This is Where the Cowboy Rides Away

Category:  News

George Strait at his news conference, announcing his plans to retire after his 2013-14 tour.

George Strait, country music's most successful chart-topping artist, has announced that he will retire from concerts after his next tour.

Dubbed "The Cowboy Rides Away Tour," Strait will begin a series of shows in January in his native Texas and is scheduled to continue through 2013 into 2014.

Strait, who turned 60 in May, emphasized at his news conference to announce the final tour that he is not retiring from recording.  He also stated he will do individual shows in the future.  It is the long-term tours, which have kept him on the road for months at a time since his first hit, "Unwound," in 1981, that he is giving up.

Strait has hit the top of Billboard magazine's country singles chart 59 times, more than any other act in country history.  In 2006 he was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame.

George Strait's web site

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)

Dates of Note in Country Music, September 16-30

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

September 16:

David Bellamy of the Bellamy Brothers born in Darby, Florida, 1950 (now 62)
Bobby Randall of Sawyer Brown born in Midland, Michigan, 1952 (now 60)
Terry McBride of McBride & the Ride born in Austin, Texas, 1958 (now 54)
Ralph Mooney born in Duncan, Oklahoma, 1928 (died 2011)
Sheb Wooley died in Nashville, Tennessee (leukemia), 2003 (was 82)

September 17:

Hank Williams born in Mount Olive, Alabama, 1923 (died 1953)
John Ritter, son of Tex Ritter, born in Burbank, California, 1948 (died 2003)
Steve Sanders (William Lee Golden's one-time replacement in the Oak Ridge Boys) born in Richland, Georgia, 1952 (died 1998)
Bill Black born in Memphis, Tennessee, 1926 (died 1965)
RCA's 33 1/3 RPM "long-playing" (LP) record first appeared, 1931

September 18:

Priscilla Mitchell born in Marietta, Georgia, 1941 (now 71). In addition to her own singing career, she was married to Jerry Reed from 1959 until his death in 2008.
Carl Jackson born in Louisville, Mississippi, 1953 (now 59)
Ervin T. Rouse born in Craven County, North Carolina, 1917 (died 1981)

September 19:

Trisha Yearwood born in Monticello, Georgia, 1964 (now 48)
Clyde Moody born in Cherokee, North Carolina, 1915 (died 1989)
Danny Dill born in Carroll County, Tennessee, 1924 (died 2008)
Clyde "Sonny' Burns born in Lufkin, Texas, 1930 (died 1992)
Red Foley died in Fort Wayne, Indiana (heart attack), 1968 (was 58)
Gram Parsons died in Joshua Tree, California (drug overdose), 1973 (was 26)
Skeeter Davis died in Nashville, Tennessee (cancer), 2004 (was 72)
Slim Dusty ("Australian king of country music") died in St. Ives, New South Wales (cancer), 2003 (was 76)
Carl Smith married singer Goldie Hill, 1957

September 20:

Pearl Butler born in Nashville, Tennessee, 1927 (died 1988)
Karl Farr died in West Springfield, Massachusetts (heart attack), 1961 (was 52)
Jim Croce died in Natchitoches, Louisiana (plane crash), 1973 (was 30). The folk singer/songwriter's pop hit "I'll Have to Say I Love You in a Song" made the country charts a year after his death.
Steve Goodman died in Seattle, Washington (liver and kidney failure/leukemia), 1984 (was 36)
Hank Williams re-joined the Louisiana Hayride after being fired from the Grand Ole Opry, 1952

September 21:

Dickey Lee born in Memphis, Tennessee, 1936 (now 76)
Don Felder, former guitarist/steel guitarist for the Eagles, born in Gainesville, Florida, 1947 (now 65)
Kenny Starr born in Topeka, Kansas, 1952 (now 60)
Daryl Mosley of New Tradition born in Waverly, Tennessee, 1964 (now 48)
Ronna Reeves born in Big Spring, Texas, 1966 (now 46)
Ted Daffan born in Beauregard Parish, Louisiana, 1912 (died 1996)
Walter Brennan died in Oxnard, California (emphysema), 1974 (was 80). Among the actor's charted hits were "Old Rivers" and a version of Bill Anderson's "Mama Sang a Song."


September 22:

June Forester of the Forester Sisters born in Lookout Mountain, Georgia, 1952 (now 60)
Debby Boone born in Hackensack, New Jersey, 1956 (now 55). The "You Light Up My Life" singer is Red Foley's granddaughter.
Roy "Pop" Lewis Sr. of the Lewis Family, born in Pickens, South Carolina, 1905 (died 2004)

September 23:

Don Herron Jr. of BR5-49 born in Steubenville, Ohio, 1962 (now 50)
Roy Drusky died in Nashville, Tennessee (emphysema), 2004 (was 74)
Bradley Kincaid died in Springfield, Ohio (natural causes), 1989 (was 94)
O.B. McClinton died in Nashville, Tennessee (abdominal cancer), 1987 (was 45)
Jimmy Wakely died in Mission Hills, California (emphysema), 1982 (was 68)
Roy Horton died in Nashville, Tennessee (unknown cause), 2003 (was 88)
Bob Wills and the Texas Playboys make their first recording session, 1935

September 24:

Rosalie Allen died in Palmdale, California (congestive heart failure), 2003 (was 79)
Jim Denny fired as Opry manager, 1956

September 25:

Ian Tyson born in Victoria, British Columbia, 1933 (now 79)
Larry Sparks born in Lebanon, Ohio, 1947 (now 65)
Royce Kendall born in St. Louis, Missouri, 1934 (died 1998)
Little Jimmy Dickens became a member of the Grand Ole Opry, 1948. He is celebrating 64 years as an Opry member, which is one of the longest tenures in the history of the show.

September 26:

David Frizzell born in El Dorado, Arkansas, 1941 (now 71)
Lynn Anderson born in Grand Forks, North Dakota, 1947 (now 65)
Carlene Carter born in Madison, Tennessee, 1955 (now 57)
Doug Supernaw born in Bryan, Texas, 1960 (now 52)
Marty Robbins born in Glendale, Arizona, 1925 (died 1982)
The Beverly Hillbillies debuted on CBS, 1962. The program featured appearances by Roy Clark as Cousin Roy and Flatt and Scruggs as friends of the Clampetts, and the show was frequently sponsored by Kellogg's Corn Flakes with ads featuring Homer and Jethro.

September 27:

Uncle Josh Graves born in Tellico Plains, Tennessee, 1928 (died 2006)
Charlie Monroe died in Reidsville, North Carolina (cancer), 1975 (was 72)
Johnnie Wright died in Madison, Tennessee (natural causes), 2011 (was 97)
Johnny Mathis died in Cornersville, Tennessee (pneumonia), 2011 (was 80)

September 28:

Ronnie Reno born in Buffalo, South Carolina, 1947 (now 64)
Laurie Lewis born in Long Beach, California, 1950 (now 61)
Mandy Barnett born in Crossville, Tennessee, 1975 (now 36)
Joseph Falcon born in Rayne, Louisiana, 1900 (died 1965). Falcon is credited with the first Cajun recording, "Allons a Lafayette," in 1928.
Jim Boyd (of Bill Boyd and the Cowboy Ramblers) born in Fannin County, Texas, 1914 (died 1993)
Jerry Clower born in Liberty, Mississippi, 1926 (died 1998)
Tommy Collins (ne Leonard Sipes) born in Bethany, Oklahoma, 1930 (died 2000)
Johnny Mathis born in Maud, Texas, 1930 (died 2011). Because of the rise of a pop singer by the same name, Mathis became known as "Country Johnny Mathis."
Johnny Horton married Billie Jean Williams (widow of Hank Williams), 1953

September 29:

Jerry Lee Lewis born in Ferriday, Louisiana, 1935 (now 77)
Gene Autry born in Tioga Springs, Texas, 1907 (died 1998)
Bill Boyd born in Fannin County, Texas, 1910 (died 1977)
Tillman Franks born in Stamps, Arkansas, 1920 (died 2006)
Wesley Tuttle died in San Fernando, California (natural causes), 2003 (was 85)
Mickey Newbury died in Springfield, Oregon (lung disease), 2002 (was 62)

September 30:

Richard Bowden born in Linden, Texas, 1945 (now 67)
Johnny Burns born in Knoxville, Tennessee, 1948 (now 64).  The son of Jethro Burns is a singer/songwriter/guitarist on his own, and worked for many years with country-folk icon John Prine.
Deborah Allen born in Memphis, Tennessee, 1953 (now 59)
Marty Stuart born in Philadelphia, Mississippi, 1958 (now 54)
Mary Ford died in Arcadia, California (diabetes complications), 1977 (was 53)
Ruby Wright died in Nashville, Tennessee (heart disease), 2009 (was 69)
Billboard magazine changed the name of the "Hillbilly and Western" chart to the "Folk Country and Western" chart, 1950. Ernest Tubb is considered by many to be one of the people responsible for this, as he claimed that "hillbilly" was a derogatory term.

Dates of Note in Country Music, September 1-15

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

September 1

Steve Goetzman of Exile born in Louisville, Kentucky, 1950 (now 62)
Boxcar Willie (ne Lecil Travis Martin) born in Sterratt, Texas, 1931 (died 1999)
Johnny Mack Brown born in Dothan, Alabama, 1904 (died 1974). The western actor was the namesake of Lester "Roadhog" Moran and the Cadillac Cowboy's Live at the Johnny Mack Brown High School album.
Conway Twitty born in Friars Point, Mississippi, 1933 (died 1993)
Delia "Mom" Upchurch, the "Den Mother to the Stars," died in Nashville, Tennessee (unknown cause), 1967 (was 85)
Jerry Reed died in Nashville, Tennessee (emphysema), 2008 (was 71)

September 2

Paul Wylie Deakin of the Mavericks born in Miami, Florida, 1959 (now 53)
Johnny Lee Wills born in Jewell, Texas, 1912 (died 1984)
Charline Authur born in Henrietta, Texas, 1929 (died 1987)
Grady Nutt born in Amarillo, Texas, 1934 (died 1982)
Fabor Robinson, founder of Fabor Records, died in Minden, Louisiana (unknown cause), 1986 (was 74)

September 3

Tompall Glaser born in Spalding, Nebraska, 1933 (now 79)
Jimmy Riddle born in Dyersburg, Tennessee, 1918 (died 1981)
Hank Thompson born in Waco, Texas, 1925 (died 2007)

September 4

Kathy Louvin born in Nashville, Tennessee, 1957 (now 55).  In addition to being the daughter of Ira Louvin she is a successful songwriter ("Queen of Memphis," "Send a Message to My Heart") and recording artist.
Shot Jackson born in Wilmington, North Carolina, 1920 (died 1991)
Dottie West died in Nashville, Tennessee (injuries from a car wreck), 1991 (was 58)
Carl Butler died in Franklin, Tennessee (heart attack), 1992 (was 65)

September 5

Curley Williams died in Montgomery, Alabama (unknown cause), 1970 (was 66)
The Country Music Association was founded, 1958
The Lewis Family's final concert, 2009. The bluegrass and gospel band began performing in 1951.

September 6

David Allan Coe born in Akron, Ohio, 1939 (now 73)
Jeff Foxworthy born in Atlanta, Georgia, 1958 (now 54)
Mark Chesnutt born in Beaumont, Texas, 1963 (now 49)
Zeke Clements born in Warrior, Alabama, 1911 (died 1994)
Paul Yandell born in Mayfield, Kentucky, 1935 (died 2011)
Mel McDaniel born in Checotah, Oklahoma, 1942 (died 2011)
Ernest Tubb died in Nashville, Tennessee (complications from emphysema), 1984 (was 70)
Autry Inman died (unknown cause), 1988 (was 59)
Roy Huskey Jr. died in Nashville, Tennessee (cancer), 1997 (was 41)

September 7

Ronnie Dove born in Herndon, Virginia, 1940 (now 72)
Buddy Holly born in Lubbock, Texas, 1936 (died 1959). The rock and roll pioneer began in country music, and among his band members was Waylon Jennings.
Hubert Long died in Nashville, Tennessee (brain tumor), 1972 (was 48)
Warren Zevon died in Los Angeles, California (mesothelioma), 2003 (was 56).  The folk-rock singer wrote "Poor Poor Pitiful Me," which made the country charts by both Linda Ronstadt and Terri Clark, and Dwight Yoakam recorded Zevon's "Carmelita" and sang on two of Zevon's albums.  Zevon also appeared in the movie South of Heaven, West of Hell with Yoakam.

September 8

Jimmie Rodgers born in Meridian, Mississippi, 1897 (died 1933)
Milton Brown born in Stephenville, Texas, 1903 (died 1936)
Patsy Cline born in Winchester, Virginia, 1932 (died 1963)
Harlan Howard born in Detroit, Michigan, 1929 (died 2002)

September 9

Freddy Weller born in Atlanta, Georgia, 1947 (now 65)
Charline Arthur born in Henrietta, Texas, 1929 (died 1987)
Rodger Dale Tubb died in Fredericksburg, Texas (car wreck), 1938 (was 7 weeks old)
Tex Owens died in New Baden, Texas (unknown cause), 1962 (was 70)
Bill Monroe died in Nashville, Tennessee (stroke), 1996 (was 84)

September 10

Tommy Overstreet born in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, 1937 (now 75)
Rosie Flores born in San Antonio, Texas, 1956 (now 56)
Luke Wills born in Memphis, Texas, 1920 (died 2000)
Joe (ne Walter) Callahan of the Callahan Brothers died in Asheville, North Carolina (cancer), 1971 (was 61)

September 11

Jimmie Davis born in Beech Springs, Louisiana, 1899 (died 2000)
Randy Hughes born in Gum, Tennessee, 1928 (died 1963)
Lorne Greene died in Santa Monica, California (pneumonia), 1987 (was 72). The actor's recitation "Ringo" was a top 25 country hit in 1964.
Leon Payne died in San Antonio, Texas (heart attack), 1969 (was 52)
Bill (ne Homer) Callahan of the Callahan Brothers died in Dallas, Texas (congestive heart failure), 2002 (was 90)
Terrorists crash planes into the World Trade Center's twin towers in New York City and the Pentagon in Washington DC, 2001.  The attack spawned several country songs including Alan Jackson's "Where Were You (When the World Stopped Turning)" and Toby Keith's "Courtesy of the Red, White and Blue (The Angry American)."

September 12

George Jones born in Saratoga, Texas, 1931 (now 81)
Leona Johnson Atkins born in Jackson Township, Ohio, 1924 (died 2009). One of WLW's "Johnson Twins," she married Chet Atkins in 1946.
Lois Johnson Burns born in Jackson Township, Ohio, 1924 (died 1989). One of WLW's "Johnson Twins," she married Jethro Burns of Homer & Jethro in 1946.
Helen Carter born in Maces Springs, Virginia, 1927 (died 1998)
Rod Brasfield died in Martin, Tennessee (heart failure), 1958 (was 48)
Johnny Cash died in Nashville, Tennessee (Shy-Drager syndrome complications, diabetes, lung disease), 2003 (was 71)
John Ritter died in Los Angeles, California (heart ailment), 2003 (was 54). The actor was the son of Western legend Tex Ritter.
Charlie Walker died in Nashville, Tennessee (colon cancer), 2008 (was 81)
Don Wayne died in Nashville, Tennessee (illness), 2011 (was 78)
Wade Mainer died in Flint, Michigan (congestive heart failure), 2011 (was 104)

September 13

Bobbie Cryner born in Woodland, California, 1961 (now 51)
Bill Monroe born in Rosine, Kentucky, 1911 (died 1996)
Wilma Lee Cooper died in Nashville, Tennessee (natural causes), 2011 (was 90)
U.S. Postal Service issues a Roy Acuff postage stamp, 2003

September 14

John Berry born in Aiken, South Carolina, 1959 (now 53)
Mae Boren Axton born in Bardwell, Texas, 1914 (died 1997)
Don Walser born in Brownfield, Texas, 1934 (died 2006)
Vernon Dalhart died in Bridgeport, Connecticut (heart attack), 1948 (was 65)
Hank Williams arrived in Nashville and met with Fred Rose to discuss a record or publishing deal, 1946

September 15

Roy Acuff born in Maynardsville, Tennesssee, 1903 (died 1992)
Patsy Cline married Charlie Dick, 1957