Dates of Note in Country Music, February 1-15

Category: News

(Hall of Fame members in bold)

February 1:

Don Everly born in Brownie, Kentucky, 1937 (now 72)
Ray Sawyer of Dr. Hook born in Chicksaw, Alabama, 1937 (now 71)
Del McCoury born in Bakersville, North Carolina, 1939 (now 70)
Lisa Marie Presley born in Memphis, Tennessee, 1968 (now 41)
Scotty Wiseman died (heart attack), 1981 (was 71)

February 2:

Glenn Barber born in Hollis, Oklahoma, 1935 (now 74)
Howard Bellamy of the Bellamy Brothers born in Darby, Florida, 1946 (now 63)
Emmett Miller born in Macon, Georgia, 1900 (died 1962)
Lester McFarland of Mac & Bob born in Gray, Kentucky, 1902 (died 1984)
Rusty Kershaw born in Tiel Ridge, Louisiana, 1938 (died 2001)
Louise Scruggs, wife and manager of Earl Scruggs, died, 2006 (was 78)

February 3:

Dave Rich born in Briar Creek, Kentucky, 1936 (now 73). Ernest Tubb heard a recording of Rich's and hounded friend Ray Price throughout a game of golf to record the song. The song? "City Lights."
Matraca Berg born in Nashville, Tennessee, 1964 (now 45)
Betty Foley, daughter and one-time duet partner of Red Foley, born in Chicago, Illinois, 1933 (died 1990)
Jiles Perry "J.P." Richardson died (plane crash), 1959 (was 28)
Buddy Holly died (plane crash), 1959 (was 22)
James Blackwood of the Blackwood Brothers Quartet died (stroke), 2002 (was 83). He was the last member of the original legendary Southern Gospel quartet.

February 4:

Clint Black born in Long Branch, New Jersey, 1962 (now 47)
Chris McDaniel of Confederate Railroad born in Rock Springs, Georgia, 1965 (now 44)
Vic McAlpin born in Defeated Creek, Tennessee, 1918 (died 1980)
Jethro Burns died (prostate cancer), 1989 (was 68)

February 5:

Claude King born in Shreveport, Louisiana, 1933 (now 76).
Sara Evans born in Boonville, Missouri, 1971 (now 38)
Henson Cargill born in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, 1941 (died 2007)
Eddy Noack died (cerebral hemorrhage), 1978 (was 47)

February 6:

Dale Reno of the Reno Brothers born in Roanoke, Virginia, 1961 (now 48)
Richie McDonald of Lonestar born in Lubbock, Texas, 1962 (now 47)
Anita Cochran born in Pontiac, Michigan, 1967 (now 42)
Violet Koehler of the original Coon Creek Girls born in Wilton, Wisconsin, 1916 (died 1973)
Merle Kilgore died (cancer), 2005 (was 70)
Frankie Laine died (complications from hip replacement surgery), 2007 (was 93)

February 7:

Wilma Lee Cooper born in Valley Head, West Virginia, 1921 (now 88)
Garth Brooks born in Tulsa, Oklahoma, 1962 (now 47)
Tony Booth born in Tampa, Florida, 1943 (now 66)
Warren Smith born in Humphreys County, Mississippi, 1933 (died 1980)
Ambrose Allen of the Allen Brothers born in Sewanee, Tennessee, 1901 (died 1959)
Dale Evans died (congestive heart failure), 2001 (was 88)
Patsy Cline's last recording session, Nashville, 1963. The last song she recorded was a cover of Moon Mullican's "I'll Sail My Ship Alone."
Jim Reeves recorded "Four Walls" in Nashville, 1957. This song is said by many to be the beginning of the "Nashville Sound."

February 8:

Joe South born in Atlanta, Georgia, 1942 (now 67)
Dan Seals born in McCamey, Texas, 1948 (now 61)
Don Wayne Reno of the Reno Brothers born in Roanoke, Virginia, 1963 (now 46)
Pappy Daily born in Yoakum, Texas, 1902 (died 1987)
Bob Dunn born in Fort Gibson, Oklahoma, 1908 (died 1971). Dunn is credited as being the first country musician to use amplification for his instrument.
Merle Watson born in Deep Gap, North Carolina, 1949 (died 1985)
Lulu Belle Wiseman died (Alzheimer's disease), 1999 (was 84)
Keith Knudsen of Southern Pacific died (chronic pneumonia), 2005 (was 56)

February 9:

Joe Ely born in Amarillo, Texas, 1947 (now 62)
Travis Tritt born in Marietta, Georgia, 1963 (now 46)
Ernest Tubb born in Crisp, Texas, 1914 (died 1984)

February 10:

George York of the York Brothers born in Louisa, Kentucky, 1910 (died 1974)
Arthur Satherley died (natural causes), 1986 (was 96)
Kendall Hayes died (cancer), 1995 (was 59)
Jim Varney died (lung cancer), 2000 (was 50)

February 11:

Wesley Rose born in Chicago, Illinois, 1918 (died 1980)

February 12:

Moe Bandy born in Meridian, Mississippi, 1944 (now 65)
Stephen Sholes born in Washington, DC, 1911 (died 1968)
Red Allen born in Pigeon Roost, Kentucky, 1930 (died 1993)
Lorne Greene born in Ottawa, Ontario, 1915 (died 1987). The legendary actor hit the Billboard top 40 country charts in 1964 with "Ringo."
Sammi Smith died (emphysema), 2005 (was 61)

February 13:

David McLaughlin of the Johnson Mountain Boys born in Washington, DC, 1958 (now 51)
Tennessee Ernie Ford born in Bristol, Tennessee, 1919 (died 1991)
Boudleaux Bryant born in Shellman, Georgia, 1920 (died 1987)
Jim McReynolds of Jim & Jessee born in Coeburn, Virginia, 1927 (died 2003)
Charlie Moore born in Piedmont, South Carolina, 1935 (died 1979)
Buddy Lee died (cancer), 1998 (was 65)
Waylon Jennings died (complications of diabetes), 2002 (was 64)

February 14:

Razzy Bailey born in Five Points, Alabama, 1939 (now 70)
Bill Nowlin, co-founder of Rounder Records, born in Boston, Massachusetts, 1945 (now 64)
Harry Stone born in Jacksonville, Florida, 1898 (died 1968)
Lonnie Glosson born in Judsonia, Arkansas, 1908 (died 2001)

February 15:

Hank Locklin born in McLellan, Florida, 1918 (now 91)
Wally Fowler born in Adairsville, Georgia, 1917 (died 1994)
Louise Scruggs born in Lebanon, Tennessee, 1927 (died 2006)
Dorris Macon died (suicide), 1981 (was 71)
Nat "King" Cole died (lung cancer), 1965 (was 45). The legendary pop crooner hit #1 on the Billboard country charts in 1944 (with the King Cole Trio) with the song "Straighten Up and Fly Right."