More than 60 years ago I spent many evenings listening to crackly American Forces Network broadcasts, hoping to hear Ray Price as he perfected his great voice and honkytonk sound. Country music was rarely heard in the UK during the 1950s, but I often wondered why he was not inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame when it was established in 1961. So did Ray apparently, for when he was invited on to the stage in 1996 to receive his induction his first words to the ultra-conservative Nashville hierarchy were: "Sure took your time."
theguardian.com© 2014 Guardian News and Media Limited or its affiliated companies. All rights reserved. | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds