Terry Dean Choate

To View LiveStream of Terry's Service Click Here Terry Dean Choate, age 68, of 584 East Whitehead Street, Sparta, NC, passed away Tuesday, September 13, 2022, at Amorem Forlines Patient Care Hospice, located in Hudson, NC. Born July 7, 1954 in Alleghany County, Terry was the son of Marie C. Thompson and the late Charles Dean Choate. Terry began his show-business career by working as a radio announcer for country music station WCOK in Sparta, from 1968 to 1975. It was during that time that he became close friends with Sparta-born country music star Del Reeves. After graduating from Appalachian State University, Terry moved to Nashville and started working for Tree International. Initially, the publishing company hired him as a song plugger. He rose to become a music manager and an in-house demo producer. In 1984, new Capitol Records chief Jim Foglesong hired Terry Choate as the label’s A&R manager. By 1987, Choate had been promoted to Director of A&R for both Capitol Records and its EMI America imprint. Under his leadership, the roster expanded with the additions of New Grass Revival, Tanya Tucker, Dobie Gray, Dan Seals, Barbara Mandrell, Kix Brooks, Tom Wopat, Suzy Bogguss, T. Graham Brown, Don Williams, The Osmonds and Johnny Rodriguez. In addition to his label duties, Terry Choate was highly active in a number of Music Row organizations. He served as vice president of the Nashville chapter of The Recording Academy, was a board member of the NSAI and organized the annual Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame inductions. Terry became the board chair of the Nashville Songwriters Foundation. He was also a member of the AFM, the ACM and the Nashville Entertainment Association (text credited to Robert K. Oermann of www.musicrow.com). He is survived by his wife, Cheri Choate of the home; two step-sons, Ceran Maples of Sparta, and Nathaniel Maynard of Sparta; mother, Marie C. Thompson; one brother, Sam Choate and wife Margaret of Hickory; two nieces, Samantha Choate Dwyer and husband Josh of Forest, VA and Katie Choate of Durham; and countless close friends locally and in the music industry in Nashville, TN. The family requests the honor of your presence at the Celebration of Life service to honor the life of Terry at 2:00 p.m. Saturday, September 17, 2022, in the chapel of Grandview Memorial Funeral Home, with Pastor Tim Sizemore. The family will receive friends one hour prior to the service at the funeral home. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to American Diabetes Association, PO Box 7023, Merrifield VA 22116-7023. The family would like to extend a special thanks to the medical professionals who demonstrated great care for Terry during the time he was their patient, especially Dr. Matthew Fernandez, with Hugh Chatham Medical Group. Thanks also to the many friends who reached out with love and support during this time. Grandview Memorial Funeral Home is proudly serving the Choate family, and if you wish, online condolences may be submitted to the family at www.grandviewfuneralhome.com.Read Obituary