Nancy Riley

Acuff Rose Music Publishing, Opryland Music Group

"The music business," she said, "was too fast compared to the hardware business." However, after Nancy fell in love with it, she never fell out of love with it.

They cant fire Nancy Ann Riley was born and raised in Hampshire, Tennessee. She graduated from Hampshire High School where she was star of the girl's basketball team. She scored as many as 60 points in at least one of the games they won and received the honor of being crowned basketball queen.

She earned a scholarship to Nashville Business College, which she attended for approximately one year before taking a job at Buford Brothers Hardwood Store. She worked there until her housemate, Dean May, offered her a job at Acuff-Rose Publications in 1965. After only one week on the job, Nancy called her old boss back at the hardwood store and asked to be re-hired. The music business, she said, was "too fast" compared to the hardware business.

Nancy, however, stayed at Acuff- Rose and later worked as secretary to Bob McCluskey. In 1972, she was promoted to secretary to the company president, Wesley Rose. She stayed with the company after Mr. Rose retired and through its purchase by Gaylord in 1985. Nancy worked at Opryland Music Group (new name of Acuff-Rose) for thirty-two years and eight months. She retired at the end of March, 1992.

Nancy's varied responsibilities with Acuff-Rose/Opryland Music Group included not only general office duties, but also working with sync licensing and promotion. She particularly enjoyed working with songwriters and recording artists.