Ralph Emery passed away on January 15 at the age of 88. The news was confirmed by his family.
The late music broadcaster’s son Michael told The Associated Press that his father died from natural causes and was surrounded by his family at Tristar Centennial Medical Center. Ralph was hospitalized for one week.
The journey of Ralph Emery
Born on March 10, 1933, he was a popular country music DJ and television host. He gained recognition as the host of the television music series Pop! Goes the Country from 1974 to 1980, and Nashville Now from 1983 to 1993.
He became popular as a late-night DJ on Nashville’s WSM and his show could be heard all around the Eastern and Central U.S. alongside overnight truck drivers and fans of country music.
Emery helped several upcoming and previously unknown country music singers gain fame and attention. He then wrote many books that showcased his memories of the Nashville singers and musicians who appeared on his radio and TV shows.
Ralph Emery developed the broadcasting style of NASCAR driver Darrell Waltrip and was a guest on his late-night radio show during his racing days in Nashville.
He became more popular through Nashville Now because of his rich voice and friendly behavior with guests.
He then hosted a weekday morning show called Opry Almanac on WSM television from the mid-1960s to the early 1990s. It was the highest-rated local morning television program in the U.S. between 1970s and 1980s.
Ralph was the host of a late-afternoon program, Sixteenth Avenue South on WSM-TV in late 1960s. He then hosted a radio show, The Ralph Emery Show, which aired daily on country stations in five parts from Monday to Friday.
He then made a comeback on the RFD-TV cable network in 2007 and conducted interviews on Ralph Emery Live. The show aired for eight years and changed its name to Ralph Emery’s Memories, before ending in October 2015.
Netizens pay tribute on Twitter
The famous personality was a familiar name among the public following his appearances on radio and television. The public expressed their grief on social media when news of his death went viral.
He is survived by his wife Joy Emery, three sons, five grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren. Details of his funeral are yet to be revealed.