Rose Maddox died
Date: Fri, 17 Apr 1998 23:08:15 +0900
From: Etsuo Eito
To: (Recipient list suppressed)
Just a few lines to let you know that;
According to a post on rec.music.country-old-time, Rose Maddox died of
heart failure at age 72 in a nursing home last night (April 15,1998).
She will be missed.
All for now.
Etsuo
Your Always Kentucky Colonelly,
Etsuo Eito
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Hello there,
Here's a biographic story about Rose Maddox forwarded by a woman in
Nashville to Ed Neff's wife,--> Sandy Rothaman --> Etsuo Eito myself.
===========================================================================
>I am deeply saddened to report the following.
> Roselea Arbana Maddox, born 8/15/25 in Boaz, Alabama, passed away
>in Ashland, Oregon on 4/15/98 from kidney failure. Known for her uncanny
>ability to belt out a country or bluegrass number, Rose Maddox's dynamic
>and vibrant singing always conveyed a spontaneity and zest for life and
>music. Her rich and expressive singing entertained people around the world
>and always exhibited incredible power, conviction, and a delightful sense
>of humor.
> Rose moved west at age seven with her family when drought and hard
>times forced them off their sharecroppers' farm. After selling most of
>their possessions, the family set out with the hopes of finding a better
>life during the Great Depression. The family hitch-hiked and rode the
>rails westward, eventually settling in California. After picking fruit
>during the day in the San Joaquin Valley, the Maddoxes spent evenings
>picking banjos and guitars around the campfire for other "fruit tramps."
>Her father, Charlie, played the five-string banjo, and her mother, Lulla,
>played mandolin and sang. All five of her brothers (Cliff, Cal, Henry,
>Fred and Don) also played various instruments. .
> In 1937, at age eleven, Rose began a professional singing career
>with her brothers. With radio airplay, "The Maddox Brothers and Rose"
>became one of country music's most successful and distinctive acts. They
>concentrated on entertaining, and this endeared them to many fans. It
>wasn't uncommon for people at the dances to reverently crowd around the
>bandstand, enthralled by the show, their music and zany antics. The
>Maddoxes had outrageous comedy routines, and flashy costumes to back up
>their billing as "The Most Colorful Hillbilly Band in America."
> Their unique music, a mix of gospel, swing, bluegrass, country,
>boogie-woogie and folk, has been referred to as California Country or Okie
>Boogie. Whether loud and raucous or gentle and smooth, the group always
>conveyed enthusiasm and spirit. They were equally comfortable with
>honky-tonk or gospel material. Their shows always imparted an upbeat
>spirit of fun. The group travelled to their engagements in a convoy of
>Cadillacs. The Maddox Brothers and Rose became regulars on the "Louisiana
>Hayride" radio barndance program from Shreveport, La.
> When her brothers went into the service in World War II, Rose set
>out as a solo performer in the male-dominated country music business of
>those days. Following World War II, the band regrouped and came on
>stronger and flashier than ever. They became the hottest act of their kind
>on the West Coast and began a long recording career. Their radio shows
>typically started with their theme song, Wiley Walker and Gene Sullivan's
>"I Want to Live and Love," a song that Rose once admitted told the story
>of her life.
> In 1949, the Maddox Brothers and Rose made their Grand Ole Opry
>debut singing 'Gathering Flowers for the Master's Bouquet' and 'I Can't
>Believe it was True.' The full group would eventually make a couple of
>appearances on the Opry. Rose and her brother, Cal, also appeared as
>regulars on the Opry for a six month period. The Maddoxes often played at
>huge dance halls that dotted the countryside. Whole families would attend
>the dances, but with the advent of television and nightclubs serving
>liquor, the old dance halls closed up. Travelling bands like the Maddoxes
>were replaced with less expensive house bands.
> The Maddox Brothers and Rose disbanded up in 1956. With their
>eclectic and stylistic music, The Maddox Brothers and Rose are credited
>with being on the forefront of the rockabilly movement. In the post-War
>era, their innovative and eclectic mix made them sound like a cross
>between a 1930s old-time string band and a rock-n-roll band of the late
>fifties. Slap bass, electric guitar, and their energetic showmanship
>characterized their music. Throughout the years, Rose, *The Sweetheart of
>Hillbilly Swing,* maintained a strong following with young devotees of
>rockabilly, southeastern revival and honky-tonk music.
> Rose Maddox helped open the country music field for a whole
>generation of women singers. During the era immediately following the War,
>a number of women sang country music, primarily with their husbands or
>family groups. Although other women preceded Rose on record, few achieved
>the widespread popularity that Rose did when her vinyl hit the airwaves.
>Over the years, Rose adapted to the changing times while still remaining
>faithful to the basics of her music - down-to-earth, heartfelt lyrics sung
>with a spirited, emotional delivery. Many young musicians, from Lorreta
>Lynn to Merle Haggard and Dolly Parton to George Jones, were influenced by
>Rose and her brothers.
> On her album, "$35 and a Dream," Johnny Cash closed the album with
>a special tribute:
>"I worked with Rose Maddox a lot back over the years, and I found that
>when she started working my show that she was probably the most
>fascinating, exciting performer that I'd ever seen in my life. She was a
>total performer. She captivated the audience. She held them in the palm of
>her hand and made them do whatever she wanted to. The songs that she sang
>were classics, and I love the way she sang and kind of danced at the same
>time. I thought there was and still think that there'll never be a woman
>who can out-perform Rose Maddox. She's an American classic!"
> Besides Johnny Cash, Rose also toured with Buck Owens, Merle
>Haggard, and was on some of Waylon Jenning's shows in Las Vegas.
> Rose Maddox's recording career is long. At one point in time,
>Columbia held three separate recording contracts with the Maddoxes: one
>for the whole band, one with Rose as a single, and one with Rose and
>sister-in-law Retta as a duet. Rose's solo contract with Capitol spanned
>1959-1965. Her solo disc of "Sing a Little Song of Heartache" (recorded
>8/62) stayed in the Country and Western Top Ten for over four months, as
>well as hitting number one. The duo "Rosie and Rhetta" had a one year
>contract with Columbia and only put out two singles (four songs total) as
>their legacy. Loretta is now retired in Florida.
> Voted the best female country singer by both Billboard and Cashbox
>magazines, Rose hit the charts in 1963 with a double-sided hit ("Loose
>Talk" and "Mental Cruelty") recorded with Buck Owens. In 1962, she was the
>first female vocalist to record an all-bluegrass album--"Rose Maddox Sings
>Bluegrass" on Capitol Records. On that album, she is backed by Bill
>Monroe, Don Reno, Red Smiley, and others.
> Her 1984 "Queen of the West" album (Varrick 010) features Merle
>Haggard, Emmylou Harris, and some of the best country musicians in the
>business that agreed to accompany her out of respect and as a tribute to
>her achievement and influence. That same year, Rose Maddox released
>"Beautiful Bouquet," a gospel quartet album with the Vern Williams
>bluegrass band. During the 80s and 90s, her material was released by
>Arhoolie Records.
> Despite failing health, Rose continued to perform solo, emphasizing
>old-time country, bluegrass and gospel music in her shows. She travelled
>widely, appearing in Japan and Europe. In 1992, she appeared in Austria
>for the Country Music Club of St. Poelten. She returned to Austria in 1994
>and 1995.
> Rose has been the subject of numerous Public Broadcasting Service
>television specials. In 1996, an excellent book written by Johnny
>Whiteside, and published by the Nashville Country Music Foundation and
>Vanderbilt College, was released which documents the life and times of
>Rose Maddox. The book's title is "Ramblin' Rose, The Life and Career of
>Rose Maddox".
> Rose was preceeded in death by her son, Don, in 1982 and four of
>her five brothers (Cliff, Cal, Henry, and Fred). Cliff died from kidney
>failure in 1948 at age 37. Cal passed away in 1968. Henry passed away in
>1974. Fred passed away about 1993. She is survived by brother Don of
>Ashland, Oregon, three grandchildren, and two great-grandsons.
> Wherever she went, Rose Maddox had many endearing fans with special
>memories and stories to share. She will be dearly missed.
The funeral for Rose Maddox will be held next Tuesday, April 21 at
1 pm at the Littwiller-Simonson Funeral Home, 1811 Ashland St., Ashland.
Viewing is scheduled Monday, April 20 for 3-8 pm.
Your Always Kentucky Colonelly,
Etsuo Eito
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