The Tennessee Plowboy is gone.
NASHVILLE, Tenn. —AP- Eddy Arnold, whose mellow baritone on songs like “Make the World Go Away” made him one of the most successful country singers in history, died Thursday morning, days short of his 90th birthday.
Arnold died at a care facility near Nashville, said Don Cusic, a professor at Belmont University and author of the biography “Eddy Arnold: I’ll Hold You in My Heart.” His wife of 66 years, Sally, had died in March, and in the same month, Arnold fell outside his home, injuring his hip.
He was a favorite of my Dad, who, while he was never large on country styled singers, liked Arnold’s easy-going style. He made up a reel to reel tape of his songs, years ago, that I still have. The last one on Dad’s tape works well. It’s an old Cindy Walker tune. (She wrote “Dream Baby”, which Roy Orbison had a hit with) Cindy died, herself, just a couple years ago, now, so I guess she won’t mind if I attach her lyrics to this: (From memory)
Jim, I did everything that I could
But your fever just wouldn’t die down
So I tied your horse to the wagon bed
And last night I brought you to town.But when I got there you were gone Jim
And there was nothin’ nobody could do
I bought you a suit and a tie Jim
And today I wore one too.Jim I wore a tie today
The first one that I ever wore
And you’d have said I looked like a dummy
Out of a dry goods store.Jim they said a lot of things
But I don’t know a thing they said
My mind kept wanderin’ off down the trail
Back to the times that we’ve had.Well Jim, you’re ridin’ on ahead
I guess that’s how it has to be
But when you reach those streets paved with gold Jim
Stake a claim out for me…
Rest in peace, Eddy.
Tags: Cindy Walker, Eddy Arnold, jim i wore a tie today, Nashville, Plowboy, rest in peace
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