RIP Redd Stewart

[Busgaljan]

Sources in Nashville announce the passing of Henry "Redd" Stewart bandmember and cowriter with Pee Wee King.
Best known for Tennessee Waltz, Slowpoke, You Belong to Me, and Bonaparts Retreat.

[tcb]

'Tennessee Waltz' composer Stewart dies
Henry Redd Stewart


By LISA HORNUNG
The (Louisville) Courier-Journal


LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Henry Redd Stewart, a singer and co-writer of such country songs as Tennessee Waltz, Slow Poke, Bonaparte's Retreat and You Belong to Me, died yesterday in Louisville. He was 80.

He was born Henry Ellis Stewart in Ashland City, Tenn., completed only the seventh grade and fought in World War II.

In 1935, Mr. Stewart was contracted to write a song for a car dealer's commercial in Louisville, and in 1937 he got a job playing in Pee Wee King's band, the Golden West Cowboys. Mr. Stewart, with the Golden West Cowboys, played on the Grand Ole Opry for many years.

In 1944, his song Soldier's Last Letter was released by Ernest Tubb, and it stayed at No. 1 on the Billboard country chart for four weeks. Later, he signed a lifetime exclusive songwriting contract with Acuff-Rose Publications.

He wrote his most famous song, Tennessee Waltz, with King in 1948.

According to the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum's Web site, King and Mr. Stewart were driving from Dallas to Nashville when they heard Bill Monroe's Kentucky Waltz on the radio. King said there should be a waltz in honor of his adopted home state of Tennessee.

Mr. Stewart dumped the matches out of a matchbox, tore the box open, and began writing. The song was finished by the time they arrived in Nashville.

Patti Page's rendition of the song is the most famous. Former Tennessee Gov. Frank Clement had the song declared the state's fourth official song, and it has been called ''The Heart of the Acuff-Rose operation'' by the Country Music Hall of Fame.

Though Mr. Stewart played an integral role in the inception and recording of several songs now considered country music classics, the fact that King got top billing helped keep Mr. Stewart under the popular radar.

''He was one of those guys that never really got his due, but he was important to country music,'' said WSM-AM disc jockey and country music historian Eddie Stubbs.

Mr. Stewart had two gold records and received several awards in country music, including induction in the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame.

He often performed with his wife, Darlene, who died July 26. She also had a career in country music, traveling with her sister as The Collins Sisters.

The Stewarts were members of the Evangel World Prayer Center.