- Chet Atkins - Chet Atkins
Losing any loved one is difficult. However, the right music and a gathering of friends and family can make the funeral or memorial of an older man a bit easier. Following are ideas for uplifting country songs just right for the service of a gentleman who enjoyed a little twang in his music.
For an older person’s memorial, it is nice to include some of their favorite songs. These types of songs will be touching and remembered by many of the other senior citizens in attendance. If the gentleman being laid to rest enjoyed country music, his own CD or record collection may be a good place to begin looking for musical choices.
Country-Western Artists for an Adult or Senior Man’s Funeral
A few older country performers and groups popular with older men are Johnny Cash, Willie Nelson, Waylon Jennings, Tom T. Hall, Gene Autry, Charlie Pride, Clint Black, and The Statler Brothers.
Good Music Selections for the Prelude
As guests entered, one family played these songs, that were prerecorded onto a CD:
- Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain: as performed by Willie Nelson
- The Man in Black: as performed by Johnny Cash
- Always on My Mind: as performed by Willie Nelson
- Old Dogs, Children, and Watermelon Wine: as performed by Tom T. Hall
- I Love: as performed by Tom T. Hall
Chet Atkins guitar instrumentals also make very nice country-western background music.
Ideas for Songs to Play and/or Sing During the Service
It is nice to include a hymn if the service is being held in a church. A couple of well-known and appropriate suggestions are:
- Amazing Grace
- The Old Rugged Cross
- Abide with Me
- How Great Thou Art.
To give the service a country flavor, a few suggestions of songs to be played during the service are:
- Daddy Sang Bass (Johnny Cash recorded a good version)
- Sweet By and By (The Statler Brothers did a nice job with this one)
- I’ll Fly Away (sung by Mavis Staples or Alison Krauss)
Postlude Memorial Music
It is comforting to play some soft and lightly uplifting music as people exit the service, perhaps to go to a reception following. Again, Chet Atkins’ lovely guitar instrumentals may be a good choice here.
Where to Get Country-Western Music
If the deceased has a music collection, begin there. Most young people today will know how to “burn” music onto CDs from personal recordings or how to download purchased music from iTunes or Walmart. Most any song can be found online with a little searching. Asking friends and relatives may produce good ideas and sources as well.
Other Funeral Music Ideas
For more memorial song ideas, see the articles Funeral Hymns and Uplifting Christian Music, Country Songs for Funeral Service Music, and Sweet Funeral Songs for Babies and Children. Also find lots of ideas at the websites: Uplifting Sensitive Funeral Music and Songs and Funeral and Memorial Planning and Flowers.
Feel free to follow your heart when it comes to picking music for a loved-one's funeral or memorial. This is a special and very private time and the service or celebration of life should fit the family and those involved.
Janienne Jennrich - Janienne Jennrich, Topic Editor for Kids & Teen Parties and for Hair, is an award-winning freelance writer & webmaster.
