1923
Born on this day, in Pike County, Alabama, was Audrey Williams. She met Hank Williams in 1943 at the age of 20, and the couple married before a Justice of the Peace at a gas station near Andalusia, Alabama in December 1944. She died from heart failure related to her years of alcohol and drug use on 4th November 1975 at the age of 52. Audrey is mentioned in the song by Johnny Cash featuring Waylon Jennings: “The Night Hank Williams Came To Town” as “How’d They Get Miss Audrey In That Gown.”
1927
Born on this day in New Brockton, Alabama was Don Helms a steel guitarist best known as the steel guitar player of Hank Williams’ Drifting Cowboys. Helms was a featured musician on over 100 Hank Williams recordings and went on to play on many classic country hits, including Patsy Cline’s “Walking After Midnight,” Stonewall Jackson’s “Waterloo,” the Louvin Brothers’ “Cash on the Barrelhead,” Lefty Frizzell’s “Long Black Veil” and Loretta Lynn’s “Blue Kentucky Girl.” He died on August 11, 2008.
1940
Born on this day in Atlanta, Georgia, was Joe South, singer-songwriter and guitarist who has written many well known songs including the 1971 Lynn Anderson hit “(I Never Promised You A) Rose Garden.” which was a hit in 16 countries worldwide. South has also played guitar with Aretha Franklin, Bob Dylan and Simon & Garfunkle as well as scoring his own hit with “Games People Play” in 1968. South died aged 72 on 5 Sept 2012.
1963
Patsy Cline made the final television appearance of her career when she appeared on The Glenn Reeves Show singing “San Antonio Rose” and “I Fall To Pieces”. She died tragically in a plane crash just five days later at the age of 30.
1976
Country music winners at the 18th Annual Grammy Awards included; Best Country Vocal Performance, Female – Linda Ronstadt for “I Can’t Help It (If I’m Still in Love With You)”, Best Country Vocal Performance, Male – Willie Nelson for “Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain”, Best Country Vocal Performance by a Duo or Group – Rita Coolidge & Kris Kristofferson for “Lover Please”, Best Country Song – Larry Butler & Chips Moman (songwriters) for “(Hey Won’t You Play) Another Somebody Done Somebody Wrong Song” performed by B. J. Thomas.
1977
Born on this day in Macon, Georgia, was Jason Aldean country music singer, who has scored six #1 singles: “Why”, “She’s Country”, “Big Green Tractor”, “The Truth”, “Don’t You Wanna Stay” (a duet with Kelly Clarkson), and “Dirt Road Anthem.”
1981
Country music star Eddie Rabbitt crossed over to the Pop chart to score a US #1 hit with “I Love a Rainy Night”. He had earlier written the Elvis Presley smash “Kentucky Rain” before having a #5 hit with “Drivin’ My Life Away”. Although it sounds like he made up a stage name, his real name is Edward Thomas Rabbitt.
1984
Lee Greenwood won Best Male Country Vocal Performance for “I.O.U.” at the 26th Annual Grammy Awards. Best Female Country Vocal Performance went to Anne Murray for “A Little Good News.”
1992
Garth Brooks was at #1 on the Country charts with “What She’s Doing Now. “It was released in December 1991 as the third single from his album, Ropin’ the Wind and spent four weeks at the top of the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks chart. It was written by Brooks and Pat Alger.
1996
Alison Krauss won Best Female Country Vocal Performance for “Baby, Now That I’ve Found You” at the 38th Annual Grammy Awards. Vince Gill won Best Male Country Vocal Performance for “Go Rest High on That Mountain.”
2009
Kenny Chesney and Mac McAnally were at #1 on the Country charts with “Down the Road.” McAnally has charted with the song on two separate occasions. The first of these two versions was released as the second single from his 1990 album Simple Life, and was a minor chart single for him that year. Eighteen years later, McAnally re-recorded the song as a duet with Kenny Chesney on Chesney’s 2008 album Lucky Old Sun.
