Marty Stuart Honors Father of Country Music

Marty Stuart on the stage of the Grand Ole Opry
Photo by Chris Hollo, Hollo Photographics

Feb. 17, 2009 — Marty Stuart was on hand Sunday in Meridian, Miss., to honor the late Jimmie Rodgers, recognized by historians as the Father of Country Music.

Jimmie was honored with the first star in a Walk of Fame dedicated to Mississippi artists who helped shape culture, The Meridian Star reported. Jimmie was one of country’s first superstars, discovered by pioneering producer Ralph Peer during a series of recording sessions in Bristol, Tenn., in 1927. Before his death from tuberculosis in 1935, Jimmie cranked out such legendary titles as "In The Jailhouse Now," "Blue Yodel No. 9 (Standin’ On The Corner)," "Waiting For A Train" and "Blue Yodel No. 1 (T For Texas)." In 1961, he joined Hank Williams and songwriter-producer Fred Rose as the first three inductees into the Country Music Hall of Fame.

"Every note of country music that is played, sung, written, thought about throughout this universe today, yesterday and tomorrow all goes back to one man, Jimmie Rodgers, the Father of Country Music," Marty said at the ceremony.

"There's a whole new generation of artists who are coming on who have yet to discover Jimmie Rodgers," he continued. "But if they live long enough, his music will totally make sense in their lives. He is America's music, in my opinion."

The Walk of Fame event was the second one Marty took part in during the last week to raise the recognition of Mississippi’s musical contributions. He lobbied in Jackson for legislation that would initiate the Country Music Trail, a series of markers and symbols that would connect the dots between some of the sites that have been important in the development of many of the country-related acts who’ve hailed from Mississippi. Among them: Faith Hill, LeAnn Rimes, Tammy Wynette, Conway Twitty, Elvis Presley, Moe Bandy and Jerry Lee Lewis.