He Did What?

Shocking Shenanigans: Revisiting Country Stars Craziest Moments

The life and times of artists are chronicled in songs, books, and movies throughout time. Tragedies and utter nuttiness seem to run rampant in certain gene pools.. Sigh.. Here we’ve collected a handful of true life stories from country music’s past that will hopefully impart you with a smile, chuckle or a full belly laugh. All great things to help your day go well..

Faron Young

In the middle 1950’s, post Hank Williams, there were only two Honky Tonk Kings that were consistently, and successfully charting songs: Webb Pierce, and Faron Young. Affectionately known as The Sheriff, Faron Young hailed from Shreveport, Louisiana, and became a member of the Grand Ole Opry in 1952. An army veteran, he charted 28 top ten hits throughout his career.

In spite of all his success, he had a few interesting public occurrences that probably would not have gone over too well today. The first incident happened on January 5th, 1965, Faron was thrown in the pokey when he threw his drink at a police officer, who was trying to enforce the rules about alcohol at the Music City Club. Faron ended up paying a $75 fine for assault. Temper temper.

Then there was the spanking incident..

Faron got really upset when a six-year-old girl named Nora Jo Catlett refused to come on stage with him. He claimed she even spat at him! So, he decided to flip her over his knee, and spank her right in front of everyone. Her parents were not happy about this at all and took legal action.

Faron Young was found guilty by a Justice of the Peace in Wood County, West Virginia. He had to pay a fine of $24.00 plus $11.00 in court costs. If something like this happened today, the consequences would be much more serious. Faron also settled with Nora Jo's parents for $3,500.

Goodness..

Hank Williams

The Hillbilly Poet has one of the most enduring legacies in any music genre that I can think of. He ranks in the league of the greatest ever alongside Frank Sinatra, George Jones, and Elvis. In the late 1940’s, and early 1950’s he was the indisputable Honky Tonk King, though Lefty Frizzell did give him a run for his money for sure. His legend was further established by all the shenanigans he was involved in. His life was brief, but in some respects, he lived the life of 100 men..

One such event was his arrest on April 15, 1950. Hank unwittingly almost burned his Tulane Hotel room down! He fell asleep while he was smoking in his bed, which was a city of Nashville ordinance violation. He was arrested, but fortunately, no one was hurt!

Then there was an incident recalled by Billy Walker in an interview. Faron Young was an up, and coming country star, at the time, and had just moved to Nashville with his girlfriend Billie Jean. Coincidentally, she was still married to her husband back in Louisiana. Anyway, as the story goes, Hank joined Faron, and Billie Jean out one night, when Hank became smitten by her. When both men went to the bathroom, Hank pulled a gun on Faron, and told him Billie Jean was going to be his girlfriend from now on, and that was the end of it..

Bill Monroe

The Father of Bluegrass, Bill Monroe revolutionized and popularized a new genre of music that combined elements of traditional Appalachian folk music with blues, jazz, and gospel influences. His innovative style of playing the mandolin and his distinctive high lonesome vocal sound set the standard for bluegrass music.

On May 17, 1983, Bill Monroe was invited by then President Ronald Reagan to perform at the White House. On that day, he met the legendary Frank Sinatra, who was also performing there. Sinatra, ever so gracious, shared how he listened to the Opry in the 1940’s. Mr. Monroe didn't know who the legendary crooner was.

On his way back home, Bill was stopped by airport security when a loaded gun was found in his briefcase! Of course, he was arrested. In many states it is a third degree felony, and carries a prison sentence. Bill Monroe, already 71 years of age at the time of the incident avoided prison time, but did pay a $15000 fine, which in today’s money is a whopping $47,143.34..

Gentleman Jim Reeves

Jan 31, 1955, Jim Reeves was a rising country music star signed to the Independent label Abbott Records, owned by Fabor Robison. During a recording session in Los Angeles, tensions between Reeves and Robison reached a breaking point, resulting in a tousle with a gun in the studio.

The exact cause of the fight is unclear, but reports suggest it may have been over creative differences or financial disagreements. Jim demanded to be let out of his contract, and three weeks later, his wish was granted. He eventually signed with RCA Victor in 1955, and had his biggest crossover pop hit with He’ll Have To Go.

Tom T. Hall

Affectionately called The Storyteller, Tom wrote some of the most memorable heartfelt songs. My personal Fave is That’s How I Got To Memphis. He was also known for his humanitarianism, and was always entertaining his friends at his Watertown farm. In his enduring career, he was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame, the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame, the IBMA Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame and the Grand Ole Opry.

For many, singing at the storied Carnegie Hall is a dream come true. It is renowned as one of the most prestigious and iconic concert venues in the world. Established in 1891 by philanthropist Andrew Carnegie, it has hosted countless legendary performances by some of history's most celebrated musicians and orchestras. What sets Carnegie Hall apart is its exceptional acoustics, which are widely considered to be among the best in any concert hall worldwide.

Well, how would you feel, if you finally get to play the prestigious Carnegie Hall with your pants unzipped during your first couple of songs? Lol, that’s exactly what happened on March 15, 1973. Tom T. Hall was headlining at Carnegie Hall, and did not realize his fly was open for three full songs, lol.. The audience saw more than what they came for!

Tim McGraw, and Kenny Chesney

Two country artists that have had phenomenal success for over two decades!. Between the two of them, they’ve had over 60 Billboard Radio Airplay chart toppers. It’s no wonder George Strait tapped them to join him on his 2000 tour.

They had finished playing their respective sets at the Buffalo Bills stadium. Upstate New York can be real pretty in the summer. I’m sure Kenny just wanted to take a look around, and spotted the best way to do so, by horse of course. :)

The slight inconvenience was that the horse belonged to an on-duty police officer. Kenny took the horse for a nice little ride until the two police officers attempted to intercept him. That’s when Tim stepped in and placed a choke hold on the officer. Tim was arrested, and Kenny was given a Notice To Appear. Thankfully, they both were able to get the whole ordeal squashed..

Here are their latest singles ..

Elvis Presley

The King of Rock & Roll was a force to be reckoned with. Elvis was an all around exciting performer to watch. On stage, and in the movies, early Elvis had the right stuff! But he was not just a pretty boy, he also had a very tough, and resilient streak.

By October 18, 1956, Elvis had released his iconic debut, and Blue Suede Shoes was catching fire. The buzz was growing, especially in his hometown of Memphis. What should’ve been a routine stop at a gas station turned ugly. While Elvis was inside the gas station, a crowd gathered around his car. Ed Hopper, the owner of the gas station was irate and hit Elvis in the head! The King returned the favor with a complimentary black eye!

Another incident was a little scarier. Elvis Presley's life was put in danger before a Las Vegas show in 1970, when he received several threatening phone calls. The King of Rock and Roll, known for his charismatic performances and one-of-a-kind voice, faced potential harm as he prepared to take the stage in front of his adoring fans. Elvis responded in the most gangster way possible by placing a gun in each boot! Lol.. Nothing happened, but he was ready, if it did.