Ralph Emery was a disc jockey on WSM radio as well as the host of “Nashville Now” and “Ralph Emery Live.”
- Died: January 15, 2022 (Who else died on January 15?)
- Details of death: Died at a Nashville hospital after a brief illness at the age of 88.
- We invite you to share condolences for Ralph Emery in our Guest Book.
Lifelong love for country music
Emery began working as a DJ on WSM, home of the Grand Ole Opry, in 1957. He soon became a widely trusted country music promoter, as WSM could be heard across the South and East and was a favorite among long-haul truckers. Emery spent a decade and a half on WSM, interviewing stars of country music and playing popular records. He also worked as an announcer at the Grand Ole Opry in those days. In 1972, Emery began hosting “The Ralph Emery Show” on Nashville’s WSMV-TV, featuring country acts and interviews. His TV fame grew with “Nashville Now” on cable’s The Nashville Network (TNN), where Emery shared hosting duties with his puppet cohost, Shotgun Red. Most recently, Emery hosted “Ralph Emery Live” on RFD-TV until 2015. He was a member of the Country Music Hall of Fame and the National Radio Hall of Fame.
Notable quote
“I’ve always tried to bring respect to country music. I’ll be very content if people can look on me and say, ‘He brought dignity to his craft,’ or, ‘He brought class to the business.’” —from Emery’s bio for the Country Music Hall of Fame
Tributes to Ralph Emery
Full obituary: The Tennessean
