Mr. Clete Haegert, III

Clete Haegert, III, 68, of Tims Ford Lake, Winchester, TN, formerly of Davidson County, died December 16, 2009. Visitation will be between 4 and 8PM Tuesday, December 22, 2009 at Williamson Memorial Funeral Home & Gardens in Franklin, TN. Funeral service will be at 2PM Wednesday, December 23, 2009 at same location. Burial will be in the Gardens. Family & friends will serve as pallbearers. Born to the late Pauline Reid & Cletus Haegert, Jr., Clete was reared on a farm north of Nash, OK. In 1967 he graduated from Phillips University in Enid, OK. After college he moved to Nashville, TN to pursue a career in the music industry. He married Suzanne Wilkes, and to this union his daughter Stacy was born. In 1968 Clete was signed by country music's famed Tree Publishing Company which later published his song "Children," recorded by Diana Trask. The song hit No. 54 on the Billboard charts and remained for weeks. He is best known for spearheading the launch of folk musician Bob Frank and was instrumental in orchestrating Frank's deal with Vanguard Records in 1972. Frank's album today is regarded as a collector's classic. He is also the publisher of songs recorded by late country music artist Chris LeDoux. In 1985, Clete formed the group White Crow, with whom he recorded and performed for many years. A renowned Nashville club fixture with his various songwriter configurations, including Old Rogues, Clete was in demand every St. Patrick's Day, rolling out his magnificent tenor voice as Clete O'Hagerty and his Irish Derry Aires. Legendary songwriter Mae Axton, writer of the Elvis Presley hit "Heartbreak Hotel," referred to Clete as the "Dean of Irish Honky Tonk," a phrase he liked. Clete was a member of Johnson Chapel Methodist Church in Brentwood. He was also a Mason. In 1995, Clete married Marjorie Harris Wingo of Nashville and they later moved to their home on Tims Ford Lake. Clete is survived by daughter, Stacy (Harrison) Rogers; sister, Dee Richards & grandson, Brayden Rogers all of Nashville, and nephew, Jeff Richards. Clete was preceded in death by his wife, Marjorie; his parents & twin brothers who died soon after birth. WILLIAMSON MEMORIAL FUNERAL HOME, 615-794-2289. www.williamsonmemorial.com

Service Information

Wednesday, December 23rd, 2009 2:00pm, Williamson Memorial Funeral Home

Interment Details

Williamson Memorial Gardens