Porter Wagoner dead at 80

[David Paleg]

Country Star Porter Wagoner, 80, Dies
Oct 29, 1:18 AM (ET)
By JOHN GEROME

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) - Porter Wagoner, the rhinestone-clad Grand Ole Opry star who helped launch the career of Dolly Parton by hiring her as his duet partner, died Sunday. He was 80.

Wagoner, who had survived an abdominal aneurysm in 2006, was hospitalized again this month and his publicist disclosed he had lung cancer. He died at 8:25 p.m. CDT in a Nashville hospice, a spokeswoman for the Grand Ole Opry said.

Full story at Iwon/AP News.

[Big Dawg]

One of the nicest show business stars I've ever met. Porter was the headliner at the WAJR Listener Appreciation Show, which was a free event for listeners in 1991 at the former Greer Pavilion in Westover. Of course, he was great at relating to the audience during the show, but what impressed me the most was after the show, Porter changed out of his sequined suit into jeans and a regular shirt and helped break down the gear, wrapping mic cords, signing some autographs and wheeling racks around. He seemed happy to be helping.

[Dave Allen]

Wonder if he'll have a rhinestone casket?

[Dave Harman]

One of the nicest show business stars I've ever met. Porter was the headliner at the WAJR Listener Appreciation Show, which was a free event for listeners in 1991 at the former Greer Pavilion in Westover. Of course, he was great at relating to the audience during the show, but what impressed me the most was after the show, Porter changed out of his sequined suit into jeans and a regular shirt and helped break down the gear, wrapping mic cords, signing some autographs and wheeling racks around. He seemed happy to be helping.

Somewhere around your building, there should be tapes of his entire performance.

[Ace Purple]

News of his death made the front page of The Tennessean here in Nashville.