Remembering Roy Drusky

As I look back into Grand Ole Opry history, I want to remember one of the Opry's long time members, who had one of the smoothest voices in the business, and that is Roy Drusky, who passed away on September 23, 2004, at the age of 74 from lung cancer. (Boy, how many entertainers have died from lung cancer over the years?).

Country music has always had its crooners, whose smooth voices are devoid of any twang. With his full mellow baritone, Roy Frank Drusky, Jr. is one of the best examples. According to Drusky, music did not enter his mind until he joined the navy and met some fellow sailors who enjoyed performing. His interest piqued, Drusky purchased a guitar and taught himself to play. After his service stint he enrolled at Emory University in his hometown of Atlanta to study veterinary medicine. To make extra money he formed the Southern Ranch Boys, began to perform around the area, and soon had his own fifteen-minute radio show on WEAS in Decatur, Georgia.

Choosing music over animal husbandry, Drusky began a recording career with Starday Records in 1953 and moved to the Columbia label in 1956. Failing to hit the charts on either label, Drusky took a disc jockey position at KEVE in Minneapolis. During that tenure, his songwriting ability began to be noticed. Faron Young recorded the Drusky composition, "Alone with You." and the ballad spent thirteen weeks at #1 on the country charts. Young had two more notable hits with Drusky songs: 'That's the Way It's Gotta Be" (#11, 1959) and "Country Girl" (#1, 1959).

In the fall of 1958, Owen Bradley signed him to Decca Records and Drusky joined the cast of the Grand Ole Opry in June 1959. He co-wrote his first two hits, "Another" (#2, 1960) and"Anymore" (#3, 1960). After three years of hits with Decca, Drusky moved to Mercury Records, where he stepped out of character and recorded the novelty tune "Peel Me a Nanner" (#8, 1963). In 1965 "Yes, Mr. Peters," a cheating-song duet with Priscilla Mitchell (Jerry Reed's wife), became his only #1 hit. Drusky continued to place records on the charts well through 1977, racking up a total of forty-two chart hits over a seventeen-year period.

I will have to say that my favorite Roy Drusky song was, "Second Hand Rose." I always enjoyed it and thought Roy did a very nice job with it. Roy kept up a heavy Opry appearance schedule over much of his career, however over his last decade, his appearances only averaged a couple of times each year, as he settled into "senior status" at the Opry.

Roy's last Opry appearance was during the 2nd show on Saturday June 21, 2003. In memory of Roy Drusky, here is the Opry line up from that night:

1st show:
6:30
Jimmy Dickens (host)
Connie Smith
Jimmy C Newman
Billy Yates

7:00
Jim Ed Brown (host)
BR 549
Mandy Barnett
Steve Azar
Oak Ridge Boys
Helen Cornelius

8:00
Porter Wagoner (host)
Jeannie Seely
The Whites
Miranda Lambert
Opry Square Dance Band
Opry Square Dancers

8:30
Brad Paisley (host)
Jesse McReynolds & The Virginia Boys
Jean Shepard
Hal Ketchum

2nd show:
9:30 Jimmy Dickens (host)
Connie Smith
BR 549

10:00
Porter Wagoner (host)
ROY DRUSKY
Jimmy C Newman
Steve Azar

10:30
Jean Shepard (host)
The Whites
Oak Ridge Boys
Opry Square Dance Band
Opry Square Dancers

11:00
Brad Paisley (host)
Jesse McReynolds & The Virginia Boys
Billy Yates
Mandy Barnett

11:30
Jeannie Seely (host)
Ray Pillow
Miranda Lambert

Roy, thanks for the memories!!