Hee Haw legend David "String Bean" Akeman: his life and tragic murder

Hee Haw was a country music variety show that was on the air from 1969 until 1993. Many memorable singers and characters appeared on the show; however, one musician stood head and shoulders (literally!) over the rest. He was 6’5” David "Stringbean" Akeman, and he was a banjo player who played blue grass music and traditional country classics.

 

Stringbean Akeman was born on 1915 in Annville, Kentucky. Born into a musical family, he made his first banjo out of a shoebox and thread. Eventually he traded a couple of chickens for a used banjo, and began to play at local dances. His skill at picking improved, and he began developing a reputation as an accomplished banjo player. During the depression, he began working with Civilian Conservation Corps, a public relief program created by the federal government. The organization created jobs unemployed single males, and initiated projects like road building and tree planting. It was during this time that he entered a country music contest and awarded the top prize by Asa Martin, who had his own band. Akeman for Asa, and was introduced as stringbeans during a performance in which Martin forgot his name. From that point on he was known as Stringbean.

 

Akeman accentuated his height by creating a costume with a long tailed shirt and jeans given to him from fellow Opry performer Little Jimmy Dickens, who happened to be 4’11”.  The extra long shirt combined with the tiny pants often caused people to begin laughing before String started with his performances.  He kept the persona throughout his days performing with the Opry, and continued while performing on Hee Haw.      

 

Akeman also loved baseball, and played semi-professionally.  A bluegrass pioneer named Bill Monroe, who had his own baseball team, heard about Strings banjo playing and invited him to play for his band.  After touring for a bit with the band, he left to play his own music and develop his comedic routine with Lew Chidre.  The duo found success, and began performing at the Grand Ole Opry.  While performing at the Opry,  Akeman met Louis Marshall Jones AKA Grandpa Jones.  They became lifelong friends and eventually took their talents the country variety show called Hee Haw.    

Stringbean married Estelle Stanfill in 1945. Although he was making a comfortable living playing at the Opry and performing on Hee Haw, he lived a quiet life in his cabin on some land purchased with Grandpa Jones. The typical daily routine for Stringbean was to walk to Grandpa Jones cabin, sit on his porch, and whittle during the morning. Then Grandpa Jones would walk to Stringbeans cabin and whittle on his porch during the afternoon. The only luxury item he purchased was a Cadillac Coupe Deville. Akeman grew up during the depression, so he had a deep distrust for banks. As a result, he would stash large amounts of cash in different places around his cabin. He was also known to carry a wad of cash in his overalls, and on occasion flash it around. Unfortunately, this would be his undoing.

Rumors of Akemans fortune and where it may been hidden filtered through the seedy confines of Nashville. Eventually petty criminals John A. Brown and Marvin Douglas Brown heard the stories, and began formulating a plan to find the money. On November 11, 1973, the two men drove to Akemans cabin and broke in. The men turned the radio on to listen to the live broadcast of the Grand Ole Opry; they even listened to Stringbean play while they ransacked his house. However, they ended up spending too much time looking for the cash, Estelle and Stringbean drove up the driveway. Akeman heard noises and noticed commotion inside the cabin. He told Estelle to stay in the car, and he stepped out with a revolver and slowly entered the dark house. The brothers jumped Stringbean and a struggle ensued; he was shot dead. Estelle, hearing the gunshots inside the cabin, jumped out of the car screaming. One of the two brothers chased her down the driveway where she fell pleading for her life. She was shot and killed, and left face down in the grassy pathway. The men fled with a chainsaw, a pillowcase, and some guns. If they had searched Stringbeans overalls, they would have found three thousand dollars. Estelle had two thousand dollars in her pockets and purse. The next morning Grandpa Jones walked over to Stringbeans cabin and discovered the bodies.

The murders sent a ripple through the close-knit country music community. The Grand Ole Opry suspended tours of the homes of Nashville stars; people began viewing strangers with suspicion. The police immediately focused on the Brown brothers. Informants, including Doug Brown’s fifteen year old girlfriend (he was in his mid twenties), confirmed the rumors being heard around town. The two men were heard bragging about committing the murders. While the police were still gathering evidence, Doug Brown contacted news reporter Larry Brinton to give him the details of the crime. He also told the reporter where to find the bag of guns that were stolen from Akemans cabin. Before contacting the police, Larry went to the pond to see if he could find the weapons, thereby corroborating Doug Browns confession. He did find the stash, but wanted to publish the news-breaking story first before contacting the police. Six hours later, after the police interrogated John Brown, they went to the same pond to look for the weapons. While the authorities were searching, Larry Brinton watched the police while he had the guns in the trunk of his car. After he released the front-page story, he turned the weapons over to the police.

The pair was charged with murder first-degree murder and sentenced to ninety-nine years each in prison.  Doug Brown died in 2003 while serving his sentence.  John brown was up for parole in 2008, here are the links to the parole hearings:

http://www.wtvf.com/story/8724371/stringbeans-convicted-killer-may-soon-get-parole?redirected=true

http://www.newschannel5.com/story/8737736/district-attorney-general-speaks-against-parole-possibility?redirected=true 

Here is the link to the final decision on John Browns parole:

http://www.newschannel5.com/story/8811411/stringbeans-convicted-killer-denied-parole?redirected=true

Stringbean Akeman and his wife Estelle are buried together at Forest Lawn Memorial Gardens in Goodlettsville, Tennessee. A bluegrass festival is organized every year in Jackson County Kentucky in Stringbeans honor. During the Hee Haw intro, Akeman would play the scarecrow on the show, after his death the scarecrow was left in the cornfield as a memorial. A few years after the murders, a couple renting Akemans cabin claimed to have found rotting money in the chimney in excess of twenty thousand dollars. It was the treasure that everyone heard of, but the ravages of time and field mice destroyed it. However, the property owners have stated that this story was false. Even in death, the legend of Stringbean lives on to teach new generations of the history of bluegrass music. His music is still being sold, and archival footage of his performances can still be seen on you tube.

©2011 Augustine A. Zavala

 

http://blog.wfmu.org/freeform/2007/06/murder_in_the_k.html

http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0834549/bio

http://www.biography.com/listings/episode_details.do?episodeid=556708