Dates of Note in Country Music, December 1-15

Category: Almanac

(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 recipient; RR=country performer also in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame)

December 1:

Darryl Ellis born in Norfolk, Virginia, 1964 (now 58)

Silm Willet born in Dublin, Texas, 1919 (died 1966)

Jim Nesbitt born in Bishopville, South Carolina, 1931 (died 2007)

Fred Rose (CM 61, NS 70) died in Nashville, Tennessee (heart failure), 1954 (was 57)

Carter Stanley (BG 92) died in Bristol, Tennessee (cirrhosis of the liver), 1966 (was 41)

December 2:

John Wesley Ryles born in Bastrop, Louisiana, 1950 (now 72)

Herman Crook born in Scottsboro, Tennessee, 1898 (died 1988)

Marvin Hughes died in Nashville, Tennessee (unknown cause), 1986 (was 75)
Mark Gray died in Lebanon, Tennessee (unknown cause), 2016 (was 64) 

"Tennessee Waltz" recorded by Pee Wee King and Redd Stewart, 1947

December 3:

Paul Gregg of Restless Heart born in New York, New York, 1954 (now 68)

Ferlin Husky (CM 10) born in Flat River, Missouri, 1927 (died 2011)

Rabon Delmore (CM 01, NS 71) born in Dothan, Alabama, 1916 (died 1952)

Hubert Long (CM 79) born in Poteet, Texas, 1923 (died 1972)

Lew Childre died in Foley, Albama (various health issues), 1961 (was 60)

Grady Martin died (heart attack), 2001 (was 72)

Homer Bailes of the Bailes Brothers died in Ruston, Louisiana (natural causes), 2013 (was 91)

Bob Wills recorded "What Makes Bob Holler," 1973.  He suffered a stroke during the night after the recording session and never spoke or sang again.

December 4:

Chris Hillman born in Los Angeles, California, 1944 (now 78)

Rabon Delmore (CM 01, NS 71) died in Athens, Alabama (lung cancer), 1952 (was 36)

Connie B. Gay (CM 80) died in Fairfax, Virginia (cancer), 1989 (was 75)

Bob Montgomery died in Lee's Summit, Missouri (Parkinson's disease), 2014 (was 77)

Stonewall Jackson died in Nashville, Tennessee (vascular dementia), 2021 (was 89)

Eddy Arnold's first record session as a solo artist, 1944

Sun Records' "Million Dollar Quartet" of Elvis Presley, Carl Perkins, Johnny Cash, and Jerry Lee Lewis record together, 1956

Connie B. Gay elected inaugural president of the Country Music Association, 1958

December 5:

Jim Messina of Poco born in Harlingen, Texas, 1947 (now 75)

Ty England born in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, 1963 (now 59)

Ray Whitley (NS 81) born in Atlanta, Georgia, 1901 (died 1979)

Eddie Alkire (Steel Guitar 83) born in Hacker, West Virginia, 1907 (died 1981)

Michael "Bea" Lilly (BG 02) born in Clear Creek, West Virginia, 1921 (died 2005)

Don Robertson (NS 72) born in Peking, China, 1922 (died 2015)

Molly O'Day died in Huntington, West Virginia (cancer), 1987 (was 64)

Wilf Carter (Montana Slim) (NS 71) died in Scottsdale, Arizona (stomach cancer), 1996 (was 91)

The soundtrack to O Brother, Where Art Thou released, 2000

December 6:

Helen Cornelius born in Hannibal, Missouri, 1941 (now 81)

Bill Lloyd of Foster & Lloyd born in Ft. Hood, Texas, 1955 (now 67)

Hugh Farr (CM 80) born in Llano, Texas, 1903 (died 1980)

Eddie Alkire (StG 83) born in Hacker Valley, West Virginia, 1907 (died 1981)

Jim Eanes born in Mountain Valley, Virginia, 1923 (died 1995)

Huddie "Lead Belly" Leadbetter (NS 80) died in New York, New York (Lou Gehrig's Disease), 1949 (was 60)

Roy Orbison (NS 87) died in Hendersonville, Tennessee (heart attack), 1989 (was 52)

Peter Cooper died in Nashville, Tennessee (head injuries suffered in a fall), 2022 (was 52)

December 7:

Bobby Osborne (BG 94) born in Hyden, Kentucky, 1931 (now 91)

Gary Morris born in Fort Worth, Texas, 1948 (now 74)

Ronnie Sessions born in Henrietta, Oklahoma, 1948 (now 74)

Slim Bryant born in Atlanta, Georgia, 1908 (died 2010)

Don Maddox born in Boaz, Alabama, 1923 (died 2021)

Hugh X. Lewis born in Yeaddiss, Kentucky, 1932 (died 2020)

Darrell Glenn born in Waco, Texas, 1935 (died 1990)

Dawn Sears born in East Grand Forks, Minnesota, 1961 (died 2014)

Bill Boyd died in Dallas, Texas (unknown cause), 1977 (was 67)

December 8:

Marty Raybon born in Stanford, Florida, 1959 (now 62)

Jack Stapp (CM 89) born in Nashville, Tennessee, 1912 (died 1980)

Floyd Tillman (CM 83, NS 70) born in Ryan, Oklahoma, 1914 (died 2003)

Marty Robbins (CM 82, NS 75) died in Nashville, Tennessee (heart attack), 1982 (was 57)

Bonnie Lou (Mary Joan Kath) died in Cincinnati, Ohio (natural causes), 2015 (was 91)

December 9:

Billy Edd Wheeler (NS 00) born in Whitesville, Virginia, 1932 (now 90)

David Kersh born in Humble, Texas, 1970 (now 52)

David Houston born in Bossier City, Louisiana, 1938 (died 1993)

Tommy Jackson died in Nashville, Tennessee (unknown cause), 1979 (was 53)

December 10:

Johnny Rodriguez born in Sabinal, Texas, 1951 (now 71)

Eddie Miller (NS 75) born in Camargo, Oklahoma, 1919 (died 1977)

Roy Ayers (StG 07) born in Columbus, Mississippi, 1929 (died 2012)
Jimmy Riddle died in Nashville, Tennessee (cancer), 1982 (was 64)

John Duffey (BG 96, BG 14) died (heart attack), 1996 (was 62)

Faron Young (CM 00) died in Nashville, Tennessee (suicide [gunshot]), 1996 (was 64)
Leon Rhodes died in Nashville, Tennessee (long illness), 2017 (was 85)

Michael Nesmith died in Carmel Valley, California (heart failure), 2021 (was 78) 

Before the evening's WSM Barn Dance began, announcer George D. Hay commented, "For the past hour, you've been listening to selections taken from grand opera. Now we present Grand Ole Opry," 1927.

December 11:

Brenda Lee (CM 97, RR 02; GLA 09) born in Atlanta, Georgia, 1944 (now 78)

Charles Whitstein born in Colfax, Louisiana, 1945 (now 77)

Arthur Q. Smith (ne James Arthur Pritchett) born in Griffin, Georgia, 1909 (died 1963)

Cousin Jody (ne James Summey) born in Sevierville, Tennessee, 1914 (died 1975)

Tom Brumley (StG 92) born in Stella, Missouri, 1935 (died 2009)

Fiddlin' John Carson died in Atlanta, Georgia (natural causes), 1949 (was 81)

Dawn Sears died in Nashville, Tennessee (lung cancer), 2014 (was 53)
Jack Scott died in Warren, Michigan (congestive heart failure), 2019 (was 83)

Commercial plane with Tex Ritter aboard as a passenger hijacked to Cuba, 1968

December 12:

LaCosta Tucker born in Seminole, Texas, 1951 (now 71)

Shelton Hank Williams (Hank III) born in Houston, Texas, 1972 (now 50)

Maurice Anderson (StG 06) born in Dallas, Texas, 1934 (died 2013)

Clifton Chenier died in Lafayette, Louisiana (kidney disease related to diabetes), 1987 (was 62)

Charley Pride (CM 00, GLA 20) died in Dallas, Texas (COVID-19), 2020 (was 86)

December 13:

Buck White born in Oklahoma, 1930 (now 92)

Randy Owen of Alabama (CM 05) born in Fort Payne, Alabama, 1949 (now 73)

John Anderson (NS 14) born in Orlando, Florida, 1954 (now 68)

Wesley Tuttle born in Lamar, Colorado, 1917 (died 2003)

Wayne Walker (NS 75) born in Quapaw, Oklahoma, 1925 (died 1979)

Millie Kirkham of the Anita Kerr Singers died in Nashville, Tennessee (complications of a stroke), 2015 (was 91)

Lulu Belle and Scotty Wiseman wed, 1934

December 14:

DeFord Bailey (CM 05) born in Smith County, Tennessee, 1899 (died 1982)

Walter Haynes (StG 03) born in Kingsport, Tennessee, 1928 (died 2009)

Charlie Rich born in Forest City, Arkansas, 1932 (died 1995)

Billie Jo Spears died in Vidor, Texas (cancer), 2011 (was 73)

December 15:

Doug Phelps of Kentucky Headhunters born in Leachville, Arkansas, 1960 (now 62)

Alvin Pleasant Carter (CM 70, NS 70, BG 01; GLA 05) born in Maces Spring, Virginia, 1891 (died 1960)

Jerry Wallace born in Guilford, Missouri, 1928 (died 2008)

Ernie Ashworth born in Huntsville, Alabama, 1928 (died 2009)

Nudie Cohn (ne Nuta Kotlyarenko) born in Kiev, Ukraine, 1902 (died 1984)
William Eugene "Red" Rector born in Marshall, North Carolina, 1929 (died 1990)
Jerry Chesnut (NS 92) died in Nashville, Tennessee (natural causes), 2018 (was 87)

Hank Williams married Audrey Guy, 1944

Dates of Note in Country Music, November 16-30

 Category: Almanac

(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 recipient; RR=country singer also in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame)

November 16:

Troy Seals (NS 88) born in Bill Hill, Kentucky, 1938 (now 84)
Larry Cordel born in Cordell, Kentucky, 1949 (now 73)
Will Goleman of the Cactus Brothers born in Shreveport, Louisiana, 1963 (now 59)
Ernest Tubb biographer Ronnie Pugh born in Texas, year unknown
W.C. Handy (NS 83) born in Florence, Alabama, 1873 (died 1958)
Gene Sullivan (NS 71) born in Carbon Hill, Alabama, 1914 (died 1984)
Earl Bolick born in Hickory, North Carolina, 1919 (died 1998)
Sol Ho'opi'i (StG 79) died in Seattle, Washington (extended illness), 1953 (was 48)
J.D. Sumner (SG 97) died in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina (heart attack), 1998 (was 73)
Mentor Williams died in Taos, New Mexico (unknown cause), 2016 (was 70)

November 17:

Gordon Lightfoot born in Orilla, Ontario, Canada, 1938 (now 84). The Canadian Country Music Hall of Fame member has written such hits as Marty Robbins' "Ribbon of Darkness" and Bill Anderson's "Did She Mention My Name," and a number of his own recordings have made the country chart.
Wiley Walker (NS 71) born in Laurel Hill, Florida, 1911 (died 1966)
Eva Foley (Red Foley's wife) died in Nashville, Tennessee (suicide), 1951 (was 33)
Don Gibson (CM 01, NS 73) died in Nashville, Tennessee (natural causes), 2003 (was 75)
Ramona Jones died in Goodlettesville, Tennessee (heart attack), 2015 (was 91)

November 18:

John McFee of Southern Pacific born in Santa Cruz, California, 1953 (now 69)
Jessi Alexander born in Jackson, Tennessee, 1976 (now 46)
Doug Sahm died in Taos, New Mexico (heart attack), 1999 (was 58)
John Hughey (StG 96) died in Nashville, Tennessee (heart disease), 2007 (was 73)

November 19:

Jerry Foster (NS 94) born in Tallapoosa, Missouri, 1935 (now 87)
Joe Falcon died (unknown cause), 1965 (was 65). Falcon is credited with making the first recording of a Cajun song in 1928 with "Allons a Lafayette."
Bobby Russell (NS 94) died in Nicholasville, Kentucky (coronary artery disease), 1992 (was 52)
Buford Abner of the Swanee River Boys (SG 02) died in Ashland, Alabama (natural causes), 2011 (was 94)
Mel Tillis (CM 07, NS 76) died in Ocala, Florida (respiratory failure), 2017 (was 85)

November 20:

Roger Murrah (NS 05) born in Athens, Alabama, 1946 (now 76)
George Grantham of Poco and Ricky Skaggs' band born in Cordell, Oklahoma, 1947 (now 75)
Josh Turner born in Hannah, South Carolina, 1977 (now 45)
Eck Robertson born in Madison County, Arkansas, 1897 (died 1975)
Judy Canova born in Starke, Florida, 1913 (died 1983)
Curly Putman (NS 76) born in Princeton, Alabama, 1930 (died 2016)
RCA buys the contract of Elvis Presley from Sun Records for $35,000, 1955

November 21:

Jean Shepard (CM 11) born in Paul Valley, Oklahoma, 1933 (died 2016)
Joe Carson born in Holliday, Texas, 1936 (died 1964)
Jim Eanes died in Martinsville, Virginia (congestive heart failure), 1995 (was 71)
Bill Vernon (BG 04) died in Rocky Mount, Virginia (asthma-induced heart attack), 1996 (was 59)
Bob White (StG 90) died in Ft. Smith, Arkansas (unknown cause), 2003 (was 70)
Charlie Cline (BG 09) died in Jasper, Alabama (long-term illness), 2004 (was 73)
Paul Yandell, C.G.P. died in Hendersonville, Tennessee (cancer), 2011 (was 76)
Charlie Daniels refused to play the "Country Freedom Concert" after being told not to perform "This Ain't No Rag, It's a Flag," 2001

November 22:

Hoagy Carmichael (NS 88) born in Bloomington, Indiana, 1899 (died 1981)
Wiley Post born in Grand Saline, Texas, 1899 (died 1935)
Doye O'Dell born in Plainview, Texas, 1912 (died 2001)
Ted Harris (NS 90) died in Lewisburg, Tennessee (unknown cause), 2015 (was 78)
First Disc Jockey Convention held in Nashville, 1952
Keith Whitley and Lorrie Morgan married, 1986

November 23:

Charlie Black (NS 91) born in Cheverly, Maryland, 1949 (died 2021)
Charlie Sizemore born in Richmond, Kentucky, 1960 (now 61)
Jerry Sullivan born in Wagarville, Alabama, 1933 (died 2014)
Spade Cooley died in Oakland, California (heart attack), 1969 (was 58)
Grady Nutt died in Vinemont, Alabama (plane crash), 1982 (was 48)
Roy Acuff (CM 62, GLA 87) died in Nashville, Tennessee (congestive heart failure), 1992 (was 89)
Smokey Rogers died (unknown cause), 1993 (was 76)

Hal Ketchum died in Nashville, Tennessee (dementia), 2020 (was 67)

November 24:

Johnny Carver born in Jackson, Mississippi, 1940 (now 82)
Steve Nelson (NS 73) born in New York, New York, 1907 (died 1981)
Stoney Edwards born in Seminole, Oklahoma, 1929 (died 1997)
Johnny Sibert (StG 98) born in Indianapolis, Indiana, 1933 (died 2013)
Teddy Wilburn died in Nashville, Tennessee (congestive heart failure), 2003 (was 71)
Charlie Douglas (DJ 94) died in Covington, Louisiana (unknown cause), 2011 (was 78)
Wanted! The Outlaws by Waylon Jennings, Willie Nelson, Tompall Glaser, and Jessi Colter certified platinum, making it the first certified platinum country music album in history, 1976

November 25:

Amy Grant born in Augusta, Georgia, 1960 (now 62)
Eddie Stubbs (DJ 12, BG 20) born in Gaithersburg, Maryland, 1961 (now 61)
Biff Collie born in Little Rock, Arkansas, 1926 (died 1992)
Kayton Roberts (StG 12) born in Ona, Florida, 1933 (died 2017)
Ralph Emery debuted on WSM in overnight slot, 1957

November 26:

Hal Blair (NS 03) born in Kansas City, Missouri, 1915 (died 2001)

November 27:

Eddie Rabbitt (NS 98) born in Brooklyn, New York, 1941 (died 1998)
Charlene Arthur died in Idaho (atherosclerosis), 1987 (was 58)

November 28:

WSM Barn Dance (later known as the Grand Ole Opry) born, 1925 (now 96)
A.L. "Doodle" Owens (NS 99) born in Waco, Texas, 1930 (died 1999)
Carrie Rodgers, widow of Jimmie Rodgers, died in San Antonio, Texas (cancer), 1961

November 29:

Joel Whitburn born in Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin, 1938 (died 2022)
Jody Miller born in Phoenix, Arizona, 1941 (died 2022)
Merle Travis (CM 77, NS 70) born in Rosewood, Kentucky, 1917 (died 1983)
Jim Nesbitt died in Florence, South Carolina (heart ailment), 2007 (was 75)

November 30:

Jeannie Kendall born in St. Louis, Missouri, 1954 (now 68)
Teddy Wilburn born in Hardy, Arkansas, 1931 (died 2003)

Bob Moore born in Nashville, Tennessee, 1932 (died 2021)

Jack Reno born in Bloomfield, Iowa, 1935 (died 2008)

Mindy McCready born in Ft. Myers, Florida, 1975 (died 2013)
David Houston died in Bossier City, Louisiana (brain aneurysm), 1993 (was 54)
Howard "Happy" Goodman (SG 03) died in Nashville, Tennessee (unknown cause), 2002 (was 81)

Playing All My Favorite Memories

Category: News/Obituary 

For the third time in five weeks we have to say goodbye to a Country Music Hall of Fame member.  This time, it’s Jeff Cook.

Cook, the fiddler/lead guitarist in the band Alabama, died Monday (11/7) at his home in Destin, Florida.  He had been battling Parkinson’s disease for years, which had forced him to retire from touring with the band in 2017. 

One of three cousins from the Sand Mountain region of northeastern Alabama (the same area that gave us other Hall of Famers Ira and Charlie Louvin and Alton and Rabon Delmore), Jeff Cook was born in Fort Payne on August 27, 1949.  The cousins began under the name Wild Country in 1969, playing throughout the southeast (with a special affection for Myrtle Beach) before changing their name to match their home state. 

With the breakup of the Eagles in 1980, Alabama stepped in to fill the shoes for fans of country-rock with tight harmonies.  They had crossover appeal (with “Love in the First Degree,” “Feels So Right,” and “The Closer You Get” making the Billboard pop top 40), but they owned country music in the 80s.  They had an unbelievable 21 consecutive #1 hits, a string that began with “Tennessee River” in 1980 and ended when 1987’s “Tar Top” “only” made it to #7.  (Don’t feel too bad, though, because nine of their next ten singles hit the top spot, too.) 

According to the Whitburn, their biggest hit was 1990’s “Jukebox in My Mind,” which contained that subtle nod to Ernest Tubb’s signature guitar riff after the line “It’s playing all my favorite memories.”  

Alabama was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2006, and Cook received the honor of induction into the Musicians’ Hall of Fame in 2019.  

Jeff Cook was 73.