George Richey was a country music legend who wrote, produced, and managed some of the biggest stars in the genre. He was also the fifth and final husband of Tammy Wynette, one of the most influential female singers in country music history. Richey died on July 31, 2010, at the age of 74, after a long battle with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Here is a brief overview of his life and career, as well as the details of his death and legacy.
Early Life and Career
George Richey was born George Baker Richardson on November 30, 1935, in Promise Land, Arkansas. He grew up in Malden, Missouri, where he learned to play piano and guitar. He moved to Nashville in the late 1950s to pursue a career in music. He worked as a session musician for artists like Marty Robbins, Ringo Starr, and Lefty Frizzell. He also started writing songs for other singers, such as Johnny Horton and Wanda Jackson.
In the 1970s, Richey became a successful songwriter and producer in the country music scene. He co-wrote several hits for Lynn Anderson, including “Keep Me in Mind”, which reached number one on the country charts in 1973. He also wrote songs for George Jones and Tammy Wynette, who were married at the time. Some of his notable compositions for them include “A Picture of Me (Without You)”, “The Grand Tour”, “’Til I Can Make It On My Own”, and “You and Me”. According to Wikipedia, he also served as the musical director for the television show Hee Haw from 1970 to 1977.
Marriage to Tammy Wynette
Richey met Tammy Wynette in 1974, when he was married to his second wife, Sheila Hall. They began an affair that led to Richey’s divorce from Hall in 1977. Richey and Wynette married on July 6, 1978, becoming her fifth husband. Richey then became Wynette’s full-time manager and producer, as well as taking control of her finances.
Their marriage was not without controversy and turmoil. Wynette’s daughter by George Jones, Georgette Jones, claimed that Richey tried to isolate Wynette from her children and friends. She also accused him of being abusive to Wynette throughout their marriage. Georgette Jones and another daughter of Wynette, Jackie Daly, alleged that Wynette’s infamous kidnapping incident in 1978 was staged to cover up bruises from Richey’s beating .
On April 5, 1998, Wynette felt a burning sensation in her leg. Richey called her doctor, Wallis Marsh, who was 500 miles away in Pittsburgh. Marsh advised Richey to take her to the emergency room, but Richey did not. Wynette died in her sleep the next afternoon. Richey claimed that Wynette did not want to go to the hospital, as she had started feeling better .
After Wynette’s Death
In April 1999, Wynette’s daughters filed a $50 million wrongful death lawsuit against Richey and Marsh. They accused them of negligence and malpractice in treating Wynette’s health problems. They also claimed that Richey had tampered with Wynette’s will and estate. Richey requested that Wynette’s body be exhumed and an autopsy performed. The results of the autopsy were released in September 2001, stating that Wynette died of natural causes.
In January 2001, Richey married Sheila Slaughter, a former Dallas Cowboys cheerleader who was 34 years old at the time. They had a daughter named Tatum in September of that year. Richey largely retreated from public life after Wynette’s death. He did not hold any public memorial for himself after his death.
Legacy
George Richey was a prolific and influential figure in country music. He wrote and produced some of the most memorable songs in the genre. He also helped shape the careers of Tammy Wynette and other artists he worked with. He was inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2010.
Richey was also a controversial and divisive person. He was accused of mistreating Tammy Wynette and her children. He was involved in legal battles with Wynette’s daughters over her death and estate. He was buried at Woodlawn Memorial Park Cemetery, near the burial site of Tammy Wynette.
