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A resolution honoring the life of Peter Cooper.
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WHEREAS, Peter Cooper was an outstanding musician, singer, songwriter, producer, educator, and country music journalist; who had the skill and passion for all things musical; and
WHEREAS, he was once described as a “modern day renaissance man” by Bob Edwards; and
WHEREAS, Peter Cooper was born in Spartanburg, South Carolina and attended high school in the Washington D.C. area; and
WHEREAS, his music journalism career kicked off during his senior year at Wofford College when asked to write a review of Guy Clark as his first assignment for a newspaper; and
WHEREAS, after graduating from college, he continued writing about music for small weekly papers while teaching middle school in Spartanburg, South Carolina and wrote a book, “Hub City Music Makers: One Southern Town’s Popular Music History,” about music from upstate South Carolina; and
WHEREAS, in 2000, he moved to Nashville and worked as a writer focusing on country music for The Tennessean and quickly became one of the most respected country music journalists in the nation. He wrote about music and musicians, profiled individuals such as Johnny Cash and Taylor Swift, and won countless awards throughout his career; and
WHEREAS, he became a senior lecturer at Vanderbilt University’s Blair School of Music, where he taught a course on the History of Country Music; and
WHEREAS, he used his talents and unparalleled knowledge of music to pursue a music career of his own; and
WHEREAS, he played acoustic guitar, sang, and self-produced and recorded albums of his own like Opening Day, The Comeback Album, The Lloyd Green Album, and Master Sessions, and even ran an indie label called Red Beet Records; and
WHEREAS, he was a Grammy-nominated producer and a singer-songwriter, with accolades in the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, National Public Radio, the Washington Post, Rolling Stone, and many other outlets; and
WHEREAS, as a musician, he appeared on the Grand Ole Opry, A Prairie Home Companion, The Tonight Show and The Late Show with David Letterman; and
WHEREAS, in 2014 he joined the Country Music Hall of Fame as an editor and grew to assume the role of senior director, producer and writer; and
WHEREAS, he worked both on stage or in the studio with Country Music Hall of Famers such as Bobby Bare, Vince Gill, Tom T. Hall, Emmylou Harris, Mac Wiseman, and Thomm Jutz; and
WHEREAS, much of his work appeared in Esquire, Oxford American, Mix, and American Songwriter magazines, and in liner notes for albums from Country Music Hall of Fame members Emmylou Harris, Kris Kristofferson, Cowboy Jack Clement, Ronnie Milsap and Mac Wiseman; and
WHEREAS, Peter Cooper led a remarkable life and though his accomplishments were many, his heart was even greater, and he will be greatly missed; and
WHEREAS, it is fitting and proper that the Metropolitan Council honor the life of Peter Cooper and recognize his contributions to the Nashville and Davidson County music community.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE METROPOLITAN GOVERNMENT OF NASHVILLE AND DAVIDSON COUNTY:
Section 1. The Metropolitan County Council hereby goes on record as honoring the life of Peter Cooper.
Section 2. This Resolution shall take effect from and after its adoption, the welfare of The Metropolitan Government of Nashville and Davidson County requiring it.