Don Warden passes

Scott Shipley · Post by **Scott Shipley** » 12 Mar 2017 11:47 pm

Just found out Don passed Saturday.
RIP.

Dave Grothusen · Post by **Dave Grothusen** » 13 Mar 2017 4:14 am

what an outstanding career Don had. RIP

john buffington · Post by **john buffington** » 13 Mar 2017 5:01 am

Don created the Porter Wagoner sound IMO.

Jack Stoner · Post by **Jack Stoner** » 13 Mar 2017 5:45 am

I met him in the early 70's. He brought me one of the band's Powered PA speakers to fix. It was a Standel that was "given" to Porter. They were leaving on a road trip and didn't have time to send it back to Standel. I didn't have a schematic but luckily fixed it.

Richard Sinkler · Post by **Richard Sinkler** » 13 Mar 2017 7:04 am

Sad. RIP Don.

Sandra Scott-Wall · Post by **Sandra Scott-Wall** » 13 Mar 2017 7:57 am

Don Warden was the 60th Hall of Fame member inducted in 2008. Our hearts and prayers go out to the Warden family.

Ron Hogan · Post by **Ron Hogan** » 13 Mar 2017 8:19 am

If I'm correct, I believe he was the first to order a Sho-Bud in the earliest days.

Ron

Godfrey Arthur · Post by **Godfrey Arthur** » 13 Mar 2017 12:44 pm

Watched a lot of Porter and Don. Godspeed Mr. Warden.

Nick Reed · Post by **Nick Reed** » 13 Mar 2017 3:12 pm

Born to Reverend and Mrs. Charles Warden in Mt. Grove, Missouri, Warden grew up singing in church. A self-taught player, he was influenced by Leon McAuliffe with Bob Wills and The Texas Playboys.[1] Warden formed his own band during high school, The Rhythm Rangers, playing steel guitar and singing. He also had an afternoon radio show on KWPM-AM in West Plains, Missouri. The band gained popularity, moving on to Kennett, Missouri's KBOA-AM and KHWN-AM in Fort Smith, Arkansas, and gigs in East Texas honky tonks; eventually leading to Louisiana Hayride, backing The Wilburn Brothers and Red Sovine. Warden left the show in 1951 for a two-year stint with the US Army.
Returning to the Hayride after the Army, the Rhythm Rangers continued to back Red Sovine until Sovine left to join the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville, leaving his band behind. Warden moved to St. Louis, Missouri, where he attended flight school and played local clubs in his spare time. While visiting his parents in West Plains, Warden met Porter Wagoner at KWTO-AM in Springfield, Missouri. With Speedy Haworth, they formed the Porter Wagoner Trio and were regulars on ABC television's Ozark Jubilee broadcast from Springfield. In 1957, Warden joined the Grand Ole Opry with Wagoner, and in 1960 began a 14-year television run on the syndicated program, The Porter Wagoner Show. In 1966, singer Dolly Parton joined the show and Wagoner and Parton, backed by the Wagonmasters, became one of country music's most popular duos. Parton left the show in 1974 to pursue a solo career, and Warden joined her as her full-time manager, a job he has held since. Warden was inducted into the Steel Guitar Hall of Fame in 2008. Warden had been in failing health and passed away on March 11, 2017.

Steve Green · Post by **Steve Green** » 13 Mar 2017 3:29 pm

Photo from Buck Trent's Facebook page.

Stan Paxton · Post by **Stan Paxton** » 13 Mar 2017 4:16 pm

So sad to learn another of the era is gone. I was raised in the neighboring county from Porter & Don, in Missouri, and to me the "Satisfied Mind" singing & playing were the greatest. ...
May Gods blessing rest on his friends and family. ...

Ron Whitworth · Post by **Ron Whitworth** » 13 Mar 2017 5:04 pm

Sad news.
I have watched him many times on TV from Porter's shows.
RIP Don
Ron

Scott Shipley · Post by **Scott Shipley** » 13 Mar 2017 7:47 pm

Visitation will be at 1 PM on Thursday March 16th, with services to follow at 2 PM at Christ Church, 15354 Old Hickory Blvd, Nashville TN, 37211

Terry Wood · Post by **Terry Wood** » 14 Mar 2017 3:25 pm

This is Sad News! I grew up only about 35 miles from Don's home area. I was watching and listening to him on Porter's weekly Television Show as a kid.

I only met him one time and that was the year he was inducted into The Steel Guitar Hall of Fame 2008. He was a very nice man!

Rest in Peace Don! Prayers for the Family and Friends!

Ben Rubright · Post by **Ben Rubright** » 14 Mar 2017 9:10 pm

My favorite Porter Wagoner recording, Porter, Don, and Red Gale.

written by the ill-fated Lee Emerson.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=571q-VPsye4

Jim R. Harrison · Post by **Jim R. Harrison** » 14 Mar 2017 11:54 pm

Ron Hogan, you are right about Don owning the first Sho~Bud guitar. Here is some proof from a photo I took about 51 years ago @ Roy Acuff's Museum on Broadway in Nashville.

Ray Minich · Post by **Ray Minich** » 16 Mar 2017 5:01 pm

My favorite...
There's Always One (Who Loves a Lot)
Porter Wagoner and Skeeter Davis

First release by Porter Wagoner and Skeeter Davis (May 1962)

Andy DePaule · Post by **Andy DePaule** » 19 Mar 2017 10:30 pm

Found this just the other day and saved it.
More sad news two days in a row... $:\$

John Haspert · Post by **John Haspert** » 29 Mar 2017 7:24 am

I was at the ISGA when Don was inducted and so glad that I was there. At the time, something struck me and while there were many nice things being said about him, I could tell it was all genuine admiration. But the single biggest tribute and token of respect that I saw was that Dolly Parton and 3 of her back-up singers flew in to St. Louis, especially and only for that induction ceremony. It was not a "Call-in" or a "pre-recorded message." She did that on her own dime and had to fly back to LA for a concert that night. She graced us with several songs. What a Class Act and that collection of actions says volumes about a man that was with her years. Mutual admiration and Respect. RIP Don!

The Steel Guitar Forum

Don Warden passes

Don Warden passes

Found this just the other day

Don Warden's Passing