Elmer Alley, creator of Fan Fair, Opryland, dies at 87

Wednesday, June 11, 2008 – Elmer Alley, 87, a creator of Fan Fair and Opryland, died Monday. Alley also had a career in radio, television, the record industry and cable television. Accomplishments spanning over 40 years included recording audio engineer (Hank Williams, Beryl Ives and others), songwriter, comic on the Waking Crew on radio, program director for WSM TV, producer/director of syndicated country music shows, puppeteer, a voice on radio and television commercials, co-creator of Opryland, creator of Fan Fair, launched the Nashville Network and executive producer/writer for Hee Haw for two years. He served in the Army Air Corp during World War II as a communications specialist in India.