1914
Born on this day, was Ernest Tubb, nicknamed the Texas Troubadour, who was an American singer and songwriter and one of the early pioneers of country music. His biggest hit song, “Walking the Floor Over You” from 1941, marked the rise of the honky tonk style of music. Tubb died on September 6th 1984.
1939
Born on this day in Brooklyn, New York, was Barry Mann, songwriter, and part of a successful songwriting partnership with his wife, Cynthia Weil. The pair wrote “Here You Come Again” a hit for Dolly Parton in 1977. They also wrote “I Just Can’t Help Believin'” by B.J. Thomas and Elvis. Mann also co-wrote “You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feeling” with Phil Spector.
1959
Mercury Records released “White Lightning” by George Jones, which became the first #1 single of his career. In his 1997 autobiography, I Lived To Tell It All, Jones mentions the fact that the recording process of “White Lightning” was extremely lengthy after he arrived for the recording session under the influence of a great deal of alcohol and it took him approximately 80 takes just to record his vocals.
1963
Born on this day, in Marietta, Georgia, was Travis Tritt, Grammy winning, country music singer who has charted more than forty times on the Hot Country Songs charts, including five #1’s: “Help Me Hold On,” “Anymore,” “Can I Trust You with My Heart,” “Foolish Pride” and “Best of Intentions.” He received two Grammy Awards, both for Best Country Collaboration with Vocals: in 1992 for “The Whiskey Ain’t Workin’,” a duet with Marty Stuart, and again in 1998 for “Same Old Train”, a collaboration with Stuart and nine other artists.
1980The Oak Ridge Boys reached the top of the Billboard country chart with the Rodney Crowell-penned “Leaving Louisiana In The Broad Daylight”. The song was initially covered by Emmylou Harris (in whose band Crowell had played during the late 1970s), who included it on her 1978 Quarter Moon in a Ten Cent Town album.
2007
Taylor Swift released “Teardrops on My Guitar” the second single from her self-titled debut album which peaked at #2 on the Billboard Hot Country Songs and was a crossover hit as well, peaking at #7 on the Billboard Pop Songs chart.
2014
On the 80th Anniversary of Bob Wills’ first performance at the Cain’s Ballroom in Tulsa, Oklahoma, the Oklahoma Historical Society and the Oklahoma Museum of Popular Culture announced plans to create a feature-length documentary about the life and music of Bob Wills. The documentary will be titled Still the King. Bob Wills: The Man. The Music.
