Dates of Note in Country Music, October 1-15

Category: News

October 1:

Skeets McDonald born in Greenway, Arkansas, 1915 (died 1968)
Bonnie Owens born in Blanchard, Oklahoma, 1932 (died 2006)
Kelly Willis born in Lawton, Oklahoma, 1968 (now 39)

October 2:

Jo-El Sonnier born in Rayne, Louisiana, 1946 (now 61)
Tammy Sullivan born in Wagarville, Alabama, 1964 (now 43)
Chris LeDoux born in Biloxi, Mississippi, 1948 (died 2005)
Chubby Wise born in Lake City, Florida, 1915 (died 1996)
Gene Autry died (lymphoma), 1998 (was 91). The "Singing Cowboy" owned the Anaheim Angels, who dedicated their 2002 World Series victory to his memory.
Elvis Presley played the Grand Ole Opry, 1954

October 3:

Joe Allison born in McKinney, Texas, 1924 (died 2002)
Woody Guthrie died (Huntington's disease), 1967 (was 55). Among the folk singer's compositions were the Maddox Brothers and Rose's hit "Philadelphia Lawyer."
Del Wood died (stroke), 1989 (was 69)

October 4:

Leroy Van Dyke born in Spring Fork, Missouri, 1929 (now 78)
Larry Collins of the Collins Kids born in Tulsa, Oklahoma, 1944 (now 63)
Greg Hubbard of Sawyer Brown born in Orlando, Florida, 1960 (now 47)
Jerry Rivers died (cancer), 1996 (was 68)
A.L. "Doodle" Owens died (heart attack), 1999 (was 68)
Tammy Wynette claimed to have been kidnapped and beaten, 1978

October 5:

Radio station WSM born in Nashville at 650 on the AM dial, 1925 (now 82)
Margie Singleton born in Coushatta, Louisiana, 1935 (now 72)
Johnny Duncan born in Dublin, Texas, 1938 (died 2006)

October 6:

Kendall Hayes born in Perryville, Kentucky, 1935 (died 1995)
Tim Rushlow of Little Texas born in Arlington, Texas, 1966 (now 41)
Ted Daffan died (natural causes), 1996 (was 84)

October 7:

Dale Watson born in Birmingham, Alabama, 1962 (now 45)
Uncle Dave Macon born in Warren County, Tennessee, 1870 (died 1952)
Gordon Terry born in Decatur, Alabama, 1931 (died 2006)
Hugh Cherry born in Louisville, Kentucky, 1922 (died 1998)
Buddy Lee born in Brooklyn, New York, 1932 (died 1998)
Jim Halsey born in Independence, Kansas, 1930 (now 77)
Kieran Kane born in Queens, New York, 1949 (now 58)
Johnny Darrell died (diabetes complications), 1997 (was 57)
Jimmie Logsdon died (unknown cause), 2001 (was 79)

October 8:

Ricky Lee Phelps of the Kentucky Headhunters born in Paragould, Arkansas, 1953 (now 54)
Susan Raye born in Eugene, Oregon, 1944 (now 63)
Lynn Morris born in Lamesa, Texas, 1948 (now 59)
Jackie Frantz of Dave & Sugar born in Sidney, Ohio, 1950 (now 57)
Pete Drake born in Atlanta, Georgia, 1932 (died 1988)

October 9:

Goebel Reeves born in Sherman, Texas, 1899 (died 1969)

October 10:

John Prine born in Maywood, Illinois, 1946 (now 60)
Tanya Tucker born in Seminole, Texas, 1958 (now 49)

October 11:

Gene Watson born in Palestine, Texas, 1943 (now 64)
Paulette Carlson of Highway 101 born in Northfield, Minnesota, 1952 (now 55)
Dottie West born in McMinnville, Tennessee, 1932 (died 1991)
Rex Griffin died (tuberculosis), 1958 (was 46)
Tex Williams died (cancer), 1985 (was 68)
T. Tommy Cutrer died (heart attack), 1998 (was 74)

October 12:

Shane McAnally born in Mineral Wells, Texas, 1974 (now 33)
John Denver died (plane crash), 1997 (was 53)

October 13:

Rhett Akins born in Valdosta, Georgia, 1969 (now 38)
Lacy J. Dalton born in Bloomsburg, Pennsylvania, 1946 (now 61)
Anita Kerr born in Memphis, Tennessee, 1927 (now 80)
John Wiggins born in Nashville, Tennessee, 1962 (now 45)
Hoarce Lee Logan died (respiratory disease), 2002. The founder of the Louisiana Hayride also coined one of the most oft-repeated phrases in American popular culture: trying to calm down an audience after one Louisiana Hayride performer wowed the crowd, Logan announced, "Elvis has left the building."

October 14:

Kenny Roberts born in Lenoir City, Tennessee, 1926 (now 81)
Melba Montgomery born in Iron City, Tennessee, 1938 (now 69)
Bing Crosby died (heart attack), 1977. The legendary pop crooner has the distinction of being the first artist to have a #1 single on Billboard magazine's Country and Western charts ("Pistol Packin' Mama," 1944).

October 15:

Dean Miller born in Los Angeles, California, 1965 (now 42)