Knowles Fred Rose (August 24, 1898[1][2] – December 1, 1954)[3] was an American musician, Hall of Fame songwriter, and music publishing executive.
Biography
Born in
Evansville, Indiana, United States,[3] Rose started playing piano and singing as a small boy. In his teens, he moved to
Chicago,
Illinois where he worked in bars
busking for tips, and finally
vaudeville. Eventually, he became successful as a songwriter, penning his first hit for entertainer
Sophie Tucker.
For a short time Rose lived in
Nashville, Tennessee, but his radio show there did not last long and he headed to
New York City'sTin Pan Alley in hopes of making a living as a songwriter. It was there that he began writing songs with
Ray Whitley, an RKO B-Western film star and author of "
Back in the Saddle Again", and this collaboration introduced Rose to the possibilities of
country music. He lived for a time with Ray and Kay Whitley in an apartment in Hollywood, co-writing many tunes for Ray's movies.
In 1942, he returned to Nashville, teaming up with
Grand Ole Opry star
Roy Acuff, to create the first Nashville-based music publishing company.[3] Their
Acuff-Rose Music was almost immediately successful, particularly with the enormous hits of client
Hank Williams.[3] Acuff-Rose Music remained a foundation of the country music business even after Rose's death; his son,
Wesley Rose, took over the presidency and continued with Roy Acuff until 1985, when the company's catalog was sold to
Gaylord Entertainment Company, parent company of the Grand Ole Opry.
Rose served as Hank Williams' record producer throughout his career, 1947-1953.[3]
While running the business, Rose continued to write numerous country songs and eventually became one of the industry's most important personalities. He also wrote songs under the name Floyd Jenkins.[4]
Rose died in Nashville from a heart attack in 1954 and was interred there in the
Mount Olivet Cemetery.[5]