Chuck Glaser, the middle sibling in influential trio Tompall and the Glaser Brothers, died on Monday (June 10). He was 83 years old.
Glaser was born Feb. 27, 1936 in Spalding, Nebraska. By his teenage years, he began singing with brothers Tompall (Sept. 3, 1933- Aug. 13, 2013) and Jim (Dec. 16, 1937- April 6, 2019). In the coming decades, the brothers worked sessions in Nashville for Marty Robbins and Johnny Cash before becoming a hit-making act in their own right. Standout singles by the trio include a version of Bob Wills' "Faded Love" featuring western swing legend Leon McAuliffe and the Cimarron Boys (1971) and a cover of Kris Kristofferson's "Lovin' You Was Easier (Than Anything I'll Ever Do Again)" (1981). The latter reached number two on the Billboard country chart.
In addition to his recordings with his brothers, Glaser excelled as a songwriter, with his compositions including Hank Snow's "That's You and Me," Cash's "You Won't Have Far to Go" and Anita Carter's "Fly, Pretty Swallow."
Glaser also co-owned Glaser Sound Studios — also known as outlaw country hot spot "Hillbilly Central"— with his brothers and ran the family's publishing companies.
As a booking agent, Glaser helped launch the careers of John Hartford, Kinky Friedman and others before founding Nova Agency and building a talent roster that included George Jones, Jerry Lee Lewis, Waylon Jennings and Jessi Colter.
There's no word yet on funeral arrangements or the cause of death.
