Kevin M. Anderson
June 24, 1959 - May 16, 2016

"I want to apologize in advance for the lateness of this tribute. My family and I have known Kevin since he started touring with Sonny. My brother Jason and I were just kids when we met him but loved him instantly. He always took time for us and made us feel special. Getting to spend time with Kevin was always one of the highlights of going to see Son & the guys. He always walked around with us at the fairs and made us laugh. After Sonny & the guys stopped touring we started going to Nashville to visit. Of course every visit included spending time with Kevin either sitting on his back porch or a night at the Opry. It's because of him that I got to be there when Garth Brooks performed for the very first time! Who can say they experienced that as a teenager? Not many people! Of course life took its course and we did fall out of touch for a while but reconnected a few years ago....it was like time never passed, everything was just like it was years ago, full of laughing and memories of our good times. I will NEVER forget Kevin's laugh or smile, they were both amazing, just like him. To his family- Kevin ALWAYS talked about the fun times he had and how much he missed home. I have no doubt that you know how much he loved each and every one of you. I'm extremely sorry for your loss. He was one in a million for sure. Thank you for sharing us with him! With much love, Karen (Hippensteel) Gramm , Harrisburg , Pa "

"You may be pleased to know that Bill Cody at WSM just did a very loving and fun set of memories of Kevin this morning on the radio. Like many I have heard Kevin on WSM often over the years since it has been online. (I listen in Richmond, VA). He answered for several request calls on Eddie Stubbs' Friday night request show. But I also got to meet him one time when I was in Nashville. He was taking over the board from Mike Terry, who had invited me in, as the Opry started on a Friday night. They happened to lose the signal from the Opry and Kevin freaked out a little bit (as anyone would), but handled it professionally on the air with a song until they could get it back, then an smooth transition back to the live show. Kevin loved his job, and it showed on air; but my experience also showed that he also treated regular people with dignity and respect. My prayers are with all of you in his family. I hope you are comforted by faith and by the knowledge that he brought joy to so many people. "

"I talked to Kevin twice a week for the past two years or more. He was always so sweet and always played the songs I asked for. Although we had talked about it, we never got to meet in person but we promised to be friends always. The last song he ever played for my was Please Remember Me by Tim McGraw. I will always remember Kevin. I love and miss him so much. He will be in my heart forever. My deepest sympathy to his family. Tommie Mayton McMinnville, TN"

"The very first time I talked to Kevin, I knew he was special. I feel very blessed to have known him. He was so genuine, warm, compassionate, and funny. He was so kind; one could see it in his face, and somehow even his eyes smiled.Never will I forget Kevin. He always had a place in my heart and always will. The ones who knew him are the lucky ones. Jane Casey Karolczak"

"My dad who is sight challenged became good friends with Kevin over the last 5 year's he enjoyed Kevin sense of humor they enjoyed talking about life events and talking about Kevin mom and his little dog Gilvin they both shared a love for country music and Kevin's personality and friendship has been a highlight in my dad's life he called Kevin Mr Sunshine because his birthday being so close to the first day of summer and also he said his other nickname the man with a smile on his voice you will truly be missed Mr Sunshine your friend Terry Flowers from Green Forest Arkansas"

"Kevin & I go way back. When I was touring with my country show, he never missed a show when I played Nashville. As fellow Wisconsin boys, we developed a great friendship. I often stayed at his house when I passed through Nashville and he is the one who convinced me to move to Nashville back in '93 on the argument that touring from Nashville was so much more intelligent than San Diego.. He often hooked me up with backstage passes for the Opry and was always introducing me to people in the business that could help me with my career. Kevin knew everyone yet was still a fan at heart, especially with Dolly. Although we had drifted apart when I moved to Spring Hill, TN he was always there when I turned on WSM. That sense of humor & infectious laugh would bring back memories of sitting across the kitchen table from him. On holidays which were often lonely with all of my family up in Wisconsin, I knew that I could turn on WSM and Kevin would be there, cheerful as always. Kevin and Eddie Stubbs were the Batman & Robin of country music radio. Turning on WSM Tuesday night expecting to hear Kevin's voice and instead hearing Eddie eulogizing him was a total shock. Friends like Kevin are truly priceless and irreplaceable. Rest in peace, my friend and my deepest condolences to the family, both in Wisconsin and at WSM."

"My deepest sympathies to the family and friends of Kevin. I had the privilege of working with Kevin in Columbus, GA. Best PD that station EVER had! In a business that is full of people that are rude & self absorbed, Kevin was a true rarity..a nice guy. I remember one incident..my morning show partner & I were interviewing Wynonna Judd and Kevin walked into the studio..when he heard Wynonna's voice he said, "Hey Wynonna!" she immediately replied "KEVIN!!" I thought to myself, "wow! When the stars recognize your voice on the phone! This guy is the real deal!" And yet he never bragged or boasted about things like that. I hadn't heard from Kevin in a while but he was one of those people that if it had been 5 years since we talked it and I called..it was like no time had passed at all. A genuine sweet guy. He will be missed by many and remembered kindly by even more. I am in that lucky number of people who can say I am a better person for having known him."

"Kevin was a phenomenal individual. We would listen to him on WSM 650AM Radio on a regular basis. He and my teenage son became friends as they both shared a love for classic country music. Kevin invited Cole in to guest DJ one time and that was the highlight of my sons life. Kevin your kindness, compassion, and generosity will never be forgotten. You will forever hold a dear place in our hearts. We will always love you Kevin! Love Ryan and Cole Footit (Nashville Tennessee & Racine WISCONSIN)"

"I was lucky enough to have known him for over 35 years now. He was a good man that will be sorely missed. I am sad beyond words. My thoughts and prayers go out to Mrs. Anderson and the rest of Kevin's family."

"God Bless you Kevin!!! There will be a hole in my heart until the day I die!"

"God Bless the Anderson Family you have our dearest condolences ,my dad Don Ring was so proud of Kevin and his accomplishments he always talked very highly of Kevin, I help him set up and take down his drums when he played with my dad on Sundays!! he will truly be missed!! and I am sure he will playing music again with my dad in Heaven as they did in the beginning . keep strong the Ring family Todd "

"It was a hurtful surprise when I tuned in to WSM and herd Eddie Stubbs talking about Kevin passing. I'm thinking to myself that is the man I listen to often. He will be missed. "

" I'm very sad over the loss of Kevin Anderson. We hadn't spoken since 2000. We hadn't seen one another since the summer of 1989 when I performed in Nashville. Kevin and I met in 1973 as freshmen at Monona Grove High School when we were assigned as locker partners and would remain just that until cleaning those lockers out after final exams in 1977, our senior year. I wouldn't say I was Kevin's best friend but as those school years went by we became closer friends and hung out more together. Senior year and after we graduated we did more together going to a lot of movies and sharing our love of Andy Kauffman's 'Latka' character on 'Taxi'. During our senior year after a basketball game we went 'cruisin' around the square like everyone did then and we proceeded to rear end a carload of girls all fellow seniors at MG. Kevin was so SCARED. "My dad is gonna KILL me!" He'd say over and over. At some point during the summer after we graduated Kevin shared something with me very private and personal. Only me and his best friend in the world, sister Robin, were told this and this 'moment of trust' would come into play and cause an unfortunate falling out between us 23 years later. Kevin started his life after high school and went into the country music field first as a performer then as a disc jockey at the # 1 Country music station in the country. I bounced around in college then went into stand-up comedy and became a national touring stand-up comic in the mid to late 1980's. In 1987 I was so fortunate to be able to visit Kevin at his house just outside of Nashville. I spent a few days in between my tour dates being shown all around Nashville and being treated like a king. Kevin took me to the Grand Ole' Opry and introduced me to Minnie Pearl, Roy Acuff, The Oak Ridge Boys and others ....WOW !!!!! What a wonderful host he was! I returned to Nashville 2 years later and Kevin finally got to see me perform. That would be the last time I'd ever see Kevin in 1989. I retired from stand-up comedy in November 1989. Personal demons were destroying me and I needed to take time off; unfortunately I never made it back. In 1990 I became homeless for 16 months and kept sinking further and further into despair. For the entire decade of the 1990's and most of the 2000's I isolated myself and removed ALL friends from my life. I was humiliated at what I had become and couldn't bear letting anyone I knew see me or hear about the depths that I had sunk to. In 2000 I moved into an a small studio apartment next to my mother's and some how Kevin was able to find me. I'd especially avoided any calls or contact from him as I knew he was a success in life and I had been a failure. Was I afraid he'd say something bad? Of course not. I just couldn't face or talk to anyone I knew. I forget the circumstances; if I returned a call or if I just picked up the phone and it was him but here it was 11 years later and suddenly he was on the other end of the receiver. We started talking and all of a sudden without really thinking I blurted out, "Could I borrow some money; I'm broke and don't have anything." I immediately regretted it and said, "NO; forget I said that!" He then said, "Eric, tell me what's going on; what's happened to you?" And this is where things took an unfortunate turn. I couldn't talk to him. I was so embarrassed and humiliated with my life and that it had come to where I'd asked him for money. But Kevin REALLY wanted, needed me to tell him. 23 years earlier he'd shared something so private and personal with me and he reminded me of that ...but I just couldn't talk to him; open up about how pathetic and bad my life had gotten. He wanted to help me; be there like I had been for him but I wouldn't let him ... And that deeply hurt him. That was in 2000. We never talked again. I made a number of attempts, as I got better, to repair our friendship. I tried hard but I had really hurt him and I felt so bad. Was I ever angry that he wouldn't accept my attempts to let the past go? No. He had his own challenges in his own life some excruciating. I'm sad that we couldn't become friends again. Hurt, angry? No never. I'm just really sad but so grateful that this bright and shining light with a glorious sense of humor was a part of my life. Rest in Peace friend. I love you and I'll see you again. Eric Alver"

"My Condolences to Kevin's Family. I'm sure going to miss hearing him on the Nashville Airwaves of WSM 650 AM Radio. On Friday Nights after the Grand Ole Opry would go off the Air, the Friday Night Requests would follow. And many Friday Nights I'd call in with a song request, and would have the pleasure of talking to Kevin Anderson who was answering the phone. I'd be calling in from Eureka, Missouri. Gonna miss that. "Rooster" Simpson "

"I did not have the opportunity to meet Kevin in person but talked to him on the telephone many times at WSM and listened to him on the radio. A very pleasant and friendly man who made the listeners feel comfortable. He will be missed by the thousands who listen to WSM on the radio and through the internet."

"I met Kevin the first time back in 1996. Kevin became a close friend immediately. We worked together in his time at WSM-FM, then later when he was at WSTH in Columbus Georgia as well as KQFC in Boise, Idaho. I was so shocked to hear the news of his passing. My wife and kids also loved him. We are saddened but thankful to have Kevin as a part of our lives. Miss you buddy."

"Kevin was a great friend of mine for almost 50 years - so many memories. He had a BIG heart, gentle Spirit, and a great sense of humor. As a friend, he would do anything for you and your family. I am proud to say I was part of Kevin's first band, The Steele Trio. Kevin, Donn Steele and I were about 10-11 years old and played country music in Kevin's garage charging the neighborhood kids 5 cents to attend! Of course, Kevin had all the talent (no offense Donn!) and went on to make a career in country music and radio. My heart is broken with his passing and my prayers go out to all of Kevin's family, friends and fans. I love you, Kev."

"I met Kevin 7 years ago. He was the funniest man I have ever known. Always with a sense of humor. He never stopped talking about his family and he beloved mother and how funny she is. His favorite shows American Idol and Golden girls. We used to have our favorite American Idol contestant but he always win with his pick . The funny thing is that he knew every line of the Golden Girls . After he have seen the show so many times . I lost a wonderful friend that I will miss forever. He left this eart too soon. "

"Kevin was a real gentleman. And a good friend . He always had time to talk. His memory will be with me forever."

"Kevin was a great person and great friend for thirty years. Breaks my heart he's gone. Will miss him, always. Wayne :-("

"I never met Kevin however I listened to him on the radio often, he was my favorite radio personality and I always enjoyed hearing his friendly voice. He will be missed"

"What a nice man. I knew Kevin from Park Ponderosa . We played together a few times, not enough . He was so talented. A true asset to country music .He will certainly be missed"

"I will miss hearing Kevin Anderson on WSM Radio. I listen on-line to WSM from Greenwood, Indiana; My deepest sympathy to all Kevin's family and so many friends. "

"I met Kevin when he attended Claremore Jr. College and he was singing with Jana Jae. He and I were a couple and we're together for about 3 years, great memories! The thing that stood out about Kevin was his kindness and seeing every individual as equal. No matter the gender, race, nationality, etc. He always had a smile on his face and loved life. He had a gentle and quiet spirit. He always Believed the best of others. He loved singing and told me that his dream was to live in Nashville and be apart of country and western music hall of fame. And he was and he did. I'm glad he lived out his dteam. I will miss him greatly, but knowing another angel went on to be with our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ."

""We will never say goodbye to a man who never left the creases of our hearts. In our thoughts, he shall always be alive. In our prayers, he shall always be included..." Sincerest sympathy to the Anderson family - Peggy Barden Nelson"