October 9th:
1950
Hank Snow was at #1 on the Country music singles charts with “I’m Moving On”. The song, stayed at the top of the charts for 21 weeks and was the first of seven #1 Billboard country hits Snow scored throughout his career.
1955
Johnny Cash played the first night of a week long tour appearing with Elvis Presley, Floyd Cramer, Jimmy Newman and Porter Wagoner at the Cheery Springs Dance Hall, Cherryspring.
1973
Born on this day in Austin, Texas, was Tommy Shane Steiner, country music artist. He made his debut in 2001 with the single “What If She’s an Angel”, which peaked at #2 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles charts.
1973
Elvis and Priscilla Presley were granted a divorce after six and half years of marriage. She was given property along with $725,000 and an additional $4,200 a month for the support of their five-year old daughter, Lisa Marie. The settlement also included half the proceeds from the sale of an L.A. home and five percent of the total outstanding stock in two publishing companies. The couple emerged from a Santa Monica, California courthouse arm in arm, kiss and depart separately.
1978
Johnny Cash hosted the 12th annual Country Music Association Awards Show, broadcast live from the Grand Ole Opry House in Nashville, Tennessee on the CBS-TVnetwork. Dolly Parton won Entertainer Of The Year and Grandpa Jones was inducted into the Hall Of Fame.
1982
Willie Nelson was at #1 on the country album chart with Always on My Mind, which became the Billboard #1 country album of the year. The album spent 22 weeks at the top of the charts and stayed for a total of 253 weeks on the Billboard Top Country Albums charts. The title track was originally recorded by Brenda Lee in 1972 and has since been recorded by dozens of performers including Elvis Presley in 1972 and John Wesley Ryles in 1979.
1993
Born on this day in Raleigh, North Carolina, was Scotty McCreery who won the tenth season of American Idol on May 25, 2011. His debut studio album, Clear as Day, includes the top 20 country songs, “I Love You This Big” and “The Trouble with Girls”.
