Eddy Arnold: Pioneer of the Nashville Sound

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13 The day after his monumental Carnegie Hall performance, Eddyperformed at the Brooklyn Academy of Music, another prestigious New York venue. In July, he returned to the road for an extensive summer tour of midsize American towns: Minot, North Dakota; Casper, Wyoming; Oshkosh, Wisconsin ; Wellington, Ohio; Reading, Pennsylvania; Asbury, New Jersey, among others. As Eddy wound his way through America in the summer of 1966,he could turn on the radio to hear another of his pop-country hits, "The Tip of My Fingers" (written by Bill Anderson), and switch on the television to see guest spots he had filmed earlier. As Eddy basked in what amounted to a second career, long-overdue awards showered on him. Billboard proclaimed Eddy to be the Country Male Vocalist of 1966 and his / Want To Go With Youthe Favorite Country Album. The Music Operators of America named him Most Popular Juke Box Artist of the Year in 1966, and for performances in 1965 the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences (NARAS) nominated Eddy for Grammy awards in the categories of best country-and-western single, best country-and-western album, and best country-and-western vocal performance by a male—although he failed to win in any of the areas. In 1967, the Country Music Association bestowed its first "Entertainer of the Year" award on him. Even the White House acknowledged Eddy's new station in the corridors of American entertainment. President Johnson invited Sally and Eddy to a state dinner held for His Imperial Majesty, Haile Selassie,the emperor of Ethiopia. Eddy knew LBJfrom the President's tenures as a U.S. senator and vice president, and had performed at his Texas ranch a couple of times for visiting foreign dignitaries. This time, though, LBJspared Eddy from singing for his supper and instead had opera singers Richard Tucker and Nedda Casei serenade the Ethiopian leader and the other White House guests. 197 198 Eddy Arnold: Pioneer of the Nashville Sound "Somebody Like Me."Eddy says hello to Phoenix.(Eddy Arnold collection) Actually, Eddy and Sally almost missed their chance to dine as guests of the White House. The Arnolds arrived in the city a day early for the dinner that was to be held on Valentines Day, 1967. On the big day, Sally and Eddy dressed early to reach 1600 Pennsylvania Ave.at 8:00 P.M.,but when they left their room on the ninth floor of Washington's International Inn and pressed the elevators "down" button, no elevator came. They waited and waited, hesitating to walk down nine flights of steps and rumple Sallys long, pink dress. The Arnolds rushed back to their room and called the desk. Even the service elevator, the clerk informed them, was out of commission , but a repair man would see to the problem. So, Eddy and Sally stood by while a mechanic tried to revive the stalled lift. Soon, though, it became apparent that the Arnolds would be late if they hung around any longer. "I pulled up my full-length dress [that] I just had hand pressed,"Sally told a reporter a few days later, "and down the nine flights we ran." AsSecretary of Defense Robert McNamara and Vice President Hubert Humphrey arrived alongside private citizens like Benny Goodman, Eddy and Sallys Eddy Arnold: Pioneer of the Nashville Sound 199 cab dashed to the White House. They were the last to arrive at the buildings east entrance, but made it in time to be properly introduced and enjoy the Florida pompano, roast filet of beef White House, duchess potatoes, fresh asparagus, garden salad, roquefort mousse, and savarin jubilee."Moose lips and buffalo brains" were worlds away—frozen in the 19505 on the "Caesar s Hour" television show. More than any dinner or industry award, Eddy probably found the most gratification with his induction into Nashville's Country Music Hall of Fame. Even though he was helping to remold country music into a "country-politan" style and moving in entertainment circles more familiar to George Burns than George Jones, he loved Nashville and its people. He counted those who kept their feet in traditional country music among his friends and welcomed their acceptance. The Country Music Association slated the Hall of Fame induction for October 2,1966, when it would enshrine the late banjo player Uncle Dave Macon, Judge George D. Hay, Cedarwood Publishing's Jim Denny (who had died three...