On this day in 1993, actor Spanky McFarland died of a heart attack in Grapevine, Texas at the age of 64. Born George Robert Phillips McFarland on 2 October 1928 in Dallas, Texas. Of course best known for his role as Spanky in the Our Gang series of short-subject comedies which were in production from 1922 to 1944. In the mid-1950s, the shorts with sound were syndicated for television under the title The Little Rascals. In addition to McFarland, other memorable actors/characters included; Carl Switzer as Alfalfa, Darla Hood as Darla, Matthew Beard as Stymie, John Collum as Uh-Huh, Billie Thomas as Buckwheat, Eugene Lee as Porky, Billy Laughlin as Froggy. The series remains in syndication. Who has not seen and who does not love, Our Gang?
The Final Footprint – McFarland was cremated.
On this day in 2001 musician, songwriter, and record producer,“Mr. Guitar” “The Country Gentleman” Chet Atkins died from colon cancer at his home in Nashville, at the age of 77. Born Chester Burton Atkins on June 20, 1924 in Luttrell, Tennessee. Along with Owen Bradley, Bob Ferguson and others, they created the country music style that came to be known as the Nashville sound, which expanded country music’s appeal to adult pop music fans. He also played the mandolin, fiddle, banjo, and ukulele.
Atkins’s signature picking style was inspired by Merle Travis. Other major guitar influences were Django Reinhardt, George Barnes, Les Paul, and, later, Jerry Reed. His style and musicianship brought him admirers inside and outside the country scene. Atkins spent most of his career at RCA Victor and produced records for the Browns, Hank Snow, Porter Wagoner, Norma Jean, Dolly Parton, Dottie West, Perry Como, Floyd Cramer, Elvis Presley, the Everly Brothers, Eddy Arnold, Don Gibson, Jim Reeves, Jerry Reed, Skeeter Davis, Waylon Jennings, Roger Whittaker, and others.
Rolling Stone credited Atkins with inventing the “popwise ‘Nashville sound’ that rescued country music from a commercial slump.” Among other honors, Atkins received 14 Grammy Awards and the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award. He also received nine Country Music Association awards for Instrumentalist of the Year.
The Final Footprint
His memorial service was held at Ryman Auditorium in Nashville. He was buried at Harpeth Hills Memory Gardens in Nashville.
A stretch of Interstate 185 in southwest Georgia (between LaGrange and Columbus) is named “Chet Atkins Parkway”. This stretch of interstate runs through Fortson, where Atkins spent much of his childhood. In 2002, Atkins was posthumously inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. His award was presented by Marty Stuart and Brian Setzer and accepted by Atkins’s grandson, Jonathan Russell. Clint Black’s album Nothin’ but the Taillights includes the song “Ode to Chet”, which includes the lyrics “‘Cause I can win her over like Romeo did Juliet, if I can only show her I can almost pick that legato lick like Chet” and “It’ll take more than Mel Bay 1, 2, & 3 if I’m ever gonna play like CGP.” Atkins played guitar on the track. At the end of the song, Black and Atkins had a brief conversation. In 2009, Steve Wariner released an album titled My Tribute to Chet Atkins. One song from that record, “Producer’s Medley”, featured Wariner’s recreation of several famous songs that Atkins both produced and performed. “Producer’s Medley” won the Grammy for Best Country Instrumental Performance in 2010.
Have you planned yours yet?
Follow TFF on twitter @RIPTFF
