Died On This Date (June 19, 2013) Chet Flippo / Respected Music Journalist

Chet Flippo
1943 – June 19, 2013

chet-flippoChet Flippo was a respected author and music journalist who, over the course of his career was the Editorial Director at CMT and Billboard‘s Nashville Bureau Chief.  Born in Fort Worth, Texas, Flippo served in the US Navy during the Vietnam War before earning a degree in Journalism from University of Texas.  Although his name is practically synonymous with country music for many fans, he was also wrote about rock music as well.  As a contributor to Rolling Stone while he was earning his Master’s during the ’70s, Flippo championed many of the rock musicians of the era.  Before leaving the magazine in 1980, he served as the its New York Bureau Chief and Senior Editor.  He also contributed features to numerous periodicals like the New York Times, Q Magazine, and TV Guide. From there he went to Billboard and later CMT/cmt.com Throughout his career, Flippo penned several books on music as well.  They include Your Cheatin’ Heart: A Biography of Hank Williams, It’s Only Rock ‘N’ Roll: My On-The-Road Adventures With The Rolling Stones,Graceland: The Living Legacy of Elvis Presley, and  Yesterday: The Unauthorized Biography of Paul McCartney.  Chet Flippo died of pneumonia on June 19, 2013.  He was 69.

Thanks to Craig Rosen at Number 1 Albums for the assist.



Died On This Date (June 19, 2013) Slim Whitman / Country Music Legend

Ottis “Slim” Whitman
January 20, 1923 or 1924 – June 19, 2013

slim-whitmanSlim Whitman was an American country singer, songwriter and guitarist who is perhaps best remembered for his high voice and yodeling skills.  Highly influential, even George Harrison and Michael Jackson have cited Whitman as an influence.  Born in Tampa, Florida, Whitman served in the US Navy during World War II before launching his music career.  While working in a shipyard, he was given the opportunity to sing on a local Tampa radio station only to be heard by Col. Tom Parker of Elvis Presley fame who helped secure Whitman his first recording contract with RCA Records in 1948.  A series of country hits followed until 1955, when he scored his first #1 pop hit with “Rose Marie.”  The record sat at the top of the UK charts for an unprecedented 11 weeks until Bryan Adams broke the record in 1991.  In 1979, Whitman appeared in one of the earliest infomercials on television.  The piece is considered THE most successful one ever, responsible for selling 1.5 million copies of his All My Best greatest hits album.   Over the course of his career, Whitman sold over 120 million albums which include his most recent, 2010’s Twilight On The Trail, his first new studio album in 26 years.  Slim Whitman died of heart failure on June 19, 2013.  He was 90 years old.

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