A COUNTRY LEGEND IS REMEMBERED BY “MUSIC CITY”
Country music lost a giant early yesterday when Eddy Arnold died at the age of 89. Eddy amassed a total of 90 Top 10 hits in his hit-making career, which lasted from 1945 until 1983. His last song on the charts was in 1999 when he had a minor hit with the song “Cattle Call” – a duet with LeAnn Rimes. Eddy took 66 of his first 70 songs into the Top 10.
He recalls a visit to New York in the late 1940’s when he was asked to visit with the president of his record label. He thought his career was over:
“He looked at me and smiled. Asked me to sit down and asked me to have a cigar. He said, ‘Young man, I wanted to see what you look like.’ He said, ‘Every Monday morning we see the sales figures come across our desk.’ And that’s when I found out I was really selling a lot of records.”
Eddy ended his career having sold 85 million recordings and scoring 27 number one songs. He spent more time on the charts than any singer in history. After his music days were over, he became a successful real estate investor, and leaves an estate valued at 40 million dollars.
A public viewing in the Country Music Hall of Fame rotunda is scheduled for Tuesday, May 13th from 5 PM to 9 PM and on Wednesday, May 14th from 9 AM until noon. The funeral service, also open to the public, will be held Wednesday, May 14th at 2 PM at the Ryman Auditorium. The burial will be private. Eddy Arnold is survived by his son, daughter and two grandchildren.