Bill Ivey, 81, has died of a heart attack. He served as chairman of the National Endowment for the Arts for three years, where he successfully quelled conservative opposition to the agency.
Before leading the National Endowment for the Arts, Ivey was the executive director of the Country Music Foundation in Nashville for 26 years. During his tenure, he transformed the foundation into a significant archive and educational institution and expanded its Hall of Fame and Museum.
President Bill Clinton appointed Ivey to head the arts agency. Despite initial concerns that his country music background might be controversial, Ivey was well-connected in the arts community, having served on the President's Committee on the Arts and Humanities and various endowment grant panels, and as chairman of the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences.
He was described as a peacemaker tasked with balancing avant-garde and traditional arts.
