The cover on Jim Owen’s autobiography
Owen was born in Robards, Kentucky. When he was eight years old, he saw Hank Williams Sr sing and from that time he became completely fascinated by the star and his music. After completing his education, he worked variously as a journalist and as a golf coach until 1969 when, with Mel Tillis’ help, he relocated to Nashville Tennessee, to work as a songwriter.
Over the next few years, several artists had chart hits with his songs. These included “Too Lonely Too Long” and “One More Drink” (both Mel Tillis), “Little Boy’s Prayer” (Porter Wagoner), “Sweet Baby On My Mind” (June Stearns), “Southern Loving” and “Broad Minded Man” (both Jim Ed Brown), “The Telephone” (Jerry Reed) and arguably the best-known of all, “Louisiana Woman, Mississippi Man” (Conway Twitty and Loretta Lynn). He never lost his obsession with Hank Williams and, encouraged by his wife, who once dreamed that she saw Owen onstage at the Grand Ole Opry but that it was Williams’ voice that she heard coming from him, he began to recreate his idol as an impressionist or impersonator. He talked with people that had known or worked with Williams and practiced his mannerisms and stage presentation.
In 1976, he presented “Hank,” a one-hour PBS television special that won him an Emmy award for the best show of the year on public television. He then produced a 90-minute one-man live stage show: “An Evening With Hank Williams” which had backing tracks provided by Hank’s band: “The Drifting Cowboys.” He commenced touring extensively with the show and regularly drew audiences of thousands at countless venues.
He also starred in the 1980 film Hank Williams: The Man And His Music, for which he received an Emmy nomination.
In 1978, his Epic recording of “Lovesick Blues” recorded with the “Drifting Cowboys” was a minor chart hit and in the early 1980s, he scored two more minor hits with “Ten Anniversary Presents” and “Hell Yes, I Cheated”.
In 1985, he wrote and produced a 10-hour Hank Williams radio show which, on New Year’s Day was broadcast on various U.S. stations as a tribute. Owen has also appeared as Williams for the noted “Legends In Concert” at the Imperial Palace, Las Vegas, Nevada and made many appearances on the Grand Ole Opry, including a special one on January 1, 1993, the 40th anniversary of Williams’ death, which gained him a standing ovation. He continued to tour into the 1990s, still wrote songs and, at times, worked as an auctioneer near his Henderson, Tennessee home. He is also noted for his collection of classic cars.
Legendary singer and songwriter Jim Owen mentioned at Music of Missouri entertained audiences with his comedy and award winning musical talent for years in Branson, Missouri. He performed many of the classic songs he wrote for country music stars which became huge hits. Owen won an Emmy Award for his portrayal of Hank Williams Sr. in a made-for-TV movie that he both wrote and starred in. His show was complete with clips and songs of Hank as well as other legendary artists.
Charlie Daniels once called Jim Owen country music’s least known country superstar, and that might be true in some cases but he is certainly well known by true country music fans all over the world.
In 2012, Owen had only 45 shows scheduled although most years he topped 150. Performances in Branson were curtailed following the 2012 Leap Day tornado outbreak when his Branson Mall venue was destroyed, but he performed again at the Doug Gabriel Theatre for several years after that before retiring.
Mr. Owen passed away on March 7, 2020.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jim_Owen_(singer-songwriter)
Country Music’s Jim Owen: An Amazing Life: An Unauthorized Autobiography
https://www.amazon.com/Country-Musics-Jim-Owen-Autobiography/dp/1620151448
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Barbara Martin – Original Supremes member
Barbara Diane Martin Richardson (June 16, 1943 – March 4, 2020) was an American singer, best known for being one of the original members of Motown group The Supremes.
She was born in Detroit. After Betty McGlown left the Primettes due to her upcoming nuptials, Martin replaced her in the group in 1960. She and her group mates, Diana Ross (then known as Diane), Mary Wilson and Florence Ballard, signed a recording contract with Motown founder Berry Gordy on January 15, 1961 as the Supremes, a name that Ballard had chosen (as she was the only group member in the studio at the time) from a list provided by Motown songwriter, Janie Bradford, and became part of the Motown stable of performers.
While recording a handful of early singles, none of which became hits, Martin, Wilson, Ross, and Ballard worked as studio backing singers, providing vocals and rhythmic effects such as hand claps for Motown’s leading groups. In October 1961, Martin became pregnant. Her husband supported her decision to stay in the group but she left in the early spring of 1962 – leaving Ross, Wilson and Ballard a trio.
Although Martin sang on many of the group’s early singles (including a shared lead vocal with Diana Ross on “(He’s) Seventeen”), and most of the tracks on the group’s first album, Meet The Supremes, she is not pictured on the album’s cover.
After leaving the group, Martin eventually earned a degree in psychology and worked in mental health. She never spoke publicly about her tenure with the Primettes/Supremes. She denied interviews over the years with the exception of one interview she gave in 2009 for the 2010 release of Meet the Supremes: Expanded Edition.
Martin died in March 2020 at the age of 76.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barbara_Martin_(singer)
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Other Notable Musicians’ Deaths…
March 2020
10: Marcelo Peralta, 59, Argentine saxophonist, COVID-19; Beba Selimovic, 80, Bosnian sevdalinka singer.
9: Anton Coppola, 102, American orchestra conductor and composer; Keith Olsen, 74–75, American record producer, sound engineer and musician (The Music Machine); Eric Taylor, 70, American folk singer-songwriter.
8: Martin Davorin-Jagodic, 84, Croatian composer.
7: Jim Owen, 78, American country singer-songwriter; Laura Smith, 67, Canadian folk singer- songwriter, cancer.
6: Charlie Baty, 66, American blues guitarist (Little Charlie & the Nightcats); Elinor Ross, 93, American operatic soprano; McCoy Tyner, 81, American jazz pianist (Inception, The Real McCoy, Song for My Lady).
4: Adelaide Chiozzo, 88, Brazilian actress and accordionist; Barbara Martin, 76, American singer (The Supremes); Úna O’Connor, 83, Irish camogie player (Dublin, Celtic).