NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- Friends and fans are paying their last respects to Eddy Arnold, one of country music's greatest stars.

Related: Video: Eddy Arnold Remembered As Pioneer Of Country Music | Watch: Famous Friends Share Memories Of Eddy Arnold (10 min.)

The funeral was being held at the historic Ryman Auditorium in downtown Nashville.

Channel 4 anchor Dan Miller, Sony/BMG chairman Joe Galante and Curb Records founder and chairman Mike Curb were among the pallbearers.

Vince Gill sang "Go Rest High on That Mountain" and Arnold's "You Don't Know Me," the Jordanaires performed "Peace in the Valley" and Jeanine Walker sang "How Great Thou Art."

"I know that was one of his favorites ("You Don't Know Me") because he had a part in writing that with Cindy Walker, and that’s one of the songs that’s been cut by a ton of people, you know. It’s just a tribute to a great song and a great man today," Gill said. "I love him."

As the funeral began, the Ryman Auditorium's simple wood stage was adorned with flower arrangements as a recording of Arnold's hit "Cattle Call" played. A black piano was on stage.

Arnold's biographer, Dr. Don Cusic, delivered the eulogy.

"On the one hand, he was a man who was down to earth and unpretentious, and on the other hand he enjoyed going first class. When he bought an airplane ticket he always bought economy, but when he got to the airport he let them know he was Eddy Arnold so they'd bump him up to first class," Cusic said to loud laughter.

Born May 15, 1918 to a sharecropper, Arnold invested wisely over the years and was believed to be one of the wealthiest men in country music. But he was also thrifty -- buying used cars and eating at simple diners -- and, at times, stubborn.

Arnold died May 8 at a care facility near Nashville. He was 89.

His grandson, R. Shannon Pollard, told how his grandfather clung to his family and was always driven to learn and to better himself.

"He could never sit still as a young man or as an older man," Pollard recalled.

In his last days, he seemed to take comfort in remembering the past.

"We like to think it was good times he was thinking about when he left us," Pollard said.

Arnold was remembered for putting "a tuxedo on Country music."

"One of the true architects of what was called modern country music; He’s the guy that brought the lush strings to country and took it really to places it had never been before," said recording artist and friend Steve Wariner.

Stars, family and fans filled the Ryman.

"As a young man, I remember living in upstate New York and hearing him long before I met him and realizing that that was the standard that we were al trying to set," said recording artist and friend Hal Ketchum.

"Eddie loved love songs. He loved great music. I remember in an interview one time, he told me, 'You’ll never go wrong with a love song,'" said WSM radio host Keith Bilbrey.

Tune into Channel 4 News Wednesday at 10:15 p.m. for a special tribute to Arnold. WSMV will take a look at the contributions he made to music as well as the special and poignant moments from the service.