Dates of Note in Country Music, April 1-15

Category: News

April 1:

Arthur "Guitar Boogie" Smith born in Clinton, South Carolina, 1921 (now 87)
Jim Ed Brown born in Sparkman, Arkansas, 1934 (now 74)
Jules Verne Allen born in Waxahachie, Texas, 1883 (died 1945)
Jimmy Logsdon born in Panther, Kentucky, 1922 (died 2001)
CMA President Paul Cohen died (cancer), 1970 (was 71)
Rachel Veach joined Roy Acuff's Smoky Mountain Boys, 1939. She was the only female member in the 55-year history of the group. Her presence gave rise to Pete Kirby's nickname "Bashful Brother Oswald:" a woman traveling with a group of men was scandalous, so Kirby was billed as Veach's "bashful brother" to quell any rumors.
The Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum opened, 1967

April 2:

Warner Mack born in Nashville, Tennessee, 1935 (now 73)
Sonny Throckmorton born in Carlsbad, New Mexico, 1941 (now 67)
Emmylou Harris born in Birmingham, Alabama, 1947 (now 61)
Dean Townson of Pirates of the Mississippi born in Battle Creek, Michigan, 1959 (now 49)
Billy Dean born in Quincy, Florida, 1962 (now 46)
Cliff Carlisle died (unknown cause), 1983 (was 78)

April 3:

Billy Joe Royal born in Valdosta, Georgia, 1942 (now 66)
Curtis Stone of Highway 101 (and son of Cliffie Stone) born in North Hollywood, California, 1950 (now 58)
Hank Newman of the Georgia Crackers born in Cochran, Georgia, 1905 (died 1978)
Don Gibson born in Shelby, North Carolina, 1928 (died 2003)
Ella Mae Cooley murdered, 1961. Her husband, self-proclaimed "King of Western Swing" Spade Cooley, was convicted of her murder and sentenced to life in prison.
Red Allen died (cancer), 1993 (was 63)
The Louisiana Hayride debuts on KWKH, Shreveport, Louisiana, 1948. Among the artists who performed on the radio show were Elvis Presley, Hank Williams, Johnny Horton, and one-time emcee Jim Reeves.

April 4:

Norro Wilson born in Scottsville, Kentucky, 1938 (now 70)
Steve Gatlin of the Gatlin Brothers born in Olney, Texas, 1951 (now 57)
Troy Gentry of Montgomery-Gentry born in Lexington, Kentucky, 1967 (now 41)
Cy Coben born in Jersey City, New Jersey, 1919 (died 2006)
Red Sovine died (heart attack), 1980 (was 61)

April 5:

Jack Clement born in Whitehaven, Tennessee, 1931 (now 77)
Bill Clifton born in Riverwood, Maryland, 1931 (now 77). In addition to being a bluegrass performer, Clifton is also credited with starting the bluegrass festival, when he organized a July 4, 1961 show in Luray, Virginia.
June Stearns born in Albany, New York, 1939 (now 69)
Tommy Cash born in Dyess, Arkansas, 1940 (now 68)
Bob McDill born in Beaumont, Texas, 1944 (now 64)
Stoney Edwards died (complications from diabetes), 1997 (was 67)
Gene Pitney died (natural causes), 2006 (was 65). In addition to his rock hits, Pitney recorded two albums of duets with George Jones.

April 6:

Vernon Dalhart born in Marion County, Texas, 1883 (died 1948)
Wade Ray born in Griffin, Indiana, 1913 (died 1998)
Merle Haggard born in Bakersfield, California, 1937 (now 71)
Tammy Wynette died (heart failure attributed to blood clot), 1998 (was 55)
The Grand Ole Opry was canceled due to rioting in the wake of Martin Luther King's assassination earlier in the week, 1968. This is the only time in the history of the Opry that a performance was canceled.

April 7:

Cal Smith born in Gans, Oklahoma, 1932 (now 76)
Bobby Bare born in Ironton, Ohio, 1935 (now 73)
John Dittrich of Restless Heart born in New York, New York, 1951 (now 57)
Leon "Pappy" Selph born in Houston, Texas, 1914 (died 1999)
Clyde Moody died (unknown cause), 1989 (was 73)

April 8:

John Schneider born in Mount Kisco, New York, 1960 (now 48)
Jimmy Osborne born in Winchester, Kentucky, 1923 (died 1957)

April 9:

Margo Smith born in Dayton, Ohio, 1942 (now 66)
Con Hunley born in Fountain City, Tennessee, 1945 (now 63)
Hal Ketchum born in Greenwich, New York, 1953 (now 55)
Mark Roberts of the Red Clay Ramblers born in Wareham, Massachusetts, 1957 (now 51)
Dave Innis of Restless Heart born in Bartlesville, Oklahoma, 1959 (now 49)
Carl Perkins born in Tiptonville, Tennessee, 1932 (died 1998)
Mae Boren Axton died (natural causes), 1997 (was 82)

April 10:

Weldon Myrick born in Jayton, Texas, 1938 (now 70). The steel guitar great co-wrote the Wilburn Brothers' "Hangin' Around" and suggested the town of Big Spring, Texas to Bill Anderson for the line "If you've never been to Paris, France / Big Spring, Texas will suit you fine" in "At the Time" (a hit for Jean Shepard).
Fiddlin' Arthur Smith born in Bold Spring, Tennessee, 1898 (died 1971)
Sheb Wooley born in Enick, Oklahoma, 1921 (died 2003)
Former home of Johnny and June Cash destroyed by fire, 2007. Bee Gee Barry Gibb owned the house at the time of the fire.

April 11:

Jim Lauderdale born in Troutman, North Carolina, 1957 (now 51)
Harty Taylor of Karl & Harty born in Mount Vernon, Kentucky, 1905 (died 1963)
Millie Good of the Girls of the Golden West born in Mount Carmel, Illinois, 1913 (died 1993)
Eddie Miller died (unknown cause), 1977 (was 83). In addition to writing a number of songs, including "I've Loved and Lost Again" which was recorded by Patsy Cline during her stint on Four Star, Miller co-founded the Nashville Songwriters' Association International.
Lighnin' Chance died (cancer/Alzheimer's), 2005 (was 79)
Jerry Byrd died (complications of Parkinson's disease), 2005 (was 85)

April 12:

Ned Miller born in Raines, Utah, 1925 (now 83)
Judy Lynn born in Boise, Idaho, 1936 (now 72)
Vince Gill born in Norman, Oklahoma, 1957 (now 51)
Ernie Lee born in Berea, Kentucky, 1916 (died 1991)
Lewis Crook of the Crook Brothers died (natural causes), 1997 (was 87)
Boxcar Willie died (leukemia), 1999 (was 67)

April 13:

Sam Bush born in Bowling Green, Kentucky, 1952 (now 56)
Bob Nolan of the Sons of the Pioneers born in Winnipeg, Manitoba, 1908 (died 1980)
Milton Brown died (injuries received in automobile accident on April 8), 1936 (was 32)
Guy Willis of the Willis Brothers died (unknown cause), 1981 (was 65)
Johnny Dollar died (unknown cause), 1986 (was 53)

April 14:

Loretta Lynn born in Butcher Holler, Kentucky, 1935 (now 73)
Stuart Duncan of the Nashville Bluegrass Band born in Quantico, Virginia, 1964 (now 44)
Vito Pelletteri died (complications from a stroke), 1977 (was 87)
Burl Ives died (cancer), 1995 (was 85)

April 15:

Roy Clark born in Meherrin, Virginia, 1933 (now 75)
J.L. Frank born in Limestone County, Alabama, 1900 (died 1952)
Bob Luman born in Nacogdoches, Texas, 1937 (died 1978)
Junior Barnard of Bob Wills' Texas Playboys died (car wreck), 1951 (was 30)
Rose Maddox died (various illnesses), 1998 (was 72)
Otto Kitsinger died (heart attack), 1998 (was 56). Otto was the historian and writer for Opry Backstage.