Chronicle: “Thank you to our music industry family and to his vast community of friends in Nashville, Boca and beyond for loving him all these many years," says Zack Morris following the Aug. 21 death of his grandfather, Morris Higham Management Chairman Dale Morris at the age of 89, as reported Aug. 22 via Breaking News. After starting his career as a songwriter, Morris founded booking agency Dale Morris & Associates and then Morris Artist Management, working with Alabama and Kenny Chesney among many other artists. Morris was inducted into the International Entertainment Buyers Association’s Hall of Fame in 2010. A Celebration of Life will be held later this fall. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.

Longtime Nashville music journalist and publicist Vernell Hackett died Aug. 14 at the age of 77. She began her Nashville career at booking agency Top Billing Inernational, later moving to the CMA communications department before serving as editor of Country News, Country Rhythms and American Songwriter magazines, co-founding the latter and serving as its editor-in-chief for more than a decade. Hackett also authored a Carrie Underwood biography, and co-authored Ghosts, Gangsters and Gamblers of Las Vegas. Her early publicity clients included Chris LeDoux and, more recently, John McEuen, Joni Harms and others. No word on services.