The Sordid Story of the REAL “Murder on Music Row”

Most any true country fan can likely quote you at least a couple of the verses of the now classic country music song “Murder on Music Row.” Originally written by Larry Cordle and Larry Shell, and recorded by the bluegrass group Larry Cordle & Lonesome Standard Time as the title track to their 1999 record, the song would go on to be widely popularized when George Strait and Alan Jackson performed it on the 1999 CMA Awards as a protest against the encroachment of pop into the country genre.
Far from banishing the two country music superstars from the industry, “Murder on Music Row” became both a commercial and critical success. The next year at the CMA Awards, the duo’s performance of the song won the CMA for Vocal Event of the Year. And after the two recorded a studio version of the song in 2000 for George Strait’s Latest Greatest Straightest Hits compilation, radio even began playing the song. Though it was never officially released as a single, “Murder on Music Row” peaked at #38 in the charts. The year later, in 2001, “Murder on Music Row” also won the prestigious CMA for Song of the Year. It’s now considered a country music standard.
“Murder On Music Row” is a work of fiction about how the traditions of country music were murdered on 16th Avenue just west of downtown Nashville where the mother brain of the country music industry resides. But few remember the actual murder that occurred on the Music Row campus in 1989 that left a young magazine employee who knew too much laying dead, an aspiring country music entertainer seriously injured, and a mystery that went unsolved for many years until the eventual exposure of an elaborate scheme involving cash payments to embellish numbers and help launch country music stars under false pretenses eventually led investigators to the motive, and the killer.
30 years ago this week, on March 6th, 1989, a man by the name of Kevin Hughes, who was an employee of a country music trade periodical called Cashbox Magazine, was exiting a recording studio on Music Row with up-and-coming country music artist named Sammy Saddler. As the two men were getting into their car, an armed gunman wearing a ski mask and dark clothes approached them and opened fire.
Kevin Hughes, who was 23-years-old at the time, was shot three times as he attempted to flee down 16th Avenue, including a fatal shot to the back of the head. The 21-year-old Sammy Saddler was shot in the shoulder and was severely wounded, but was able to run to a nearby building for cover. Saddler would later recover from his wounds, though his career never would. And just like in the song “Murder on Music Row,” the assailant fled from 16th Avenue without anyone getting a good description of him, and no weapon or fingerprints to trace.
When Kevin Hughes and Sammy Sadler were found, the crime was a complete mystery. Police didn’t know if it was a random act or intentional, if it was a robbery gone wrong or some other situation, and struggled to find a motive, or any possible suspects for many years. It was only when investigators began to uncover a bribery and manipulation scandal—the likes of which many love to accuse some of the institutions of Music Row of perpetrating today—that a motive and a suspect in the real “Murder on Music Row” began to reveal itself.
Started in 1942, Cashbox Magazine was one of the music industry’s first trade periodicals, and published an edition specific to country music, similar to what Country Aircheck and Billboard Country Update do today. They were especially known for their jukebox charts which kept up with spins of songs in jukebox consoles all around the country, along with their charts for record sales and radio play.
After years of investigation, police began to build a case against a fellow Cashbox Magazine employee of Kevin Hughes named Richard D’Antonio, who went by the nickname Tony D. Along with a record promoter and employee of Cashbox named Chuck Dixon, they created a scheme where aspiring country music stars could pay the publisher bribes as high as $2,000 for favorable placement in the influential Cashbox Magazine rankings, which then went onto influence many of the managers, labels, publicists, and booking agents up and down Music Row who used Cashbox to measure the appeal and influence of certain artists and songs. Other members of the media such as journalists and DJs also consulted the periodical and cited its charts.

Police began to piece together that Hughes, who was lobbying for a more scientific or data-driven approach to compiling the Cashbox rankings, either began resisting Richard D’Antonio and Chuck Dixon’s payola scheme, or was working to expose it when the murder occurred. Fearing that Kevin Hughes would become a whistle blower, Richard D’Antonio murdered him on Music Row on March 6th, 1989, with singer Sammy Sadler caught up in the crossfire.
At the time Sammy Sadler was just getting ready to release his debut album on Evergreen Records. Even though he suffered a near fatal gunshot wound in the attack that took multiple surgeries to heal, suspicion that Saddler was somehow involved in the killing helped kill his musical career, even though no evidence ever surfaced that he had any involvement in the plot to kill Kevin Hughes, who Sadler considered a close friend. Sadler also suffered from PTSD after the incident.
After years of the case remaining cold or leading to dead ends, police began to slowly piece the puzzle together when people who had paid the Cashbox bribes or knew about them began to come forward, explaining how the Cashbox scheme worked. Even when Richard D’Antonio and Chuck Dixon became primary suspects, police still struggled to find sufficient evidence to prosecute them until they were were able to pressure an associate of D’Antonio into giving them information about the gun and ammunition used in the murder.
Finally in 2003, police had enough evidence to arrest Richard D’Antonio on charges of first degree murder in the killing of Kevin Hughes, and assault with intent to commit second degree murder in the shooting of Sammy Saddler. D’Antonio was living in Las Vegas at the time, and was apprehended and extradited to Tennessee. D’Antonio was believed to be the trigger man in the murder. Chuck Dixon, who was also thought to be part of the murder, had already passed away in 2001 under somewhat suspicious circumstances as well.
Richard D’Antonio pleaded not guilty, but was eventually convicted of both counts in a jury trial in September of 2003, and was sentenced to life in prison at the age of 56. He eventually died of natural causes at the Lois DeBerry Special Needs Facility in Nashville in September of 2014. Cashbox Magazine published its final print issue on November 16th, 1996, before the full story of the “Murder On Music Row” was told, but after years of speculation had been swirling up and down Music Row about the murder. Cashbox still exists in an online version after being relaunched in 2015.
As for Sammy Sadler, he is now trying to relaunch a music career. In 2009 he released an album called A Heart Shaped Like Texas, and released a new song and video in late 2018 called “In America.” Sammy is also working on a new album he expects to release in 2019, as well as a book recounting his account of the “Murder on Music Row.”
Incidentally, the song “Murder On Music Row” was written before the whole story of the actual “Murder On Music Row” was fully known. But hauntingly, the song seems to foretell what happened.
“Nobody saw him running from sixteenth avenue.
They never found the fingerprint or the weapon that was used…
…The almighty dollar and the lust for worldwide fame
Slowly killed tradition and for that someone should hang.
Meanwhile when artists, labels, managers, publishers, and others are accused of engaging in underhanded practices to launch artists in country music—these days most manifested in concerns for the manipulations of streaming data—this accusation does not come from hypothetical scenarios or conspiracy theories. From DJs and radio station managers receiving song credits early on to entice them to spin records, to the radio payola of the 60’s and 70’s, to the “Murder On Music Row” scandal, country music has a very specific history of cooking books, facilitating bribes, and bending rules to help embellish the impact of certain artists or songs. The true story of the “Murder on Music Row” underscores this long standing-behavioral pattern, and is the reason country music fans and the media should always stay vigilant about manipulations inside of country music.
March 11, 2019 @ 12:00 pm
really appreciative of this story trigger . a sad one indeed …on many levels …particularly , of course, for the unnecessary death .
it really should remind us about just what’s at stake in ensuring an ‘artist’s’ success in the business in terms of investment of money , time and efforts and to what lengths the reps of that artist have gone to in realizing that end . it , and similar songs and articles , answer questions associated with our ongoing bewilderment of choices made by radio , labels , award shows and , of course , the Opry .
in fact , the only thing we have control over as artists is our vision for what we’re trying to create . the more ‘involved’ we become with people who stand to profit from our creations , the greater the risk of it being misinterpreted , altered , damaged , exploited and/or poorly or legally promoted . garth aside , most artists are not good at or even interested in the ‘business’ side of the music business and feel the need to defer to others . because of that fact
there is no question that where there is money to be made there are people for whom the means justifies the ends .
February 27, 2022 @ 4:31 pm
I’m sorry to say this but to many are focusing it on the schemes that were uncovered that was so easily made it the perfect crime to the ones who have kept there mouths shut for it was the smoke screen that brought the world to a complete stop and everyone attention being focused on music row no matter a man was convincted of murder when in actuality he truly wasn’t one who set it all in action he was a victim who had been preyed upon as many young men were done by Kevin Hughes easy target that was desperate to prove everyone who try to steal there dreams away with harsh words and utter laughter leaving them to feel all any one sees is poor white trash with a dream that only rich men get thru the doors that lines full of souls awaits For days and days to get one step closer to the opening up of those doors they believe there dreams are awaiting behind them knowing they only have one chance to make there dreams happen to promise most young men made there families more so there dad’s they be one day that’s on music row singing there hearts out.. Kevin Hughes lied and played the cheating cards on young men he scouted out and saw there weakness that he preyed upon behind close doors that was his sexual desires of young men which if was ever to brought to light day he was gay man who made promises to young straight men to for chance to see the doors open up for them. Think about it if truth came out about Kevin Hughes robbed young men of there innocence as he did with lies and promises to young man as he did but never once did he hold up his end of bargain it ended up costing music row to take fault at what been taking place that would’ve destroyed more then dreams it would have destroyed hearts of so many around world for country music is known and based on drinking , honky tonk bars and women that either makes a man or breaks one behind the life on the road the partying the sleeping with women from all over to getting caught with another Man wife the ass kickin’ to getting ass kicked All around the honky tonk bars for miles around. Think about it now as to what I seen in the young man’s heart that killed Kevin Hughes then his self behind what he had done with another man. Money and the pay off to get to top was only thing that kept music row from letting the real truth be told.. Greed is reason truth stays hidden and many more innocence souls continue to be blindsided by deception and allegations that are far from truth.
March 4, 2024 @ 2:00 pm
You are clueless. Please stop spreading lies about Kevin. You are clueless and was murdered because of what he knew.
March 11, 2019 @ 12:12 pm
Love to hear about stuff like this, neat article Trigger.
March 11, 2019 @ 12:23 pm
I had no idea that there was actually a murder there. I always thought Alan Jackson and George strait did that song first. Just hope that Nashville will eventually get their act together and start making country music again.
March 11, 2019 @ 2:03 pm
Speaking of nashville and country radio, remember when we thought the George Strait and Kacey Musgraves songs might have a chance?? Oops
March 11, 2019 @ 3:02 pm
Actually I remain pretty optimistic about both of those singles. Though everyone predicted Strait to fall of a cliff, that hasn’t happened yet, and last week Musgraves was once again in the “Most Added” categories. Most singles take months to develop. The bad news is with Ashley McBryde’s “Girl Goin’ Nowhere” which appears to be done.
March 11, 2019 @ 9:34 pm
Got it. Thanks
March 12, 2019 @ 11:58 am
I actually heard the new Strait song on our local “country” station this morning. I actually considered calling them and thanking them for playing an actual country song. Still more surprising was about two hours later they played Cody Johnson’s latest song, which really surprised me. I would like to hope this means that there is some overall hope but unfortunately I believe it’s going to take a lot more than this. Still, its a step in the right direction.
March 11, 2019 @ 2:50 pm
Great article!
I own old issues of the british country music magazine “Country Music People”.
I remember reading an article about the music row shooting.
Country Music People published the IRC “Independent Radio Charts” for independent country singles & Sammy Sadler was a big number with a cover of “Tell It Like It Is”, “You Made It Easy” & after the incident with “Once In A Lifetime Thing”. Not bad for a 21 year old guy.
(The songs are on YouTube)
March 11, 2019 @ 3:18 pm
only takes a few bad apples to spoil the whole barrel
March 11, 2019 @ 4:12 pm
ILove this song and alanjackson&georgestrait are my favorite country singer they sing this song very awesome
March 11, 2019 @ 4:31 pm
This was highlighted on Unsolved Mysteries years back.
March 11, 2019 @ 5:39 pm
The Church sec of Kill Nashville Pop still has her office.
March 11, 2019 @ 5:44 pm
Thanks for the story, Trig.
Very erudite presentation of it.
March 11, 2019 @ 6:18 pm
In 2001 Arkey Blue recorded an answer song called “There Was No Murder Committed (On Music Row)” it tells that no matter how hard Nashville tries to kill it, real country music lives on
March 12, 2019 @ 6:13 am
A fascinating story.
Such a shame that Sadler’s career, as well as his physical and mental health, were damaged for no other reason than being in the wrong place at the wrong time.
March 12, 2019 @ 7:27 am
Great article….never heard of any of this.
March 12, 2019 @ 7:52 pm
Trigger: This murder was actually featured in a recent book called MONSTER CITY by Michael Arntfield. It is about many of the murders in the Nashville area over several decades.
March 13, 2019 @ 2:13 pm
Wonderful article. Very well thought out and executed.
March 18, 2019 @ 6:22 am
I assumed this was gonna be about Stringbean. Enjoyed this one, Trigger.
May 13, 2019 @ 6:18 pm
Thank you for this Trigger! Sadler is releasing his book May 21st—it’s called “A Hit With A Bullet.” Everyone can press order it on Amazon. Can you update with the info?? Here’s a trailer about it–feel free to share! https://drive.google.com/open?id=1I1WEqdn0wRdctasm_ICQa6gMFp3XxuQE
May 13, 2019 @ 6:51 pm
Hey Shelly,
We just posted an updated story a couple of days ago:
https://savingcountrymusic.com/new-book-to-recount-the-real-murder-on-music-row/
May 28, 2019 @ 8:18 am
Very good article
January 18, 2020 @ 2:06 pm
Excellent article, thank you very much. I still love the song.
May 26, 2020 @ 10:48 pm
There was another Sadler, Barry Sadler (Ballad of the Green Beret) who did commit a murder somewhere in Nashville, maybe near Music Row.
John C. Anderson
September 23, 2020 @ 9:46 am
i remember the crooks at Cash BOx….when I was living in Nashville in the early 90s…the execs at Cash Box charging thousands to produce singles for people of dreaming of being an artist…for $15k they would produce you a song….they would schedule block time at the big recording studios and run 5 or 6 “suckers” thru one session and charge$15k apiece , it would include an article in the “trade”/mag ($5k extra for Front cover) and an entry into the top 100 chart (which would only last one publication)… and a showcase for the label’s A&R and management….most of their clients were horrible and had NO talent, but the pumped them up like they were gonna be a star
July 7, 2022 @ 6:23 pm
OMG, He killed a man and you call him a victim. What kind of an idiot are you? Also the Man is dead let him rest in peace. And next time you write something proof read what you write.
June 21, 2023 @ 1:42 pm
I knew Sammy before the incident and was trying to help him with his career. He recorded one of my songs but it was never released.