Today’s top artists remember ‘the shy genius’
By Preshias Harris
It was an afternoon of memories. Earl Thomas Conley was adamant about one thing: he did not want a funeral. But Nashville’s music community could not let Conley’s death prevent a celebration of his life.
The result: The Earl Thomas Conley Memorial on September 10 at the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum’s CMA Theater.
Some of Country music’s biggest stars were there to share memories of “ETC” and how his music had affected their own careers. My own memories of Earl Thomas Conley are connected to a different Hall of Fame. The first time I met him was in the 1980s when we both attended an induction ceremony at the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame. The last time I ever saw him was when my friend Walt Aldridge was inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame in October 2017. That night, Earl sang his mega-hit “Holding Her and Loving You” that had been written by Aldridge with Tom Brasfield.
“I mean if you played honky tonks and didn’t do an Earl Thomas Conley slow song you were a fool.” – Luke Bryan
More than thirty years of memories
Continue reading “Country stars come out to honor Earl Thomas Conley”
My monthly column, 
A little over forty years have passed and over 8 million records have been sold, including three Gold records and eleven number one hit songs since Exile began making music in a small garage in Lexington, Kentucky making demos of their songs. Exile will now share their most current CD project, Exile – The Garage Tapes. The 30 song, two CD compilation is set for release in the upcoming weeks. Industry and fans are invited to celebrate at a VIP CD release event to take place in the cave at The Caverns in Pelham, TN on July 13. … Read the full story 
