Dates of Note in Country Music, October 1-15

Category: News
(Country Music Hall of Famers in bold)

October 1:
Kelly Willis born in Lawton, Oklahoma, 1968 (now 44)
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 66)
Tammy Sullivan born in Wagarville, Alabama, 1964 (now 48)
Gillian Welch born in Manhattan, New York, 1967 (now 45)
Chris LeDoux born in Biloxi, Mississippi, 1948 (died 2005)
Chubby Wise born in Lake City, Florida, 1915 (died 1996)
Gene Autry died in Studio City, California (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 in Queens, New York (Huntington's disease), 1967 (was 55). Among the folk singer's compositions was the Maddox Brothers and Rose's hit "Philadelphia Lawyer."
Del Wood died in Nashville, Tennessee (stroke), 1989 (was 69)

October 4:
Leroy Van Dyke born in Spring Fork, Missouri, 1929 (now 83)
Larry Collins of the Collins Kids born in Tulsa, Oklahoma, 1944 (now 68)
Greg Hubbard of Sawyer Brown born in Orlando, Florida, 1960 (now 52)
Jerry Rivers died in Nashville, Tennessee (cancer), 1996 (was 69)
A.L. "Doodle" Owens died in Nashville, Tennessee (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 87)
Margie Singleton born in Coushatta, Louisiana, 1935 (now 77)
Johnny Duncan born in Dublin, Texas, 1938 (died 2006)

October 6:
Tim Rushlow of Little Texas born in Arlington, Texas, 1966 (now 46)
Kendall Hayes born in Perryville, Kentucky, 1935 (died 1995)
Ted Daffan died in Houston, Texas (cancer), 1996 (was 84)

October 7:
Jim Halsey born in Independence, Kansas, 1930 (now 82)
Kieran Kane born in Queens, New York, 1949 (now 63)
Dale Watson born in Birmingham, Alabama, 1962 (now 50)
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 in Kennesaw, Georgia (diabetes complications), 1997 (was 57)
Jimmie Logsdon died in Louisville, Kentucky (unknown cause), 2001 (was 79)
Shelby Singleton died in Nashville, Tennessee (brain cancer), 2009 (was 77)
Jimmie Rodgers' first recording, "The Soldier's Sweetheart" / "Sleep Baby Sleep," released, 1927

October 8:
Susan Raye born in Eugene, Oregon, 1944 (now 68)
Lynn Morris born in Lamesa, Texas, 1948 (now 64)
Jackie Frantz of Dave & Sugar born in Sidney, Ohio, 1950 (now 62)
Ricky Lee Phelps of the Kentucky Headhunters born in Paragould, Arkansas, 1953 (now 59)
Pete Drake born in Atlanta, Georgia, 1932 (died 1988)

October 9:
Goebel Reeves born in Sherman, Texas, 1899 (died 1969)
The Renfro Valley Barn Dance began airing on WLW, 1937

October 10:
John Prine born in Maywood, Illinois, 1946 (now 66)
Tanya Tucker born in Seminole, Texas, 1958 (now 54)
Don Pierce, founder of Starday Records, born in Ballard, Washington, 1915 (died 2005)

October 11:
Gene Watson born in Palestine, Texas, 1943 (now 69)
Paulette Carlson of Highway 101 born in Northfield, Minnesota, 1952 (now 60)
Dottie West born in McMinnville, Tennessee, 1932 (died 1991)
Rex Griffin died in New Orleans, Louisiana (tuberculosis), 1958 (was 46)
Tex Williams died in Newhall, California (pancreatic cancer), 1985 (was 68)
T. Tommy Cutrer died in Nashville, Tennessee (heart attack), 1998 (was 74)

October 12:
Shane McAnally born in Mineral Wells, Texas, 1974 (now 38)
John Denver died in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of Pacific Grove, California (plane crash), 1997 (was 53)

October 13:
Anita Kerr born in Memphis, Tennessee, 1927 (now 85)
Lacy J. Dalton born in Bloomsburg, Pennsylvania, 1946 (now 66)
John Wiggins born in Nashville, Tennessee, 1962 (now 49)
Rhett Akins born in Valdosta, Georgia, 1969 (now 43)
Hoarce Lee Logan died in Victoria, Texas (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."
Acuff-Rose Publishing Company founded, 1942
While presenting the CMA "Entertainer of the Year" award Charlie Rich set fire to the envelope after announcing that John Denver had won the award, 1975

October 14:
Kenny Roberts born in Lenoir City, Tennessee, 1926 (now 86)
Melba Montgomery born in Iron City, Tennessee, 1938 (now 74)
Bing Crosby died in Madrid, Spain (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," January 8, 1944.

October 15:
Dean Miller born in Los Angeles, California, 1965 (now 47)