| The buzz backstage at the Grand Ole Opry that Friday night spread like wild fire: Opry sweetheart Connie Smith and country hunk Marty Stuart had eloped to South Dakota on July 8. Putting the story together in bits and pieces, basically, here's what happened.....
Connie and Marty have been "an item" in Music Town for a couple or three years. Marty was visiting friends in Pine Ridge, South Dakota and Connie accompanied him on the trip. There, they decided to tie the knot. "It was a spur of the moment decision," Connie told a Grand Ole Opry pal. When the decision was made, Marty apparently called all five of Connie's kids, two sons overseas doing missionary work and three daughters in Nashville. Each of the children gave the couple their blessing. Then Connie called Marty's mom in Nashville for hers.
After honeymooning, Connie and Marty returned to Music City, releasing a simple press announcement about the wedding. Connie then departed for out-of-state concerts. Ditto Marty. Connie said she hoped that people would focus on the fact that they love each other and not on their age difference (she's 55, he's 38 according to the press release). We at Country Music send the happy couple our best wishes and sincere congratulations. The beautiful Connie not only possesses one of the great voices of all country music, she is also one of our most beautiful ladies. I think Marty is a lucky man and Connie, of course, is just as lucky.
Written by Hazel Smith
|