Both of Ralph Emery’s Guests on ‘Nashville Now’, Country Music Legends, Comitted Suicide

One guest is one of country music's most enduring legends.

The other guest was one of the great honky-tonk singers of the 1970's and 1980's.

Faron Young and Gary Stewart were guests one night on 'Nashville Now', hosted by Ralph Emery. I loved 'Nashville Now'. For those of you who don't recall the show (or may be too young to remember it!), it was a kind of 'Tonight Show' set in Nashville and featuring all things country. Anybody who was anybody would appear on 'Nashville Now', from the legends like Cash, Haggard, Jones and Wynette to the current 'one-hit-wonder' who was topping the country chart and never to be heard from again. From time to time politicians or newsmakers would drop by, but largely this was a show for those of us who loved our country music. And did Ralph have a co-host? Well, technically no, but many of us remember his 'sidekick' Shotgun Red! (Think of the Muppets with a country/hillbilly/redneck twist...and a smile!).

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But back to the guests on this show, Faron and Gary.

Faron Young is a Country Music Hall of Famer who sang so many of country music's greatest hits, perhaps most notably the Willie Nelson penned classic 'Hello Walls'.

Gary Stewart was one of country music's great honky-tonk singers of the 70's and 80's. While much of country music went 'outlaw' or 'country-politan', Gary kept to his honky-tonk roots with great hits like 'She's Actin' Single (I'm Drinkin' Doubles)' and 'Drinkin' Thing'.

So what makes this video interesting, perhaps ironic and on some level sad?

Both of these great artist's ended their own lives. Both committed suicide.

Faron died December 10, 1996 as the result of a self inflicted gunshot wound. Deteriorating health issues were cited as a possible reason. Faron Young was just 64.

Gary lost his wife of nearly 43 years on November 6, 2003. Apparently very despondent over her death, Gary was found the following December 16th dead from a self inflicted gunshot wound. Gary Stewart was just 59 years old.