By Deborah Turner

Slaughter's publicity photo for Desiree Records

The price musicians pay for success is paid many times over by those who skirt along the edge of fame, able to see it beckoning just around the next corner - tasting it, feeling it - until, finally, it's seductive charms give way to reality like an elusive dream.

"I toured with a lot of big stars, but I wasn't no big star myself. My big accomplishment is my kids and grandkids," says Chuck Slaughter, local musician and songwriter from McKenzie. "You're away from home when you're a musician. We tried hard, but we didn't make number one - all of us don't, you know - some of us fall by the wayside."

Looking back, he says he isn't sure if he would make the same choices again, regretting the time the music business took from his family. But with an entire room in his circular, wooden-log home devoted to a music studio, it is clear than his love of music flows through his blood as strong as it did in his younger years. He still has a small stack of photos left among those he signed for fans in his glory days, their edges curled and stuck together by moisture while in storage. And he still sings, his strong voice reminiscent of Johnny Cash in the style of old time country music.

"I still do a little writing - I'm a frustrated song writer," he confesses, lamenting the fact that his words never made it to the top. Still, he had a hand in the recording of George Jones' 1969 release, "She's Mine" along with writer, Jack Ripley, as well as other hits of yesteryear. He wrote Edd Cisco's, "Don't Bring Me No Flowers", and recorded some of his own lyrics, such as "Windy" and "Fool Away from Home".

Today, he cherishes his relationship with his wife of nearly 50 years, the former Barbara Reynolds of McKenzie. Says Slaughter, "Barbara has survived the ups and downs of the music business and has been my wife and best friend for forty-nine years. She has been and still is my anchor of stability and common sense." The couple enjoys flea markets and yard sales, for years setting up booths in flea markets all over West Tennessee and Southwestern Kentucky before settling down to shows in Huntingdon and Trenton. Spending time with their sons, Kenneth and George Michael (who lives in Palm Beach, Florida) and their seven grandchildren is their greatest pleasure. They lost their beloved daughter, Desiree, many years ago.

But while Slaughter today views life through the lenses of reality - focusing on shared times with family members and grateful for the woman who stood by his side even when at her side was not where he chose to be - for many years music held him captive and he lived in the roller coaster world of the music industry.

It all started when the Latham, Tennessee native moved to Flint, Michigan in 1959 following four years of service with the U.S. Air Force, during which time he was assigned to the Eastern Air Defense Command during the Korean War. His mother and father had moved north for the jobs that were offered there, and young Chuck followed suit, working at General Motors during the day while playing music at night.

He joined a group of musicians that included his cousin, Buddy Ray, on lead guitar; Paul and Larry (the Cash River Boys) on guitar; Big Joe Hammock on the fiddle, and himself on guitar, bass and vocals. The group played country and gospel music every Saturday morning on an hour-long show for WMRP radio in Flint.

In addition to the radio show, the group played at every open-air concert, grand opening, car lot and political rally where they could get a booking.

A two-week stint at the Lucky Eleven nightclub stretched into four and one half years for Slaughter. He and owner, Otis Ellis, formed Lucky Eleven Records in 1959 and Slaughter recorded eight songs for the label, including "Here Comes the Rain" and "In From Lonelyville", written by Jack Ripley; "Cryin'", "A Pretty Woman", and "Tight Rope" by Jerry Tuttle; "Get the Best of Living" by Wayne Moss, and "Lucky Eleven Rock", written by Slaughter.

His years at Lucky Eleven were abbreviated when he returned to Tennessee where he stayed for about five years, working during the day and playing music when he could. When he returned to Lucky Eleven in 1966, it was as General Manager. He obtained his booking license in 1967 and booked all of Lucky Eleven's talents as well as that for other companies.

Slaughter's efforts for Lucky Eleven provided the beginning for many successful rock and roll artists, including Terry Night and The Pack, Dick Wagner and the Bossmen, the Jayhawkers, Question Mark and the Mysterians and The Fabulous Pack (who later became known as Grand Funk Railroad).

Lucky Eleven was also prominent in the careers of many country music artists, such as Kay Tollivar, Roxy Williams, Sylvia Jo, Edd Cisco and Slaughter, himself.

Moving back to Tennessee in 1969, Slaughter formed Desiree Records in Nashville, a company that was named after his daughter. On the Desiree label he recorded "Fool Away from Home" by writer Jack Ripley; "Burning In My Soul" by Jerry Tuttle; "Wild as the Wind" by Bobby Bear; "Shacknasty Jim" by Ed Huddleson and Chuck Slaughter and "Fool Not a Man" and "Tanberry Place" that he wrote himself.

He was involved in making music videos before they became popular, and starred in the videos for "Windy" and "Fool Away from Home" opposite a leading lady who was the former Miss Arkansas. "She was married and wouldn't take her ring off; we had to cover it with a band aid," Slaughter laughed.

He hit the top 20 in Billboard and Cashbox with "Fool Away from Home" and was a member of the Ozark Jamboree, a show that aired on CBS every Saturday evening. During one segment of his membership with the Jamboree, the crew filmed 65 shows over a period of three months - usually in two-week intervals - all filmed on location in the Ozarks in Horseshoe Bend, Arkansas. The show featured the music of yesterday, today and tomorrow, with Slaughter's music demonstrating the present while music of old stars like Hank Williams, Sr. represented the past and new artists displayed the talent of the future.

He also performed on the Bill Anderson Show and the Wheeling West Virginia Jamboree.

In 1971, he sold Desiree Records and got out of the music business for a while, returning in 1976 as booking agent for Buddy Lee Attractions in Nashville.

"I have performed with some of the greatest artists and musicians in the world," says Slaughter. He was also happy to lend a hand to help other aspiring artists along the way, the most successful of whom is Billy Joe Shaver, whose "songs have been recorded by artists ranging from Elvis Presley to Stonewall Jackson to Dallas Moore to Waylon Jennings."

"I gave him a place to live and paid him a salary to write songs for our publishing company," says Slaughter, "I later hooked him up with country music artist Bobby Bare and Billy Joe wrote many hits for his company."

Barbara Nell and Chuck Slaughter relax
outside their rural Tennessee home

Slaughter remains involved in the music business as a consultant and a B.M.I. songwriter. He recorded his most recent album, "Gospel Memories", in 1996, two years after half of his left lung was removed due to lung cancer. Available in CD, the album contains songwriter, Jerry Tuttle's, "Burning In My Soul" plus gospel favorites including: God Put a Rainbow in the Clouds, Amazing Grace, Leaning on the Everlasting Arm, Old Time Religion, I'll Fly Away, Peace in the Valley, Wings of a Dove, and Rock of Ages.

Songs included in his country music CD are Burning In My Soul, Wild as the Wind, Tight Rope, A Pretty Woman, Get the Best of Living, Fool Away from Home, Shacknasty Jim, A Fool- Not a Man, and Windy.

Slaughter was nominated to the Michigan Country Music Hall of Fame in 1996 and his name remains in the nominations for the current year. Though he has not been selected, he appreciates the nomination, which is a reflection of his talent, skills and hard work in the industry.

Slaughter is a member of the Moose Club, Song Writer's Association and the Loyal Order of Kentucky Colonels. He has been a member of the American Federation of Musicians since 1959.

Interested persons may contact Chuck Slaughter at 731-352-2930.

Listen to Slaughter's Music, click a title:
Wild as the Wind (written by Bobby Bare)
Burning In My Soul (written by Jerry Tuttle)