This was posted on
TheBluegrassSocietyofMiddleTennessee@yahoogroups.com site. The date
on it was the 11th, so I think the funeral was today. Jim

From: TheFiddlersGrove@...
Subject: Sad News

http://www.dicksonherald.com/a.....297/MTCN02

Charles K. Wolfe, whose books, articles, studies and liner notes
brought the dusty worlds of decades-old country, bluegrass, old-time
and roots music to life for modern students and artists, died
Thursday night in Middle Tennessee Medical Center in Murfreesboro
after a long battle with diabetes and other health problems. He was
62.

Mr. Wolfe was a three-time Grammy nominee, an English professor at
Middle Tennessee State University (he retired last year) and one of
history's most ardent chroniclers of music and musicians.
"No one wrote about old-time country music with more grace and
eloquence," said fellow historian Robert K. Oermann, who considered
Mr. Wolfe a hero and role model. "In every line, you could read how
much he loved those artists and those sounds."

WSM-AM air personality Eddie Stubbs, who worked with Mr. Wolfe on
several lengthy sets of liner notes, including the Mac Wiseman boxed
set that won the International Bluegrass Music Association's best
liner note prize in 2004, said, "I think any of us who are students
of the music are working in his shadow. I truly believe this man
belongs in the Country Music Hall of Fame."

Mr. Wolfe authored more than 15 books, including a book of essays on
Southern fiddling called The Devil's Box and a much-cited book called
A Good Natured Riot: The Birth of the Grand Ole Opry. He co-authored
a meticulously detailed biography of folk singer Leadbelly and a book
about Nashville blues harmonica player DeFord Bailey that was a
primary asset in advocates' ultimately successful drive to win Bailey
admission into the Country Music Hall of Fame.

Fiddle virtuoso Mark O'Connor grew up reading Wolfe's Devil's Box
newsletter, which focused on old-time Southern fiddlers, and O'Connor
wrote the foreword to the Devil's Box book that compiled work from
the newsletter. "Charles' words helped people like my family, who
didn't grow up in the South, to approach the tradition. His work was
captivating." Pete Fisher, the Grand Ole Opry's general manager,
praised Mr. Wolfe as a writer of depth, insight and importance, while
Michael Gray ? once a student of Mr. Wolfe's and now a fellow
historian and associate editor at the Country Music Hall of Fame and
Museum ? said, "He paved the way for country music scholarship, and
he legitimized the research at an academic level."

Mr. Wolfe is survived by his wife, Mary Dean, and daughters, Stacey
and Cindy. Visitation will be this afternoon at the Woodfin Memorial
Chapel, 1388 Lascassas Pike in Murfreesboro. Funeral services will be
tomorrow at 1:30 p.m. at Woodfin.


Jim Hady
East Tennessee

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