To most Stringbean is known only as the scarecrow on the television series "Hee Haw."  David Akeman, however, was much more than that.  He was an accomplished banjo player who picked up the instrument as a young child and eventually ended up playing with the founder of Bluegrass Music - Bill Monroe.  Stringbean is considered, by those in the know, as one of the greatest "clawhammer" (an older style of playing) banjo players who ever lived.  As time progressed, Stringbean also began to harvest his knack for comedy, which eventually led to the Hee Haw gig and regular appearances on the Grand Ole Opry.  David Akeman and his wife led a simple life and had lived through the great depression.  Because of his lack of trust in banks, Stringbean would hide money in his home and often was seen carrying around large sums of cash.  This was pretty much public knowledge.  One night when the couple was returning from the Opry, two men were lying in wait inside their home.  Stringbean put up resistance and was shot and killed.  His wife tried to escape, but was hunted down and killed in the driveway.  The thieves never did find any money in the home.  The couple was discovered the next day by Stringbean's neighbor and lifelong friend Grandpa Jones.  Years later $20,000 in cash was discovered behind one of the bricks in the fireplace.  The money had rotted by then and was worthless.

This is the section known as Music Row.  Buried on this side of the street are Lefty Frizzell, Hawkshaw Hawkins, and behind the nearest tree, Stringbean.  Across the street to the left rest Don Helms, Smiley & Kitty Wilson, Cowboy Copas and Randy Hughes (the pilot of Patsy Cline's ill-fated aircraft.  Copas and Hawkins were also in the plane).