On December 1, 1954, Nashville lost Fred Rose to a heart attack at the age of 56. A pioneering figure in country music, Rose was one of the first inductees into the Country Music Hall of Fame—and for good reason. He played a pivotal role in Hank Williams’ rise to fame, helping him secure a major-label record deal, and penned timeless songs including the Willie Nelson classic “Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain.”
Rose’s musical journey began early. As a child, he earned extra money playing piano in local clubs, and by his late teens, he had moved to Chicago, performing in bars across the city’s south side. Though he would later become a towering figure in country, his early career was rooted in jazz and pop, writing several hits in the 1920s. By the 1930s, he had relocated to Nashville and started working at WSM, home of the Grand Ole Opry.
In the early 1940s, Roy Acuff was one of country music’s biggest stars. Rose partnered with him to form Acuff-Rose Music, the first major country music publishing house in Nashville. Together, they wrote, promoted, and published countless hits, while also nurturing young, up-and-coming songwriters. Among their clients, Hank Williams would become the most successful. Rose not only produced many of Williams’ recordings but also secured his recording contract with MGM, helping him achieve lasting fame.
Beyond his work behind the scenes, Fred Rose was a gifted songwriter. He co-wrote numerous classics that became staples of the genre. Among his most famous works are “Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain,” a major hit for Willie Nelson in 1975, and collaborations with Hank Williams such as “I’ll Never Get Out of This World Alive” (No. 1 in 1952) and “Kaw-Liga” (No. 1 in 1953). He also co-wrote “Settin’ the Wood on Fire” with Ed G. Nelson, recorded by Williams and later covered by Porter Wagoner, George Jones, and Little Richard.
Rose’s songs were performed by a wide range of country legends, including Asleep at the Wheel, Bob Wills & His Texas Playboys, Marty Robbins, Dottie West, and Hank Locklin, cementing his enduring influence on Nashville and country music at large.
Fred Rose’s legacy isn’t just in the hits he wrote, but in the careers he helped launch, the artists he nurtured, and the songs that continue to resonate decades later.