April 15 – This Day in Country Music

1933
Born on this day in Meherrin, Virginia, was Roy Clark, musician and performer best known for hosting Hee Haw, a nationally televised country variety show, from 1969-1992. Clark who scored the 1973 country #1 hit “Come Live with Me”, also appeared in episodes of The Beverly Hillbillies as “Cousin Roy.” He died on November 15th 2018 age 85.

1959
Johnny Cash and the Tennessee Two played their first show in Australia when they kicked off a tour at Melbourne Festival Hall. This was the first time Cash had appearred live outside of the US.

1968
Dolly Parton released her second studio album Just Because I’m a Woman. The album’s title track became the only single from the album. Released in June 1968 it peaked at #17 on the US Billboard Hot Country Singles chart.

1968
Loretta Lynn released her twelfth solo studio album Fist City which became Lynn’s second album to top the Country chart. The first single from the album, “What Kind of a Girl (Do You Think I Am)” was released in August 1967 and peaked at #5 on the US Hot Country Singles chart. The second single, “Fist City”, was released in January 1968 and peaked at #1 on the chart, making it Lynn’s second #1 hit.

1977
Kenny Rogers was at #1 on the country charts with “Lucille”. Written by Roger Bowling and Hal Bynum, the song is about a man who acquaints himself with a downhearted married woman named Lucille. An inebriated Lucille admits her unhappiness in life and a longing for adventure. An international hit, it reached #1 on the Billboard Country Singles chart and #5 on the Billboard Hot 100 and reached the top of the UK singles chart in June 1977.

1978
Born on this day in in Lexington, Kentucky was American country and bluegrass musician Chris Stapleton who scored the 2015 US No.1 album Traveller. Stapleton who is a former member of The SteelDrivers has also written hits for Kenny Chesney, Tim McGraw, Adele and George Strait.

2008
Capitol released the self-titled debut album by Lady Antebellum, which debuted at #1 on the Billboard Top Country Albums chart, the first debut by a country group to achieve this. It also reached #4 on the overall Billboard Top 200 charts and received a nomination for Album of the Year on the 2010 Academy of Country Music Awards.