Raymond Earl Hart

Raymond Earl Hart age 95 passed away January 6, 2025 in Brownwood, TX. He was born in Ranger, Texas September 22, 1929 to John Lindsey Hart and Linda Jewell Pilgrim Hart. He lived in the Alameda Community and attended the Alameda School and graduated from Ranger High School in 1951. He married in Eastland County January 26, 1950 to Vivian Beatrice Glenn. He had been a resident of Ranger since 1960.

In his teens he was influenced by the music of Roy Acuff and Tex Ritter. He liked their music so much he decided he needed a guitar of his own so he could play along with their records. Wanting a guitar, he got a job at a rock crusher, when he had saved enough money, he bought himself a new Harmony guitar. A thumb pick came with the guitar so he learned to use it also.

 He grew up on a farm and would attend house dances with his family where the music was provided by friends and family and he developed an interest in music. He was later influenced by the music of his Uncle Olive Pilgrim who insisted that Raymond learn to play behind a fiddle and spent a lot of time getting him started playing accompaniment to breakdown style fiddling. Then Bryant Houston got Raymond really interested in learning it. Since then, he met a great many fiddlers and accompanists who have helped him and he appreciated each of them. After learning about music, he willingly passed it on to others. He competed in fiddling contests from Nashville TN to Weiser ID.

 Like most musicians he has had several high points during his musical career. He was playing guitar for Herman Johnson when he won the Grand Masters Fiddling Contest in Nashville in 1974, playing guitar on records for Bill Gilbert, Junior Daugherty, and Roy Thackerson; and being filmed playing guitar at Sun Valley ID for the movie "Reel West" are some of the high points. He also won several trophies playing the fiddle at contests. He said the "low point" of his music career was when after a hard day of competing and being tired and hungry he went to a restaurant and ordered a large chicken fried steak and was served liver and onions instead. He played alongside Roy Acuff and Bill Monroe and on stage at the Grand Ole Opry. In later years he served as a judge at many fiddling contests.

 Raymond also became interested in "hot rods" while working in the oil fields of west Texas in the 1950's and carried that interest into the 1960's competing on both National and American Hot Rod Association tracks and winning many trophies. He won two A.H.R.A. World Championships in the class he participated in. 

 In the 1950's Raymond worked as Warehouse Supervisor and Transportation Manager for the Mississippi River Fuel Corporation in the drilling mud business. While with them he and Vivian lived in Big Lake, Midland, Andrews, Hobbs, New Mexico and Wyoming. They returned to Ranger in 1960 where he worked for Anderson Chevrolet until it closed and then opened Hart Paint and Body Shop for approximately thirty years. Active in civic and community affairs, Raymond and Vivian served as licensed foster parents for the Texas Department of Human Resources for several years. He served the City of Ranger as Police and Fire Commissioner in 1979 and 2001-03; Street Commissioner 2007-09; as Mayor four terms, 1983-85, 1985-87, 2003-05, and 2011-13. In addition, he was active in providing musical entertainment for Senior citizens, nursing homes, benefit programs, banquets, and musicals in Ranger and the surrounding area. To Raymond the most enjoyable things about music were "participating in making it and the fellowship with others who like it". 

Service for Raymond Earl Hart is under the direction of Edwards Funeral Home. Visitation is at Edwards Funeral Home Chapel Ranger Wednesday, January 8, 2025 from 9:00 AM till 10:00 AM and the service will follow at 10:00 AM with Brother Bob Farrell officiating.