The king of country music and showman Roy Acuff was a renowned American singer, fiddler, and songwriter. He died on Nov 23, 1992 at age 89.
In the early 1940s, he was a top-selling country star. He toured constantly, appearing at the Grand Ole Opry and performing in several films.
He signed with various record labels, including Conqueror, Okeh, and Columbia. He also formed a publishing venture with Chicago songwriter Fred Rose.
Acuff's first hit was a bathetic ballad, "Wreck on the Highway," which peaked at number four in 1949. It was followed by "Beneath That Lonely Mound of Clay," and "The Precious Jewel," which reached the number one spot in 1953.
His popularity grew as a radio personality and host of the "Prince Albert" segment of The Grand Ole Opry's radio show. He left the radio program in 1946, however, to pursue personal appearances on higher fees than the Opry paid.
He also toured the West Coast and appeared in seven movies. He toured the United States in the late 1950s and 1960s, and in the 1970s performed almost exclusively at the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville.
Roy Acuff was born in Maynardville, Tennessee, on September 15, 1903. He grew up in the foothills of the Smoky Mountains, and was an avid sportsman, playing baseball until suffering sunstroke-related collapses. He developed his fiddle skills while recovering from these episodes.
