Porter and duet partner Dolly Parton had many hits from 1967-1974.
On October 15, 2007, he was admitted to a Nashville, Tennessee area hospital and placed in Intensive Care in critical condition. On October 21, 2007 the Washington Post reported that he was diagnosed with lung cancer.
Appears in the infomercial, hosted by Marty Stuart and Nan Kelley, for TimeLife's "Opry Video Classics" collection. (2007)
Hospitalized with lung cancer and is in serious condition [October 20, 2007].
Had an older brother, Glenn, who died before he was 20 from a heart ailment.
His children include his son, Richard, and daughters, Denise and Debra.