Porter Wayne Wagoner (August 12, 1927 – October 28, 2007) was a popular American country music singer known for his flashy Nudie and Manuel suits and blond pompadour. He introduced a young Dolly Parton on his long-running television show, and they were a well-known duet team throughout the late 1960s and early 1970s. Wagoner charted 81 singles and is a member of the Country Music Hall of Fame.

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Biography

Early career

Wagoner's first band, The Blue Ridge Boys, performed on radio station KWPM-AM from a butcher shop in his native West Plains, Missouri where Wagoner cut meat. His big break came in 1951, when he was hired by "Si" Siman as a performer on KWTO-AM in Springfield, Missouri. This led to a contract with RCA Records.

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, followed by a few hits of his own on RCA. He was a featured performer on ABC-TV's Ozark Jubilee in Springfield, Missouri, and then moved to Nashville, Tennessee, joining the Grand Ole Opry in 1957.

Chart success

Wagoner's 81 charted records include "Satisfied Mind" (#1, 1955), “Misery Loves Company” (#1, 1962), “I've Enjoyed As Much of This As I Can Stand” (#7, 1962–1963), “Sorrow on the Rocks” (#5, 1964), “Green Green Grass of Home” (#4, 1965), “Skid Row Joe” (#3, 1965–1966), “The Cold Hard Facts of Life” (#2, 1967), and “The Carroll County Accident” (#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" (#1, 1974) and "Making Plans" (#2, 1980). He also won three Grammy Awards for gospel recordings.

Television show

His syndicated television program, The Porter Wagoner Show , aired from 1960 to 1981. There were 686 30-minute episodes taped; the first 104 in black and white and the remainder in color. At its peak, it was featured in over 100 markets, with an average viewership of over three million. Reruns of the program currently air on the rural cable network RFD-TV.

Wagoner's stage alter ego was Skid Row Joe. The cast included:

• Singer Norma Jean 1960-1967
• Singer Dolly Parton 1967-1974
• Singer Mel Tillis
• Comedian/Stand-up bass Curly Harris 1960-Mid 1960's
• Comedian/Stand-up bass Speck Rhodes Mid 1960's onward
• Announcer Don Howser
• The house band, The Wagonmasters:

: Buck Trent on banjo and guitar

After 1974:

The shows usually featured opening performances by Wagoner with performances by Jean, or later Parton, and comedic interludes by Rhodes. During Parton's tenure, she and Wagoner usually sang a duet (Wagoner did not duet with Norma Jean). 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. During their duets, Parton and Wagoner both frequently changed lyrics on one another try throw the other off course. Parton wrote the song "I Will Always Love You" after Wagoner suggested she shift from story songs to focus on love songs. ^[1]

Later career

Wagoner brought James Brown to the Grand Ole Opry, produced a rhythm & blues album for Joe Simon, and appeared in the Clint Eastwood film Honkytonk Man . ^[2] During the mid-1980s, Wagoner formed an all-girl group, The Right Combination, which was named after one of his hit records with Parton. He also hosted Opry Backstage during the 1990s on 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 HBO comedy series Da Ali G Show in 2004, its second season.

On July 14, 2006, he underwent surgery for an abdominal aneurysm.

Wagoner was honored on May 19, 2007 at the Grand Ole Opry for both his fifty years of membership and his 80th birthday. It was telecast on 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. This 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.

Last illness and death

Until his illness and death, Wagoner appeared regularly on the Grand Ole Opry and toured actively. On October 19, 2007, his publicist Darlene Bieber announced that the singer had been hospitalized and was in very serious condition. WSMV-TV reported that he was admitted earlier that week. Bieber gave no further information but said that the country star was asking for prayers from his family and fans. On October 21, his publicist confirmed that Wagoner had been diagnosed with lung cancer. ^[3]

On October 26, Wagoner was released into hospice care. ^[4] He died two days later in Nashville. ^[5] Wagoner's funeral was held on November 1, 2007 at the Grand Ole Opry House followed by interment at Woodlawn Memorial Park Cemetery in Nashville.

His long-time duet partner and friend, now the legendary Dolly Parton, performed a concert at her Tennessee theme park Dollywood in his honor after his death. He was survived by his second wife, Ruth, and their children Richard, Debbie, and Denise.

Legacy

In his native West Plains, Missouri, Porter Wagoner Boulevard is named in his honor. Originally built as a bypass, businesses sprang up on it in the 1970s, making it the major north-south thoroughfare. The northern terminus is at the intersection with Missouri Route 14. The road is labeled as Business Route US 63 from this interchange until it reaches Broadway Street, where Business Route US 63 turns east to follow Broadway. Porter Wagoner Boulevard then continues for three blocks to its southern terminus at Main Street.

On March 20, 2009, Parlophone Records released a single by British pop singer Lily Allen entitled "Not Fair." The country-themed video featured elements of Wagoner's television program and audience into a contemporary country-pop music video.

Discography

Awards

Year	Award	Awards	Notes
2002	Inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame	Country Music Hall of Fame
1998	Living Legend	TNN/Music City News
1971	Vocal Duo of the Year	CMA	with Dolly Parton
1970	Vocal Duo of the Year	CMA	with Dolly Parton
1970	Vocal Duet of the Year	Music City News Country	with Dolly Parton
1969	Vocal Duet of the Year	Music City News Country	with Dolly Parton
1969	Best Gospel Performance	Grammy
1968	Vocal Duet of the Year	Music City News Country	with Dolly Parton
1968	Vocal Group of the Year	CMA	with Dolly Parton
1967	Best Gospel Performance	Grammy
1966	Best Sacred Recording (Musical)	Grammy

References

1. [1]
2. Eng, Steve. (1998). "Porter Wagoner". In ''The Encyclopedia of Country Music''. Paul Kingsbury, Editor. New York: Oxford University Press. pp. 565-6.
3. Country music singer Porter Wagoner diagnosed with lung cancer - International Herald Tribune
4. "Wagoner Released to Hospice Care" from CMT.com, October 26, 2007.
5. "Country Music Hall of Fame Member Porter Wagoner Dies" from CMT.com, October 28, 2007.