Died On This Date (January 7, 1998) Owen Bradley / Country Hit Maker
themusicsover Owen Bradley
October 21, 1915 – January 7, 1998
Owen Bradley was a prominent country music producer who was one of the architects of what would become known as the “Nashville Sound.” Bradley began his career at storied radio station, WSM-AM, where he worked as a staff musician and engineer. He quickly moved up the ranks while moonlighting as a songwriter. Bradley’s earliest song of significance was “Night Train To Memphis,” first made famous by Roy Acuff. He was soon hired by Decca Records as a musician and assistant producer, working on many country hits of the ’50s. By 1958, Bradley was the vice president of the label’s Nashville division and was laying the foundation for the Nashville Sound. Throughout his career, Bradley helped make stars out of the likes of Patsy Cline, Conway Twitty, Loretta Lynn and Brenda Lee. His recordings of Cline in particular, became the blueprint for those of countless female country singers to come. Owen Bradly was 82 when he passed away on January 7, 1998.
Billie Joe Spears was a popular American country singer who made her biggest mark during the 1970s. With hits like “Mr. Walker It’s All Over,” “Blanket On The Ground” and “What I’ve Got In Mind,” Spears hit the Top 10 of the country charts five times between 1969 and 1977. Her bluesy voice and slick pop-leaning production helped define the popular “countrypolitan” of the era. As country tastes changed in America during the 1980s, Spears popularity dwindled at home, but she did however, continue to sell records and perform in front of sell-out crowds in the UK, where she was dubbed “The Queen Mother Of Country Music.” In 1993, Spears survived triple bypass surgery but continued to tour and record well into the 2000s. Her most recent album was 2005’s I’m So Lonesome I Could Cry. Billie Jo Spears died of cancer on December 14, 2011. She was 74.
Bee Spears was a Nashville bassist who is perhaps best remembered for his long tenure in Willie Nelson’s band. Born into and raised by a musical family, Spears was just 19 when he began playing, and occasionally singing, with Nelson. The year was 1968, and Spears went on to stand by Nelson’s side for more than 40 years. Even when Nelson transitioned from “Nashville” to “Outlaw,” it was Spears that remained the constant. Besides playing on such Nelson landmark albums as Stardust and Red Headed Stranger, Spears can be heard on tracks by the likes of 