Dates of Note in Country Music, February 16-29

Category: News

(Country Music Hall of Famers in bold)

February 16:

Jo-Walker Meador born in Orlinda, Tennessee, 1924 (now 88)

Ronnie Milsap born in Robbinsville, North Carolina, 1944 (now 68)

Jimmy Wakely born in Mineola, Arkansas, 1914 (died 1982)

Smiley Burnette died in Encino, California (leukemia), 1967 (was 55)

February 17:

Johnny Bush born in Houston, Texas, 1935 (now 77)

Buck Trent born in Spartanburg, South Carolina, 1938 (now 74)

Jon Randall born in Dallas, Texas, 1969 (now 43)

Bryan White born in Shellman, Georgia, 1974 (now 38)

Billy Byrd born in Nashville, Tennessee, 1920 (died 2001)

Gene Pitney born in Hartford, Connecticut, 1940 (died 2006). The Rock and Roll Hall of Famer recorded two albums of duets with George Jones.

Uncle Jimmy Thompson died in Laguardo, Tennessee (natural causes), 1931 (was 82)

Eck Robertson died in Borger, Texas (natural causes), 1975 (was 87)

Gus Hardin died near Claremore, Oklahoma (car wreck), 1996 (was 50)

February 18:

Juice Newton born in Lakehurst Naval Station, New Jersey, 1952 (now 60)

Dudley Connell of the Johnson Mountain Boys born in Scheer, West Virginia, 1956 (now 56)

Julius Frank "Pee Wee" King (ne Kuczynski) born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, 1914 (died 2000)

Tootsie Bess, owner of Tootsie's Orchid Lounge, died in Nashville, Tennessee (cancer), 1978 (was 61)

Johnny Paycheck died in Nashville, Tennessee (emphysema), 2003 (was 64)

February 19:

Lorianne Crook born in Wichita, Kansas, 1957 (now 55)

Cedric Rainwater (real name: Howard Watts) born in Monticello, Florida, 1913 (died 1970)
Lowell Blanchard died in Knoxville, Tennessee (heart attack), 1968 (was 57)

Grandpa Jones died in Nashville, Tennessee (stroke), 1998 (was 84)

Porter Wagoner and Dolly Parton officially break up their act, 1974

February 20:

Kathie Baillie of Baillie & the Boys born in Morristown, New Jersey, 1951 (now 61)

Claire Lynch born in Albany, New York, 1954 (now 58)

February 21:

Mary-Chapin Carpenter born in Princeton, New Jersey, 1958 (now 54)

Don Reno born in Spartanburg, South Carolina, 1926 (died 1984)
Carl T. Sprague died in Bryan, Texas (unknown cause), 1979 (was 83)

February 22:

Del Wood born in Nashville, Tennessee, 1920 (died 1989)

During a concert in London, Ontario, Johnny Cash asked June Carter to marry him, 1968

February 23:

Rusty Young of Poco born in Long Beach, California, 1946 (now 66)
Buck Griffin born in Corsicana, Texas, 1923 (died 2009)

Minnie Pearl married Henry Cannon, 1947

February 24:

Little Roy Lewis of the Lewis Family born in Lincoln County, Georgia, 1942 (now 70)

Don Law born in London, England, 1902 (died 1982)

Webb Pierce died in Nashville, Tennessee (cancer), 1991 (was 69)

Goldie Hill Smith died in Nashville, Tennessee (cancer), 2005 (was 72)

Dinah Shore died in Beverly Hills, California (ovarian cancer), 1994 (was 77). The legendary pop singer and TV hostess was part of the family of live performers on WSM radio.

February 25:

Dr. Ralph Stanley born in Stratton, Virginia, 1927 (now 85)

Faron Young born in Shreveport, Louisiana, 1932 (died 1996)

February 26:

Jan Crutchfield born in Paducah, Kentucky, 1936 (now 76)

Billy Jack Wills born in Hall County, Texas, 1926 (died 1991)

Johnny Cash born in Kingsland, Arkansas, 1932 (died 2003)

February 27:

Chuck Glaser of the Glaser Brothers born in Spalding, Nebraska, 1936 (now 76)
Joe Carson died in Wichita Falls, Texas (car wreck), 1964 (was 27)

Walter Bailes died in Sevierville, Tennessee (various health problems), 2000 (was 80)

February 28:

Joe South born in Atlanta, Georgia, 1940 (now 72)

Don Helms born in New Brockton, Alabama, 1927 (died 2008)

Jim Denny born in Silver Point, Tennessee, 1911 (died 1963)

Audrey Williams born in Banks, Alabama, 1923 (died 1975)

Fiddlin' Arthur Smith died (unknown causes), 1971 (was 72)

February 29:

Dinah Shore born in Winchester, Tennessee, 1916 (died 1994)