Vaughn Meader Dies At 68

by Brian McKim & Traci Skene on October 29th, 2004

Vaughn Meader, the impressionist comedian whose gravy train was derailed when President John F. Kennedy was assassinated in November of 1963, has died at the age of 68.

Meader, who had battled by chronic emphysema and other ailments, died at his home in this central Maine city after refusing to be taken to the hospital, his wife, Sheila, said.

The first Vinyl Word that we ever uploaded– in May of 1999– was of Meader’s landmark album “First Family” in which Meader and a gaggle of stage and radio actors mimic not only JFK, but the entire first family and much of Kennedy’s cabinet. Such was the public’s fascination with JFK and his brood that Meader’s album became the fastest-selling record of its time, racking up 7.5 million copies and winning the Grammy for album of the year. “First Family” is available at finer thrift shops everywhere (When an album sells 7.5 million copies, there’ll be two copies in every vinyl bin!), the sequel, however, is somewhat rarer. To read the entire Maine Today obit, click here. To sample some audio bites of the album, click here.

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