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Senator Merle Kilgore was
a businessman bridging his early music experience with today’s
growing country music industry. He was voted by his peers as
CMA’s first Manager of the Year in 1990. His vast knowledge
stems from his involvement in every facet of show business. He
was an accomplished singer, songwriter (inducted into the
Nashville Songwriters’ Hall of Fame in 1998) and actor. All
inventories taken, Merle turned opportunities into successes
as both a manager and an entertainer.
Merle began his career in
Shreveport, Louisiana at the age of 14, carrying Hank Williams
Sr.’s guitar. Entering professional show business at 18,
Merle wrote his first number one hit, “More and More”, which
became a million-seller for Webb Pierce in 1954. Not long
after, young Merle wrote a 10 million seller, “Wolverton
Mountain”, recorded by Claude King, and then co-wrote “Ring of
Fire” with June Carter-Cash, as recorded by Johnny Cash. The
song sold more than 16 million records. Merle continued to
write hit after hit making his song catalog over 300 songs,
and all sold close to 50 Million records.
Merle’s first Top Ten
record was self penned “Dear Mama”, followed by “Love Has Made
You Beautiful” on Starday Records and then on Mercury, “42 in
Chicago” on Mercury, and “Fast Talking Louisiana Man” on
Columbia. His last chart record before turning music
executive was “Guilty” on Warner Bros., but his favorite
record was “Mr. Garfield” by Merle Kilgore and Friends on
Elektra Records, recorded with long-time friends Hank Williams
Jr. and Johnny Cash.
As an actor, Merle has
been featured in the box office hits Coal Miner’s Daughter,
Robert Altman’s Nashville, W.W. and the Dixie Dance Kings,
Roadie, and the CBS-TV movie, Willa. His biggest role to date
co-starred him in NBC-Telelcom’s Living Proof, the life story
of Hank Williams Jr., where he played himself.
Merle moved to Nashville
in 1962 and began his management career by representing the
prestigious Shapiro Bernstein and Al Gallico music companies.
In 1969, Merle became the general manager of Hank Williams Jr.
’s music publishing companies. On April 7, 1986, he was named
Executive Vice President and head of management of Hank
Williams Jr. Enterprises. Merle has been affiliated with Hank
for more than 30 years, serving as his personal manager for
the last 16.
In addition
to managing Hank’s career (along with that of Hank’s Bama
Band), Merle had a number of successful business ventures and
held numerous leadership positions. Merle’s prominence in the
country music community grew through his involvement as Vice
President of the Country Music Association and he served on
the CMA Board of Directors since 1989. Also contributing to
his success was his position as President of both the
Nashville Songwriter’s Foundation as well as the Nashville
Songwriter’s Association International. These positions Merle
cites as part of his lifelong dream.
In 1987, he was named an
honorary State Senator for Tennessee. In 1993, Merle was
inducted into the Louisiana Hall of Fame in Lafayette,
Louisiana and was also inducted into Shreveport’s Byrd High
School Hall of Fame. In 1998, Merle received the Legendary
Songwriter’s Award from the North American County Music
Association. Most recently, he hosted and performed at NSAI’s
Tin Pan South Legendary Songwriter’s Acoustic Concert and was
presented a prestigious award honoring him as “One of the
world’s outstanding songwriters.” Merle also served two terms
as President of ROPE, International (Reunion of Professional
Entertainers, Int.).
Merle was a
long-time member of the Academy of Country Music and an active
member of the Screen Actors Guild. As well as belonging to
the NSAI and the American Federation of Musicians, Merle
served as a board member for several organizations including
the Hank Williams Museum in Montgomery, Alabama, the Texas
Hall of Fame and the Tex Ritter Museum, both in Carthage,
Texas. He also directed the operations of two offices, Hank
Williams Jr. Enterprises in Paris, Tennessee and Merle Kilgore
Management in Nashville, where he managed several other
artists.
The distinctive voice of Merle Kilgore, one
of the most significant songwriters and entertainers in
American musical history was forever silenced February 6,
2005. He died from congestive heart failure onset from medical
complications related to ongoing treatment for cancer over the
last few months. He passed away in a hospital in Mexico
seeking alternative ways to fight the cancer.
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