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JANUARY 2017 Volume 48 Number 2 Issue 564
Editor Duncan Warwick
Contributors David Allan, Janet Aspley, Donnie Ayers, Craig Baguley, Larry Delaney, Don Cusic, Julie Flaskett, Kelly Gregory, Michael Hingston, Spencer Leigh, John Lomax III,, Douglas McPherson, Stephen O’ Hanlon, Rob Patterson, Roland Purdy, Adrian Peel, Paul Riley, Wayne Smart, Chris Smith, Danielle Smith, Alison Stokes, Tom Travis, Walt Trott
Special projects coordinator Kelly Gregory
Photographers Helen Parish, Patricia Presley, Ian Tilbury, Barry Dixon, Billie McAleer
Printed by The Magazine Printing Company Mollison Avenue Brimsdown Enfield Middx. EN3 7NT www. magprint. co. uk
News
Bluegrass duo Daily & Vincent( Jamie and Darrin, that is) are scheduled to be the latest artists inducted as regular cast members in WSM’ s Grand Ole Opry, come March 11, 2017. Now in their 10th year as an act, D & V were guesting on the 90-year-old broadcast, Dec. 30, when member Marty Stuart issued their invitation.
Attesting to their delight with the honour, Jamie said it’ s indeed“ One of the most
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special things that has ever happened to us!” That includes being a triple winner of the coveted Bluegrass Entertainer of the Year award. Still, one can’ t help but wonder what the cast criteria is, considering Darrin’ s sister Rhonda Vincent has been both a country and bluegrass recording artist since 1990( and started him off in her band), and she’ s scored five # 1 bluegrass albums, earned seven successive IBMA best vocalist awards( four more later), six Entertainer of the Year trophies, five Grammy nods and in 2000 The Wall Street Journal proclaimed her“ Queen of Bluegrass.” In 2014,
The Society For the Preservation of Bluegrass Music of America named the Missouri diva to its prestigious Bluegrass Hall of Greats. Here’ s what country queen Dolly Parton, a cast member since 1969, proclaims:“ Rhonda Vincent: What a talent! What a beauty! What a special human being.” But she’ s still not an Opry member.
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Detective Sgt. Jim Vaughn has reported there will be no charges filed against musician Benny Birchfield, 79, in the shooting death of Travis Sanders, 21, in the Birchfield residence, early Dec. 17, determining it a“ self-defence.” Birchfield, widower of Opry star Jean Shepard, heard an alleged altercation between Sanders and Benny’ s step-granddaughter Icie-Mae Hawkins, 18, went downstairs to investigate, and was confronted by Sanders wielding a knife with a 10-inch blade. Seeing the girl’ s wounds, and was himself attacked, prompted Benny to arm himself with his. 38 caliber handgun. Subsequently, to stop the attacks, Birchfield shot Sanders( five times). When police arrived at Birchfield’ s home in suburban Hendersonville at 3 a. m., Benny was in the front yard with deep cuts to his neck and head. Inside, police found Hawkins, suffering from upper body injuries, plus apparent self-defense wounds, and Sanders’ body. Hawkins and Birchfield were rushed to the hospital, though the teen’ s wounds proved fatal, and she died en-route. Benny who also suffers from COPD, received emergency surgery and released Dec. 18, into the care of his elder son( by a previous marriage). Hawkins was granddaughter of Shepard and her late singer-husband Harold
( Hawkshaw) Hawkins, who died in a 1963 plane crash that also claimed the lives of fellow Opry stars Patsy Cline and Cowboy Copas. Icii-Mae moved into the home to assist Shepard, who died Sept. 25 from Parkinson’ s Disease, according to Velvet Sloan, Icie- Mae’ s mom, and stayed on to help Birchfield with housekeeping chores.“ She was a beautiful sweet girl,” said Sloan.“ She loved so many people.”
She was also the daughter of Don Robin Hawkins. Reportedly, Icie-Mae began dating Sanders early in 2016, but broke off with him, after claiming he stole money from her. Police continue to investigate the deaths, added Vaughn,“ This is still an active and ongoing investigation. It’ s going to take some time. In order to find a motive, we’ re going to have to interview a lot of friends and family.” Birchfield earlier played in bluegrass bands such as The Osborne Brothers, before devoting himself to guiding the career of Shepard, his wife of 47 years, and longest-tenured Opry star with nearly 61 years, and a member of the Country Music Hall of Fame. Following services at Long Hollow Baptist Church, Icie-Mae was buried next to Hawkshaw, her biological granddad, in Goodlettsville, Dec. 23.
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