Introduction
🎻 A Fading Harmony: The Tragic Murder of Country Star String Bean
In the vibrant, tight-knit world of classic country music, stars were often seen as gentle neighbors who left their doors unlocked, trusting in the community that adored them. That innocent era came to a shocking, violent end in the early hours of November 10th, 1973, with the murder of one of the genre’s most beloved figures: String Bean.
Born David Akeman, String Bean was a gifted clawhammer banjo picker and a fixture on the Grand Ole Opry stage. With his signature tall frame, distinctive stage costume, and endearing comedic timing, he also became a household name as a favorite on the hit TV show Hee Haw. He embodied the wholesome charm of traditional country music.
However, that charm masked a deep-seated distrust of modern institutions, particularly banks. This private quirk tragically led to his demise. Rumors circulated in the local community that String Bean kept thousands of dollars in cash hidden around his property rather than depositing it. These rumors reached two desperate young cousins, John and Marvin Brown, from the nearby area. Motivated by greed, they plotted to steal his supposed fortune.
On that fateful November night, while String Bean and his wife, Estelle, were performing at the Opry, the Browns broke into their rustic Tennessee cabin. They waited for hours, listening to the very man they intended to rob play his final performance over the radio. When the couple returned home, they were ambushed. String Bean was shot just inside the front door. Estelle attempted to flee but was quickly caught and murdered just outside the cabin. Neither had a chance to defend themselves.
The senseless violence yielded virtually no reward. The killers made off with only a few easily dispensable items, like a chainsaw and some firearms. They never found the rumored cash—the money they believed was hidden throughout the house. String Bean’s savings, it turned out, were indeed stashed away, but in places only he knew: behind a chimney brick and inside the walls. Years later, in 1996, nearly $20,000 in rotted bills was finally discovered, hidden exactly where String Bean had left it, tragically out of reach.
Justice was swift, and both cousins were convicted. Marvin Brown died in prison in 2003, while John Brown was controversially paroled in 2014 after serving over four decades of a 198-year sentence.
The murder of String Bean and Estelle Akeman sent a cold wave of shock through Nashville. It was more than the loss of a gentle entertainer; it was the symbolic end of an era of perceived safety and neighborly trust. Today, String Bean is remembered for his laughter and his music, but his story also stands as a tragic symbol of innocence lost—a fading harmony in the history of country music.