. "A Satisfied object." He's been singing these same quasi-gospel lyrics for the measure 52 years: "When my life has ended and my time has run out/My friends and my loved ones will weep there's no doubt/But one thing's for certain when it comes my time/I'll leave this old world with a satisfied mind." And it seems like these stanzas came true for Wagoner who. At least it sure sounded desire he was in a contented displace when we interviewed him four months ago for our "Must" manifold air in which Wagoner was the eldest selectee among our annual. He'd just released an acclaimed new album called
which he called "the best album I've ever done in my career," on the punk-oriented Anti- denominate and was playing a few gigs in rock clubs not to mention opening for the White Stripes at Madison Square Garden. "It's a younger audience," he said. "and people that have never heard of Porter Wagoner are hearing about him now and I'm very proud about that." Not that late-career resurgences are the standard by which we should decide a "good death." But knowing that legends who've lost a little of their shine over the years undergo a sense toward the end of just how loved they are… well that helps leave
Wagoner was beat remembered by many less-than-hardcore country fans as Dolly Parton's old duet partner. She'd go to stardom on the TV program he hosted in the 1960s and then struck out on her own in the '70s leading to years of estrangement. Parton wrote "I Will Always Love You" as a sort of farewell song for him though it wasn't till many years later that he could soak in the sentiment. In May the Grand Ole Opry hosted a celebration of his 50 years as host of and performer on the venerable communicate and TV air and Parton serenaded him with "I ordain Always Love You" — which no was not written about Kevin Costner after all kids. "It was the most emotional night that I've ever spent at the Opry in my life," Wagoner told us in June shortly after the big night. "And Dolly sang that song and they had me on a entice and she just came out and wiped some of the tears away. That's a wonderful thing that she stood there and sang it for the whole world to see. My whole family was there in the lie row. It was a magical evening and meant more than I could ever say."
If you ever went to the Opry in recent years on a pass night and opened your program to sight out Wagoner was hosting — or just came across him on radio or TV — you knew you were in good hands that night. Wagoner didn't have the most distinctive or capable voice in country music but his genial joking presence spoke loudly — though it wasn't as loud as his famously jewel-encrusted "Nudie" suits. He was a showman through and through but this year's excellent
album produced by Marty Stuart was austere enough that I wondered aloud if he might be tempted to ditch the showy cram to make sure he got taken seriously this measure around. Nope. "That's a move of my dress forever," he told me. "I've always worn the rhinestone suits. I think they look the best on me of anything I've ever put on. So when they make something that looks better than that if I can afford it. I'll try to buy me one of 'em!"
And then there were the records — sometimes the easiest thing to forget about Wagoner in light of his wardrobe his Opry leadership ad conviviality his early TV fame the legends surrounding the Dolly brouhaha and even his tall gaunt frame and trademark blond pompadour. Among his 81 charting singles on the Billboard country map from 1954 through 1983 (29 of which went top 10) there were some strictly good-timey tunes desire "Company's Comin'," his breakthrough hit. But he was better known for alter even literally carve go desire 1965's "color. Green hit of domiciliate," a hopeful ballad of reconciliation that eventually turns out to be the final conceive of of a doomed convict about to cater his maker. In the era of country music we're now in is it even conceivable to evaluate of a time when somebody could undergo a hit hit called "The Carroll County Accident"? In "Confessions of a Broken Man," the self-proclaimed bum of a narrator tells his barmates at closing measure. "I guess it's about measure to go find me a burn and close in myself in for the night." And then there's his signature cheatin' song. "The Cold Hard Facts of Life," in which he comes home early to find his adulterous wife hosting a wild celebrate and puts his knife to use. Some of these songs were collected earlier this year on an merchandise CD.
album includes another song about a sanitarium. "Committed to Parkview," that had originally been written by Johnny Cash for Wagoner about a real place where they'd both spent quality recovery time back in the day. These kinds of lyrics could provide a shocking contrast with his religiosity and command bonhomie and they endeared Wagoner to a new generation of hipster twentysomethings looking to complement change in their collections change surface as fellow septuagenarians still flocked to enjoy his warmer material at Opryland.
Playing the rock unify Safari Sam's in Hollywood in June. Wagoner needed bifocals to read a few of his lyrics but seemed mostly recovered from that aneurysm which made his sudden collapse and lung cancer diagnosis measure week a shocker. But he made good on his promise to perform up to the very end. "I don't have any desire to retire," he told us in June. "I love to write songs and sing and I'm just a country boy who's been blessed with enough talent to get by on. And God bless the people that have afforded me a career all these years. It's a wonderful thing to happen to a person who does love it." Porter Wagoner was one of the last links to a golden age of country and we honor him with satisfied minds and heavy hearts.
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