Obituary: Ron Baird
Ron Baird, former head of CAA’s
Nashville office and agent to many of country music’s leading
artists, died in Nashville on Feb. 3, 2011, of complications from
Parkinson’s disease. He had just celebrated his 60th birthday.
Ron is survived by his wife, Cheryl;
their sons, John (wife, Jenny) and Marc (wife, Kennon); and four
grandchildren, James, Kate, Finley and Cooper. He is also survived
by his brother, Rick (wife, Louann) and brother, George (wife,
Connie) and four nieces.
Ron formed his first band when he was
in the second grade, marking the beginning of his lifelong career
in music. Ron worked for the Jim Halsey Agency where he booked
artists including Roy Clark, Donna Fargo, Merle Haggard, George
Jones, The Judds, Brenda Lee, Ronnie Milsap, Rick Nelson, Oak Ridge
Boys, Mel Tillis, Conway Twitty, Don Williams, Tammy Wynette and
Dottie West, among others.
The Jim Halsey Agency was purchased by
The William Morris Agency where Ron worked until opening the
Nashville office for CAA in 1991. The one-man operation started in
Ron’s house and grew into the 55-person team it is today. In his 13
years as a CAA agent, Ron oversaw the careers of Clint Black, Billy
Dean, Jennifer Hanson, Alan Jackson, Toby Keith, Barbara Mandrell,
Martina McBride, Reba McEntire, Joe Nichols, Olivia Newton John,
Little Texas, Jamie O’Neal, Julie Roberts and Shania Twain, among
many others. Ron served as chairman of the board for the Country
Music Association in 2003 and was president of the Country Music
Association in 2002. He was also an associate board member of W.O.
Smith and an alumnus of Leadership Music. Voted Country Agent of
the Year for three years (1996-1998) by Performance Magazine, he
was named Third Coast Agent of the Year in 1999 by Pollstar. Ron
retired in 2004.
Ron was an extraordinary man whose
dedication to his family and passion for his clients and colleagues
alike have long inspired those who knew him. He had a great love
for his sons, Marc and John, his wife, Cheryl, his home state of
Montana, and his music. Ron had a heart of gold and a generous
spirit, and it is those qualities that will be the legacy of this
wonderful soul. It was an honor to know him and have him in our
lives.
Ron was born and raised in Bigfork and
maintained close ties to his home state throughout his life. In
college, he participated in the junior year abroad program in
Heidelberg, Germany, and was a graduate of the University of
Montana in Missoula. He was also an Eagle Scout, and an avid skier
and outdoorsman, often taking backpacking trips in Glacier National
Park.
Please join Ron’s family for a
celebration of his life on Wednesday, Feb. 9, 2011, from 5 p.m. to
7 p.m. at Hillwood Country Club (6201 Hickory Valley Road,
Nashville, Tenn).
Contributions may be made to Vanderbilt
Parkinson’s Research Fund (www.giving.vanderbilt.edu), the Lewy
Body Dementia Association (www.lbda.org), the Salvation Army
(www.salarmy-nashville.org) or the Glacier National Park Fund
(www.glaciernationalparkfund.org).