Dates of Note in Country Music, October 1-15

Category: News
(Hall of Fame members in bold)

October 1:

Kelly Willis born in Lawton, Oklahoma, 1968 (now 41)
Skeets McDonald born in Greenway, Arkansas, 1915 (died 1968)
Bonnie Owens born in Blanchard, Oklahoma, 1932 (died 2006)

October 2:

Jo-El Sonnier born in Rayne, Louisiana, 1946 (now 63)
Tammy Sullivan born in Wagarville, Alabama, 1964 (now 45)
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. Opry manager Jim Denny critiqued his performance by telling him that he was going nowhere and to "go back to driving trucks."

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 80)
Larry Collins of the Collins Kids born in Tulsa, Oklahoma, 1944 (now 65)
Greg Hubbard of Sawyer Brown born in Orlando, Florida, 1960 (now 49)
Jerry Rivers died (cancer), 1996 (was 69)
A.L. "Doodle" Owens died (heart attack), 1999 (was 69)
Tammy Wynette's ordeal where she claimed to have been kidnapped and beaten began, 1978

October 5:

Radio station WSM born in Nashville at 650 on the AM dial, 1925 (now 84)
Margie Singleton born in Coushatta, Louisiana, 1935 (now 74)
Johnny Duncan born in Dublin, Texas, 1938 (died 2006)

October 6:

Tim Rushlow of Little Texas born in Arlington, Texas, 1966 (now 42)
Kendall Hayes born in Perryville, Kentucky, 1935 (died 1995)
Ted Daffan died (natural causes), 1996 (was 84)

October 7:

Jim Halsey born in Independence, Kansas, 1930 (now 79)
Dale Watson born in Birmingham, Alabama, 1962 (now 47)
Kieran Kane born in Queens, New York, 1949 (now 60)
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)
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 56)
Susan Raye born in Eugene, Oregon, 1944 (now 65)
Lynn Morris born in Lamesa, Texas, 1948 (now 61)
Jackie Frantz of Dave & Sugar born in Sidney, Ohio, 1950 (now 59)
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 63). The folk singer has written a number of tunes that have become country and bluegrass standards, most notably, "Paradise."
Tanya Tucker born in Seminole, Texas, 1958 (now 51)

October 11:

Gene Watson born in Palestine, Texas, 1943 (now 66)
Paulette Carlson of Highway 101 born in Northfield, Minnesota, 1952 (now 57)
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 34)
John Denver died (plane crash), 1997 (was 53)

October 13:

Rhett Akins born in Valdosta, Georgia, 1969 (now 40)
Lacy J. Dalton born in Bloomsburg, Pennsylvania, 1946 (now 63)
Anita Kerr born in Memphis, Tennessee, 1927 (now 82)
John Wiggins born in Nashville, Tennessee, 1962 (now 47)
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 83)
Melba Montgomery born in Iron City, Tennessee, 1938 (now 71)
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, with his rendition of Al Dexter's "Pistol Packin' Mama," 1944.

October 15:

Dean Miller born in Los Angeles, California, 1965 (now 44)