Grand Ole Opry member and country music legend Porter Wagoner has died at the age of 80. He had been diagnosed with lung cancer and listed in serious condition and was released from a Nashville-area hospital to a hospice to be with his family.
In May, he celebrated his 50th anniversary as an Opry member during a special segment of the show hosted by Marty Stuart and featuring guest appearances by Patty Loveless and Wagoner’s longtime duet partner, Dolly Parton. Wagoner was inducted into Country Music Hall of Fame in 2002.
I was lucky enough to recently see Mr. Wagoner perform in support of his excellent new release “Wagonmaster” which was released earlier this year. I briefly met the man after one of the shows and he seemed genuinely touched and overwhelmed that people still wanted to see him perform after all these years. I do belive he left us doing what he was born to do. What he did best.
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=175nWTFs1yQ[/youtube]