1950
Johnny Cash signed up for the Air Force, taking basic training at Lackland Air Force Base in Texas. Assigned as Radio Intercept Operator to Air Force base in Landsberg, Germany, Cash organized a band of five servicemen who share his C&W tastes as the ‘Landsberg Barbarians,’ as he learns to play the guitar.
1956Following six months on the Louisiana Hayride Johnny Cash made his first appearance at the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville, Tennessee.
1979
Born on this day in Hobbema, Alberta, was Cree-Canadian country music singer, songwriter Shane Yellowbird. He was named the Aboriginal Entertainer of the Year at the Aboriginal People’s Choice Music Awards, Chevy Trucks Rising Star of the Year at the Canadian Country Music Awards, and had one of the 10 most played country music songs of the year in Canada.
1987
Alabama re-released their fifth 1981 studio album Feels So Right which became their first #1 on the Billboard Top Country Albums chart. The album produced three #1 hits on the Billboard Hot Country Singles chart: “Old Flame”, the title track and “Love in the First Degree”.
1990
“Love Without End, Amen” by George Strait became Billboard’s first five-week #1 song, matching 1977’s “Here You Come Again” by Dolly Parton. “Love Without End, Amen” is Strait’s first multi-week chart-topper, after his first 18 #1’s had spent just one week on top.
1997
Alan Jackson released “There Goes” which became his fifthteen #1 single on the US Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks charts. It was the fourth single from his album, Everything I Love.
2013
Randy Travis was hospitalized in a critical condition with viral cardiomyopathy after a viral upper respiratory infection. Three days later, he suffered a stroke and underwent surgery to relieve pressure on his brain. He was released from Baylor Heart Hospital in Plano, Texas on July 31, 2013 and entered a physical therapy facility.
