Chris Willman Senior Music Writer and Chief Music Critic Erv Woolsey, the manager who discovered George Strait and took him to the heights of country superstardom, died Wednesday at age 80.
He died in Clearwater, Florida while under doctors’ care following complications from surgery, a representative said. One of the most famous managerial names in Nashville, Woolsey was also known for his role in the careers of Lee Ann Womack, Dierks Bentley, Ronnie Milsap and Clay Walker.
Strait mourned his partner in a statement: “My manager for around 45 years and most importantly my friend for even longer, Erv Woolsey, passed away this morning.
He had complications from a surgery and just couldn’t overcome it. He was a very tough man, and fought hard, but sadly it was just too much.
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