Original Country Music Outlaw Tompall Glaser, Dead at 79
Tompall Glaser, one of country music’s original Outlaws, is dead at 79 after fighting a prolonged illness according to his family. He died at his home in Nashville.
Tompall got his start in country music with his two brothers Chuck and Jim backing up Marty Robbins. They went on to form Tompall & The Glaser Brothers and eventually became members of the Grand Ole Opry. The family band released 10 albums and had 9 charting singles before breaking up in 1975.
Tompall Glaser’s “Hillbilly Central” (a pictorial history)
But Tompall came to be better known for his work as one of country music’s original Outlaws. As one of Nashville’s first renegade studio owners, he was seminal to the trend of artists winning creative control of their music in the early and mid 1970’s. His “Hillbilly Central” studio became a hangout for artists like Waylon Jennings, Willie Nelson, and many others that eventually would lead country’s Outlaw movement to country music prominence.
Tompall most prominently appeared on the compilation Wanted: The Outlaws that became country music’s first platinum-selling album. His contribution “Put Another Long On The Fire” written by Shel Silverstein became his highest-charting hit. He released 15 solo albums over his long career, but had disappeared lately from the country music scene.
Tompall Glaser was born Thomas Paul Glaser on February 27th, 1936 in Spalding, Nebraska.
August 13, 2013 @ 1:12 pm
I fell in love with tompall’s music some time ago. He was a great example of not singing for fame. Or money, women, admiration, recogition. He sang to make music that he loved and that his fans wanted to hear. He could have been big if he submitted to nashville white collar at the time, but he was resolute to remain loyal to the folks that spent their dime on the music that he made. It was inspiring. I loved to hear stories my grandfather would recall about attending a Glaser bros show in Biloxi. According to him, there was no better example of understanding between troubador and audience. We lost a hell of a man in George, but no less felt is the loss of Tompall. To me at least. Rest forever friend, and thanks for the music.
August 13, 2013 @ 1:44 pm
RIP, Tompall. Thanks for the great music. 🙁
Really sad to hear about this. Another of the “Outlaws” gone. Waylon was certainly the frontman, but Tompall was a more than capable sidekick and musician in his own right. Sad these two never reconciled while both were still alive.
August 13, 2013 @ 1:51 pm
RIP Tompall… 🙁
August 13, 2013 @ 3:05 pm
RIP Tompall so sad another one responsible both as an artist and as a studio owner and producer of cultivating the outlaw sound I loved so much. Damn too many of my heroes are leaving us. Must be having one heck of a picking party in Heaven.
August 13, 2013 @ 8:38 pm
Outlaws is a album that had major influence on my musical taste. I remember blasting the album while sitting on my front porch drinkin whiskey. I lived in the middle of a small town and no one ever complained about the music.
R And R Tiddy Bits | Rawhide And Velvet
August 14, 2013 @ 9:52 am
[…] Like flies :(Â […]
August 14, 2013 @ 12:13 pm
Why are we losing so many legends all of a sudden? Is 2013 the curse of the hall of famers or something?
August 14, 2013 @ 2:42 pm
Chet Flippo…George Jones…Cowboy Jack….Jody Payne….Tompall…..
August 19, 2013 @ 6:29 am
Somehow I completely missed this. I did however read three or four “ENTERTAINMENT NEWS” headlines about Beyonce and her new haircut. Sad state on what is reported these days.
September 1, 2013 @ 5:21 pm
Great singers will make the listener think they are singing directly to you and about you. They will sound like they are telling you a story one on one. Tompall was a great singer, because that is how I have always felt about his music. Not only did he have the perfect voice for “hillbilly” music, but he always used the best musicians and picked the best songs. You could always count on fiddles, dobro and steel guitars with Tompall. He was “The Great Tompall” and I will miss him dearly. It’s high time that Nashville and the HOF get over itself and give Tompall and the Glaser Brothers their due. They have earned it. RIP.
January 9, 2018 @ 12:27 am
Why was waylon and tom paul on bad terms with each other. I used 2 know but have forgotten