Today is the last day of That Nashville Sound's Grand Ole Opry week. We've brought you over a dozen different articles about the people, the history, the legends and the intricacies of this show that brought country music to the world. We hope you've enjoyed it. Today's story revolves around the myth of the Opry curse. As Ripley used to say... believe it or not...
Most people who work with the Opry are naturally reluctant to discuss the idea of whether or not the curse actually exists and many will go as far as to deny it, “They” claim that it is nothing more than something concocted by sensationalistic writers back in the 1960's. In spite of this, the rumors and legends persist and no one can deny that up until 1973, more than 35 people closely associated with the Opry had met with untimely deaths. These country stars have been burned to death, have been beaten, robbed and shot, have been victims of car and plane crashes and have perished from alcohol and drugs. Some would say that these deaths are an unfortunate part of working in the entertainment industry, but others have come to feel that such a curse may exist after all.
You be the judge... but consider these past tragedies that all occurred to these Opry members within a year of one-another:
- Ira Louvin, along with his wife, two friends and the occupants of another car, were killed in a head-on auto accident in 1965.
- Jim Reeves perished in a plane crash in 1964.
- In 1964, another plane crash took the lives of stars Cowboy Copas, Randy Hayes, Hawkshaw Hawkins and Patsy Cline. It has also been said that Patsy Cline had a psychic premonition of her death, but this remains unknown.
- Jack Anglin, from the duo Johnny and Jack, was killed in a car accident on the way to Cline's memorial service
- Shortly after the death of Patsy Cline, former Grand Ole Opry singer "Texas Ruby" Fox died of smoke inhalation when her home burned down.
- Jack Greene (known as the "Jolly Greene Giant") almost perished from what he believed was the "Opry Jinx" when he was narrowly missed by two semi-trucks on a highway.
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