1928
Born on this day in Olton, Texas was Jimmy Ray Dean the American country music singer, television host, and businessman who had the 1961 country crossover hit “Big Bad John”. Dean became a national television personality in the late 50’s with his television series, The Jimmy Dean Show and is also famous as the creator of the ‘Jimmy Dean sausage brand’. Dean died of natural causes at the age of 81, on June 13, 2010.
1940
Born on this day in Shreveport, Louisiana was record producer, songwriter and guitar player Jerry Kennedy. A recipient of four Grammys, Kennedy’s Dobro and guitar playing have been featured on the albums of artists as varied as Elvis Presley, Bob Dylan, Kris Kristofferson and Ringo Starr. Another work done by Kennedy on Dobro was Jeannie C. Riley’s 1968 hit “Harper Valley PTA.” Kennedy has also produced memorable hits for Roger Miller, Reba McEntire, The Statler Brothers and Tom T. Hall.
2001
Dixie Chick Martie Erwin married Gareth Maguire, a Roman Catholic teacher and actor from Northern Ireland in a civil ceremony in Hawaii.
2009Brooks & Dunn announced that they were breaking up in 2010 after 20 years as a duo. Signed to Arista Records in 1991, the duo recorded ten studio albums, one Christmas album and three compilation albums for the label. They also released fifty singles, of which twenty went to #1 on the Hot Country Songs charts and nineteen more reached top ten.
