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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
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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
Walt Trott in Nashville Duncan Warwick in London
One in , one to go ...
No charges
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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