1941
Born on this day, was Don Rich, country musician who helped develop the Bakersfield sound in the early 1960s. He was a noted guitarist and fiddler, and a member of the Buckaroos, the backing band of country singer Buck Owens. Rich died on July 17, 1974.
1946
Born on this day in Elk City, Oklahoma, was Jimmy Webb, songwriter. His country hits include “Highwayman,” by Waylon Jennings, Willie Nelson, Johnny Cash and Kris Kristofferson; and “Wichita Lineman” and “By The Time I Get To Phoenix,” by Glen Campbell. “By the Time I Get to Phoenix” was the third most performed song in the fifty years between 1940 to 1990. Webb is the only artist ever to have received Grammy Awards for music, lyrics, and orchestration.
1961
Born on this day in Woodside, California, was Paul Jefferson, country music artist who has had his songs recorded by Keith Urban, Little Texas and Buddy Jewell, among others. He also co-wrote Aaron Tippin’s #1 song “That’s as Close as I’ll Get to Loving You.”
1977
Reba McEntire released her self titled debut studio album on Mercury Records. The album featured her first single “I Don’t Wanna Be a One Night Stand”, but the album was not a commercial success, failing to chart.
2003American bluegrass fiddler Mack Magaha died age 74. He is best known as a member of Porter Wagoner’s band, and a long-time backup player in the pioneering bluegrass band, Reno and Smiley. He wrote “I know You’re Married But I Love You Still” which was recorded by Reno & Smiley and later covered by artists such as Bill Anderson, Rodney Crowell, Patty Loveless and Travis Tritt.
