And Still More News
A book called Robert Bloch's Psychos published in 1997 by Pocket Books contains a collection of stories written by different horror story writers. The first story in the book "Autopsy Room Four," written by Stephen King mentions Marty. The scene is in an autopsy room where a doctor (a female) and her assistant are about to perform an autopsy. The female asks her assistant if he would like to listen to music while they work. She then states "I've got Marty Stuart, Tony Bennett--"
The Marty Party Hit Pack was certified gold (for 500,000 units sold) on August 10, 1998. This is Marty's fourth album to go gold, joining Hillbilly Rock, Tempted and This One's Gonna Hurt You. Congratulations Marty!
The September 1998 issue of Country America featured an article on country artists and their pets. Marty's dog, Oscar Lee Perkins, was named after Jerry Lee Lewis, Carl Perkins and the country comedy team Lonzo and Oscar. Marty says, "He reminds me mostly of Uncle Jerry Lee because Oscar loves girls and is one of the most accomplished concert pianists in North America. He is truly one of my best friends, especially when we just hang around the porch and scratch fleas and bark at people who come up the driveway."
The album "Crown of Jewels," produced by Randy Scruggs, was released on Reprise Records on July 14, 1998. Marty plays on a tune called "City of New Orleans." Other performers involved with his project include Rosanne Cash, John Hiatt, Vince Gill, Travis Tritt, Emmylou Harris, Mary-Chapin Carpenter, Gary Chapman, Amy Grant, Jeff Hanna, Matraca Berg and Randy's father--the great Earl Scruggs.
Marty had this to say on the death of Roy Rogers: "Roy was a kind and gentle soul who lent the me several items for the nationwide touring collection of memorabilia titled The Fruit of the Loom Country Experience. The world, especially America, has just lost a big piece of its soul. I spent time with Roy on several occasions at the museum. Roy told me, 'I don't have to be Roy Rogers all the time. I go to the museum for a couple of hours and play Roy Rogers. It makes the people happy and it makes me happy.' I got to know Roy better while performing on his Tribute album and during the benefit concert in 1991. In a world full of bad guys, the good ones really shine. We just lost the best good guy of them all."
Linda Ronstadt recorded the Marty and Paul Kennerley-penned song "Heartbreak Kind" for her latest album "We Ran." Jon Randall also recorded the song for his "Cold Coffee Morning" album.
Marty joined John Anderson, Travis Tritt, Kris Kristofferson, Mark Knopfler, Gillian Welch and Dave Rawlings at the Ryman Auditorium on June 24, 1998 for a tribute to Johnny Cash and Waylon Jennings as part of the Chet Atkins Musician Days celebration in Nashville.

According to the June 25, 1998 edition of The Tennessean, "When Marty Stuart performed 'Tempted', he gave a sampling, without fanfare, of the way in which Cash and Jennings have affected the development of country music. The song used chugging guitar lines and a simple chord structure that had a stark similarity to Cash's rockabilly leanings. A rollicking, on-the-beat bass and drum foundation harkened to Jennings' influence. Cash and Jennings 'represented the non-conformed side of country music,' Stuart noted. 'And thank God for that.' Stuart called it an 'injustice' that Jennings is not in the Country Music Hall of Fame and hoped that he would be the first artist inducted when the new museum is dedicated in its downtown location."

Read the review of the concert from the June 26, 1998 edition of The Tennessean. Read Leslie Anne Rawlings' review as well.
Here's what Billy Bob's had to say about Marty and the Rock & Roll Cowboys: "Marty Stuart is another artist with local ties. Guitarist Brad Davis and steel man Gary Hogue are from here and say they love coming home for the BBQ and Mexican Food...oh yeah, family and friends too!"

Is that why Brad was speaking Spanish during wHITE wATER's 45-minute set at the Bluebird Cafe on Sunday, June 21, 1998?

The bus isn't dirty--it's the reflection of the surroundings in the shiny chrome.

 The June 19, 1998 edition of The Tennessean featured a story on the buses of the country music stars. There were two pictures (one color) of the interior of Marty's new bus. Also pictured were interior photos of Tracy Byrd's and Martina McBride's buses. It was also revealed that Marty has long loved the smell of diesel fuel. According to Marty, his first opportunity to ride a bus was when his church group chartered one to take a group of children to a skating rink in Meridian, MS. "I love the smell of diesel fuel so I stood there and smelled it and was overcome by the fumes. I missed the trip. I was probably 8 or 9 at the time. At night I used to lie in bed and pretend I was on a bus, and now I lie in bed and pretend I'm not."

Click here to read the article from the March 9, 1998 issue of Country Weekly and view the interior of Marty's bus.
Hope you checked out the Nancy comic on Wednesday, June 10, 1998. Marty was featured. Guy and Brad Gilchrist are the artists of the comic strip and it usually features some reference to country music. The June 10 strip featured Aunt Fritzi wearing a shirt with a horseshoe that had "Western Girls" on it. A picture of Marty was on the wall. Click here to view.
The Marty Stuart Celebrity Auction held at Nashville's Planet Hollywood on Monday, June 15, 1998 helped raise over $10,500 for Gilda's Club. Marty made an appearance, donating one of his Telecaster guitars. Marty's presence and prodding brought $3,400 for the guitar, which he then autographed for the winning bidder (who is a Marty Stuart fan). Click here to read all about it.
The June 23, 1998 issue of Country Weekly featured articles on country music artists and their fathers. Marty talked about going fishing with his dad two years ago. He said "Fishing is always something I've liked but never taken a whole lot of time to do. But it was time Daddy showed me how to tie a hook and how to bait it to catch a certain fish. And man, I felt like I was a little boy again, and that's when I realized I had missed a whole lot growing up. That one little simple thing, that was one of the greatest moments in my life."
Marty joined John Anderson, BlackHawk, Larry Carlton, Beth Nielsen Chapman, Guy Clark, Nanci Griffith, Emmylou Harris, Michael McDonald and Kathy Mattea in a concert on June 3, 1998 at the Belle Meade Mansion in Nashville benefiting the Second Harvest Food Bank.
Marty and Connie were among the guests helping Earl and Louise Scruggs celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary. You can read all about it by clicking here. Photographs are included--there's one of Travis Tritt and Marty performing.
B.B. King's latest album, Deuces Wild was certified gold on March 18, 1998. Marty joins B.B. on a song called "Confessin' The Blues." Other artists on the album include Bonnie Raitt, Tracy Chapman, the Rolling Stones, Van Morrison, Eric Clapton, Willie Nelson and Joe Cocker.
The much anticipated Ralph Stanley compilation "Clinch Mountain Country" 2-CD set was released on May 19, 1998 on Rebel Records. Marty joins Ralph for "She's More To Be Pitied" and Connie sings "Beautiful Star of Bethlehem." Other artists include Hal Ketchum, Bob Dylan, Kathy Mattea, Vince Gill, Patty Loveless, Ricky Skaggs, Dwight Yoakam, George Jones, Diamond Rio, Alison Krauss, Vern Gosdin and BR5-49.
Grand Ole Opry star Jeannie Seely, in telling Country Weekly she plans to plant a tree in honor of Tammy Wynette, says she and Marty planted a little pine tree for Faron Young but it died. Jeannie said "Maybe Faron didn't want to be there, knowin' Faron."

The May 5, 1998 issue also featured an article on country music going international. It included a picture of Marty surrounded by Japanese fans and a quote that says, "In the next 10 years, I expect country music to go completely global with full acceptance."

Marty performed on the Academy of Country Music Awards show on April 22, 1998. He and Travis Tritt saluted this year's Pioneer Award winner, Charlie Daniels. The Tennessean quotes Marty as saying about Charlie, "He blazed a trail and opened a door for those of us that heard things just a little bit different."

Marty, Garrison Keillor, Emmylou Harris and Kathy Mattea entertained a small gathering at the Opry House on Tuesday, April 7, 1998 to launch the campaign to raise $15 million for the Country Music Hall of Fame's proposed new home. Emmylou and Marty joined Garrison in a performance of one of the Carter Family's most famous tunes, "Keep On The Sunny Side." The dinner offered an occasion to thank and recognize those who have already given and to encourage people who have not been a part of the campaign to get involved.
Joy Lynn White says she had the chance to sing on a Marty project. As mentioned previously in this news column, Marty wrote the music for the play "Moon Shine." Marty asked her to sing the part of one of the characters in the studio. One of the songs is a duet with Mandy Barnett. She said it was great to see Marty and get to work with him once again. (Marty co-wrote Joy's hit "True Confessions.")
The "Hollywood Grapevine" column in the February 28, 1998 issue of TV Guide had a paragraph on the CMA's cocktail party and guitar-picking bash. A quote from Marty says, "I finally found out what it takes to cure writers' block--a $750-a-night room that somebody else is paying for." A picture of Marty was included.
Marty presided over the funeral service for Grandpa Jones held Tuesday, February 24, 1998 at the Grand Ole Opry House. Marty said, "He brought something original to our table. He was a keg of dynamite. He was a man of determination. He was a family man. He knew how to be a friend. Grandpa Jones was a soul man." Marty went on to say, "When we lose somebody of this magnitude in country music, the very foundation of country music is challenged and it makes us really take a look at what we're made of." Marty also said that new Opry cast members had not been baptized officially until Grandpa managed to forget their names in an introduction. Before his eulogy, Marty played a solo mandolin medley of songs associated with Grandpa Jones. Also attending the funeral were Garth and Sandy Brooks, George and Nancy Jones, Ralph Emery and many members of Grandpa's Opry family. (Photo taken by Mary Runyan backstage at the Opry on January 22, 1994 )
A cocktail reception at the CMA Board of Director's meeting in Los Angeles February 5-6, 1998 featured entertainment by Marty as well as Trisha Yearwood, Pam Tillis, Mary-Chapin Carpenter, Kim Richey and Randy Scruggs. A news release stated: "A true renaissance man, Marty Stuart is as comfortable jamming with Ernest Tubb as he is with Tom Petty. 'Stuart's passion for the music is his over-riding message - and he's one country picker who's got the odds to make his passion yours,' wrote ROLLING STONE."
According to the SWNetworks' Nashville bureau, Marty has written 16 songs for the play "Moon Shine." The play is about three brothers who will inherit a large sum of money from their father provided they find three women to marry that are approved by their mother. Marty's also written 63 songs from which he'll choose material for his next album. An interesting quote included has Marty saying "Married life is real great, I'm a happy camper. It's a pretty cool thing to wake up in the morning and hear Connie Smith sing to ya. The demos sound 'real good'."
Marty, along with Steve Earle, John Hartford, Sam Bush and Jerry Douglas, performed a musical tribute to the late Roy Huskey, Jr. at the Nashville Music Awards on January 21, 1998. Roy's wife, Lisa, accepted his award for best bassist. A Marty quote from backstage: "In the chord structure of music, there's a thing called a passing chord. A passing chord will get you from one place to another. To me, these awards are a lot like a passing chord. It's Nashville's way of, from the underbelly, trying to find its heart and soul, and to find a new avenue for the heart and soul."
From 1997
Marty appears in the video "Roger Miller--King of the Road." Marty talks about Roger as well a sings on the video. The video is available in all video stores. Also appearing in the video are Willie Nelson, Waylon Jennings and Roger's widow Mary and son Dean.
From the "It's About Time Department": The 1989 album Hillbilly Rock was certified gold (sales of 500,000 units) on October 15, 1997.
Marty was one of several country performers spotted at the Rolling Stones' concert at Vanderbilt Stadium in Nashville on October 26, 1997. According to Marty, "It's the first time I've ever paid $70 to be kicked in the butt. And I enjoyed it. They totally rocked this town! I loved it."
The Tennesseasn newspaper revealed the winners of its annual Readers' Choice Awards. While Marty's name wasn't among the winners, country newcomer James Bonamy's choice for Favorite Country Babe was Connie Smith. According to James, "Deana Carter's pretty cool but I think Connie Smith is still a hottie. Marty Stuart is one lucky guy."
During CMA week here in Nashville, Marty was presented with the Mayor's Metronome Award by Nashville Mayor Phil Bredesen. The honor, last presented 12 years ago, recognizes the music industry's contribution in promoting and helping Nashville. Marty has been the Nashville Convention and Visitors Bureau's International Ambassador since 1993. "He has carried the city everywhere he goes. He's been there every time we've needed him to help," Bredesen said as he presented the award. There was one minor problem with the award--Marty's last name was spelled "Stewart."
Photo in banner taken by Mario Mattioli
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