Stringbean Memorial Dogwood Tree

Stringbean Memorial Dogwood Tree. . This Dogwood tree was planted at Opryland on November 28, 1973 as a living memorial to one of the Opry's finest comedic banjo players, Dave "Stringbean” Akeman and his wife Estell Akeman. On November 10, 1973, Akeman and Estell tragically lost their lives in a home invasion and burglary. This devastated the Opry community and legions of fans and just a few weeks later this tree was planted in their honor., Stringbean came from a musical family and got his professional start in the early 1940s when he played banjo for Bill Monroe and the Blue Grass Boys from 1943-1945. Stringbean was also a talented baseball player and he played in the touring team that Monroe traveled with at the time. By the 1950s, Stringbean was a major star at the Grand Ole Opry well known for his spirited, old-time frailing banjo style and signature stage wear. In the 1960s, Stringbean recorded several albums and in 1969 he became a regular cast member on the hit television program "Hee Haw” along with fellow banjo player and close friend Louis Marshall "Grandpa” Jones.