Died On This Date (May 15, 2008) Al Gallico / Successful Music Publisher
themusicsover Al Gallico
1920 – May 15, 2008
Al Gallico was an immensely successful music publisher who owned the copyrights on such classics as “Stand By Your Man,” “House Of The Rising Sun,” “Ring Of Fire,” ” “The Happiest Girl in the Whole USA,” and “Time Of The Season.” Over a career that stretched some 70 years, Gallico worked with such talent as the Zombies, Billy Sherrill, Joe Stampley, and Donna Fargo, whom he discovered. He began his career in his late teens, working first as an errand boy for a publishing house, and later a song plugger for Leed’s Music. Gallico died of cardiac arrest and pulmonary disease at the age of 88.
Frank Sinatra was an American singer and actor who first came to the public’s attention in the 1940s when he sang with 
Jimmy Martin was a guitarist and singer who has been called the “King Of Bluegrass.” While looking to get his break in 1949, Martin sneaked backstage at the Grand Ole Opry and positioned himself so that passersby could hear him picking. On such person was the Blue Grass Boys’ Rudy Lyle who was impressed enough to bring Martin to meet his boss, Bill Monroe. After hearing just two songs, Monroe was so impressed by Martin’s picking and strong tenor voice that he hired him on the spot. He stayed with Monroe for the better part of the next six years and then soon thereafter formed his own band, the Sunny Mountain Boys. Martin built a name for himself with his unique voice as well as with his fun and unpredictable lives shows. In 1971, he performed on the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band’s landmark album Will The Circle Be Unbroken. Jimmy Martin was 77 when he died of bladder cancer on May 14, 2005.
