John Denver outrage: Why Charlie Rich set fire to Denver's biggest award on live TV
Dolly Parton turned down ElvisLinkDolly Parton: 13 crazy facts about the Queen of CountryLinkMany believed Rich was taking public and rather ill-advised stand against the infiltration of crossover pop acts onto the country scene. This had come to head the previous year when Olivia Newton-John won Best Female Vocalist over the likes of Loretta Lynn and Dolly Parton. Outraged country music legends like George Jones, Tammy Wynette, Brenda Lee, Conway Tewitty and Dolly Parton formed the Association of Country EntertainersThe Country Music Hall of Fame said: "As a result of that 1974 flap, a memorable CMA Awards event came the next year, when an obviously well-lubricated Charlie Rich ended his reign as 1974's Entertainer of the Yeah by announcing the new recipient of the CMA's top prize.