Porter Wagoner

October 29, 2007 — He was one of the most colorful performers in the history of the Grand Ole Opry, a man with a proclivity for rhinestone suits, dark lyrical themes and risky career moves. Porter Wagoner, one of the Opry's greatest ambassadors, died October 28 at Nashville's Alive Hospice Sunday from lung cancer. A no-frills vocalist, he combined a conversational approach to phrasing with an eye for the outrageous.

Many of his recordings, including "The Rubber Room" and "Skid Row Joe," dealt with insanity, murder and the proverbial fall from grace. Through his syndicated television series, "The Porter Wagoner Show," he introduced the world to former duet partner Dolly Parton, who used an outlandish public persona to gain attention for her very serious songwriting talents.

Porter also caused the occasional controversy, inviting R&B showman James Brown to appear on the Grand Ole Opry and pursuing a faddish venture into disco during the late 1970s. Following his 2002 induction into the Country Music Hall of Fame, Porter enjoyed a career resurgence this year with the release of his final album, Wagonmaster, at the prodding of producer Marty Stuart. Here's a quick timeline of "The Thin Man From West Plains":

• Aug. 12, 1927 – Porter is born in West Plains, Missouri.

• June 11, 1949 – Porter attends the Grand Ole Opry for the first time. Talk about timing: The performance marks the now-storied Opry debut of Hank Williams.

• Sept. 30, 1951 – Porter makes his debut on Springfield radio station KWTO, where he becomes an instant local star.

• June 5, 1952 – Porter signs his first recording contract, with RCA Records.

• Sept. 11, 1954 – He records his first No. 1 hit, the gospel-themed "A Satisfied Mind."

• Jan. 22, 1955 – Porter makes his Opry debut.

• Feb. 23, 1957 – He officially joins the Opry.

Pictured l-r: Buck Trent, original member of the Wagonmasters (Porter’s band), Marty Stuart, Dolly Parton, Porter Wagoner and Patty Loveless. Photo by Chris Hollo, Hollophotographics. Copyright Grand Ole Opry 2007.

• Sept. 14, 1961 – The Porter Wagoner Show debuts on 18 TV stations. It remains on the air in syndication until 1979.

• Sept. 21, 1961 – Porter records his second No. 1 single, the Jerry Reed-penned "Misery Loves Company."

• June 7, 1965 – He records the classic "Green, Green Grass Of Home."

• Jan. 4, 1966 – Porter enters Nashville's Parkview Hospital, a psychiatric facility, with exhaustion. His admission comes barely a week after he separated from his wife.

• March 2, 1967 – His Confessions Of A Broken Man album becomes the first Nashville project to win a Grammy for cover art.

• Sept. 5, 1967 – Dolly Parton makes her first appearance on "The Porter Wagoner Show," replacing his former "girl singer," Norma Jean.

• Oct. 10, 1967 – Porter & Dolly record together for the first time.

• Sept. 25, 1971 – Porter Wagoner Boulevard is dedicated in West Plains.

• Feb. 19, 1974 – Dolly announces plans to sever her duet partnership with Porter.

• May 24, 1974 – Porter & Dolly record their only No. 1 hit as a duo, "Please Don’t Stop Loving Me."

• Jan. 31, 1979 – Porter unveils his new disco sound in a Nashville performance. The morning paper, The Tennessean, says the music is "about as disco as Goo Goo clusters."

• March 10, 1979 – James Brown plays the Opry, at Porter’s invitation.

GAC host Bill Cody visits with Opry members Porter Wagoner and Marty Stuart during a taping of GAC's Masters Seriesat the Country Music Hall of Fame.

• March 21, 1979 – Porter files a $3-million suit against Dolly, charging her with breach of their management contract.

• Nov. 14, 1979 – Porter & Dolly settle their suit. Part of the agreement includes recording a duet album, 1980's Porter & Dolly.

• Dec. 2, 1982 – The Clint Eastwood movie "Honkytonk Man" premieres in Nashville. Porter appears on-screen and contributes to the soundtrack.

• Feb. 18, 1988 – Porter & Dolly perform together for the first time since their 1974 breakup, during a taping of her network TV series "Dolly!"

• Nov. 6, 2002 – Porter officially joins the Country Music Hall of Fame during the Country Music Association awards.

• July 14, 2006 – Porter has emergency surgery for an abdominal aortic aneurysm.

• May 19, 2007 – The Opry celebrates Porter's 50th anniversary as a member.

• June 5, 2007 – Anti Records releases Porter’s final CD, Wagonmaster.

• July 24, 2007 – Porter opens for the White Stripes at New York's Madison Square Garden.

• Sept. 29, 2007 – Porter makes his final Opry appearance.

• Oct. 28, 2007 – Porter dies of lung cancer in Nashville.