Country music legend, Vern Gosdin, also known as "The Voice," passed away yesterday in his sleep, after suffering a stroke in early April 2009. He was 74 years old. Gosdin, who won th Song of the Year award in 1989 for his hit single "Chisled In Stone" (watch video here), was much revered by fans and peers alike for his strong country voice. Born in Woodland Alabama in 1934, Vern was the sixth of nine children and was raised on Gospel music and often sang in the church where his mother played piano.
Vern was originally part of the Capitol Records duo The Gosdin Brothers with his brother Rex but after a few years and hits, Vern retired from music. Retirement didn't last long, though as Vern returned to recording in the 1970s before becoming a consistent Top 10 hit maker, often teaming up with renouned songwriter Max D. Barnes, for Compleat Records. After the label failed, Vern signed with Columbia Records and scored an immediate #1 hit with "Do You Believe Me Now" and then "Set 'Em Up Joe," a tribute to Ernest Tubb. Later, Don had the success with the CMA Song of the year "Chisled In Stone."
While the hits dried up as Country music moved more towards today's country/pop/rock sounds, Gosdin remained an active touring artist and released a career-spanning retrospective of music last year entitled "40 Years of the Voice" on his own VGM Records label.
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