Home | Music Row Report | Music Reviews | Book Reviews | Paid Content | Contact 



The Official Website of Stacy Harris
#1 Site For Exclusive Country-Music News

If a product mention peaks your curiosity, please consider making a purchase through its Amazon text link.  Commissions I earn through your purchases make updates possible.


© 2025

Stacy's Music Row Report
All Rights Reserved


Contentious gray divorce has hit Music Row and, as always, you're reading about it here first.  Country Music Hall of Fame member BRENDA LEE who, at age 80, began the process of ending her marriage to CHARLES RONALD (RONNIE) SHACKLETT with a January 28, 2025 filing a little less than three months to the day of the couple's 62nd wedding anniversary.

I'm laying out the specifics as I understand them as of June 2, 2025 with exclusive updates and, if need be, corrections to come as necessary  (I am not an attorney), which you'll probably see in greater detail once the tabloids and respected news organizations (which are averse to crediting me for breaking stories) catch on, but the litigation apparently began with Brenda's petition which was sealed the same day it was filed, thanks to her request of Judge STEPHANIE WILLIAMS.  (Judge Williams could have suggested just redacting certain portions of the public record had she not felt that Brenda showed cause.)

Just as in the BILL IVEY scandal, sealing records limits public access. (Journalists, as well as other citizens, can petition courts to unseal records.)  In Tennessee, divorce records are generally confidential but they become public after 50 years.

That same day, January 28, 2025, a temporary injunction and restraining order were granted (the latter is often merely procedural and in those instances should be free of inference), followed a summons and, the following day yet another summons and a show cause Order.

Ronnie was apparently served with a summons on January 31, 2025 and by February 3, 2025 he had lawyered up with a Notice of Appearance submitted that day.

On February 4, 2025 an Agreed Order was submitted to the court re: an ex parte Temporary Restraining Order.  Judge Williams had the TRO stricken and an Agreed Order was submitted to reset the hearing for the TRO.

On February 5, 2025 the parties (Brenda, through her attorneys ROSE PALERMO and JASON TALLEY, Ronnie through his attorneys JAMES WEATHERLY, JR. and JACQUELINE DIXON), submitted another Agreed Order which Judge Williams granted as well as a Motion for Continuance of the trial.

On February 21, 2025 the proceedings apparently resumed with the first witness subpoenaed, along with Ronnie's response, answer & countercomplaint.  That same day exhibits and an affidavit were filed along with an "emergency" Motion for a temporary restraining order with an order to appear and show cause while NHC Healthcare of Franklin was issued a subpoena for medical records.

On February 24, 2025 Judge Williams denied the Motion for a temporary restraining order and order to appear and show cause submitted three days earlier.

On February 27, 2025 a Motion was filed re: approval of the sale of real property with apparently another Motion the following day re: approval of the sale of Brenda's real property to be heard on March 14, 2025.

On March 4, 2025 Brenda's answer to Ronnie's countercomplaint was filed.

On March 11, 2025 NHC Place Cool Springs was issued a subpoena. That same date Ronnie filed a response in opposition to the sale of Brenda's real property.  An amendment to the Motion to approve the sale was also filed along with exhibits.

On  March 13, Ascension St. Thomas West was issued a medical records subpoena and an Agreed Order was submitted re: resetting the hearing of a Motion to sell the "marital residence" to March 21, 2025 at 9 a.m.  Another Agreed Order was submitted that would continue the hearing on the ex parte Motion for a temporary restraining order until a hearing on May 15, 2025 at 9 a.m.  The "emergency" continuance was granted.

On March 14, Motions for continuance of the Motions re: approval of the sale of real property and the amendment to the sale of Brenda's real property were submitted that would set each for hearing on March 21, 2025.

On March 17, 2025 the court approved the two Agreed Orders of three days earlier.

The March 21, 2025 proceedings were highlighted by "TRIAL EXHIBIT  AS 1 EXHIBIT IN 1 BROWN ENVELOPE."

On March 25, 2025 Brenda apparently filed an Response in the form of an objection to Ronnie's issuing a duces tecum subpoena.  That same day Ronnie responded with a Motion to Quash "subpoena duces tecum and/or Motion for Protective Order" to be heard on April 25, 2025.

On March 27, 2025, as transcripts and exhibits were filed, Ronnie filed his Response in opposition to Brenda's Motion to approve the sale of her real property.

An April 1, 2025 the Court agreed to hear Ronnie's Motion to Quash  on April 25,  2025 as Ronnie submitted his Response in the form of an objection to Brenda's 
subpoena duces tecum.

On April 7, 2025 Judge Williams apparently issued an Order indicating she would soon rule on the Motion to approve the sale of real property.

On April 16, 2025 Brenda filed a Motion to "allow testimony by contemporaneous audio-visual transmission" to be heard on
May 2, 2025.

On April 22, 2025 Ronnie filed his Response to Brenda's "Motion to Quash and/or Motion for Protective Order."

On April 24, 2025 An Agreed Order in the form of a Protective Order was submitted.   Brenda also submitted an Agreed Order re: her "objections and Motions to Quash.''

On April 25, 2025 Judge Williams signed the Agreed Protective Order and an Agreed Order was submitted 
re: Ascension St. Thomas and NHC producing medical records.

On April 29, 2025 Ronnie submitted a Motion in opposition to Brenda's Motion to allow testimony by contemporaneous A/V transmission.

On May 1, 2025 an Agreed Order was submitted to continue Ronnie's Motion of two days earlier until May 30, 2025.

On May 2, 2025 Judge Williams signed the Agreed Order submitted for her approval the day before and a Notice of Hearing was set.

On May 7, 2025 an Agreed Order was submitted to continue the hearing set for May 15, 2025 and Judge Williams agreed to a continuance setting the hearing for August 7, 2025 at 9 a.m. at which time Ronnie's "emergency" TRO Motion will also be heard.

On May 30, 2025 Ronnie submitted a Notice of filing St.Thomas West medical records.

On June 10, 2025 An Order was issued granting Brenda's Motion to testify via Zoom.

On June 20, 2025 Ronnie's attorneys issued a subpoena for TOD(D) MOORE.

Not only has the divorce that will end what was portrayed as the most idyllic of marriages yet to be finalized, the next court date, as mentioned, is set for August 7, 2025.

****

HANK WILLIAMS, JR. and MARTY STUART and his FABULOUS SUPERLATIVES headline the Minnesota State Fair August 27, 2025  Grandstand show.
****


LORI ACKEN is waxing nostalgic about the very first episode of Hee-Haw.  Details here.

****

Want to attend a free TRISHA YEARWOOD New York City performance July 18, 2025?  Details here.

****

AARON DAVID MILLER is a big VINCE GILL fan.  Cohen tells CHRIS CUOMO that one of his favorite songs is "One More Last Chance."

Who knew?

****


In case you missed it: Country music fans and those who enjoy C-SPAN's Lectures in History series will be interested in the network's summer, 2025 reprising of a 2022 episode titled "Christian Nightlife in California," from an American Studies course called American Night Life.  The course is taught by California State University, Fullerton Professor ERIC GONZABA.

The lecture features THE OAK RIDGE BOYS in performance at Right On, an apparently erstwhile 1970s' Christian performance venue.  You can catch it on the tube or, if you'd prefer to view it online, you may do so here.

****

Do you remember TAMMY WYNETTE's 1991 foray onto the pop charts with her sleeper "duet"(with The KLF) "Justified &  Ancient (All Bound for Mu Mu Land)"?

Who better (?) to bring it back than Wynette and GEORGE JONES' only daughter, (TAMALA) GEORGETTE JONES who indicates she wouldn't be adverse to a remake.


****

Thanks to MARTIE LANE for informing me that "Taste of Iceland is heading to Nashville (for the first time)" from June 26- June 28, 2025 and extending an invitation "to celebrate the best of Icelandic culture, including food, music, nature, comedy and more.

For more information, to make a reservation and/or to purchase tickets, click here.


... to CLARK SONDEMAN for extending an invitation to attend the performance of my choice of Mr. Romantic. First opportunity will be at the Franklin Theatre May 18, 2025. The show moves to C
afé Carlyle (June 11-13, 2025) before moving on to The Palace (June 20, 2025).



... and to ASHLEY NATARENO for the invite to JAKE & SHELBY's June 4, 2025 performance at the Basement East.

****

JOHNNY RODRIGUEZ' death ought to be a cautionary tale.  Johnny had plans, perhaps not all that firm let alone prioritized, to write a book and it would have been interesting to know if the singer/songwriter clearly understood how dearly and unnecessarily he paid for an extended pattern of excesses and poor choices.

Rodriguez' Nashville career began with a lie.  While Johnny had to take responsibility for the stealing and barbecuing a goat story- because he authorized it in one of his earliest press releases as an explanation for his having been jailed in Texas- there was never any truth to the tale.

The mythology was the product of Rodriguez' publicist BONNIE BUCY's imagination at TOM T. HALL's suggestion. That justification for Johnny's time behind bars seemed more compelling than the truthful account of an unpaid fine.

During the last several years there has been an ongoing effort to induct Johnny Rodriguez into the Country Music Hall of Fame.  It will likely happen posthumously, sooner rather than later, but, as with many Hall inductions, the timing will not reflect the right reason.


****


Have you read DAVID LIVINGSTONE's Breaking Blackface: African Americans, Stereotypes and Country Music?

Had Livingstone interviewed me for his 2023 essay, I would have given him additional supporting material and names he did not mention, most notably a group that has been all but forgotten by those chronicling this issue: THE BONNER FAMILY.

****

Want to see BLAKE SHELTON in performance on May 13, 2025 at no charge to you and your three guests?  Details here.

****

DOUG STONE fans interested in investing in the singer (and themselves, thanks to a steady stream of income courtesy of sound recording royalties from Doug's From the Heart ) will find out how to do so here.

More of a JIMMY BUFFETT or GLENN FREY fan?   Check out this opportunity.  (The Buffett listings from multiple albums including Jimmy's platinum certified Barometer Soup.  "This 30+ year-old catalog demonstrates both stability and diversity.  There is a mere 2% difference between the three-year average an the last 12 months' earnings, and 60% of the earnings from the past 12 months are generated by tracks outside the top five

"Beat the other Parrot Heads and make your offer now!" 

****

KIRT WEBSTER has resurfaced as the president of Music Row's Spinning Plates, Inc. (not to be confused with another company of the same name located nearly 900 miles away).

Home | Music Row Report | Music Reviews | Book Reviews | Paid Content | Contact