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St. Paul, Minn.

Remembering country music's international ambassador

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Today's Morning Edition music is "Abilene" performed live at the Grand Ole Opry by George Hamilton IV. Hamilton died this week at the age of 77.

He was a member of the Grand Ole Opry for 50 years and was known as the International Ambassador of Country Music. He toured the world extensively and was the first country artist to play in the Soviet Union.

Hamilton started out as a pop singer in the 1950s, but Chet Atkins convinced him to switch to country music. This was his biggest hit.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u1jVvqamubU