CALUMET – Recently the Fine Arts world mourned the death of Bill Ivey, an influential folklorist, cultural policy leader, and advocate for the arts who served as chairman of the National Endowment for the Arts. Ivey passed away on Nov. 7, he was 81.

According to his obituary, Ivey was Director of the Country Music Foundation (CMF), 1971-1998. As CMF director, Ivey was responsible for the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum and its related library, publications, and educational programs. He served as Chairman for the National Endowment for the Arts from 1997-2001 and later served as director of the Curb Center for Arts and Public Policy at Vanderbilt University.

Several obituaries were written for Bill Ivey, including one that appeared in the New York Times. All of them mention, almost

See Full Page