One famous public drunken incident was at a televised annual event.

Source: http://www.crazydaysandnights.net

Reader Blind

There is a biopic about to start shooting.

The subject is a deceased singer who recorded in more than one genre whose peak was a number of decades ago wherein he had a couple big crossover hits.

His biggest hit was a song of regret that referenced a woman’s attractiveness.

He had hits throughout his career in the main genre he was associated with. The singer was a naturally talented musician with a powerful voice and was tall and handsome to boot.

Unfortunately, he was plagued by alcoholism his whole life.

One famous public drunken incident was at a televised annual event.

It was always assumed that this was why at one point he just stopped recording and touring and in the following decade and a half until his death only recorded one more record.

But the real reason he stopped recording and touring was he didn’t need to.

An old friend had started a company that everyone knows and patronizes.

The singer helped his friend out financially at the beginning and was a big shareholder in the company which made him extremely wealthy despite his dissolute lifestyle.

Charlie Rich

Rich Gets Cash for Restaurants – 1978

Charlie Rich, the country-and-western singer, is living up to his name. The American Equity Corporation reported it would pay $6.5 million to three men, including Mr. Rich, for Wendy’s of Nashville Inc., a chain of hamburger restaurants in the Nashville area.

Mr. Rich is to receive cash installments totaling $4 million, while two businessmen, Wayne Olham and Seymour Rosenberg, are to receive $2.5 million and 500,000 shares of American Equity. Wendy’s of Nashville, a franchise of Wendy’s International Inc., op- erates 11 Wendy’s hamburger restaurants in Nashville, Springfield and Gallatin, Tenn., and plans to open six more by early 1969.

R.W. Landstreet, president of American Equity, said the qcquisition must be approved by Wendy’s International and 3,500 of American Equity’s shareholders. Mr. Oldham, president of Wendy’s of Nashville since the franchise was formed in 1975, will succeed Mr. Landstreet as president of Ameri- can Equity.- Source

When Charlie Rich Set the Country Music Awards on Fire 40 Years Ago

When Charlie Rich walked on stage during the final minutes of the 1975 Country Music Awards, he was clearly drunk.

The legendary crooner, who had won Best Entertainer in 1974, was up there to announce the winner of that year’s big prize. But when he arrived at the podium, he took a pause, muttered to himself, and looked lovingly at the trophy in his hand.

“This is the most beautiful thing in the world right here,” he slurred. “Most beautiful thing. Thank you very much.” The audience was silent.

“I know the people who are up for [this award] are suffering right now, the way I did last year,” he empathized, with some nervous chuckles from the crowd. “I mean, suffering, you know, like… gut.”

“The nominees for the country music Entertainer of the Year are John Denver, Waylon Jennings,” he cut himself off and went on a tangent: “The reason I’m talking so correct is ’cause I just got back from London. I’d rather be in Nashville.”

Continuing: “Loretta Lynn. Loretta, would you like to go out tonight?” Nervous laughter. “Ronnie Milsap. First time I saw Ronnie, our bandstand broke. 18-foot bandstand. Bam.” The camera cut to the final nominee and his wife, who shook her head in embarrassment. “And my friend from Arkansas, Mississippi, wherever he wanna be: Mr. Conway Twitty.”

And then after ripping the winner’s slip from its envelope and fumbling with the paper, Rich slowly pulled out a lighter. “The winner is,” he said, lighting the corner of the page, briefly admiring the flame, “my friend, Mr. John Denver.”

Rich was banned from future CMA events. And his career was never the same.- Source