Dates of Note in Country Music, April 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[s] enshrined.  CM=Country Music; BG=Bluegrass; NS=Nashville Songwriter SG=Southern Gospel; StG=Steel Guitar; GLA= Grammy Lifetime Achievement recipient; PMF= Presidential Medal of Freedom recipient; RR=country performer also in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame)

April 1:

Jules Verne Allen born in Waxahachie, Texas, 1883 (died 1945)

Arthur "Guitar Boogie" Smith born in Clinton, South Carolina, 1921 (died 2014)

Jimmy Logsdon born in Panther, Kentucky, 1922 (died 2001)
Jim Ed Brown (CM 15) born in Sparkman, Arkansas, 1934 (died 2015)

Paul Cohen (CM 76) died in Nashville, Tennessee (cancer), 1970 (was 71)

Rachel Veach joined Roy Acuff's Smoky Mountain Boys, 1939. Her presence gave rise to Pete Kirby's nickname "Bashful Brother Oswald:" a woman traveling with a group of men was scandalous, so Kirby was billed as Veach's "bashful brother" to quell any rumors.

The original Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum opened, 1967

April 2:

Warner Mack born in Nashville, Tennessee, 1938 (now 81)

Sonny Throckmorton (NS 87) born in Carlsbad, New Mexico, 1941 (now 78)

Emmylou Harris (CM 08) born in Birmingham, Alabama, 1947 (now 72)

Dean Townson of Pirates of the Mississippi born in Battle Creek, Michigan, 1959 (now 60)

Billy Dean born in Quincy, Florida, 1962 (now 57)
Mose Rager born in Muhlenberg County, Kentucky, 1911 (died 1986). The guitarist was a significant influence on the thumbpicking style of another guitarist from the region, Merle Travis.
Cliff Carlisle died in Lexington, Kentucky (unknown cause), 1983 (was 78)
Former Country Gentleman Doyle Lawson formed Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver, 1979

April 3:

Richard Thompson born in Notting Hill, London, 1949 (now 70).  The legendary folk-rock singer/songwriter and guitarist wrote and originally recorded "1952 Vincent Black Lightning," later a bluegrass hit for Del McCoury, as well as Jo-El Sonnier's biggest hit, "Tear-Stained Letter" (which was also covered by Faith Hill).

Curtis Stone of Highway 101 (and son of Cliffie Stone) born in North Hollywood, California, 1950 (now 69)

Hank Newman of the Georgia Crackers born in Cochran, Georgia, 1905 (died 1978)

Don Gibson (CM 01, NS 73) born in Shelby, North Carolina, 1928 (died 2003)
Billy Joe Royal born in Valdosta, Georgia, 1942 (died 2015)

Ella Mae Cooley murdered, 1961. Her husband, self-proclaimed "King of Western Swing" Spade Cooley, was convicted of her murder and sentenced to life in prison.
David Keli'i (StG 90) died in Honolulu, Hawaii (unknown cause), 1983 (was 68)
Harley "Red" Allen (BG 05) died in Dayton, Ohio (cancer), 1993 (was 63)

Starday Records owner Don Pierce died in Nashville, Tennessee (heart attack), 2005 (was 89)
Arthur "Guitar Boogie" Smith died in Charlotte, North Carolina (natural causes), 2014 (was 93)
The Louisiana Hayride debuted on KWKH, Shreveport, Louisiana, 1948. Among the artists who performed on the radio show were Elvis Presley, Hank Williams, Claude King, Johnny Horton, and one-time emcee Jim Reeves.

April 4:

Steve Gatlin of the Gatlin Brothers born in Olney, Texas, 1951 (now 67)

Cy Coben (ne Cohen)  born in Jersey City, New Jersey, 1919 (died 2006)
Norro Wilson (NS 96) born in Scottsville, Kentucky, 1938 (died 2017)
Troy Gentry of Montgomery Gentry born in Lexington, Kentucky, 1967 (died 2017)

Red Sovine died in Nashville, Tennessee (heart attack while driving), 1980 (was 61)

April 5:

Bill Clifton (BG 08) (ne William August Marburg) born in Riverwood, Maryland, 1931 (now 88). In addition to being a bluegrass performer, Clifton is also credited with starting the bluegrass festival, when he organized a July 4, 1961 show in Luray, Virginia.

June Stearns born in Alpha, Kentucky, 1939 (now 80)

Tommy Cash born in Dyess, Arkansas, 1940 (now 79)

Bob McDill (NS 85) born in Beaumont, Texas, 1944 (now 75)
Pat Green born in San Antonio, Texas, 1972 (now 47)
Lewis Phillips of the Lewis Family (BG 06) born in Washington, GA, 1972 (now 47)
Laura Rogers of the Secret Sisters born in Muscle Shoals, Alabama, 1986 (now 33)
Jack Clement (CM 13, NS 73) born in Whitehaven, Tennessee, 1931 (died 2013)
Charlie Collins of Roy Acuff's Smoky Mountain Boys born in Caryville, Tennessee, 1933 (died 2012)
Frenchy "Stoney" Edwards died in Oklahoma (stomach cancer), 1997 (was 67)

Gene Pitney (RR 02) died in Cardiff, Wales (heart disease), 2006 (was 65). In addition to his rock hits, Pitney recorded two albums of duets with George Jones.

April 6:

Vernon Dalhart (CM 81, NS 70) (ne Marion Try Slaughter) born in Marion County, Texas, 1883 (died 1948)

Dick Kaihue McIntire (StG 82) born in Honolulu, Hawaii, 1902 (died 1951)

Wade Ray born in Griffin, Indiana, 1913 (died 1998)
Merle Haggard (CM 94, NS 77, GLA 06) born in Bakersfield, California, 1937 (died 2016)
Tammy Wynette (CM 98, NS 09) died in Nashville, Tennessee (heart failure attributed to blood clot), 1998 (was 55)
Merle Haggard (CM 94, NS 77, GLA 06) died in Palo Cedro, California (pneumonia), 2016 (79th birthday) 

Grand Ole Opry shows were canceled due to rioting in the wake of Martin Luther King's assassination earlier in the week, 1968

April 7:

Bobby Bare (CM 13) born in Ironton, Ohio, 1935 (now 84)

John Dittrich of Restless Heart born in New York, New York, 1951 (now 68)

Leon "Pappy" Selph born in Houston, Texas, 1914 (died 1999)
Cal Smith born in Gans, Oklahoma, 1932 (died 2013)

Clyde Moody died in Nashville, Tennessee (unknown cause), 1989 (was 73)
Henry Glover died in St. Albans, New York (heart attack), 1991 (was 69)
Jeff Newman (StG 99) died in Watertown, Tennessee (plane crash), 2004 (was 62)
George Shuffler (BG 11) died in Valdese, North Carolina (long illness), 2014 (was 88)

April 8:

John Schneider born in Mount Kisco, New York, 1960 (now 59)

Jimmie Osborne born in Winchester, Kentucky, 1923 (died 1957)

April 9:

Margo Smith born in Dayton, Ohio, 1942 (now 77)

Con Hunley born in Fountain City, Tennessee, 1945 (now 74)

Hal Ketchum born in Greenwich, New York, 1953 (now 66)

Mark Roberts of the Red Clay Ramblers born in Wareham, Massachusetts, 1957 (now 62)

Dave Innis of Restless Heart born in Bartlesville, Oklahoma, 1959 (now 60)

Carl Perkins (NS 85, RR 87) born in Tiptonville, Tennessee, 1932 (died 1998)

Darrell Glenn died in Fort Worth, Texas (cancer), 1990 (was 54)

Mae Boren Axton died in Nashville, Tennessee (natural causes), 1997 (was 82)
Tut Taylor died in North Wilkesboro, North Carolina (natural causes), 2015 (was 91)

April 10:

Fiddlin' Arthur Smith born in Bold Spring, Tennessee, 1898 (died 1971)

Sheb Wooley born in Enick, Oklahoma, 1921 (died 2003)
DeWitt "Scotty" Scott (StG 92) born in Amarillo, Texas, 1932 (died 2015)
Weldon Myrick (StG 97) born in Jayton, Texas, 1938 (died 2014)

Former home of Johnny and June Cash destroyed by fire, 2007. Barry Gibb of the Bee Gees owned the house at the time of the fire.  In 2010 the Gatlin Brothers referenced the fire in a song titled "Johnny Cash is Dead and His House Burned Down."

April 11:

Jim Lauderdale born in Troutman, North Carolina, 1957 (now 62)

Harty Taylor of Karl & Harty born in Mount Vernon, Kentucky, 1905 (died 1963)

Millie Good of the Girls of the Golden West born in Mount Carmel, Illinois, 1913 (died 1993)
George Shuffler (BG 11) born in Valdese, North Carolina, 1925 (died 2014)
Eddie Miller died in Nashville, Tennessee (unknown cause), 1977 (was 83). In addition to writing a number of songs, including "I've Loved and Lost Again" which was recorded by Patsy Cline during her stint on Four Star, Miller co-founded the Nashville Songwriters' Association International.

Lighnin' Chance died in Nashville, Tennessee (cancer/Alzheimer's), 2005 (was 79)

Jerry Byrd (StG 78) died in Honolulu, Hawaii (complications of Parkinson's disease), 2005 (was 85)

April 12:

Ron Elliott (StG 09) born in Salisbury, Maryland, 1936 (now 83)

Vince Gill (CM 07, NS 05) born in Norman, Oklahoma, 1957 (now 62)

Ernie Lee born in Berea, Kentucky, 1916 (died 1991)
Ned Miller born in Raines, Utah, 1925 (died 2016)

Judy Lynn born in Boise, Idaho, 1936 (died 2010)

Lewis Crook of the Crook Brothers died in Nashville, Tennessee (natural causes), 1997 (was 87)

Boxcar Willie died in Branson, Missouri (leukemia), 1999 (was 67)

April 13:

Sam Bush born in Bowling Green, Kentucky, 1952 (now 67)

Bob Nolan (CM 80, NS 71) of the Sons of the Pioneers born in Winnipeg, Manitoba, 1908 (died 1980)

Guy Willis of the Willis Brothers died in Nashville, Tennessee (unknown cause), 1981 (was 65)

Johnny Dollar died in Nashville, Tennessee (suicide), 1986 (was 53)

April 14:

Loretta Lynn (CM 88, NS 83, GLA 10, PMF 13) born in Butcher Holler, Kentucky, 1932 (now 87)

Stuart Duncan of the Nashville Bluegrass Band born in Quantico, Virginia, 1964 (now 55)

Vito Pelletteri died in Nashville, Tennessee (complications from a stroke), 1977 (was 87)

Burl Ives died in Anacortes, Washington (throat cancer), 1995 (was 85)

April 15:

Chris Stapleton born in Lexington, Kentucky, 1978 (now 41)

J.L. Frank (CM 67) born in Limestone County, Alabama, 1900 (died 1952)
Roy Clark (CM 09) born in Meherrin, Virginia, 1933 (died 2018)

Bob Luman born in Nacogdoches, Texas, 1937 (died 1978)

Junior Barnard of Bob Wills' Texas Playboys died (car wreck), 1951 (was 30)

Rose Maddox died in Ashland, Oregon (kidney failure), 1998 (was 72)

Otto Kitsinger died in Nashville, Tennessee (heart attack), 1998 (was 54). Kitsinger was the historian and writer for CMT's Opry Backstage.