Tootsie

Tootsie Bess (Hattie Louise Bess) bought "Mom's" in Nashville in 1960 and turned it into "Tootsie's Orchid Lounge" -- a honky-tonk bar. The name came to her when her painter surprised her by painting the lounge purple -- the exterior of the lounge still is painted the same color. It was said that Tootsie had a cigar box behind the counter full of IOUs from giving drinks and food to hungry writers and pickers, and that she slipped five- and ten-dollar bills into their pockets. Supposedly, at each year's end, a bunch of Opry performers would take all the IOUs and pay Tootsie so she wouldn't lose the money. Tom T. Hall, Roy Acuff and Faron Young attended her 1978 funeral. She was buried in an orchid gown, with an orchid placed in the orchid-colored casket, so she could take her favorite flower to heaven. Connie Smith sang some of Tootsie's favorite hymns at the funeral.