July 26th:
1922
Born on this day in Lundale, West Virginia, was Jim Foglesong country music producer and executive from the 1950s until the 1990s, based in Nashville He signed many artists, among them Barbara Mandrell, Don Williams, Garth Brooks, Donna Fargo, Reba McEntire, The Oak Ridge Boys, Con Hunley, George Strait, Tanya Tucker, Sawyer Brown, Suzy Bogguss, and Kevin Morris. He was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2004.
1947
Born on this day in in Windsor, Connecticut was guitarist Al Anderson who has penned hits for George Strait – “Love’s Gonna Make It Alright,” Diamond Rio’s “Unbelievable,” LeAnn Rimes’ “Big Deal” and The Mavericks’ “All You Ever Do Is Bring Me Down. ”
1969
Johnny Cash released the single, “A Boy Named Sue”, a song written by Shel Silverstein. Cash was at the height of his popularity when he recorded the song live at California’s San Quentin State Prison at a concert on February 24, 1969. The song tells the tale of a young man’s quest for revenge on a father who abandoned him at 3 years of age and whose only contribution to his entire life was naming him Sue.
1972
Charley Pride was at #1 on the US Country singles chart with “It’s Gonna Take a Little Bit Longer”, his ninth #1 on the country chart. The single stayed at the top for three weeks and spent a total of fourteen weeks on the country chart.
1980
Merle Haggard and Clint Eastwood were at #1 on the US Country music charts with “Bar Room Buddies”. The song was featured in the film Bronco Billy (starring Clint Eastwood).
1999
Shania Twain’s Come On Over was certified for shipments of 12 million copies, passing her own The Woman In Me as the best-selling country album ever by a female artist.
2007
Mindy McCready was arrested by Williamson County deputies and charged with violating her probation when she arrived on an afternoon flight at the Nashville International Airport. McCready was serving a three-year probation after pleading guilty in 2004 to fraudulently obtaining OxyContin at a Brentwood pharmacy and for resisting arrest.
