Dates of Note in Country Music, October 1-15

Category: News

(Hall of Fame members in bold on birth/death date, followed by hall[s] of fame in which they are enshrined and the year enshrined.  CM=Country Music; BG=Bluegrass; DJ=Country Disc Jockey; NS=Nashville Songwriter; SG=Southern Gospel; StG=Steel Guitar; WS=Western Swing; GLA=Grammy Lifetime Achievement award; RR=country performer also in Rock & Roll Hall of Fame)

October 1:

Kelly Willis born in Lawton, Oklahoma, 1968 (now 49)
Skeets McDonald born in Greenway, Arkansas, 1915 (died 1968)
Bonnie Owens (WS 87) born in Blanchard, Oklahoma, 1932 (died 2006)

October 2:

Leon Rausch (WS 87) born in Billings, Missouri, 1927 (now 90)
Jo-El Sonnier born in Rayne, Louisiana, 1946 (now 71)
Gillian Welch born in Manhattan, New York, 1967 (now 50)
Chubby Wise (BG 98) born in Lake City, Florida, 1915 (died 1996)
Chris LeDoux born in Biloxi, Mississippi, 1948 (died 2005)
Tammy Sullivan born in Wagarville, Alabama, 1964 (died 2017)
Gene Autry (CM 69, WS 89, GLA 89) died in Studio City, California (lymphoma), 1998 (was 91). The "Singing Cowboy" also owned the California/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 (NS 78; DJ 76) born in McKinney, Texas, 1924 (died 2002)
Woody Guthrie (NS 77) died in Queens, New York (Huntington's disease), 1967 (was 55)
Del Wood died in Nashville, Tennessee (stroke), 1989 (was 69)

October 4:

Leroy Van Dyke born in Spring Fork, Missouri, 1929 (now 88)
Lloyd Green (StG 88) born in Leaf, Mississippi, 1937 (now 80)
Larry Collins of the Collins Kids born in Tulsa, Oklahoma, 1944 (now 73)
Greg Hubbard of Sawyer Brown born in Orlando, Florida, 1960 (now 57)
Jerry Rivers died in Nashville, Tennessee (cancer), 1996 (was 69)
A.L. "Doodle" Owens (NS 99) died in Nashville, Tennessee (heart attack), 1999 (was 69)
Tammy Wynette's kidnapped ordeal began, 1978

October 5:

Radio station WSM born in Nashville at 650 on the AM dial, 1925 (now 92)
Margie Singleton born in Coushatta, Louisiana, 1935 (now 82)
Johnny Duncan born in Dublin, Texas, 1938 (died 2006)
Johnny Vincent, founder of the Sally Mountain Bluegrass Festival and father of Darrin and Rhonda Vincent, died in Queen City, Missouri (long illness), 2014 (was 73)

October 6:

Tim Rushlow of Little Texas born in Arlington, Texas, 1966 (now 51)
Kendall Hayes born in Perryville, Kentucky, 1935 (died 1995)
Ted Daffan (NS 70, WS 94) died in Houston, Texas (cancer), 1996 (was 84)
Billy Joe Royal died in Morehead City, North Carolina (unknown cause), 2015 (was 73)

October 7:

Jim Halsey born in Independence, Kansas, 1930 (now 87)
Kieran Kane born in Queens, New York, 1949 (now 68)
Dale Watson born in Birmingham, Alabama, 1962 (now 55)
Uncle Dave Macon (CM 66) 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 Wiggins born in Eugene, Oregon, 1944 (now 73)
Lynn Morris born in Lamesa, Texas, 1948 (now 69)
Jackie Frantz of Dave & Sugar born in Sidney, Ohio, 1950 (now 67)
Pete Drake (StG 87) born in Atlanta, Georgia, 1932 (died 1988)

October 9:

Curtis McPeake born in Scotts Hill, Tennessee, 1927 (now 90)
Goebel Reeves born in Sherman, Texas, 1899 (died 1969)
The Renfro Valley Barn Dance debuted on WLW, 1937

October 10:

John Prine (NS 03) born in Maywood, Illinois, 1946 (now 71)
Tony Arata (NS 12) born in Savannah, Georgia, 1957 (now 60)
Tanya Tucker born in Seminole, Texas, 1958 (now 59)
Don Pierce, founder of Starday Records, born in Ballard, Washington, 1915 (died 2005)
Cal Smith died in Branson, Missouri (unknown cause), 2013 (was 81)

October 11:

Gene Watson born in Palestine, Texas, 1943 (now 74)
Paulette Carlson of Highway 101 born in Northfield, Minnesota, 1952 (now 65)
Leigh Gibson of the Gibson Brothers born in Clinton, New York, 1971 (now 46)
Dottie West born in McMinnville, Tennessee, 1932 (died 1991)
Rex Griffin (NS 70) died in New Orleans, Louisiana (tuberculosis), 1958 (was 46)
Jack Rhodes (NS 72) died in Mineola, Texas (heart attack), 1968 (was 61)
Tex Williams (WS 85) died in Newhall, California (pancreatic cancer), 1985 (was 68)
T. Tommy Cutrer (DJ 80) died in Nashville, Tennessee (heart attack), 1998 (was 74)

October 12:

Shane McAnally born in Mineral Wells, Texas, 1974 (now 43)
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 90)
Lacy J. Dalton born in Bloomsburg, Pennsylvania, 1946 (now 71)
John Wiggins born in Nashville, Tennessee, 1962 (now 55)
Rhett Akins born in Valdosta, Georgia, 1969 (now 48)
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:

Melba Montgomery born in Iron City, Tennessee, 1938 (now 79)
Kenny Roberts born in Lenoir City, Tennessee, 1926 (died 2012)
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.
Little Jimmy Sizemore died in Appleton, Wisconsin (natural causes), 2014 (was 87)

October 15:

Dean Miller born in Los Angeles, California, 1965 (now 52)

Dates of Note in Country Music, September 16-30

Category: News

(Hall of Fame members in bold on birth/death date, followed by hall[s] of fame in which they are enshrined and the year enshrined.  CM=Country Music; BG=Bluegrass; NS=Nashville Songwriter; SG=Southern Gospel; StG=Steel Guitar; GLA=Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award recipient; RR=country performer also in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame)

September 16:

David Bellamy of the Bellamy Brothers born in Darby, Florida, 1950 (now 67)

Bobby Randall of Sawyer Brown born in Midland, Michigan, 1952 (now 65)
Terry McBride of McBride & the Ride born in Austin, Texas, 1958 (now 59)

Ralph Mooney (StG 83) born in Duncan, Oklahoma, 1928 (died 2011)

Sheb Wooley died in Nashville, Tennessee (leukemia), 2003 (was 82)

September 17:

Hank Williams (CM 61, NS 70, RR 87; GLA 87) born in Mount Olive, Alabama, 1923 (died 1953)

Jimmie Crawford (StG00) born in Obetz, Ohio, 1935 (died 2005)

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:

Carl Jackson born in Louisville, Mississippi, 1953 (now 64)

Lydia Rogers of the Secret Sisters born in Muscle Shoals, Alabama, 1988 (now 29)

Ervin T. Rouse born in Craven County, North Carolina, 1917 (died 1981)
Priscilla Mitchell born in Marietta, Georgia, 1941 (died 2014)

Michael "Bea" Lilly (BG 02) died in Plymouth, Massachusetts (Alzheimer's disease), 2005 (was 83)

September 19:

Trisha Yearwood born in Monticello, Georgia, 1964 (now 53)

Clyde Moody born in Cherokee, North Carolina, 1915 (died 1989)
Danny Dill (NS 75) born in Carroll County, Tennessee, 1924 (died 2008)

Carlton Haney (BG 98) born in Rockingham County, North Carolina, 1928 (died 2011)

Clyde "Sonny" Burns born in Lufkin, Texas, 1930 (died 1992)

Red Foley (CM 67) 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 (ne David Kirkpatrick, the "Australian King of Country Music") died in St. Ives, New South Wales (cancer), 2003 (was 76)
Carl Smith married Goldie Hill, 1957

September 20:

Bob Miller (NS 70) born in Memphis, Tennessee, 1895 (died 1955)

Pearl Butler born in Nashville, Tennessee, 1927 (died 1988)

Karl Farr (CM 80) 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 (NS 95) born in Memphis, Tennessee, 1936 (now 81)

Don Felder, former guitarist/steel guitarist for the Eagles, born in Gainesville, Florida, 1947 (now 70)
Kenny Starr born in Topeka, Kansas, 1952 (now 65)

Daryl Mosley of New Tradition born in Waverly, Tennessee, 1964 (now 53)

Ronna Reeves born in Big Spring, Texas, 1966 (now 51)

Ted Daffan (NS 70) 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."
John D. Loudermilk (NS 76) died in Nashville, Tennessee (bone cancer), 2016 (was 82)

September 22:

June Forester of the Forester Sisters born in Lookout Mountain, Georgia, 1952 (now 65)
Debby Boone born in Hackensack, New Jersey, 1956 (now 60). The "You Light Up My Life" singer is Red Foley's granddaughter.
James Roy "Pop" Lewis Sr. of the Lewis Family (BG 06) born in Pickens, South Carolina, 1905 (died 2004)

September 23:

Pat Alger (NS 10) born in Long Island City, New York, 1947 (now 70)

Don Herron Jr. of BR5-49 born in Steubenville, Ohio, 1962 (now 55)
Roy Drusky died in Nashville, Tennessee (emphysema), 2004 (was 74)

Bradley Kincaid (NS 71) died in Springfield, Ohio (natural causes), 1989 (was 94)

O.B. McClinton died in Nashville, Tennessee (abdominal cancer), 1987 (was 45)

Jimmy Wakely (NS 71) died in Mission Hills, California (emphysema), 1982 (was 68)
Roy Horton (CM 82) died in Nashville, Tennessee (diabetes/congestive heart failure), 2003 (was 88)
First recording session for Bob Wills and His Texas Playboys, 1935

September 24:

Rosalie Allen died in Palmdale, California (congestive heart failure), 2003 (was 79)
Priscilla Mitchell died in Nashville, Tennessee (illness), 2014 (was 73)
Jim Denny fired as Opry manager, 1956

September 25:

Ian Tyson born in Victoria, British Columbia, 1933 (now 84)

Larry Sparks (BG 15) born in Lebanon, Ohio, 1947 (now 70)

Shel Silverstein (NS 02) born in Chicago, Illinois, 1930 (died 1999)

Royce Kendall born in St. Louis, Missouri, 1934 (died 1998)
Jean Shepard (CM 11) died in Nashville, Tennessee (Parkinson's disease), 2016 (was 82)
Little Jimmy Dickens became a member of the Grand Ole Opry, 1948

September 26:

David Frizzell born in El Dorado, Arkansas, 1941 (now 76)

Carlene Carter born in Madison, Tennessee, 1955 (now 62)

Doug Supernaw born in Bryan, Texas, 1960 (now 57)

Marty Robbins (CM 82, NS 75) born in Glendale, Arizona, 1925 (died 1982)
Lynn Anderson born in Grand Forks, North Dakota, 1947 (died 2015)
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:

Beasley Smith (NS 83) born in McEwen, Tennessee, 1902 (died 1968)

Uncle Josh Graves (BG 97) 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 70)

Laurie Lewis born in Long Beach, California, 1950 (now 67)

Mandy Barnett born in Crossville, Tennessee, 1975 (now 42)

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) (NS 99) 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 in the mid 1950's, Mathis became known as "Country Johnny Mathis."

Glenn Sutton (NS 99) born in Hodge, Louisiana, 1937 (died 2007)

Johnny Horton married Billie Jean Williams (widow of Hank Williams), 1953

September 29:

Jerry Lee Lewis (RR 86) born in Ferriday, Louisiana, 1935 (now 82)

Gene Autry (CM 69, NS 70) 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 (NS 80) died in Springfield, Oregon (emphysema), 2002 (was 62)

September 30:

Richard Bowden born in Linden, Texas, 1945 (now 72)

Johnny Burns born in Knoxville, Tennessee, 1948 (now 69).  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 64)

Marty Stuart born in Philadelphia, Mississippi, 1958 (now 59)

Mary Ford died in Arcadia, California (diabetes complications), 1977 (was 53)

Uncle Josh Graves (BG 97) died in Nashville, Tennessee (lengthy illness), 2006 (was 81)

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.

Some Broken Hearts Never Mend

Category: News/Obituary

The man they called "the Gentle Giant" is gone.  Country Music Hall of Fame great Don Williams died today (9/8) after a short illness.

Born in Texas in 1939, Don Williams' smooth, Jim Reeves-like baritone voice began entertaining fans when he was part of the folk group the Pozo-Seco Singers in the 60s.  The group had a minor successes with the songs "I Can Make It With You" and "Look What You've Done," both hitting the Billboard pop top 40 charts in 1966.  After the band went their separate ways in 1970, member Susan Taylor found success as a songwriter for acts such as the Forrester Sisters, Tanya Tucker, and Mickey Gilley, using the name Taylor Pie.

Don Williams, on the other hand, found the top of the mountain.  Beginning with "The Shelter of Your Eyes" in late 1972, Williams had 56 singles chart in the Billboard country singles chart, all of four of which were top 40 hits.

There was nothing pretentious about Williams' music.  It was pure, simple, and country.  He sang of love ("Love Me All Over Again," "The Shelter of Your Eyes" -- both of which Williams wrote [an oft-overlooked element of his career] -- and "I Believe in You") with a beautiful voice and basic guitar, bass, and drum accompaniment.  And it caught on.  Oh, how it caught on.  Over the course of his career Williams compiled seventeen #1 songs.

Interestingly, one of his comparative "flops" (only hitting #33 on the charts) was a Bob McDill love song called "Amanda."  Waylon Jennings would later find chart-topping success with the song that Williams first recorded.

In addition to all of the great music, Williams was a devoted family man.  He was one of the very few country singers you could say was never associated with any sort of scandal.  He loved his wife, Joy, whom he married in 1960.  

He also loved his music and his fans, staying on the road and performing until he decided to call it a career in 2016.

If an artist ever gave the world a song to describe how fans would feel about his/her death, it would be Don Williams and "Some Broken Hearts Never Mend."  

A sad and grateful farewell to Don Williams, who was 78.