One of the four country artists to be a part of the first Platinum Country Music album, for The Outlaws (along with Waylon Jennings, Willie Nelson and Jessi Colter), Tompall Glaser passed away today at the age of 79.
He will forever be associated with "The Outlaw" movement that spawned the album but Glaser was one of the pioneers of the Nashville Song Publishing world and struck gold with John Hartford's "Gentle On My Mind" a hit Glen Campbell and others. A studio on 19th Avenue South called "Hillbilly Centeral" became a favorite haunt for Waylon, Kinky Friedman, Billy Joe Shaver, Bobby Bare, Kris Kristofferson and many others. Jennings' rebellion against RCA's studios to record at Hillbilly Central was key to his rebellion against and the formation of the "Outlaw" format.
Glaser was also part of the Glaser Brothers, who moved to Nashville and sang on such classics as "El Paso" before gaining CMA Vocal group of the year award in 1970 and touring with Johnny Cash. Their biggest hit was a cover of Kristofferson's "Loving Her Was Easier (Than Anything I'll Ever Do Again). The tune hit #2.
In later years, Glaser never spoke with Waylon Jennings as he clashed with the Country Icon over many things, often rumored to be mostly about money. "Hillbilly Central" is now the headquarters for bluegrass/roots artist Alison Brown's vaunted Compass Records label.
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