Roy Acuff

Birth Name:

Roy Claxton Acuff

Birth Place:

Maynardsville, Tennessee, United States

Profession

Soundtrack, Actor

Was a recipient of the National Medal of Arts in 1991
Won a Kennedy Center award in 1991, making him the first country music act to receive the honor
Taught himself to play the fiddle and learned to sing in his preacher father's churches
Won 13 athletic letters at his high school and was offered a contract by the New York Yankees upon graduation, but a severe sunstroke ended his dreams of playing professional baseball
Quote: "[on his Kennedy Center award] "There are a lot more people who deserve it more than me․""
The first country music superstar, he recorded such hits as "The Great Speckled Bird," "Wabash Cannonball," "Fireball Mail" and "Night Train to Memphis․"
Was a fixture of the Grand Ole Opry for over 50 years
Owned the cave that became Dunbar Cave State Natural Area from 1948 to 1963
Showed President Richard Nixon how to yo-yo on the same night that the Opry officially relocated to the Grand Ole Opry House at Opryland
Would often arrive early at the Opryland grounds and perform odd jobs like stocking soda in backstage refrigerators

Fast Facts