To many people, Wagoner's death on Sunday night at the age of 80 was a bit of a yawner. Oh yeah, old has-been country-music guy kicks it - so what? But his passing actually leaves a big hole in the industry. Wagoner was on a bit of a comeback, sort of like a Tony Bennett of country music, and plenty of artists owe their starts to him.
I've met most of the old guard in my years covering Fan Fair for Country Wave Magazine. Tammy Wynnette (stick thin and doped up) George Jones (oblivious and boring) Ray Stevens (funny as hell) and Mel Tillis (the stutter was real) among them. But Porter Wagoner stands out as just a genuinely nice, caring man. His easy-going and friendly demeanour could have been that of the manager of a hardware store or a farmer, except for the shiny rhinestone suits he liked to wear.
In the 1960's and 70's, when his then-unknown duet partner, Dolly Parton, became a huge star in her own right, Wagoner wasn't envious; he was proud of her, and he said so. He encouraged other performers, including Patty Loveless and Marty Stuart. They would all eventually eclipse his fame and fortune but that didn't matter. What mattered to him was the music.
Like so many older artists, for a time Wagoner was left behind by the industry he helped found. Time passed him by for a spell. Then he was rediscovered and revered for his contributions. Fortunately, this career rebirth happened before he died. He was just a sweet ol' guy who could carry a tune and was good to those who came to know him. It's a pretty simple formula for living a good life and being remembered fondly, don't you think?