August 21st:
1938
Born on this day in Houston, Texas, was Kenny Rogers, singer-songwriter, record producer, actor, and entrepreneur. He has charted more than 120 hit singles across various music genres, topping the country and pop album charts for more than 200 individual weeks in the US alone. He was voted the “Favorite Singer of All-Time” in a 1986 joint poll by readers of both USA Today and People.
1939
Born on this day in Dubberly in south Webster Parish near Minden, Louisiana, was James Burton, guitarist. Since the 1950s, Burton has recorded and performed with an array of notable singers, including Bob Luman, Dale Hawkins, Ricky Nelson, Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, Merle Haggard, Glen Campbell, John Denver, Gram Parsons, Emmylou Harris, Jerry Lee Lewis, Roy Orbison and Vince Gill. James Burton is also known as the “Master of the Telecaster.”
1939
Born on this day, was Harold Reid, Country singer, songwriter with The Statler Brothers who had the 80’s US Country #1 hits “Elizabeth” and “Do You Know You Are My Sunshine.”
1961
American Western swing singer Spade Cooley was convicted of first-degree murder by a jury. Cooley had suspected his second wife, Ella Mae Cooley of repeatedly being unfaithful, (she had an affair with Roy Rogers), and he murdered her at their home in front of their 14-year-old daughter. It was said that after he had beaten her to death he crushed a lighted cigarette against her skin to see whether she was dead. Cooley had scored over 6 top 10 Country hits in the 1940’s.
1988
Born on this day, was Kacey Musgraves, American country music artist. She self-released three albums before appearing on the fifth season of the USA Network’s singing competition Nashville Star in 2007, where she placed seventh. She signed with Mercury Records in 2012 and released her solo debut single “Merry Go ‘Round” which is included on her album Same Trailer Different Park.
1989
Capitol records released “If Tomorrow Never Comes” by Garth Brooks. Written by Brooks and Kent Blazy, it was released on his self-titled 1989 debut album Garth Brooks and also appears on The Hits, The Limited Series and Double Live. This was his first #1 single on the Billboard Country Singles chart.
2006
Keith Urban made history when his new single “Once in a Lifetime” debuted at #17, setting a new record for the highest-debuting country single in the 62-year history of Billboard’s country charts. The record was formerly held by Garth Brooks’ “Good Ride Cowboy” and Eddie Rabbitt’s “Every Which Way But Loose”, both of which debuted at #18.
2008
Drummer Buddy Harman died of congestive heart failure, aged 79. He worked with Elvis Presley (‘Little Sister’), Patsy Cline (‘Crazy’), Roy Orbison (‘Pretty Woman’), Johnny Cash (‘Ring Of Fire’), Tammy Wynette (‘Stand By Your Man’). Harman was the first house drummer for The Grand Ole Opry and can be heard on over 18,000 recordings.
2010
Al Dexter, George Jones and Ray Winkler were all inducted into the Texas Country Music Hall Of Fame, located in Carthage, Texas.
