1933
Born on this day in Elaine, Arkansas was session pedal steel guitar player John Hughey. He has worked with various country music acts, most notably Vince Gill and Conway Twitty. A member of the Pedal Steel Guitar Hall of Fame, Hughey was known for a distinctive playing style called “crying steel”, which focused primarily on the higher range of the guitar. He died on November 18, 2007 age 73.
1948
Born on this day in Oneida, Kentucky, was Les Taylor, country music artist who was the lead singer and rhythm guitarist of country-pop band Exile. He performed with the group until 1989, when he left to pursue a solo career. As a songwriter, Taylor has had his songs recorded by Travis Tritt and Shelby Lynne. He also co-wrote Janie Fricke’s #1 single, “It Ain’t Easy Bein’ Easy.”
1967
Born on this day in Midland, Texas, songwriter Jim Beavers who wrote Tim McGraw’s “Felt Good On My Lips,” Toby Keith’s “Red Solo Cup,” Luke Bryan’s “Drink A Beer” and Josh Turner’s “Why Don’t We Just Dance.”
1968
Glen Campbell was at #1 on the US Country charts with “Wichita Lineman”. It has been referred to as “the first existential country song”.
1986Hank Williams Jr.’s remake of “Mind Your Own Business” was at the top of the Billboard country chart. The song which was first recorded by Hank Williams in 1949, also featured Tom Petty, Willie Nelson and Reba McEntire.
1989
Ronnie Milsap was at #1 on the Country music singles chart with “A Woman in Love”, a song written by Curtis Wright and Doug Millett. It was released as the third single from the album Stranger Things Have Happened and was his last song to reach #1 on the US country singles chart.
2003
Kenny Chesney was at #1 on the Country charts with “There Goes My Life”, written by Wendell Mobley and Neil Thrasher, the song spent 20 weeks on the chart.
