Chuck Glaser Dead at 83

Chuck Glaser, the last living Glaser Brothers member, died on Monday (June 10), MusicRow reports. He was 83 years old, and his cause of death was not immediately available.

The middle Glaser brother, Charles Vernon Glaser was born in Spalding, Neb., in 1936. He and brothers Tompall and Jim Glaser, began performing together as teenagers, with Chuck Glaser first serving as the group's MC. In 1957, after winning Arthur Godfrey's Talent Show, the trio was signed by Marty Robbins to his record label, and became part of his traveling act. Chuck wrote their first single, "Five Penny Nickel," released the following year.

In 1959 -- the same year that the Glaser Brothers moved from Robbins' label to Decca Records -- Chuck Glaser was drafted into the Army. He served until 1961, while childhood friend Joe Babcock filled in for him in the trio. It was in the late 1960s that the Glasers began finding commercial success and critical recognition, including at the CMA Awards.

The Glaser brothers stopped performing together in 1973, though they did reunite in 1979 and stayed together into the early 1980s. However, Chuck, Jim and Tompall also owned and ran Nashville's Glaser Sound Studios together, and Chuck ran a talent and booking agency, Nova Agency.

As a songwriter, Chuck Glaser had songs cut by Hank Snow, Johnny Cash and more. He also helped launch the careers of tunesmiths including Kinky Friedman and others, and ran the Glasers' publishing companies. In 2016, Glaser released a solo album, That's When I Love You the Most.

Tompall Glaser died at the age of 79 in 2013. Jim Glaser was 81 when he died earlier this year, on April 6, of a heart attack. Chuck Glaser's funeral arrangements have not yet been announced.

Rest in Peace: These Country Stars Have Also Died in 2019