Dates of Note in Country Music, July 1-15

CATEGORY: News
Hall of Fame members in bold

July 1:
John Lair born in Livingston, Kentucky, 1894 (died 1985). Lair, a one-time announcer on the WLS National Barn Dance, founded the Renfro Valley Barn Dance in Mt. Vernon, Kentucky in 1939.
Keith Whitley born in Sandy Hook, Kentucky, 1955 (died 1989)

July 2:
Marvin Rainwater born in Wichita, Kansas, 1925 (now 84)
Fred Maddox of the Maddox Brothers born in Boaz, Alabama, 1919 (died 1992)
Ken Curtis (one-time member of Sons of the Pioneers as well as Gunsmoke actor) born in Lamar, Colorado, 1916 (died 1991)
DeFord Bailey died (natural causes), 1982 (was 82)
Jim Reeves' final RCA recording session, 1964

July 3:
Johnny Lee born in Texas City, Texas, 1946 (now 63)
Aaron Tippin born in Pensacola, Florida, 1958 (now 51)
Johnny Russell died (complications of diabetes), 2001 (was 61)
Homer L. "Boots" Randolph died (subdural hematoma), 2007 (was 80)

July 4:
Ray Pillow born in Lynchburg, Virginia, 1937 (now 72)
Charlie Monroe born in Rosine, Kentucky, 1903 (died 1975)
Marion Worth born in Birmingham, Alabama, 1930 (died 1999)
Big Al Downing died (leukemia), 2005 (was 65)

July 5:
James "Guy" Willis of the Willis Brothers born in Alex, Arkansas, 1915 (died 1981)
The Grand Ole Opry's first show at the War Memorial Auditorium, 1939

July 6:
Jeannie Seely born in Titusville, Pennsylvania, 1940 (now 69)
Nancy Griffith born in Austin, Texas, 1953 (now 56)
Roy Rogers died (heart failure), 1998 (was 86)

July 7:
Charlie Louvin born in Rainsville, Alabama, 1927 (now 82)
John "Lonzo" Sullivan born in Edmonton, Kentucky, 1917 (died 1967)
Doyle Wilburn born in Hardy, Arkansas, 1930 (died 1982)
George Morgan died (complications of heart bypass surgery), 1975 (was 50)

July 8:
Toby Keith born in Clinton, Oklahoma, 1961 (now 48)
Louis Jordan (a jazz artist who had two country #1 hits in 1944) born in Brinkley, Arkansas, 1908 (died 1975)
Ervin Rouse died (complications from diabetes), 1981 (was 64)
Marty Stuart and Connie Smith married, 1997

July 9:
Jesse McReynolds born in Coeburn, Virginia, 1929 (now 81)
David Ball born in Rock Hill, South Carolina, 1953 (now 56)
Eddie Dean born in Posey, Texas, 1907 (died 1999)
Molly O'Day born in Pike County, Kentucky, 1923 (died 1987)
The Country Music Association announced the largest Country Music Hall of Fame induction class ever -- a total of 12 inductees (Bill Anderson, Delmore Brothers, Everly Brothers, Don Gibson, Homer & Jethro, Waylon Jennings, Jordanaires, Don Law, Louvin Brothers, Ken Nelson, Webb Pierce, and Sam Phillips) -- to coincide with the opening of the new Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum, 2001

July 10:
Randall E. "Hawk" Shaw Wilson of BR5-49 born in Topeka, Kansas, 1960 (now 49)

July 11:
Jeff Hanna of the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band born in Detroit, Michigan, 1947 (now 62)

July 12:
Steve Young born in Newman, Georgia, 1942 (now 67)
Jimmie Driftwood died (heart attack), 1998 (was 91)

July 13:
Louise Mandrell of the Mandrell Sisters born in Corpus Christi, Texas, 1954 (now 55)
Rhonda Vincent born in Kirksville, Missouri, 1962 (now 47)
Bradley Kincaid born in Level, Kentucky, 1895 (died 1989)
Tim Spencer born in Webb City, Missouri, 1908 (died 1974)
Riley Puckett died (blood poisoning), 1946 (was 62)

July 14:
Woody Guthrie born in Okemah, Oklahoma, 1912 (died 1967)
Marijohn Wilkin born in Kemp, Texas, 1920 (died 2006)
Del Reeves born in Sparta, North Carolina, 1933 (died 2007)

July 15:
Johnny Sea born in Gulfport, Mississippi, 1940 (now 68)
Linda Ronstadt born in Tucson, Arizona, 1946 (now 63)
Lloyd "Cowboy" Copas born in Adams County, Ohio, 1913 (died 1963)