Charlie Monk, a long-time country music publisher who had a two decade career on SiriusXM satellite radio, died this week at the age of 84.
News of his passing was confirmed by his family and first reported by SiriusXM on Monday.
His career in radio started while he was in high school in Alabama. He worked at WTBF (970 AM) while a student at Troy University, and later hosted at two Mobile radio stations.
Monk moved to Nashville in 1968, where he worked for ASCAP and CBS Songs. He formed Monk Family Music Group in 1983 and served as an officer of various organizations.
Monk’s work in the music publishing industry earned him the nickname “Mayor of Music Row.” He co-founded the Country Radio Seminar more than five decades ago and hosted the New Faces show at CRS more than 40 times, according to the Tennessean newspaper.
He was inducted into the Alabama Music Hall of Fame in 2014 and the country Radio Hall of Fame in 2019. Monk received the Joe Talbot Award from the Country Music Association in 2021.
In 2004, Monk joined what was then Sirius satellite radio, where he hosted a morning program on Willie’s Roadhouse (Channel 59) and a weekend interview show on Prime Country (Channel 58).
Monk is survived by his wife, Royce Walton Monk; two sons; two daughters and several grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
SiriusXM said memorial contributions may be made to MusiCares, Community Care Fellowship, Calvary United Methodist Church, Rochelle Center or CreatiVets.
