Skeeter Davis R.I.P.

Smiley Roberts · From: Hendersonville,Tn. 37075

I just received word that Skeeter Davis has passed away. She's been battling cancer for many years. As soon as more details are available,I'll post.

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  ©¿©  It don't mean a thang,   


  mm   if it ain't got that twang.


       www.ntsga.com

Herman Visser · From: Rohnert Park, California, USA

There goes another,We are lossing them to quickly. My prayers go out to her family. RIP Skeeter.

David L. Donald · From: Koh Samui Island, Thailand

We are always loosing them to fast.
Nice voice she had.

Walter Stettner · From: Vienna, Austria

Another great loss! She had one of the most unique voices in country music! This is sad news!

Kind Regards, Walter

www.lloydgreentribute.com
www.austriansteelguitar.at.tf

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Jim Cohen · From: Philadelphia, PA

"Why do the birds go on singing...?"

She'll be missed.

Janice Brooks · From: Pleasant Gap Pa

Over 50 years of music.

My videos with her are back in PA.

Hoping our Nashville folks will give her the proper respect.

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Janice "Busgal" Brooks
ICQ 44729047

Eric West · From: Portland, Oregon, USA, R.I.P.

I've got her "Coloring Book" album.

End of The World was always one of my favorite songs.

Lots of Studio Magic in that album.

Color her Gone..

I think I lost another longtime friend as well. We'll find out when the phone call gets returned..

EJL

Jim Vogan · From: Ohio City, Ohio 45874

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (Reuters) - Country music singer Skeeter Davis, a veteran of Nashville's Grand Ole Opry, died on Sunday, according to a family friend.
Davis, 73, had battled breast cancer since 1988. She died at St. Thomas Hospital, said friend Linda Palmer.

In a 43-year career, she performed around the world, including at New York's Carnegie Hall and London's Royal Albert Hall. She earned five Grammy nominations, including one for the song "Set Him Free" in 1959, the year she joined the Opry.

Other hits were "I Forgot More Than You'll Ever Know," "The End of the World," and "Gonna Get Along Without You Now."

Davis was born Mary Frances Penick in Dry Ridge, Kentucky, and started performing early with singer Betty Jack Davis as The Davis Sisters. She went solo after Davis was killed in a car crash.

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Jim Vogan
Derby SD 10 3&5
G.D. Walker Stereo Steel Combo
Bakelite Ric
Hilton volume pedal

Paul Graupp · From: Macon Ga USA

While I cannot recall the exact year, I still remember hearing a WWVA all Night DJ breaking the news that one of the Davis sisters was killed in a car crash. This news is just as sad...Their's was a very unique vocal harmony not heard since then !

Regards, Paul

Nick Reed · From: Russellville, KY USA

Kevin Hatton · From: Buffalo, N.Y.

They are all leaving now one by one. She was a classic.

Toby Rider · From: Fort Worth, Texas, USA

God rest her soul!

Smiley Roberts · From: Hendersonville,Tn. 37075

The following is information regarding the funeral of Skeeter Davis:

The funeral will be at the Ryman Wed. at 1:00pm

Grand Ole Opry Member Skeeter Davis Dies

NASHVILLE - (September 19, 2004) - Ms. Skeeter Davis, age 72, passed away
Sunday, September 19, 2004 at Alive Hospice in Nashville, TN after a lengthy
battle with cancer. Davis was born in Dry Ridge, KY to the late William Lee
and Sarah Rachel Roberts Penick and made her home in Brentwood. She was a
member of The Grand Ole Opry since 1959. Named as one of the five women
called "The Grand Ladies of the Grand Ole Opry" and was known around the
work for her hit song "End of the World." This song was recognized as a
cross over with the country, pop, and rhythm and blues industries. In
addition to the song, she had many other top ten hits, five Grammy
nominations and several other accolades in the music industry. She authored
two books, one including "Bus Fare To Kentucky," which was an autobiography
of her life. She was recently honored with the naming of "The Skeeter Davis
Highway" in Dry Ridge, KY and was a Colonel of the Kentucky Commonwealth.
Preceded in death by brother, Meryl "Dean" Penick and sister, Suzan
Christopher Marley.

Survivors include:

Sisters: Shirley Katherine Elfers of Ormond By The Sea, FL
Carolyn Sue Penick of Fairview, TN
Brothers: James William Penick of Dry Ridge, KY
Harold Lee Penick of College Grove, TN
Special Friends: Linda Palmer and Members Of The Grand
Ole Opry

Funeral service arrangements are incomplete at this time. Williamson
Memorial Funeral Home, 3009 Columbia Avenue, Franklin, TN 37064. 615
794-2289.

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  ©¿©  It don't mean a thang,   


  mm   if it ain't got that twang.


       www.ntsga.com

Earl Erb · From: Old Hickory Tenn

I played guitar for Skeet for almost 2 years in 1969-70. What a great lady she was.It was a pleasure working for her.My first trip to Europe was with her in 69 on a 30 day RCA Tour.I also worked many early tv talk shows around the country,namely Merv Griffin when he was doing his show in N.Y. I also had the honor of playing at Wembley and Royal Albert Hall in London, England, and many saturday nights at the Ryman.I will miss her.

Smiley Roberts · From: Hendersonville,Tn. 37075

(more info)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Beloved Skeeter Davis

Visitation will be tommorrow from 3 to 8 PM

Williamson Memorial
Funeral Home & Gardens-
3009 Columbia Ave. Franklin, Tn.
794-2289

Services-Wed.-Sept. 22, 2004 1 PM Ryman Auditorium

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  ~ ~


  ©¿©  It don't mean a thang,   


  mm   if it ain't got that twang.


       www.ntsga.com

Charles Walker · From: Chester, Virginia, USA

If you don't remember Skeeter Davis then I guess you just ain't country. She was one of greatest's sound's of country music. If you don't know The End Of The World just listen and you will be mesmerized. We will miss this great voice. By the way if you have not heard this song and want to listen to a great psg rendition of this song then buy Tommy Dodd's CD called In The Steel Of The Night. The song is on this album and Tommy gave it great respect.

Butch Foster · From: Pisgah, Alabama, USA

Smiley, thanks for letting us know. She was one of my favorites. The songs with steel backing are as good as anyones Earl & Greg, thanks for your comments about your time working in her band. If possible,please share with us any reflections on Skeeter the artist and the person. IMO, she is one of the greatest harmony singers who ever lived.

Smiley Roberts · From: Hendersonville,Tn. 37075

I believe Earl Erb could give you more info than anybody else here,since he worked for her,for a period of time.

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  ~ ~


  ©¿©  It don't mean a thang,   


  mm   if it ain't got that twang.


       www.ntsga.com

Earl Erb · From: Old Hickory Tenn

Myself, Gregg Galbraith, and my brother in law, John Stacey went to Skeeters funeral today at the Ryman.It was a very nice service and I got to see some old friends. Gregg worked for Skeeter in 1968 and I started in 69 when Gregg took a job with George Hamilton IV. John and I both played for Skeeter for almost 2 years. I left around June of 70 to go to work for Jim Ed Brown. Skeeter was a great employer. She was very opened minded when it came to music. She loved and listened to all kinds of music. I married my first wife in April of 70 and making more money was an issue so I had to change jobs. Because of Skeeters religious beliefs she would not work in venues that sold alcohol so as a result of that her work was limited to concerts and fair dates. She really appreciated the pickers that worked for her and she let people know it. She was a great influence on me musically. When I recorded my CD in 1999 my arrangement of "Both Sides Now" was my tribute to her. She loved Joanie Mitchell and we always did that tune on her shows. Maybe Gregg could reflect on his time with Skeeter when he sees this post. Butch, thanks for asking.

I have a lot of good stories but one I will never forget. We were booked to do a concert in Burlington, Vermont. It was straight shot there and no dates in between. I think it took us two days to drive there from Nashville. We got into town just in time to eat and clean up. We drove all over town trying to find the theatre and couldn't. Skeeter made a call to the agency in Nashville, and what do you know, the contract had a typo...we were supposed to be in Burlington,IOWA !!!! Well, we just went to a nice Chinese resturant and checked in to our hotel and headed back to Nashville the next day. The king of dead head trips with Skeeter would have been a one day booking in Billings, Montana. We were making $50.00 a day only when we worked and to put salt in the wound, Skeeter was the headliner and Wynn Stewart opened the show. He did not have a band so he agreed to pay us $50.00 each to back him. Guess what...he high tailed it out of town before the end of the show and he screwed us out of our money. I guess you know what I think of Wynn.

[This message was edited by Earl Erb on 22 September 2004 at 10:23 PM.]

Gregg Galbraith · From: Goodlettsville,Tn.,USA

Yes,Earl,it was good to see so many old friends yesterday at Skeeter's funeral.I only wish that the occasion had been a happier one.While I can't match your "dry run" and "getting stiffed by Wynn" stories,I do have fond memories of the year I worked with Skeeter,and they all seemed to have come back to me this week.She was so good about including her band members in everything she was involved with,like fighting the powers that be to get to use us on TV shows,etc.I really enjoyed the times we would make "side-trips" to visit her relatives in Dry Ridge and Covington,KY.Once she had us stop at a cemetery,so she could visit the grave of Betty Jack Davis,and that was very touching.Any time we were in the vicinity of Columbus,Indiana she was more than happy for us all to stop and spend a couple hours with my parents and brother.
I remember the time we had a couple days off in NYC,and she had us spend the evening in Greenwich Village and riding the subways all over town!
And,Lord,all the great Chinese meals she treated us to!At the time,there weren't any Oriental restaurants in Nashville,and we'd leave early and drive miles out of the way on road trips just to be able to go to one.
While driving to a fair date in Illinois,we spotted a go-cart track somewhere on US 51,so that's where we spent at least an hour.Then there was the time that we had a day off after working Williams Grove Park in PA,so we dragged her to a sprint car race,which she seemed to thoroughly enjoy!
Skeeter was the most "alive" person I ever had the pleasure of working for,and her entheusiasm for life was contageous.I really miss that.She was always so considerate of the feelings of everyone involved,and that's very rare in employers.
Skeeter's was the 6th funeral I've attended this year,and I'd rather that it be the last,but I'm sure that,as we get older,things won't get any better.
I'm just glad that we were all able to be together to bid her a last farewell.

Ray Montee · From: Portland, Oregon (deceased)

Might you have a list of those greats that have sadly gone on before us; including the dates of birth and/or passing?

Butch Foster · From: Pisgah, Alabama, USA

Earl & Gregg, thanks so much for sharing those memories with us.