June 28th:
1924
Born on this day in Waverly, Tennessee was George Morgan, American country music singer who had the 1949 US #1 hit “Candy Kisses”. In 1974, Morgan was the last person to sing on the stage of the Ryman Auditorium before the Grand Ole Opry moved to the new Grand Ole Opry House. A week later he was the first to sing on stage at the venue. He died on July 7, 1975.
1940
The movie Grand Ole Opry debuted at Nashville’s Paramount Theater, starring Roy Acuff and the Smoky Mountain Boys, Uncle Dave Macon and Opry founder George D. Hay.
1951
Born on this day Lubbock, Texas, was Lloyd Maines, country music record producer, musician and songwriter. Best known as a pedal steel player, Maines is a multi-instrumentalist who has toured and recorded as a member of the Joe Ely Band. Maines won a Grammy Award for Best Country Album in 2003 as producer of the Dixie Chicks’ album, Home. As the father of Natalie Maines, lead singer of the Dixie Chicks, he was instrumental in bringing the current lineup of bandmates together in 1995.
1966
Merle Haggard recorded “The Bottle Let Me Down” at the Capitol Recording Studio in Hollywood. Released as a single in August of this year, the track peaked at #3 on the US Billboard Hot Country Singles.
1966
Born on this day in Nashville, Tennessee was Bobby Bare Jr. American singer-songwriter, (the son of country musician Bobby Bare, Sr.). In 1974, when Bobby was only eight, he and his father were both nominated for a Grammy for the song ‘Daddy What If’, which was written by Shel Silverstein.
1986
Born on this day in Albemarle, North Carolina, was Kellie Pickler who gained fame as a contestant on the fifth season of American Idol. Her debut album, Small Town Girl, produced three singles on the Billboard Hot Country Songs charts: “Red High Heels”, “I Wonder” and “Things That Never Cross a Man’s Mind”.
2010
Miranda Lambert was at #1 on the US country chart with “The House That Built Me”. Written by Tom Douglas and Allen Shamblin, Lambert won a Grammy for Best Female Country Vocal Performance for song.” Blake Shelton was originally set to record the song when Lambert heard it, she immediately wanted to record it for herself. It was the third single from her third studio album, Revolution.
