You might not be surprised to learn that even the most talented individuals need a little help getting started along their path to success, no matter what field they choose.
Country music star Brad Paisley turns 53 today. Before all the gold records and the 35 top ten country singles, his love of music growing up in Glen Dale was sparked by his grandfather Warren Jarvis, who gave him his first guitar—a Sears Danelectro Silvertone—and taught him how to play it when he was just eight years old.
That guitar model that Sears originally sold until 1968, had the amp built right in the case and a lot of today’s stars like Paisley and others, like Beck, Dave Grohl of Foo Fighters and Sammy Hagar got started with it.
Paisley’s grandfather gave him some great advice early on regarding the soothing power of music.
“You can play this instrument and three or four hours later, not remember what you were upset about.” Jarvis explained.
Like many other country stars, Paisley’s first public performances were in church. Word spread quickly around town about this young boy, still in the third grade, who could not only pick that guitar, but sing as well.
By the time Paisley was in junior high, he was a seasoned veteran of sorts, performing at Christmas parties and Mother’s Day events. He was guitar skills were improving thanks to his teacher Hank Goddard. The pupil and the teacher soon formed a band with two of Goddard’s adult pals, “Brad Paisley and the C-Notes.”
It was Woody Allen who first said that “eighty percent of life is showing up.”
And Paisley’s case, it was the day he strapped on his guitar and sang a few songs at a local Rotary Club meeting. WWVA’s program director Tom Miller was there that day and was impressed enough to invite Paisley to guest on Jamboree USA, America’s second-longest running country music program after the Grand Ole Opry.
Paisley became the youngest ever member of Jamboree USA and eleven million records sold later, here we are. By the way, those sales numbers are impressive, especially considering that Paisley achieved them in an era when downloading and streaming are the norm.
And while Paisley’s career is still evolving, it was on this date that another country music star’s life ended. Porter Wagoner died on this date in 2007 at the age of 80. Wagoner, who charted 81 country singles and had a television show that ran for 21 years, beginning in 1960, also has a connection to our state.
Wagoner was a regular performer every summer at Camden Park in Ceredo outside Huntington in the 1960’s; first with his partner Norma Jean and then, a new fresh face on the scene beginning in 1967, Dolly Parton.
So, on this date, October 28th, we note the anniversary of the birthday of Glen Dale’s Brad Paisley and the passing of Porter Wagoner, two country music legends we continue to enjoy, no matter the date.