Chances are, you've never heard of Harold Bradley. But his resume as a rhythm guitarist includes literally thousands of recordings from Alan Jackson to Tammy Wynette.
And that's just the beginning.
Bradley, who died yesterday at the age of 93, was Owen Bradley's little brother. The two Bradley Brothers, along with Chet Atkins (seen at far left in the top photo) and Don Law, created the thread of Country Music we know today as Pop Country, all the way back in 1956, as a response to the cultural tidal wave of Rhythm & Blues-based Rock 'n' Roll.
Owen Bradley was one of the first to create a Pop Country superstar.
Your parents or grandparents may have also called this music "Modern Country," "The Nashville Sound," or "Countrypolitan." But its defining characteristic is in mixing elements of Pop, Rhythm & Blues and more recently, Rock elements into a Country framework. By its very definition, it evolves and changes with the times.
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And artists as diverse as Alabama, Ronnie Milsap and Johnny Cash have made their contributions.
That's Jimmy Dean to the left of Johnny. Dean has a few Pop Country hits of his own, most notably "Big Bad John," before becoming the King of Breakfast Sausage.
This is the foundation upon which many of today's stars have built their careers. Harold Bradley helped make Country Music a more diverse and interesting place. And for that, I extend my gratitude.